Friday, June 16, 2006

Will Muslims jump ship for kueh-mueh?

Harussani Zakaria, the Mufti of Perak, is known as an intolerant cleric and non compassionate cleric, for a man purportedly of God.

Early this year, in February he placed on his department website a poll asking visitors what to do with those who published the blasphemous caricatures of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The online poll offered 6 answers, where one was "Hunt and kill them or launch war against them”.

OK, that was just a poll, which would have questions ranging through the entire spectrum of opinions, but we need to note the Perak Mufti has a notorious consistency in his intolerance. For example, he had advocated exiling people affected by HIV-AIDS to an island to live in isolation from society, even when we now have the medical knowledge to know that the terrible disease is not spread by air, water or normal contact.

Additionally, innocent people like medical professions or the police could be infected during the course of their duties. Society has the facilities and knowhow to attend to and mitigate the sufferers' ailments, instead of exiling the victims to an island.

A Malaysiakini writer wrote of the Mufti that "he has failed to display ‘ihsan’ or compassion, empathy and sensitvity ..."

The writer lamented that the Perak Mufti with his ignorant understanding of HIV/AIDS showed how shallow and inconsiderate he has been.

My sweetheart, Marina Mahathir, former president of Malaysian Aids Council, criticised the Malaysian government [indirectly her own father who was PM then] for failing to train the senior people in the religious establishment, like the Perak Mufti, on the issue of HIV/Aids.

But KTemoc Konsiders’ reader Rafeedah Bigburns went straight for the jugular, stating clerics like Harussani Zakaria couldn’t help but do what they do, probably because of their low IQ. They became clerics to escape a life of low level menial jobs, and “… lo and behold, once in the fold and attired in religious garb they instantly command the respect and reverence of the general public.”

Well, the controversial cleric is at it again, coming out to declare he is against the Kongsi Raya because such celebrations may threaten the faith of Muslims. He wants the government to review such gatherings.

The PM dismissed his call, saying Kongsi Raya’s are not religious celebrations so there shouldn’t be any question about the Islamic faith being threatened. He said:

"All these events are social in nature. At most, they will have dances and other cultural programmes. Never did we have programmes which can be considered as religious during such gatherings. These are not programmes which can weaken our faith and our belief."

What about PAS then?

It seems the Islamic party has come out with conflicting views. Deputy president Nasharuddin Mat Isa has stated that PAS is not in favour of Kongsi Raya. He felt that it could be considered syirik (blasphemous) from an Islamic point of view to pair a Muslim celebration with a non-Muslim one, and was concerned that such paired celebrations could affect a Muslim’s aqidah (faith)”.

He said: “Islam allows us to be friends with non-Muslims and respect people of other faiths. But we cannot compromise But we cannot compromise on our own faith.”

“But this does not mean that Muslims should not visit their non-Muslim friends during the festival or vice-versa. This is part of our culture and I see no problem. But let us do it separately from our own.”

However PAS national unity committee chief Mujahid Yusof Rawa said the mufti (of Perak) needs to address the demands and interests of the country’s pluralistic society.

He opined: “There needs to be some explanation based on the other bigger interests of unity, especially in Malaysia where we are multiracial and have different ethnic groups and faiths. That needs to be considered so as not to jeopardise the true meaning of Islam, which calls for racial unity and respect for one another.”

“I, for example, am a national unity committee leader. I can’t be expected to have non-Muslims come over only to my open house during Hari Raya. I also have to go to their open houses.”

“If a fatwa (religious edict) to that effect is put in place, will I be arrested (for visiting open houses)?”

Ros Ismail, a reporter for the Star Online asked: “Why should attending a Kongsi Raya celebration make me a murtad (apostate)?”

“A joint Chinese New Year-Hari Raya gathering, where I would probably eat an orange, a handful of peanuts and a biscuit or two, should not turn me into a traitor of the religion. But as it turns out, the ulamas are wringing their hands in worry that Muslims attending such events may go astray.”

