Despite playing the Islam card, UMNO's favourite target Lim Guan Eng has found support among several Muslim leaders from Pakatan Rakyat over the media frenzy surrounding Friday sermons at several Penang mosques.
UMNO Penang liason chief Zahid Hamidi had recently alleged that the Penang chief minister's name was mentioned in the Islamic invocation (du'a) during Friday sermon at several mosques, prompting a strong denial by Lim that any such instruction had ever been issued by the state government.
PAS vice president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, agreeing that an investigation must be conducted over the latest allegations, said legal action should be taken if the claim was proven to be false.
Tuan Ibrahim however warned that the khutbah issue was a political ploy to incite Malay-Muslim anger against PR, charging that it was part of the continuing racist politicking by UMNO and Barisan Nasional.
'Nothing wrong'
Tuan Ibrahim reminded that asking for God's guidance for anyone during the du'a was not wrong in Islam.
"But when it is being politicized, we must face it within the context of politics,” said Tuan Ibrahim, adding that in history, special prayers were even held to curse some enemy leaders in sermons during the Umayyad caliphate.
“However when Umar bin Abd Aziz became Caliph, he replaced the contents of the du'a which condemned the political enemies by introducing the sentence, ‘We have indeed appointed you as a Viceroy in the earth, therefore judge between mankind with the truth, and do not follow desire for it will lead you astray from Allah’s path'," he explained.
The Friday sermon, or khutbah, is a two-part speech delivered by the Imam of the day. The first part touches on the main theme of the sermon, while the second part mainly consists of a prayer (du'a) for Allah's blessings. In Malaysia, depending on the state, it has been an official practice to use the occasion to invoke for God's blessings on the state Sultan, and in the case of Penang and Malacca, the Agong.
Tuan Ibrahim's colleague, PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar launched a scathing attack on UMNO, saying he did not find anything wrong to ask God to guide the chief minister.
“UMNO must be out of their mind for saying one cannot mention Lim Guan Eng in Friday sermon.
Perak Mufti Harrussani Zakaria who had in the past locked horns with PAS leaders over Islamic matters.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said the allegations were unfounded as he had read the text that was distributed.
“They were merely lies spread for the political gains of increasingly desperate politicians,” he said in a statement today.
Harakah
23/08/10
UMNO Penang liason chief Zahid Hamidi had recently alleged that the Penang chief minister's name was mentioned in the Islamic invocation (du'a) during Friday sermon at several mosques, prompting a strong denial by Lim that any such instruction had ever been issued by the state government.
PAS vice president Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, agreeing that an investigation must be conducted over the latest allegations, said legal action should be taken if the claim was proven to be false.
Tuan Ibrahim however warned that the khutbah issue was a political ploy to incite Malay-Muslim anger against PR, charging that it was part of the continuing racist politicking by UMNO and Barisan Nasional.
'Nothing wrong'
Tuan Ibrahim reminded that asking for God's guidance for anyone during the du'a was not wrong in Islam.
"But when it is being politicized, we must face it within the context of politics,” said Tuan Ibrahim, adding that in history, special prayers were even held to curse some enemy leaders in sermons during the Umayyad caliphate.
“However when Umar bin Abd Aziz became Caliph, he replaced the contents of the du'a which condemned the political enemies by introducing the sentence, ‘We have indeed appointed you as a Viceroy in the earth, therefore judge between mankind with the truth, and do not follow desire for it will lead you astray from Allah’s path'," he explained.
The Friday sermon, or khutbah, is a two-part speech delivered by the Imam of the day. The first part touches on the main theme of the sermon, while the second part mainly consists of a prayer (du'a) for Allah's blessings. In Malaysia, depending on the state, it has been an official practice to use the occasion to invoke for God's blessings on the state Sultan, and in the case of Penang and Malacca, the Agong.
Tuan Ibrahim's colleague, PAS vice president Mahfuz Omar launched a scathing attack on UMNO, saying he did not find anything wrong to ask God to guide the chief minister.
“UMNO must be out of their mind for saying one cannot mention Lim Guan Eng in Friday sermon.
Perak Mufti Harrussani Zakaria who had in the past locked horns with PAS leaders over Islamic matters.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim said the allegations were unfounded as he had read the text that was distributed.
“They were merely lies spread for the political gains of increasingly desperate politicians,” he said in a statement today.
Harakah
23/08/10
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