Integrating Religious Values into Public Relations: A Proposed Framework for Malaysia

Public Relations (PR) scholarship emphasizes ethical frameworks such as honesty and fairness. However, few studies systematically align these principles with Islamic teachings. This situation has created a gap in culturally resonant PR models. Therefore, this study addresses the underexplored integration of Islamic values into PR practices by investigating how Islamic values could be integrated into PR practices and proposing a holistic framework in the Malaysian context. The study employed a qualitative approach consisting of document review of the Quran and Hadith and semi-structured interviews with nine experts, including PR professionals, academics, and Sharia scholars. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed that Islamic values such as sincerity, kindness, cooperation, speech principles, truthfulness, trustworthiness, righteous conveyance, and wisdom align with ethical PR practices. The proposed framework integrates these values into foundational values, communication principles, and strategic decision-making based on spiritually grounded PR practices. The study’s contribution lies in advancing a culturally grounded PR framework that could help enhance ethical decision-making in Muslim-majority settings. The findings also offer actionable insights for practitioners and policymakers by bridging Islamic scholarship and PR theory. The study fills a critical gap in global PR discourse by advocating for context-specific ethical frameworks that balance religious principles with professional standards.