Friday Sermons to cover Jihad themes regularly

Jamil Khir says Jihad not about extreme war like IS but about enhancing the position and image of Islam.

KUALA LUMPUR: The jihad theme will be used at least once a month in Friday sermons to explain the true concept of jihad in Islam.

Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, Jamil Khir Baharom said the effort was put in place to curb radicalism and extremism towards preventing individuals from joining militant groups like the Islamic State (IS) in Syria.

“We had touched on jihad (in Friday sermons) before but not regularly. However, from now on, we will touch on it more often because when the concept of jihad in Islam is repeatedly explained, it would be more easily absorbed by Muslims,” he said.

Jamil Khir was speaking to reporters after opening a seminar on ‘National Sustainability’ at the National Institute of Public Administration (INTAN), here, yesterday.

He said explaining jihad through Friday sermons could also help correct the misconception about jihad among many Muslims in this country.

The minister said jihad was not just about going to war in an extreme manner as the IS had been doing, as its context was very wide, such as fighting lust, enhancing the position and image of Islam, and developing the nation.

On the arrest of a 14-year-old girl for allegedly wanting to join the IS jihad in Syria, Jamil Khir said a lonely lass could easily be influenced by the kind of jihad perpetrated by militant groups.

He said such girls were seen as being weak in faith and always spent their time surfing the Internet and social media until the wee hours as the IS propaganda was spread through such mediums.

On a related development, Jamil Khir said the Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) with the cooperation of the Royal Malaysian Police and National Security Council had printed 20,000 copies of a 24-page booklet on “Jihad and Its Concept” for distribution to the public.

Copies of the booklet were also given out at yesterday’s seminar themed, “Challenges of Radicalism and Extremism Towards National Security”, attended by about 500 public servants.

-BERNAMA