Fatwa Council and all things haram

There seems to be no end to its bigotry, from denouncing yoga, valentine's day and now RIP, which is used to express sympathy and sadness.

COMMENT

The country’s administration is in a mess and still, the ruling government continues to rejoice in demonising other faiths and uphold the superiority of Islam, which the Federal Constitution safeguards as the official religion.

From the threats to non-Malays to back off from using the word ‘Allah’ to the seizure of more than 300 bibles in Iban and Malay languages to the uncalled for Jan 2 raid of the Bible Society of Malaysia premises in Damansara Kim to condemning Valentine Day’s as the ‘root of all evil’, the Barisan Nasional government continues to display its pre-occupation with the persecution of the non-Malays.

The latest show of prejudice and discrimination against the non-Malays comes in the wake of the death of DAP’s former national chairman Karpal Singh on April 17. The MP for Bukit Gelugor died in an accident near Gua Tempurung on the North-South Expressway.

Karpal, who would have turned 74 on June 28, was travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Penang to attend a court hearing in the morning. The country’s best criminal and constitution lawyer’s demise not only shocked the nation but the grief shown by the rakyat left the BN government red-faced.

Tears that flowed transcended racial boundaries. Devastated that the country had lost an outstanding fighter against injustice, Malaysians used the phrase ‘RIP’ (Rest in Peace) to express their condolences. But this touching farewell to a defender of the truth rankled the National Fatwa Council.

It promptly reminded Muslims that they are not encouraged to use the phrase to a non-Muslim because of its Christian connotations. In a statement on its website, the council said Muslims could express their condolences but it had a bone to pick with ‘RIP’, claiming that it was a form of prayer used by Christians during the 18th century and regularly engraved on tombstones.

“Condolences can be expressed to a non-Muslim families as long as there are no religious implications,” it said.

Justifying its ruling, the council said RIP was an assumption that the non-Muslim person would receive God’s blessings.

“It is similar to the Latin prayer of ‘May his soul and the souls of all the departed faithful by God’s mercy rest in peace’. From an Islamic point of view, a person who has died in blasphemy will not receive God’s forgiveness and blessings,” said the council.

Council’s Malay agenda

The outrageous claim did not end there. The council went on to say that it hinged on the intentions of the individual saying ‘RIP’.

“Wishes such as ‘I sympathise with what has happened to you’ or ‘we express our sadness at the loss in your family’ are allowed. However, a Muslim is definitely not encouraged to wish a non-Muslim person ‘Rest in Peace’,” the council said.

Has the National Fatwa Council stooped to an all-time low, given its hapless agenda of pushing Malay supremacy at the expense of the peace and tranquility Malaysians of different faiths once enjoyed? After all, it was the council which supported the Selangor Islamic Religious Department’s raid of BSM.

But then just about everything is haram or prohibited as far as the council goes. In 2008, the National Fatwa Council declared that the ancient Hindu practice of yoga was banned to Muslims. The council’s excuse – yoga involved chanting of mantras and acts of worship.

This move was condemned by Muslim practitioners and instructors of yoga who clarified there was nothing religious about the way yoga was practised. It prompted the council to defer its move to deem yoga haram for Muslims.

In 2012, the council ruled that foreign exchange trading (Forex trading) was forbidden for Muslims, the excuse that it was against Islamic law and created confusion among Muslims. Still, the council never shies away from pushing the envelope when it comes to the Malay agenda, even if it means trampling on the people’s fundamental rights.

Two months ago, the council demanded the government take action against the pro-human rights movement, Coalition of Malaysian Non-governmental Organisations (Comango) which it claimed was trying to destroy Islam in the country. There seems to be no stopping the council and its bigotry – little wonder then why Malaysia and her children continue to suffer from an ‘identity crisis’.

Jeswan Kaur is a freelance writer and a FMT columnist.