Ahmad Farouk Musa || 14 October 2024
The issue of RUU Mufti 2024 has been much discussed. We even wrote about it in our Malay post “RUU Mufti 2024: Penjurusan ke Arah Autoritarianisme Agama?” which was published on our portal irfront.net. Undoubtedly, while this issue has a direct bearing on the life of Muslims in Malaysia, it will also indirectly affect the non-Muslims since all of us are living in the same ecosystem.
The most damning aspect of this RUU Mufti is its categorization of Islam under Article 4. This article defines Ahlul Sunnah wal-Jama’ah as those who follow the aqeeda (creed) of Ash-āira and Maturidia, the fiqh (jurisprudence) of Syafi’iyyya and the three other mazhab or denomination (pl. mazāhib), and the tasawuf (Sufism) of al-Ghazali and al-Junaidi. This Article is the most un-Islamic of all; it tries to portray Islam as a very exclusive religion belonging solely to those who subscribe to this definition. Indeed, it is against the spirit of inclusivity Islam wherein God reminds us: Innamal mu’minūna ikhwatun – All believers are but brethren [Sura al-Hujūrat; 49: 10].
This particular verse denotes that whatever their denomination, as long as one believe in the one and only God, the Prophet and the day of judgement, that person is within the fold of Islam. Understandably, the reason for this very sectarian definition is mainly to counter the growing force of the Salafis. Who are these Salafis? They are those who do not subscribe to any mazhab or mazåhib but instead follow a manhaj (system) of belief that is based on evidence. In Islam, it is called nass (a known or clear legal injunction). Nass is based on the text of the Qur’ãn, or on an authentic hadith (a form of oral tradition containing the purported words, actions and the silent approvals of the Prophet).
In the field of medicine, this is called “evidence-based Medicine”. There is no better way to practice this religion similar to what is being practiced in Medicine which is based on evidence. Of course, the traditionalist Muftis in all states over the country – with the exception of Perlis – supported this bill since this is the way they want Muslims in Malaysia to practice their religion: to blindly follow the mazhab without questioning the nass or evidence. Hence, many of their practices were simply innovations (bid’ah) with no basis in this religion at all. Islam became very complicated and convoluted rather than an easy religion to be followed. God declares in the Qur’an: “and He has laid no hardship on you in [anything that pertains to] religion” [Sura al-Hajj; 22: 78]
In his commentary regarding this verse in his magnum opus “The Message of the Qur’an”, the erudite scholar Muhammad Asad says: “The absence of any ‘hardship’ in the religion of Islam is due to three factors: (1) it is free of any dogma or mystical proposition which might make the Qur’ānic doctrine difficult to understand or might even conflict with man’s innate reason; (2) it avoids all complicated ritual or system of taboos which would impose undue restrictions on man’s everyday life; and (3) it rejects all self-mortification and exaggerated asceticism, which must unavoidably conflict with man’s true nature.” Now, compare this to what RUU Mufti 2024 trying to achieve.
Of course, certain Muftis have declared time and again that Ash-āira and Maturidiya doctrine promote wasatiya or moderation in all things. They were trying to link Salafiya to extremism and violence. We do not deny the fact that Islam preaches peace and moderation. However, Islam is also a religion of jihād (meritorious struggle or effort). Jihād is not an act of violence indiscriminately directed against non-Muslims, but a struggle against all kind of evil in whatever shape or form, against any forces of tyranny or oppression.
War in Islam (qital in Arabic is only one aspect of jihād) is waged for the sake of liberty and freedom to alleviate sufferings and repressions. It is a noble duty and a mujāhid (one who engages in jihad) is thus a noble person who offers his life for the achievement of lofty ends. But of course, this magnificent concept has been contaminated by Islamophobes to create an Islam which is sterile and impotent. Unfortunately, some people here have become intoxicated with Western imperialists’ propaganda that tries to paint the Salafis as violent actors as reflected in the term ‘Salafi-Jihadi’.
Finally, we hope that the unchecked power bestowed to the Mufti under this new act is opposed by all means possible by the parliamentarians who are debating this act. RUU Mufti will not only affect the Muslims but will have a ripple effect on the non-Muslims in this country as well.
Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa holds a PhD in Surgery from Monash University Australia and Masters of Medicine in Surgery from Universiti Sains Malaysia. He is currently a doctoral candidate in Islamic Studies at Universiti Muhammadiyah Malaysia. his essay also appears on Malaysiakini at: https://www.malaysiakini.com/columns/722625
