Interpreting Islam

Hadi: Character assassination is fine

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang has given party candidates the green light to engage in character assassination of their opponents during their ceramah.

Quoting versus from the Quran, Hadi said that it was all right for the candidates to reveal the wrongdoings of their opponents in Barisan Nasional so that righteousness could prevail.

“Islam allows such an action as long as we don’t fabricate stories; the people (voters) have the right to elect a leader of high esteem and virtue, ” he said during a ceramah in Kuala Besut on Tuesday night.

“Character assassination is acceptable in Islam, especially when electing a leader, because people should make a wise decision when choosing their leaders,” he said.

I have read the Quran so many times and I have not discovered anything that says character assassination is acceptable in Islam. This must be Hadi's profound knowledge.

What about Khairy's interpretation?

“Yes, religion is important, but there is no point talking about religion when you cannot develop the people and the state,” Khairy Jamaluddin said after meeting Barisan Nasional Youth operations centre at Pasir Puteh, Kelantan.

It is undisputed in Islamic teaching that Islam is a way of life and with the spirit and virtues of Islam it will develop the people and thus the state. Islam is progressive and virtuous. I'm puzzled by a Muslim who can say that it is no point talking about the Islamic religion when you (the Muslim leaders and rulers) cannot develop the people and the state. Maybe, this is Islam Hadhari's doctrine.

"It NEVER crossed my mind to apologize to those who are hurt by what I said.

"For me, if we truly fight for our race, one should not apologize."

- Khairy Jamaluddin.

Is that right? So if every one fight for their race, they need not be apologetic; they can go on and hurt anyone and everyone so long as they are doing it to fight for their race.

In Malaysia, there are people of so many races; Malays, Chinese, Indians, Sikhs, Iban, Kadazan, Malanau, Bajau, Murut, Dayaks, Orang Asli, etc, etc; and if each race starts to fight for their own, and need not be apologetic, the nation turns into Armageddon.

Narrow views affecting unity

NARROW viewpoints affect unity, confuse the public and bring about the perception that Malays are not fair, Institute of Islamic Understanding Malaysia (Ikim) director-general Dr Syed Ali Tawfik al-Attas told Berita Minggu.

Dr Syed Ali said the action of certain Muslims who make narrow-minded statements or enforce rules that were not taught by religion was disturbing race relations in the country.

“If this attitude persists, later someone will say that Muslims cannot live next to non-Muslims or that Muslims cannot socialise with non-Muslims.”

According to Dr Syed Ali, "Misguided ulama, whose teaching create confusion and anxiety, number among the country’s religious experts."

Dr Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas, IKIM Director-general, said that the knowledge imported by these ulama did nothing but bring about uncertainty. He said reliance on uninformed ulama had resulted in the corruption of knowledge.

“When ulama are ignorant of their own ignorance, their false knowledge will create confusion and extremism among the masses. There is a danger when those claiming to be repositors of freedom apply deficient reasoning.”

Dr Syed Ali said: “The Muslims community has far more important problems. There is more to Islam than what is halal and haram. Why do we hear of the lack of human rights and women’s rights?

“Prohibitions against injustices are in the Quran. You cannot have a law that is unjust to certain people. If there are unjust laws, the cause is not Islam but those who make the laws, from the confusion caused by the corruption of knowledge.”

This is Islam which I came to understand and loved; not those cited above and those from Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria. These are false prophets.