FT mufti backs Fadhlina over 'kafir' word use issue

Federal Territories mufti Luqman Abdullah today defended Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek over her not wanting to use the word “kafir” (infidel) to refer to non-Muslim Malaysians.

A more harmonious term is required in certain situations, he said in a statement on Facebook.

“In issues involving religion, all parties need to be careful and not carelessly issue statements that may cause misunderstandings in the community and open up room for defamation.

“Religious legal terms cannot be used arbitrarily for interests that are not based on the true foundation of Islamic knowledge,” Luqman (above) said.

Yesterday, in her apology over the matter, Fadhlina said the issue was a misunderstanding and video clips of her speech at the closed event were deliberately taken out of context.

In one of the edited videos, the minister was heard narrating a “personal nightmare” involving one of her six children who learnt to refer to non-Muslims as kafir while at school.

Specifically, the Pakatan Harapan lawmaker said she forbade the use of the word in her home. However, it was taught in a classroom setting with a negative connotation that a Muslim who works under a non-Muslim will not live a “blessed” life.

Meanwhile, Luqman urged the Muslim community to focus on worship during the Ramadan month, instead of harping on polemics that negatively affect harmony in a community.

Respect differences

Differences of opinion can be shared in a good way instead of insulting and defaming others, he added.

“The attitude of condemning people, uttering abusive words and making accusations on social media without manners is not beneficial to those who practise Islam, which prioritises unity,” he said.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek

Fadhlina’s critics, including Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, took to social media and questioned her belief in the Quran and whether she chose to reject all verses that referred to non-Muslims as kafir.

They also accused her of compromising her faith in the interest of maintaining relations with non-Muslims, particularly for political gains.

In response, she clarified that she was not prohibiting words used in the Quran, but introducing the choice of appropriate words to use in daily life.

She said the word muwatinun (citizen) was a more appropriate term to refer to non-Muslim Malaysians. - Mkini