Thursday, 05-Aug-2004 12:07 AM

Bikin tak serupa cakap (not doing as you preach)

There is currently a rage going on in Malaysia. And this rage is about Islam, the nation’s ‘official’ religion. Well, you can read ‘rage’ as something burning, a storm or frenzy -- or you can read it as a fashion, trend, craze or fad. In this case, ‘rage’ could probably be better translated to mean trend or craze, and the word ‘craze’ itself comes from the word ‘crazy’.

Anyway, first of all, I cannot understand why Islam is the ‘official’ religion of Malaysia. If there is an official religion, then there must also be an unofficial religion. If there is no unofficial religion, then why the need for an official religion? What then is Malaysia’s unofficial religion? Islam Hadhari maybe? (As opposed to Islam Nabi, the Prophet’s religion -- Prophet Muhammad, that is).

Can’t understand my argument? Okay, let me explain. If I have only one wife -- my legal, first or official wife -- why do I need to introduce her to my friends as my ‘official’ or first wife? Only if I have a mistress or second wife stashed away somewhere would I need to introduce my first or legal wife as my official wife. This would mean my friends will know I have another woman hidden away somewhere.

Now does it make sense that declaring Islam as the official religion of Malaysia does not make sense?

Let us go to the first news item from the Straits Times today:

Insult: Comment on prayers

SHAH ALAM - Umno leaders here lodged a police report yesterday alleging that a published article insulted Islam by describing the azan prayer call as 'noise pollution and an annoyance to neighbours'.

The allegedly offensive part of the article, printed in the May/June issue of the Bar Council's bulletin, said: 'True, dogs may be noisy at times but that is a different issue.

'As in the case of those developers building mosques in the vicinity of a non-Muslim community, while one recognises any community's right to perform its religious obligation by way of using a loudspeaker, to some, it is noise pollution created to the annoyance of those residing in the neighbourhood.'

Mr Mohd Azhar Othman, a member of the Shah Alam Umno divisional committee who made the police report, accused the Bar Council, the body that represents all lawyers, of failing to consider the feelings of Muslims and Malaysia's status as a multiracial country.

Now why is Umno up in arms about this statement? Recently, during the Chinese New Year celebrations in Kuala Terengganu, Barisan Nasional, the ruling coalition, which Umno is leading, organised a carnival during the 7.00pm dusk prayers. When the state objected to the timing and asked them to delay the carnival an hour or so till after the prayer time the organisers ignored the state and said that they would go on with the carnival with or without the state’s approval.

Did not Umno then show disrespect to Islam? Why are the Umno leaders so hot and bothered now when others make what they perceive as an insulting statement? Umno must learn to receive what they dish out. When Umno shows disrespect to Islam they must respect others’ rights to disrespect Islam as well. This is only fair.

Maybe Umno should brush up on Islam. Reading the Koran is required under Islam. But, if on reading the Koran loudly, you disturb someone who is sleeping, it becomes haram (prohibited). Islam does not allow Muslims to practice their religion to the point it becomes a nuisance to others. So maybe some thought needs to be given on the matter. How can we be good Muslims without being bad Muslims? And inconveniencing others, especially old and sick people or sleeping babies, is the mark of a bad Muslim.

The next news item is from the New Straits Times about what Muslims should and should not do at carnivals, which goes as follows:

CONCERTS AND CARNIVALS

Top cleric urges national guidelines for Muslims

Fatwa council chief also backs Perak Mufti's remarks about TV3 carnival

KUALA LUMPUR - It is time to have a clear set of national guidelines on what Muslims can or cannot do at concerts and carnivals, says the head of the council issuing fatwas or Islamic edicts in Malaysia.

If the Islamic Development Department could do this, it would ensure that Muslims attending concerts or carnivals do not indulge in activities that are considered immoral in Islam, Datuk Ismail Ibrahim said.

It would also help organisers to be sensitive to the standards Muslims are to adhere to, he added.

His comments follow an exchange of views between the Mufti, or religious leader, of Perak, Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria, and Information Minister Paduka Abdul Kadir Sheikh Fadzir.

The Muslim cleric had announced last week that the popular TV3 Sure Heboh carnival, which featured concerts by pop stars, was haram or forbidden by Islam.

He argued that those events encouraged Muslims to neglect their daily prayers as well as promoted vice among youths.

The statement prompted Datuk Paduka Abdul Kadir to make it clear that there was nothing wrong with what he described as 'wholesome family fun'.

He said: 'Passing a judgment that something is haram has to be studied carefully and the views of various parties must be taken into account before a final decision is made by the National Fatwa Council.'

Speaking on Tuesday, during a visit to the TV3 station, Datuk Ismail also said that the guidelines he was calling for would make it unnecessary for the Fatwa Council to discuss the matter.

'We, the council, only issue an edict for something new like SMS contests. It is something new and Muslims do not know whether it is permitted,' said the chairman of the Fatwa Council.

Expressing his support for the Perak Mufti's remarks, Datuk Ismail said: 'I concur with the statement that the permissive behaviour of artistes and audience and their manner of dressing do not conform to our religion and values.

'This behaviour contradicts our values and traditions,' he noted.

'This phenomenon, which is becoming more widespread, is being exploited by companies and individuals. It is also being capitalised on by television stations through their live telecasts.

'Such events, which are normally held in an open space in an atmosphere of loud music and boisterous crowds, could lull the people into neglecting their religious obligations,' he said.

