Saturday August 16, 2008 MYT 6:53:55 PM

Nik Aziz: Swearing on Quran not Islamic practice

(The Star) BUKIT MERTAJAM: PAS spiritual leader Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat said Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan’s move to swear on the Quran over his sodomy allegation was not in keeping with Islamic teachings.

He said there was no requirement in the Quran that called on Muslims to hold the holy book while making a solemn declaration.

"It is normal for Christians to swear on the Holy Bible and it seems that he wanted to follow the Christian way of doing it.

"In Islam, it is enough to say the three holy words – wallahi, wabillahi, watallahi. There is no need to hold the Quran," he said at the Tuanku Bainun Teacher’s Institute here on Saturday for the nomination of the Permatang Pauh by-election.

Nik Aziz said Mohd Saiful’s approach to swear in the name of Allah was however commonly practised by Muslims.

"If he is sincere, he will be the one who knows best. If not, he will be sinful,” he said, adding that Mohd Saiful’s declaration was a personal one between him and God.

Nik Aziz said in Islam, when a person swore on the name of Allah, he was inviting Allah to be a witness.

"This has a very significant meaning. According to Islamic laws, if you swear on Allah’s name and withdraw later, you will have to encounter kafarat (a fine for breaking a rule).

Agreeing with Nik Aziz, PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said instead of swearing, Saiful should have brought his allegations of sodomy against PKR de facto leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to the Syariah Court.

Speaking to reporters at the sidelines of the PAS muktamar (discussion) in Ipoh on Saturday, Hadi said under Islam, Muslim married couples could take such oaths known as li’an which were related to highly personal issues between husband and wife such as one partner committing zina (illicit sex).

"What allegedly happened between Saiful and Anwar is not something related to a married couple. Instead of taking such an oath, Saiful should have sought justice in the Syariah Court," he said.

Asked whether Saiful's move would cost Anwar votes in the Permatanag Pauh by-election, Abdul Hadi said:

"It can turn out either way. One is that the voters would be outraged by the move and Anwar would get their sympathy.

"Alternatively, they may believe Saiful and reject Anwar,” he said.

DAP adviser Lim Kit Siang said Mohd Saiful’s swearing on the Quran seemed to be politically timed for the by-election.

“It raises more question than answering them," he said.

Dr M weighs in
Meanwhile according to a Bernama report, former Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has dared Pakatan Rakyat leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to swear on the Quran to prove he is innocent of the sodomy charge he faces. “Anwar should also be doing the same thing, instead of just giving ceramah (public addresses) everywhere, to prove his innocence,” Dr Mahathir said when approached by reporters during his visit to the Malaysia Agriculture, Horticulture and Agrotourism (MAHA) Show 2008 in Serdang on Saturday.

Referring to Mohd Saiful Bukhari’s swearing on the Quran at the Federal Territory mosque in Kuala Lumpur yesterday, Dr Mahathir said it was the former Anwar aide’s way of "proving" he was not lying when he alleged he had been sodomised by the PKR de-facto leader on June 28.

Dr Mahathir said as a figure on the Malaysian political scene, Anwar should act in accordance with public sentiment which, he said, required that he gave a sworn statement pertaining to the sodomy allegation.

Terengganu Mentri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said said Saiful did the right thing by swearing upon the Quran.

Ahmad said Saiful had opted to swear on the Quran and was willing to accept the consequences, Bernama reported.

“Voters in Permatang Pauh should make their own assessment especially when someone swears on a Holy Book,” he said.

The Muslims Consumers Association of Malaysia said in a statement that Anwar should respond to Saiful's swearing upon the Quran.

It said in a statement that by doing so, Anwar would quell all doubts his supporters might have over the incident.

PAS Maintains Anwar Innocent Of Sodomy Charge Despite Saiful's Swearing On Quran

IPOH, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- PAS today maintained that Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is innocent of the sodomy charge he faces despite accuser Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan having performed the "mubahalah" (swearing on the Quran) to prove he (Saiful) was not lying in the matter.

PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang said he regarded Mohd Saiful Bukhari's gesture (of swearing on the quran) as dirty politics prompted by certain quarters and felt that the institution of religion had also been misused in the process.

"This is (an act of) stupidity in Islamic law. Unfortunately, it involves those who use religion as their brand. It (swearing on the Quran) is not in keeping with the demands of Islamic law.

"What we have in Islam is 'li'an' (swearing involving married couples) ... swearing on the holy book is a practice of Christians, who swear on the Bible.

"For Muslims, it is li'an, which is the case of a man accusing his wife of having illicit sex (but) Anwar and Saiful are not husband and wife," he told reporters when asked to comment on the swearing on the Quran by Anwar's former aide Mohd Saiful Bukhari at the Federal Territory Mosque in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, yesterday.

- Bernama