Opening up Pandora’s box of religion

Opening up Pandora’s box of religion
ANALYSIS

By Wan Hamidi Hamid

Political Editor

KUALA LUMPUR, July 8 — To swear or not to swear on the Quran: the issue is no longer just about Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, the 61-year-old Parti Keadilan Rakyat advisor, and his 23-year-old accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari and the quest to determine who is telling the truth by swearing on the Quran. It is now slowly opening Pandora’s box of religion in this country.

Perlis Mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin had suggested that Anwar and his accuser resort to mubahalah or swearing on the Quran if the existing laws fail to resolve the matter.

He even asked Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat, a respected ulamak as well as controversial PAS spiritual leader, to be the mediator for the proposed mubahalah.

However, the 37-year-old Perlis Mufti's view was challenged by his more senior colleague —Perak Mufti Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria — who believes Anwar need not swear on the Quran to prove his innocence as the burden of proof lies with the accuser.

Mohd Asri, however, questioned this, claiming that it was a case of misinterpretation of classical Islamic jurisprudence — between the rights of the accuser and the accused.

"If we do not differentiate this, it means rape and sodomy victims have to bring forward four witnesses and if he or she fails, the punishment is 80 strokes of the cane. Is this the Islam that some people understand?

"The failure to understand Islamic laws will continue to confuse Muslims. If this is what we show to society, people will perceive Islam as a cruel religion," he said in an interview with MStar.

The debate between the two religious scholars has also invited the participation of Islamic Development Department of Malaysia (Jakim) director-general Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz, who believes it would only expose a person's misconduct to public ridicule.

"We should not blow up the issue. There are other ways to determine the truth in this case," he told the Press.

The debate over the interpretation of syariah law, particularly on the Islamic criminal code, is an eye opener for some quarters, especially PAS, as they attempt to implement a stricter version of syariah law in the country.

For many Muslims, syariah law is complete and can never be questioned. Some even believe that there will never be an Islamic state unless syariah law becomes the governing law of society and state.

A month ago, PAS Youth vice-chief Azman Shapawi Abdul Rani proposed the setting up of a committee to look into the implementation of syariah law as part of the state law in all states governed by the federal opposition — Penang, Perak, Selangor, Kedah and Kelantan.

Such a proposal would mean following in the footsteps of Kelantan PAS where the administration has banned gambling, sale of alcoholic drinks in many places, prohibition of cultural performances deemed unIslamic by the state authorities and monitoring women to ensure they adhere to the "Islamic" dress code.

When Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who is also the secular multiracial DAP secretary-general, dismissed the idea, PAS supporters in the cyber world launched their attacks against Lim's alleged anti-Islam view.

Swearing on the Quran itself may not be enough to determine the truth. At best, it can only pacify the current state of confusion that has come over everybody; at worst, it would only escalate the misunderstanding of syariah law.

As Mohd Asri frequently reminds Muslims in the country, it is their responsibility to portray Islam as a religion of love and peace. As with justice, this must be seen to be done.

Malaysian Insider