Guidelines on visiting houses of worship for Muslim harmony, says mufti

 

Terengganu mufti Sabri Haron did not elaborate on who issued the guidelines and when, as well as its contents. (Facebook pic)

PETALING JAYA: 

Terengganu mufti Sabri Haron has urged all parties to respect the 

guidelines

 on Muslims visiting other houses of worship, saying this is crucial to ensure harmony among fellow Muslims.

According to the state government’s news portal, TRDI News, Sabri said the guidelines did not involve other religions but were specifically aimed at preserving harmony among Muslims.

However, he did not give any details about the guidelines, who issued them or when.

He said a Muslim’s intention in visiting a church or temple was important to prevent them from being linked to accusations of intending to commit trespass or vandalism.

He added that a Muslim’s presence in other places of worship could cause them to be subject to negative assumptions from fellow Muslims, particularly that they intended to convert to another religion.

He added that the purpose of the guidelines was also to ensure harmony with followers of other religions.

Last week, the mufti stirred controversy by claiming that Muslims were allowed to enter non-Muslim houses of worship to propagate Islam. He also said visiting non-Muslim religious sites without any justification would go against Islamic law.

He was commenting on a visit to a Hindu temple organised by the Perak Islamic religious department, which went viral after a video featured a female participant saying there were many similarities between Islam and Hinduism.

The mufti’s comments drew a backlash from an interfaith council of non-Muslim religions, which said his claim could lead to feelings of ill-will, disharmony, hatred and enmity among followers of different religions.

The Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism also said the act of Muslims preaching at non-Muslim houses of worship risked affecting the sanctity of these religious places, which could then escalate to disturbing the peace.

On another matter, Sabri said interfaith dialogues did not have to be held at houses of worship but could be organised at other suitable locations. - FMT