‘Keep politics out of mosques’

An Umno leader calls for public sermons to be free of slander and politics.

PETALING JAYA: An Umno leader has called for public sermons in mosques to be free of slander and politics.

Cheras Umno division leader Syed Ali Alhabshee believes that mosques should be free from slander and politics “especially during the month of Ramadan”. Instead, he believes that mosques should be a place of knowledge and prayer.

Syed Ali then lauded the effort by the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department (JAWI) to monitor all mosques to ensure no political sermons are conducted throughout Ramadan.

“I understand Jawi is monitoring all mosques and places of worship. This is a good step to prevent political sermons and slander among Muslims,” he was quoted as saying on his blog.

“During the fasting month, we are encouraged to frequent our prayers and seek guidance from Allah, but some mosques have been made places of politics and slander through their sermons,” he added.

Syed Ali’s statement was then lauded by prime minister’s wife, Rosmah Mansor, who agreed that surveillance must be enforced to prevent political sermons and defamation towards political leaders.

Rosmah was said to have also revealed how she was personally defamed and gossiped upon by those in mosques including religious leaders.

“Those who are well-versed in religion also smear me and gossip about me in mosques, even though smearing and defaming a person is very sinful in Islam,” she was quoted as saying in Syed Ali’s blog.

“If I don’t forgive them, then that’s not right either, though I really want to know who among them likes to smear me,” she added.

According to Rosmah, Muslims in the country should be thankful as Malaysia is blessed with abundance of wealth as compared to other Islamic nations.

Syed Ali then said the public should also be thankful for ruling coalition Barisan Nasional, who “always care about the wellbeing of the people”.

“Every Aidil Fitri, Umno and BN as ruling coalition would not fail to remember the interests of the people, especially the poor,” he said.

“When Aidil Fitri comes, we will work hard to help those in need. This is a social responsibility of Cheras Umno for the wellbeing of the locals.”