TikTok video of ‘amoi’ paying ‘zakat’ attracts cynicism as sceptics warn of ploy to boost fanbase

 

“THE road to hell is paved with good intentions” is an idiom that means well-meaning plans or noble desires can lead to disastrous consequences if they are not followed by proper action, or if they are misguided.

It suggests good intentions alone are insufficient and can inadvertently cause harm.

This seems to be the message from a suspicious Facebooker who was reacting to a TikTok clip of a Chinese social media influencer identified as 35-year-old Canny Lock paying zakat (tithe) at the USJ4 Subang Bazar Ramadan.

The video has since gone viral amassing over 1.8 million views reflecting the melting pot of cultures in Malaysia.

Or is it?  This is when foodpreneur Asraff Jeffry warned Muslim netizens not too be “too naïve” in falling for such content which he believes is a mere ploy to attract online following by appealing to Muslim netizens.

“In the beginning, I liked it and praised non-Muslims who made content about fasting,” revealed the co-founder and CEO of Samurai Yakiniku, the first Japanese BBQ restaurant in Kelantan.

“However, lately, more and more non-Muslim influencers have done the same but it seems to be more about content and wanting to be seen.”

Taking a swipe at Lock who owns CannyCool Tinted, a car tinting specialist in SS15 Subang Jaya, Asraff lamented that “the kafir (infidels) are starting to pay zakat fitrah (tithe) which is a mandatory obligation of Muslims”.

“The amil (tithe collector) should have known that his collection is not valid for the so-called zakat will be converted into donations, thus he should have avoided fitnah (slander) in the first place,” he lamented.

 

Yes, I know we can’t judge someone’s intentions but it’s best for us to not be too naive and be wary of this group. Don’t be too obsessed with them.

At the same time, let’s not be too harsh till it kills the intention of those who want to embrace Islam. May those who fast and try to practice the Muslim lifestyle receive guidance from Allah. Amen.

The post has generated 2K likes, 636 comments and 280 shares at time of publication with quite a few Muslim commenters sharing a similar sentiment.

“It was time to reject such phony content by these untrustworthy people” was the rallying cry from this commenter who did little to hide his bigoted views of the Chinese community.

This sentiment was seconded by another commenter who wryly noted that this phenomenon has been going on for a long time.

“It’s all about the money!” declared one disgusted observer who believed such manoeuvres were simply aimed at fattening the bank account. It made better financial sense to ride on the coattails of Islam as Muslims formed the largest consumer market in Malaysia.

The general feel is that such content was fuelled by self-benefit rather than any spiritual pursuit. It was also noted that most of these influencers’ followers were Malay who were easily duped by such content.

There is no doubting that such content has the ability to attract large audiences. Crossing cultural divides is what appeals to Malaysians who simply love to see different races embrace religious or cultural practices of others.

But do note, there are those who frown upon it and view it with great suspicion. Non-Muslim social media influencers are advised to proceed with extreme caution. –  Focus Malaysia