“It seems to suggest that our faith in God is so fundamentally fragile that, on the slightest pretext, we can be persuaded to jump ship.”

“This is hurtful for those of us who remain solidly Muslim even as we listen to Christmas carols or indulge in mutton curry over Deepavali with friends of other faiths.”

I won’t quote the opinions of the non-Muslims on the Kongsi Raya yet, but what do you think?

20 comments:

  1. We're lucky this time we didn't hear these from The Medicine Man:

    1. "We'll consider all views. He needs to be respected."

    2. "He can talk what he wants."

    3. "They are just following procedures. We want uniformity."

    or worst,

    4. "I don't know. No comments." (or elegantly silent).

    What percentage do you reckon he will get if there's an approval rate poll?

    Oh, just a polite warning, the syiok sendiri bigot blogger will visit you anytime soon. He is sooo desperate for attention that he has declared wars against other bloggers now. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh, he just did before me. That was quick! Gosh, I could read minds!

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  3. Actually ULTRAdoucheJ do have a point, it's like Christmas being associated too much with Santa Claus thus young children tends to believe in Santa, gifts, Rudolph, etc more than the true meaning of Christmas.

    But again for the Mufti of Perak who's so intolerant of others(we, the infidels) he's being short doing a Fatwa on calling Malaysian Muslims to 'cut our throats & take our heads'. Wonder how much our heads are worth these days.

    And no, I'm have no love for ULTRAdoucheJ eventhough Walski's Tyranny pic on him was super-hilarious!

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  4. I thought I had the misspel 'Tyranny' for 'Tranny', guess I was right.

    Espressing an opinion is a practise in Democracy, blackmailing people with '... I am in touch with people who can contact him directly' is not'.

    Look at yourself in the mirror, UltraDoucheJ, you're just as 'Low' as us.

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  5. 'True harmony can only exist by the understanding of our differences, not by assimilation!'
    Who in Malaysia is or are trying to assimiliate the Muslims? Why are you so paranoid? Is bigotry or stupidity or both the cause of your paranoia?

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  6. MENJ,
    quote
    I disagree with your analysis
    unquote

    What analysis did I make on the Kongsi Raya? I have quoted 4 blokes, namely the PM, 2 PAS leaders and Ros Ismail from the Star, all Muslims. I haven't quoted non-Muslims' opnions for obvious reasons. I want to see what Muslims think?

    This posting represents the 1st part; today or tomorrow I'll put another part. Maybe then I'll include my analysis, and you're welcome to comment ;-)

    Quote
    Quoting from the liberals does not support your case
    Unquote

    see above, but just for debating sake, why not? Being liberal doesn't make one wrong, nor being conservative automatically makes one right. It's the expressed values of an individual, no different than those of the Perak Mufti.

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  7. Most probably this mullah bugger had a pain in the arse; just like another mad mullah from Egypt who
    decreed that Muslim couples who have sex naked will make their marriage void !!!!!!!!

    What a joke man!

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  8. 'It may not be obvious to you but I see this as an encroachment on our faith.'
    You mean to tell me when the PM holds a Kongsi Raya open house he is somehow trying to turn Muslims into non-Muslims. Boy, you are more stupid and bigoted than I thought.

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  9. Hey people,

    This menj is getting real mad you know, he even declared war to another blogger.

    So be intimidated or else he just might strap dynamite to himself and detonate it while surfing your website .

    ReplyDelete
  10. Menj, an open house is part of the Konsi Raya concept. Please do not be so bigoted and stupid. It is exasperating having to deal with people like you.

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  11. The Creator of Islam Hadhari is now telling Malaysians that Hari Raya is not religious celebration but a social celebration?

    As far as I remember, Hari Raya is a religious celebration.

    If your quote is true then I am suprised how low can this Creator of Islam Hadhari can stoop to.

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  12. By the way, I am a secular Islam but I still believe Hari raya celebration should not be kongsi with other celebrations from other religions.

