Men do evil, not ghosts, says Mahathir

Former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, in a rare blog posting today, said he believes more in the evil and violence that men do, rather than ghosts and the supernatural.

The Malays, Mahathir noted, are obsessed with ghosts, goblins and the supernatural by putting them up in movies and television programmes.

Although they believe Allah as their Protector, the former premier said, such belief by the people in the supernatural clearly went against Islam as it is only Allah who reigns supreme in this world and the hereafter.

Superstitious beliefs, Mahathir said, have resulted in past practices of splashing water and reciting prayers to protect offices and government hospitals from such beings.

"I would like to know the ulama's view on this, whether there are ghosts and such supernatural beings. Where do they come from? What is their position in Islam?

"If we believe that they are powerful and need to be recognised in order for us to feel safe, aren't we associating with something other than Allah? Or do we seem to be giving such powers to others than to Allah, who we worship," he asked.

"I believe more in the evil and violence that men do. I do not believe and am not afraid of all these supernatural beings or ghosts.

"I also do not believe there is a way to be invincible, to be able to protect someone from sharp objects such as knives or bullets. I only seek help from Allah," Mahathir added in his latest blog posting.