Datuk Ismail, however, conceded that it would be unfair to put the blame entirely on the organisers. -- New Straits Times

Why bother to even debate this issue? It is so ridiculous I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. In the first place, are carnivals allowed in Islam? If not, then either we ban them or allow them. If we cannot ban them, then allow them to go on and no need to have any guidelines as to how to Islamise these carnivals.

Free mingling of the sexes is not allowed under Islam. So what do we do? Do we divide the stadium into two and place all the males on one side of the stadium and the females on the other side, separated by a giant screen so that the males do not get a peep of the females? If not, then do we allow all the males and females to mix, which is haram under Islam (so why the need to discuss it further as everything else becomes irrelevant)?

Then we have the Prime Minister’s, Abdullah Ahmad Badawi’s speech at the opening of the International Conference on Muslims and Islam in the 21st Century carried by the Straits Times today:

Muslims 'must overcome weaknesses'

In a bold speech, Abdullah holds Muslims responsible for poor image of Islam and calls for action to regain world's respect

By Reme Ahmad

KUALA LUMPUR - Muslims have themselves to blame for the poor image of Islam today, Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said yesterday. He said that although linking terrorism and Islam is wrong, Muslim nations must act quickly to regain the respect of the world community.

The cycle of violence, poverty, poor education, the lack of democracy and inward-looking Islamic countries combine to make Muslim youths susceptible to extremist ideas, he told an international Islamic conference.

'We must admit that many of these problems arise due to our weaknesses,' said Datuk Seri Abdullah. 'The challenge before the Muslim world today is to confront the ugly realities of our present situation and restore the image of Muslims and Islam.'

He was speaking at the opening of the three-day International Conference on Muslims and Islam in the 21st Century, which is being attended by 200 scholars and thinkers from more than 30 countries.

Broaching a sensitive subject, he said the one billion Muslims worldwide must be willing to update their interpretations of Islamic laws and be ready to learn from non-Muslims, rather than 'retreat into our shells'.

'Early Islamic civilisation was open and outward looking. For instance, it did not hesitate to absorb scientific knowledge from the Greeks and Romans,' said the Premier, himself an Islamic scholar, and the grandson and son of respected scholars.

'It is my view that, for now and in the future, contemporary interpretation is needed and should be accorded the recognition it deserves if the Muslim community is to progress.'

He added: 'It is understandable that in the course of interpretation, we will differ. What is sad and ultimately destructive for the community is how we seem to resort to violent conflict to resolve our differences.'

His views are in opposition to the conservative branch of Islam, which believes that only scholars in the early period of the 1,400-year-old religion have the true interpretations.

Datuk Seri Abdullah stressed that the future of Islam lies in working together with the West rather than being in conflict with it, a view he made known in an impassioned speech at the World Council of Churches meeting on Tuesday, in which he also urged for religious moderation and inter-faith dialogues.

Yesterday, the Premier laid bare the weaknesses of the Muslim world:

Poverty is a serious problem in half of the world's Islamic countries;

A majority of Muslim nations have high illiteracy rates;

Most of the refugees in the world are Muslims;

More can be done to increase democracy in many countries;

Many Muslim countries restrict the civil and political participation of women, thus marginalising half their human resources.

'It is under these political and socio-economic conditions, when peaceful and democratic means for redress are limited, that Muslim youths are vulnerable to extremist ideas.

'Once they start nurturing extremist ideas, they become easy recruits for those interested in usurping religion for their narrow and violent ideals,' Datuk Seri Abdullah said.

He offered a way out: 'We must create an environment where peace can prevail, economies can prosper and people find their dignity.'

Yes, certainly a ‘bold’ speech by Malaysia’s new Prime Minister. And who better to deliver such a speech if not the son of an illustrious Islamic scholar. Note the following points in his speech:

Muslims have themselves to blame for the poor image of Islam today…the cycle of violence, poverty, poor education, the lack of democracy and inward-looking Islamic countries combine to make Muslim youths susceptible to extremist ideas…the challenge before the Muslim world today is to confront the ugly realities of our present situation and restore the image of Muslims and Islam…more can be done to increase democracy in many countries…

Bold speech? No, more like bold-faced! How can he stand before all these people and utter statements like that? What is the fundamental principle of Islam? Why, justice, of course. Islam is all about justice and only justice. And does Abdullah Ahmad Badawi practice this fundamental rule of Islam? Certainly not!

Anwar Ibrahim still languishes in jail, denied the medical treatment of his choice though specialists and surgeons have said he needs immediate medical attention and it should be one of his own choice. He is also denied bail though others charged under this same section of the law, or for a worse offence, have been granted bail.

Anwar was sentenced to six years jail on a corruption conviction on 14 April 1999 and nine years jail on a sodomy conviction on 8 August 2000. Until today, 5 August 2004, he is still waiting for his Judicial Review on the first conviction to be heard and the Appeal Hearing decision on his second conviction. In fact, Anwar has already completed serving his first sentence and is now serving his second sentence so even if he wins his case he still loses.

Malaysia wants to project itself as the leader and spokesman of the Muslim world. Yet we cannot even practice the tenets of Islam back in our own country. What gives Malaysia and Abdullah the right to preach Islam to the world when we do not practice what we preach? And I am not even touching on the fraud during the recent general election, the arrests and detentions without trial (which Islam prohibits), the harassment of all those who oppose the government (when Islam allows for freedom of speech, assembly and association), the corruption and wastage of public funds (which is haram), and much, much more.

The Malays have a phrase for this: bikin tak serupa cakap (not doing as you preach).

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