The Endless or Unending Islamic State Question!

by Dr. Dzul

The Islamic State (IS) question never seems to go away. Perhaps. I’ve personally answered this question for the umpteen times, in all kind of settings including interviews, forum, seminars, discourses, etc. Incidentally, I’ve also answered this oft-repeated question in London on the same platform with Prof John Voll and Prof John Esposito and in Sydney (Lowy Institute, May 2010) in the presence of Prof Gilles Kepel. I was also asked this question in a seminar in ISEAS (2005, 2009) Singapore a while ago. I didn’t mince my words and remain relentless on my stance. But I wish to be reported of my actual words. Neither should it be spun nor only presented as half-truth. Both ways would put me in bad light, in the eyes of ‘Islamists’ and my party leaders.

Closer to home, I’ve had to answer question on the IS on numerous occasions. In fact, I’ve also written a chapter about PAS Islamic State Document – Positioning within Democracy in my book Blindspot (2007). For all my endeavours, I was frequently misquoted, either deliberately or in good faith.

In a seminar last weekend organised by Tenaganita, I was invited as a panel speaker together with Prof Shad Faruqi and Dr Petrova, Executive Director of the Equal Rights Trust (UK). On that platform that was primarily to be focussed on Equality, of which it did, members of the audience wasted no chance to bombard me with the 1 million dollar question ie the Islamic State. FMT and even Malaysiakini to quote 2 news portal, when reporting my comment on IS on this forum, have taken liberty to highlight what seemed important to them. I’ve received many text messages and tweets inquiring about what i actually said in the forum.

I’ve resigned to the fact that whatever be of the topics assigned to me in any intellectual settings, I must be fully ready to respond to the unending Islamic State question. Shuhada Ellis, a journalist of the NST, called me to further inquire about the IS question that had caused quite a stir in the media. I didnt want to entertain her initially, but as she was insistent and promise to write almost verbatim, I relented.

I now take great pleasure to post her writing on my short interview on the IS question. I thought she did a good job.

Given the unending interest or perhaps more of fear in the IS issue, may I humbly suggest that it’s high time that PAS addresses this question in an Open Seminar on the “Great Islamic State Question” once and for all – to allay the apprehension, fear and curiosity of both friends and foes alike.

Islam is surely beyond the ‘Islamic State’ all Islamists seek to achieve!

Even if we failed to establish one, it doesn’t make us less Islamic, for as long as the supreme purpose of the Syari’at ie Justice (Al-Adl), Al-Ihsan and Al-Isti’mar (Mercy and Prosperity) be institutionalised in a government that practices and embodies Good Governance and Rule of Law and at the same time wages war against corruption and injustices and ending all forms of domination of man over man ie in institutionalised racial and political discrimination and religious bigotry.

By Shuhada Elis shuhada@nst.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR: Pas personality Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad yesterday was quoted by an online news portal as saying that “there is no way” for the party to establish an Islamic state in Malaysia.

The Kuala Selangor member of parliament had reportedly said in a forum on race relations and religion over the weekend that the political demography here would not allow such a thing to happen.

“There are 60 per cent Muslims to 40 per cent non-Muslims. We don’t even have all 60 per cent support from the Muslims,” he was quoted as saying in response to a question.

Dzulkefly had also reportedly told the participants that the Islamic state only existed only during Prophet Muhammad’s era in Medina.

When contacted by the New Straits Times last night, the Pas central working committee member suggested that his words had been blown out of proportion.

“My attempt to explain a difficult subject has made me look like an embattled person,” he added.
Dzulkefly said Pas’ aspirations to turn the country into an Islamic state was an abiding vision, but it was not part and parcel of Pakatan Rakyat’s common policy framework.

“It remains as Pas’ policy and vision on our own, much like Parti Keadilan Rakyat and DAP’s which have their unique aspirations,” he added.

Dzulkefly said Pas understood coalition politics well and would co-operate to achieve justice, good governance and to reinstate reform.

He said even if Pakatan succeeded in forming the next government, Pas would only pursue its vision through a democratic process.

Nonetheless, the Islamic state could only be established if they were mandated by the voters through the ballot boxes.

“We shall never enforce Islam, Islamic state or hudud through the back door,” Dzulkefly said.
He said given the demographic make-up of the country, it seemed that Pas’ vision was far-fetched for the time being, unless Muslims and non-Muslims helped them to achieve the required two-thirds majority in Parliament.