Don't mix religion and politics, we will destroy this country
It is certainly courting danger when the line between religion and politics is blurred.
In this respect, veteran muftis like Harussani Zakaria of Perak certainly can play a big role in bringing the people of different races together. But instead, the reverse is being done by this learned scholar who, for one reason or other, seems to have become insecure about the commitment of Muslims to their faith.
Harussani, a mufti of Perak for 19 years, has over the years developed an allergy to all things he claims are anti-Islam. Previously, there was a ruckus over the ancient practice of yoga which he claimed went against Islam and was better off prohibited to the Muslims.
In 2008, he said it was haram or forbidden for girls to dress up as boys or behave like the opposite sex. If causing conundrum through his “insights” was not bad enough, Harussani in 2009 decided to quit playing mufti to set foot into politics.
In that year, Harussani brought on the lethal cocktail of a religious cleric and budding politician when he said anyone who did not respect the ruler of a state would be considered a traitor. He said this after Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin refused to relinquish his post as Perak menteri besar even after being ordered to do so by the Perak Sultan, Azlan Shah.
In March this year, Harussani wants the poco-poco dance made forbidden to the Muslims because of the same reason, that it is deviationist in nature.
It is no less baffling to note the extent to which Harussani is willing to go to make sure he “shelters” Muslims from what he believes are the “forbidden fruit”.
But, like a reader of an English daily points out, asking the Muslims to hop from poco-poco to the joget dance is no less blasphemous, for joget has its roots in the Portuguese dance. Are the Portuguese not Christians?
“The mufti was quoted as saying that the cross-shaped movement in the poco-poco resembled a Christian symbol. Can an involuntary action depicting a cross be constituted as haram?” the writer asked.
Stop dabbling in petty issues
The writer said there were other pressing matters that a mufti could look into such as the plight of divorced mothers raising their children without alimony and social ills among Muslim youths, among others.
Making his point clear, the writer went on to say: “A few years ago, the Taiping district mosque had a new carpet laid out not because the old one had a cross on every prayer compartment for each congregant, but because it was worn out. Nobody made a fuss about it because we knew that the crosses were just geometrical designs of art.”
Chiding Harussani over “much ado about nothing”, the writer suggested that the mufti take a short drive to Taiping to discover why a piece of prime land belonging to the state Islamic Council, which Harussani heads, approved the construction of a huge septic tank at the busiest traffic junction in the heart of the town and this too about 20m from the 113-year-old heritage mosque.
Indeed, instead of creating uncalled-for controversies, it is only appropriate if muftis stayed true to their calling and helped forge camaraderie between people of different faiths and not use religion to drive a wedge between people of various ethnic backgrounds.
It is a task no less daunting for Harussani and fellow muftis must acquire as much understanding as possible about the various faiths practised in Malaysia. To find fault when there is none for the sake of raising the stake of Islam, the national religion, has created hostility between Malaysians of different races.
Muftis must acquire liberated minds
Thus far, Harussani has yet to display the maturity much needed of a mufti in effectively playing the role of a mediator. Take the issue of the release of the confiscated 35,100 Malay-medium bibles which Harussani said could lead to “Malay anger and fearsome consequences”.
Harussani said the Malay-Muslims exclusively owned the word “Allah”. And this despite history stating otherwise and with Jewish holy scriptures and Arabic Talmud referring to God as “Allah”.
It is becoming more and more apparent that Harussani has made up his mind that this country belongs to the Malays and the other races are merely “guests” who should never forget their “roots”.
Until and unless muftis like Harussani produce the much-needed courage to think “out of the box”, claims that border on racial sentiments will also rankle Malaysians in general.
Also, muftis must not take the liberty of professing a fatwa or religious decree for granted. To issue a fatwa against yoga, an ancient healing art, is ludicrous. Likewise, a fatwa on poco-poco has further made a mockery of how religious decrees are being abused.
Religions not arcane
To muftis, especially those who take it upon themselves to castigate non-Muslims under the pretext of morality, they could do better by letting religions stay where they belong – in the hearts of people.
It is certainly courting danger when muftis like Harussani blur the line between religion and politics, all for the sake of sending home the message that there is no religion as superior as Islam. Such attitude is not only open to conflict, it is leaves a nasty impression that the muftis are very desperate to keep Islam intact when, in reality, the religion is doing good.
The damage is always perpetuated by religious scholars who refuse to liberate their thinking and save the religion from being misunderstood.
When the Muslims severed the head of a cow and stomped upon it to exhibit their anger, where was Harussani and his fellow muftis? Did they not see it fit to advise fellow Muslims to respect the sentiments of the non-Malays or were the muftis glad over what had happened?
They say charity begins at home and if the muftis take a good look in their backyard, they will realise that instead of the preoccupation with fatwas, it is much more important that they play a role in nurturing and sustaining harmony between Malaysians of different races.
Leave the yoga, poco-poco and all else that in truth do no harm to Islam alone. Look at the bigger picture and understand why people quit a religion and end up as atheists. Then religion will no longer end up being arcane.
No comments:
Post a Comment