Mantra to evade intellectual discourse

MM Online - Zaid: No Malay party willing to ‘stir hornet’s nest’ in fight for Islamic reform (extracts):

It makes no difference whether you are living in states led by PKR, PAS or Umno when it comes to matters of Islam as none of these parties are interested in pushing for a more progressive interpretation of Islam, former de facto law minister Datuk Zaid Ibrahim said.

Commenting on the recent decision by the Selangor Shariah High Court in affirming the conviction of Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad for teaching Islam without credentials, Zaid said it was “disappointing” that this case was brought up in a state led by “a reformist party like PKR”.

“It’s clear that when it comes to matters of Islam and Islamic institutions, it matters very little if you are living in states led by PKR or PAS or UMNO.

“None of them are willing to approach the Ruler for a more progressive, responsible and open-minded interpretation of Islam that is consistent with the democratic rights of Muslims in a modern world,” he said in his latest blog post.

“None of them are willing to engage with JAIS or JAKIM on Islamic reforms. Votes are obviously more important, especially now, so 'why stir the hornet’s nest' seems to be the code practical politicians live by — even in a reformist party like PKR,” he added.

The DAP politician said that Khalid's case is proof that no one can engage in a constructive discussion on Islam unless it is approved by religious authorities, and therefore the only alternative is to just keep quiet.

“JAIS and the Shariah Court are not interested in explaining what the term 'teaching' means here. Unlike the discipline imposed in the training of lawyers under the common law system, where terms are exhaustively defined to give clarity, Shariah institutions and the Shariah Court need not bother about such methods.

“You see, since the law and the courts are labelled 'shariah', justice is done ipso facto because it’s a superior law.”

If Malay parties, even those ketuanan ones like UMNO, Pribumi, PKR and religious ones like PAS and Amanah, are NOT interested in pushing for a more progressive interpretation of Islam, or willing to approach the Ruler for a more progressive, responsible and open-minded interpretation of Islam that is consistent with the democratic rights of Muslims in a modern world, what hopes or dares would we nons have?

And it's no use engaging with JA-organisations (JAKIM, JAWI, JAIS, etc) because it's not only in their DNA but their bread & butter to maintain the practice of Islam in Malaysia at its current non-questionable ulama-supreme status.

Take for example Malaysia's foremost Malay intellectual, 84-year old Kassim Ahmad. But because Kassim is a Muslim intellectual, local religious authorities are scared shit of him for fear that intellectuals like Kassim who used their Allah-bestowed intellect to reason out mortal issues which the ulamaks want to control.

Kassim said: To those JA-organisations I'm the most dangerous man in Malaysia despite being (then) 82-years old. That's because I said:

“This priesthood caste did not exist at the time of the Prophet or the four caliphs. They only emerged about 300 years later by appointing themselves as interpreter of religion for Muslims.”

“They (Muslims) view their religious leaders like gods and goddesses, that these leaders are seen to be protected from maksum (protected from sin) and must decide on everything about their lives.”

Kassim Ahmad advised Muslims to follow strictly the teachings in the divine Quran, and not the man-made Hadiths (religious rulings made by mortal man).

He was thus arrested for his alleged controversial remarks.

Wikipedia tells us: The hadith literature is based on spoken reports that were in circulation in society after the death of Muhammad.

Unlike the Qur'an the hadiths were not quickly and concisely compiled during and immediately after Muhammad's life.

A minority of hadithists, however, have historically placed ahadith (plural of hadith) at a par with Qur'an, while others have even upheld ahadith that contradict the Qur'an, in practice thereby placing ahadith above Qur'an, and in some cases claiming contradicting ahadith abrogate those parts of the Qur'an with which those ahadith conflict.

That's how the priesthood preposterously and pompously place themselves above Allah swt, presumably when a Hadith suits their interests.

Kassim's arrest was made after the notorious JAWI issued a warrant of arrest against him for an offence under Section 9 of the Syariah Criminal Offences (Federal Territories) Act 1997 of contempt or defiance of religious authorities (but NOT Allah swt).

But on 21 June 2016, the Court of Appeal found the religious body's actions against Kassim Ahmad including a cross-border arrest into Kedah outside JAWI's jurisdiction, and a detention exceeding 24 hours to be illegal.

It's not just that JAWI has a propensity to act beyond the law but it has shown it likes to punish people beyond the strictures of Islam, even unto being un-Islamic in its actions as were demonstrated in their officers' lascivious lustful lecherous behaviour in the Zouk nightclub incident, the malicious and pathetic prolonged persecution of Nik Raina for also a 'non-offence'.

JAKIM is no better. In July this year the DG of JAKIM outrageously, persecutorially and blasphemously denounced a Muslim woman for owning a pet dog, and ordered her to repent for her so-called 'sin'.

For a start the DG of JAKIM did not have any divine authority to decide what is a 'sin'. Secondly, he does not also have any state authority to issue a fatwa on any so-called 'sin'. Thirdly, he lied about the so-called 'sin' which many Muslims including Muslim preacher Wan Ji Wan Hussin proved was/is not a sin.

Wan Ji said that there is no part of the Quran or hadith which says that it is 'haram' (forbidden) for Muslims to touch dogs.

Both JAKIM and JAWI have been notoriously and shamefully disgraceful to Islam. Really, to protect the good name of Islam, both should be shut down.

HRH Johor and Zaid Ibrahim have both questioned the ridiculous annual budget of JAKIM at RM1 Billion when what it significant did was to warn a woman against keeping dog (illegally and blasphemously at that too).

How to engage with such Brownshirts on Islamic reforms?

Islamic reforms have to start with the abolition of JAKIM. At least the government can save a Billion ringgit a year from JAKIM's annual budget.

But be advised that for nons there are three phrases or terms that will silence them most of the time (though not all of the time, wakakaka), these being accusations that nons are:

• anti-Islam,
• anti-Sultan,
• anti-Malay,

the traditional conservative Malay catch-cry of 'agama, raja dan bangsa'.

It's a special mantra to evade intellectual discourse.