Islam under attack from ‘turncoats’, Muslims told in FT sermon
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 — Federal Territories (FT) Islamic authorities warned Muslims today that Islam was being maligned in the country, with its religious institutions allegedly targeted by traitorous Muslims.
Without naming the so-called “turncoats,” the sermon warned that if the situation continues unabated, a “cancer” will develop and invite divine wrath, with the community’s unity inevitably being broken.
“Even more saddening is when we discover that those who belittle are not the non-Muslims, but are actually those who profess to be Muslims, akin to turncoats or enemy collaborators.
“This is indeed shocking and is a great blow to all Muslims,” the FT Islamic Affairs Department (Jawi) said in its sermon today.
Jawi also claimed that Islam’s position as the religion of the federation is being disputed in public, and Allah’s rules questioned and toyed with by those with questionable religious knowledge.
Jawi then warned that this constant questioning will divide the Muslim community, which in the end will cause Muslims to be oppressed and their lives, properties and faith be put under threat.
Muslim unity is also the current theme of Umno’s courtship of rival PAS, amid claims that the community’s political power was under threat.
“This divide will cause Muslims to lose their greatness in the eyes of the enemies and will no longer strike fear in their hearts,” said Jawi.
It pointed to the strife in the Arab world, Africa and Asia where Muslims have been left weakened, due to internal bickering.
Last month, pro-moderation group G25 came under fire after it announced the establishment of a consultative committee to review unconstitutional state Shariah enactments and laws that violate personal privacy, such as khalwat laws, and to recommend their repeal or amendment.
The group, which comprises Malay senior retired civil servants, has since been criticised by conservative Malay-Muslim groups such as Perkasa and Isma as well as Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, who accused G25 of having “very weak” religious knowledge.
Several groups have also called for the moderate Malay group to be banned by Putrajaya, claiming that the group is spreading “deviant teachings”.
The groups has since told Malay Mail Online that it is not aiming to “reform Islam”, but only to review Shariah legislation that is unconstitutional and which violates Islamic legal principles.