>>>Islam under closer scrutiny, not attack, says ex-mufti... KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 19 ― Islam is not under any attack in Malaysia but is being closely examined by Muslims here who are now more more critical as they gain more knowledge to their creed’s practices worldwide, prominent religious scholar Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said today. The former Perlis mufti noted that such scepticism was not limited to Islam as other religions faced similar challenges from their followers. “People say Islam is under attack. Its not; its being questioned,” he told The Malay Mail Online in response to a remark by a former prime minister that the religion of the federation was under siege from the country’s non-Muslim minorities. “Christianity is also being questioned,” Asri added. Instead of expecting Muslims to continue blindly in their faith, Islamic religious scholars should now be better prepared to field questions from followers, he said. “Muslim scholars in Malaysia have to have a new approach to face this challenge. Many people, even Muslims themselves, are questioning many things. “So scholars have to answer. We have to answer to make people put their trust in Islam,” Asri said. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that Malaysian Muslims have a legitimate fear of Islam being attacked in this country, arguing that their Christian countrymen were behind the provocation with their insistence on using the Arabic word, “Allah” for their God. The still influential former prime minister said that if Muslims lose their influence in Malaysia, many “offensive” things would be found here. Asri, however, said that Christianity was also facing similar challenges as Islam due to the growing influence of atheism as the internet provides access to a wealth of information. “So people start to read and question,” said the Muslim scholar. Belief in God is the first principle in the Rukunegara, Malaysia’s five national philosophies. Last week, Islamist group Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) urged Muslims nationwide to be aggressive in defending Islam, which it claimed is under attack from certain bands of non-Muslims. In a video posted on its YouTube page, the group urged Muslims to emulate the prophet Muhammad in all his aspects, including waging war, instead of just offering the prophet’s message of peace. Isma vice-president Muhammad Fauzi Asmuni said unnamed anti-Muslim groups were baiting the country’s Muslim majority and causing the current racial and religious tensions the country. The group had also warned last month that Muslims in Malaysia are facing real conspiracies coming from Christians and “chauvinists.
Posted on: Wed, 19 Feb 2014 12:54:03 +0000
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