Federal Territory mufti Wan Zahidi Wan Teh's defence of minister in the Prime Minister's Deparment Jamil Khir Baharom in the zakat abuse controversy has sparked a continuous stream of comments from netizens, many of whom could not help seeing the funny side.
From comparing Wan Zahidi to a character in the 1959 P.Ramlee romantic comedy 'Musang Berjanggut', to suggesting that those whose names were blacklisted by banks could also now get help through zakat funds, a majority of Harakahdaily readers on its Facebook page took turns pouring scorn on him.
Yesterday, Wan Zahidi (pic) was quoted by Bernama as okaying the act of using zakat funds to pay for legal fees involving those discharging official duties, lumping them into the category of those who 'strive in the way of God', or jihad fi sabilillah, one of the eight categories deserving zakat.
He said "everything that touches on the interests of the Muslim community in administering and enforcing Islamic law" could be considered as jihad.
"Therefore, I am of the opinion that there has been no misuse of zakat funds as alleged," said Wan Zahidi, in response to allegation that Jamil and two others used zakat money to pay legal fees pertaining to a suit by Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim involving them over their failure to act on his qazaf (false accusation of illicit sex) complaint against accuser Saiful Bukhari Azlan.
"This mufti reminds me of the 'minister in charge of marriage' in 'Musang Berjanggut'," writes Abdul Shukor Ismail, referring to a scene in the P Ramlee movie (left) in which an elderly court scholar tries to justify his being alone in the same house with the beautiful daughter-in-law of the sultan.
Another reader posted the full dialogue of a scene from the movie, quoting the scholar:
"Yes it's wrong, dear. But laws can change. After all, the laws of this land are written by me!"
"I may not be knowledgeable about religion, but I know about halal and haram. I think Jamil and this mufti should go back to religious school," says Abu Supian.
"So all UMNO/BN candidates in the Federal Territory can now use zakat to pay voters... jihad fi sabilillah?" quips Kholid Zakiah.
Some comments are reflective of the anger over Wan Zahidi's statements, many of which we are unable to repeat here for obvious reasons, while others are one-liners:
"Cari makan (Earn a living)," remarks one, "Justifying the means," rejoined another.
"This is Gardenia bread past the expiry date," came another hilarious one among many that followed, including "That's jahat [evil], not jihad".
Sarcasms aside, some questioned the mufti's defence even when Jamil had denied he ever used zakat money to pay lawyers.
Judging by the mufti's elastic definition of jihad, one reader remarks: "Then MAIWP also had to pay Anwar legal fee... I mean seriously....in other words, anybody can. Pekida, Perkasa, singers, artists...".
"Those Muslims blacklisted or piled with credit card debts could now apply for zakat citing economic jihad!" shouts one Ismanizal.
But there is also a lone voice chiding those attacking the mufti.
"Well done. FB fans here seem to be greater than the muftis," says Adzhar Tahir.
Alas, his rebuke did not go unanswered:
"Yes indeed (we are) greater than (the) mufti. I don't know how he could become a mufti," replied a user nicknamed Caliph Aiman.
-Harakahdaily
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