Scholar urges fatwa against Sunni-Shiite marriage

Fatwa councils in every state should issue edicts to forbid Muslims from marrying followers of the Shiite branch of Islam.

Abdullah Din, a scholar on the Muslim denomination largely seen as deviant in Malaysia, said this is to ensure there is no conflict between couples, which could lead to eventual divorce due to religious differences.

“I hope the religious departments and mufti from all states will issue a clear edict on whether it is allowed for Muslims to consume food served by Shiites, including whether animals slaughtered by Shiites are halal and so on.

“This also includes marriages, because if you think of it in the long term, issues like child custody, rights after divorce, and many other things have yet to be resolved on the fatwa council.

“As far as I know, Perlis has issued an edict that marriage to a Shiite person is makruh (not encouraged but not forbidden), the same as smoking hand-rolled cigarettes.

“I hope the Perlis mufti will do something for the sake of the Sunnis. The mufti has a big role to play,” he told reporters today after speaking at an international seminar on Shiism and its global impact at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi.

The Perlis fatwa council had, in November 2012, issued an edict advising Muslims not to marry Shiites.

The mufti at the time, Juanda Jaya, said this is to maintain harmony among Muslims in Perlis who are largely Sunni, and to avoid conflict which could lead to divorce.

Abdullah said the fatwa councils should take the matter seriously because otherwise, people would turn to preachers who may or may not have authority on the matter.

“It could lead to disputes and fissure among religious teachers,” he stressed.

He said a fatwa that is gazetted could help the national agenda to block the growth of Shiism in the country.

“Or else, society will continue to be confused,” he said.

In his presentation, Abdullah urged Muslims to find out more about their potential partners before marriage.

“All Muslim couples must check (the beliefs of) their partners before marrying. I am not urging doubts among couples but there are symptoms to look out for to know if someone is a Shiite.

“First, we have to find out what his or her views are on Shiism, and if he or she defends Shiites, then it is clear and it is better for us to reject him or her,” he said.

He also urged publication of more books warning society of the “dangers of Shiite teachings”. -Mkini