Why hudud is not for me

This reader believes that if you truly see value in implementing God's Law, have it apply to yourself to the fullest extent before applying it to others.

COMMENT

By Hafidz Baharom

I have Kelantanese relatives based in Kuala Lumpur. I have a Kelantanese mother, so that explains pretty much where I am coming from.

Throughout the years, many have tried to get me interested in my Islamic faith, from Quran lessons at the Iqra’ Institute to my name suddenly appearing on the registration roll for a religious school which I did not attend.

Instead, my interest in religion was catered for by a book my father bought. It was “The History of God” by Karen Armstrong, a book that Malaysia had banned until she came to Kuala Lumpur.

My interest was then further piqued by Reza Aslan’s “No God But God” and thus, these two authors – a former nun and a Shiite – are pretty much my go to reads on religion.

Aslan’s book detailed how even the early scholars of Islamic jurisprudence found themselves tortured by the very people who were tasked to implement “God’s Law”.

Armstrong’s latest book, “Fields of Blood”, details how religion itself left a bloody trail in history from the definition of scapegoat all the way up to the schisms in religion.

Every historian highlighting The Crusades from a Christian point of view has highlighted the phrase that launched their armies to the Holy Land; “God wills it.”

Those three words have been the scapegoat for the murder of intellectuals and scholars, the hanging of African Americans during the age of slavery, the decapitation of people in Saudi Arabia, the burning of Jordanian pilots in war torn Syria and now, the passing of hudud law in Kelantan.

In each and every case, God is used as a justification for violent treatment against mankind, from maiming to hanging to amputation, decapitation and even having a human barbecue.

The exact same reason was paraphrased to establish Israel at the expense of Palestinians, inevitably launched the Second World War, and even the attacks in Paris.

And now it is being used in Kelantan.

Personally, I have no idea if what was passed by the Kelantan state assembly is even constitutional. A similar case was the denunciation of slavery and the secession of Confederate states that led to the American Civil War.

Even then, one side had argued that slavery was a God given right.

Similarly, I would wait for the law to be put to the test. Will the people of Kelantan, who are scattered around Malaysia and found to be in offence of their laws, be dragged across state lines to be held accountable, similar to how slaves who escaped were dragged, kicking and screaming, across the Mason-Dixon Line?

Will we see other states suddenly legislating against these actions and thus, resulting in a schism that will lead to a similar separation as America experienced?

Unfortunately for us, we don’t have a Lincoln who would threaten a civil war or an end to the hudud implementation. Instead, we have a toothless federal government which has done nothing but remain mum, even when a woman in the media is getting death threats for speaking up against this ridiculous topic.

And this is exactly how I perceive hudud law; a ridiculous topic.

Kelantan is one of the poorest states in the federation of Malaysia. It has seen its natural resources plundered by a few and for all its talk of being “Islamic”, there is nothing Islamic about inequality in wealth and opportunities which the state suffers greatly from.

A quick look at the statistics provided by the relevant authority shows that the state has an increasing number of its population venturing out to other states to pursue education and employment.

So I only have this to say to the members of the Kelantan state assembly; if you truly see value in implementing God’s Law, have it apply to yourselves to the fullest extent before applying it to anyone else.

God’s law dictates you pay true tithes on your business and empty out your baitulmal annually and give it to the poorest of your people. Have you done so?

God’s law dictates that you are only leaseholders of the Earth, yet I notice no such harsh penalties for pollution and illegal logging. Why is that?

There are many aspects of God’s law that is not even looked at or bothered with by the Kelantan state assembly, and this would make them all hypocrites.

So, what does God’s law dictate on these people?

To be frank, it would mean their special privileges under Article 153 would all be revoked.

This is all, of course, the rambling views of someone who looks at religion from a historical aspect with a layman’s appreciation of Islam.

I was taught that to preach religion, one had to actually follow it to the letter before doing so. Thus, why would I support a law which I would never in my life follow to the letter, Godly or not.

After all, not everyone in this country even believes in the same God, let alone the existence of a god. As such, do you punish someone who does not even believe in the same things as you?

And the most important question of all; what if you’re wrong?

Would you be willing to bet your afterlife on your actions?

This is basically the main point of God’s covenant in all laws He so dictates. It is risky enough to bet your life. It is truly another to bet eternal damnation for your wrongdoings.

I’d rather not bet the wrath of my deity on punishing others while I myself do not adhere to His will. But since Kelantan wishes to do so, I hope they have considered the consequences of such a covenant.

Hafidz Baharom is an FMT reader