The Malaysian Insider – 4 hours agoRELATED CONTENT
- Ahli Parlimen PAS pertikai fatwa Selangor haramkan SIS
Three PAS lawmakers are concerned over the fatwa branding Sisters in Islam (SIS) as deviant and questioned the rationale of targeting a particular group using such a decree.
They also asked if the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) had discussed with SIS before issuing the fatwa and whether SIS was given a chance to explain its views.
Hanipa Maidin (PAS-Sepang), Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa (PAS-Parit Buntar) and Khalid Samad (PAS-Shah Alam) also asked Mais to define the meaning of liberalism and plurality.
"Did Mais have a dialogue with the organisations said to be practising these liberalism and plurality before any action was taken against them?" Mujahid asked in a press conference at the Parliament lobby today.
He also said that the principle of fatwa was defeated if it was being used to "kill off" a certain group, when a fatwa should be general in nature.
Hanipa, meanwhile, urged the fatwa council not to be too quick to issue decrees without first discussing with the parties said to be practising liberalism and plurality.
He said instead, they should address any misconception or misunderstanding through dialogue and discussions.
"Moreover, the fatwa also appears to allow for materials to be confiscated, which to me, is very drastic.
"After all freedom of expression is enshrined in the Federal Constitution as long as the freedom does not cause public disorder," he added.
In calling for a clear definition of the liberalism and plurality, Khalid said the fatwa issued should not create any doubt or confusion.
He added that in the case of SIS, it must be acknowledged that the NGO had done a lot of service to assist Muslim women who had been divorced by their husbands.
"They have been doing a lot of good work, if the religious authorities feel they have erred in the process here and there, they can call them and offer advice.
"But they should not be banned just like that, it would only break their spirit of offering service," he added.
SIS filed a judicial review against the decree last week after stumbling across the fatwa on October 20 on Jakim's website.
The fatwa, which was gazetted in Selangor in July, declared that SIS and any other similar organisations that promote religious liberalism and plurality as being deviant to the teachings of Islam.
In addition, any publication that promoted liberal and pluralistic religious thinking would be declared unlawful and confiscated.
SIS have named the Selangor Fatwa Committee, Mais and the state government as respondents. – November 4, 2014.
