JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor Islamic Religious Council (MAINJ) has issued a fatwa prohibiting Muslims from attending and taking part in religious rituals of other faiths in the state.
State Islamic religious affairs committee chairman Fared Khalid said Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar had consented to the fatwa, which came into effect today.
He said the ulama from the four schools of Islamic thought – Shafie, Hanafi, Maliki and Hanbali – had agreed that Muslims were prohibited from attending and taking part in the religious rituals of other faiths.
“These non-Islamic religious rituals include those at houses of worship, as well as other places,” he said.
However, according to a number of scholars, Muslims are allowed to accept invitations to a ceremony in conjunction with a celebration of other faiths without a religious ritual ceremony, he told reporters at the Iskandar Islamic Centre here today.
Fared said it was hoped the fatwa would be able to provide a better understanding among Muslims in Johor.
At the same time, he said, guidelines were issued on non-Muslim festivals which Muslims could attend.
“Among other things, the ceremony should not be accompanied by rituals including religious symbols or the singing of religious songs which are against the Islamic faith,” he said.
He said MAINJ would meet with religious leaders and the management of non-Muslim houses of worship to explain and clarify the guidelines.
“This ban is not meant to disturb the harmony among races, but simply to give advice and guidance, so that community leaders are careful in promoting togetherness without violating certain boundaries,” he said.
He said those who violated the guidelines could be prosecuted in accordance with Section 9 of the Johor Syariah Criminal Offences Enactment 1997. - FMT
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