FORMER Perlis mufti Mohd. Asri Zainal Abidin has been very much in the news since several days ago. It started when he was arrested by the Selangor Islamic Religious Affairs Department for not being an accredited speaker on Islam in the state.
I don't want to argue about that, if that's what the law says but some remarks made by Jais didn't help clear an already cloudy situation. And a most disturbing one at that, especially amongst the predictable list of social activists and the liberal minded.
One said the department had been receiving complaints "from local residents" over the years. About Asri? Why, did he speak here and there before in Selangor without a permit? If so why wasn't action taken earlier?
There was also the issue linking Asri and Wahabbism, the Islamic way of the Saudis mainly. Is this banned in Malaysia? I haven't heard about it but I do know that many in Perlis believe in it and practise it. Whether that is a result of Asri's influence when he was in the state I can't tell. If it's banned than everyone practising it should be hauled up but otherwise don't ever talk about it as if it is a problem.
I don't know Asri but I think he may be affected and influenced by the publicity and the following that he now has. I wish he could stay away from the usual suspects -- the activists and opposition politicians -- and remain his own man. Otherwise he will end up being a man politicised and that is not good for someone who is a man of religion who's preaching religion.
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2 comments:
Like many I do not have anything against Asri. However, I do share your view on him being drag into political front for whatever mileage that others can derive from them. It will indeed be sad to see him being used, knowingly or not.
It has to be said that regardless how much you respect of the person, regulation is regulation. Why should he be treated differently. I am sure he knows it more than anyone else that the 'tauliah' is a requirement by the state islamic body. Claiming that it is unislamic after you blatantly flaunt it is just not right.
I am not sure about his interview with Malaysiakini. What was the circumstances of it, and was it done on purpose. Being a rather bias news site, it gives a bad taste of him being used.
Dr Masitah apparently said that Wahabi was never categorized as a deviant teaching. Never before I hear anyone coming out in open to say one or the other but she seems to have given the green light to wahabiism. I can only see this to those in support to justify their cause.
Right or wrong to me is really god to judge. The problem is when all of us tend to focus on our differences rather than similarity. Pointing finger and accusing the other side will only make things worst. Both sides are to blame on this.
Asri more than anyone else should make it clear his stance and must appear not to be beyond the law. His website off late even has some sort of 'supporters feedback' form. It does seem that he is really playing into the politicians game. You get the feeling that the man is transforming from a man of religion to a politician. If that is true, then it is indeed a sad thing.
Mmm, it's hard for me to think of this ex-mufti and highly-educated chap as naive and being dragged by certain quarters here and there. I don't know but seems like he loves the attention and adulation.
Less is more, Asri, Ph.D
Sen
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