    Non-Muslims to visit muslims during Hari raya? It is okay and encourage

    Muslim to visit Non-Muslims during their celebrations? It is okay no issue there.

    But to share the celebration? No. I do not agree.

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  13. 'The Creator of Islam Hadhari is now telling Malaysians that Hari Raya is not religious celebration but a social celebration?'
    Since when has the government or the PM ever said that?

    'But to share the celebration? No. I do not agree'. It is this kind of Muslim minset which creates the impression that Islam is nothing but a perverse religion professed
    by bigoted people.

    Wait till the oil runs low in Muslim oil exporting nations. At that point in time not only will Muslims be ignored by the world but they will also be trampled upon like dirt. Wake up, your best friends in the non-Muslim world are the liberals who defend your right to be who you are.

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  14. i always thought that the fasting during Ramadhan, the sermons in the mosque and the prayers on the morning of Hari Raya were the religious parts of Hari Raya and the "Open House" concept was a uniquely Malaysian one, with a social point to it. Kongsi Raya is a Malaysian permutation and is a social event. Kongsi raya does not involve any sort of watering down of the Islamic faith. it's a celebration of how Malaysians can live together, reallly, LIVE together...we celebrate the fact that people with different backgrounds actually make a country work. This debate on whether Kongsi Raya is encroaching on the Islamic-ness of Hari Raya is moot.

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  15. Give me one instance when our leaders amalgamated or intended to
    amalgamate ( hope you undersatnd the word ) two religious festivals together. Please support your assertions with facts if not you will always remain 'bigoted' and 'stupid'

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  16. Assalamualaikum Menj. I am Muslim and I am Chinese. So when Eid and CNY come around the same time, I celebrate both in a Kongsi Raya. I don't see any problem with celebrating CNY together with Eid because CNY is a cultural celebration. The Iranians celebrate the Persian New Year and if Eid happens to occur together with the Persian NY, my Iranian relatives and friends celebrate their own Kongsi Raya too. Just because the Malays haven't got their own cultural New Year (I'm not talking about the 1st of Muharram here), doesn't mean other Muslims must abandon theirs. Before anyone calls me an ignorant convert (as most Malaysians I've met tend to think that if one is Chinese and Muslim, one must have recently converted to the religion), I'm born Muslim and so have my ancestors. My father, his father, his father's father and so on have either been born in Makkah ul-Mukaramah or lived there as religious scholars. Wassalam.

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  17. Hello Farihan Ailin,

    I know of the Ma family if your grandfather or greatfather was Ibrahim Ma, because I have read his book. If you are, then let me express a belated condolence to the Ma family, particularly Rose, for the loss of Allahyarham Nasir, a great Malaysian and a patriot.

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  18. Hi KTemoc. I'm not related to the late Haji Ibrahim Ma Tien Ying's family. But I felt sad when I heard of the untimely demise of Capt Nasir Ma Lee. I feel that Malaysia has lost a patriotic son and I see it as a personal loss since our community is a very small one. Anyway, I wish Rosey, Shukreen and Raihan all the best.

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  19. Assalamu'alaikum,

    Are Rosey, Shukreen and Raihan the children of the late Haji Ibrahim Ma Tien Ying? My belated condolence to the family and friends.

    I was surfing for Muslim in China and ended up here. I know there's a community of Chinese Muslim in the country but I haven't met any personally.

    Why I want to meet one? You know, when I was small, my father's Chinese friends used to send us the mooncake but of course we had to give the cakes to the chickens! I really wanted to taste it :-). So that's why I'm looking for where to have halal Chinese food. So far haven't found any in Penang where I live. Hopefully I don't have to go all the way to China to taste halal Chinese food, although visiting China is a good idea and is part of a future plan...

    Thank You

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  20. shamcos, Rose is Ibrahim Ma's daughter-in-law. Have a look in the Kuala Lumpur directory for the MA family. That's the best I can do for you, sorry! Good luck!

    ReplyDelete