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Thursday, October 9, 2014

You can’t justify Bible-burning call as defending Islam, says ex-Umno leader

Global Movement of Moderates Foundation CEO Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah says in sparing Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who urged the burning of Bibles, the government is giving rise to a misconception of Islam. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 9, 2014.Global Movement of Moderates Foundation CEO Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah says in sparing Datuk Ibrahim Ali, who urged the burning of Bibles, the government is giving rise to a misconception of Islam. – The Malaysian Insider file pic, October 9, 2014.
Putrajaya cannot justify Datuk Ibrahim Ali’s call to burn Bibles as a defence of Islam, as the religion does not teach its followers to insult other faiths, former deputy higher education minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said today.
Saifuddin, who is CEO of Global Movement of Moderates Foundation (GMMF), said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Nancy Shukri’s argument that the threat was made to defend Islam may spread confusion.
“Hajah Nancy said that Datuk Ibrahim had no intention to create religious chaos but was only to defend the sanctity of Islam.
Yesterday, Nancy said police decided not to act on against Ibrahim, who is Perkasa president, over his call last year to burn copies of the Bible containing the word “Allah” because he was merely defending Islam. 
Nancy, who is the minister in charge of law, said police concluded that his words were only directed at specific individuals, and were not a threat to the larger society.
Saifuddin said today that several verses in the Quran stressed that Muslims should deal with adherents of other faiths in a just and peaceful manner.
“In the context of the burn-the-Bible statement, it is clearly stated in the Quran that ‘And do not insult those they invoke other than Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge’ (an-Na’am:108),” he said.
 “I can understand some Muslims are offended or hurt by statements made by certain groups.
“But again, in defending Islam, Muslims shall respond accordingly as expressed in the Quran, ‘Be persistently firm for Allah, witness in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just, that is nearer to righteousness’ (al-Maidah:8).”
He added that Islam upheld religious freedom, with the Quran stating: “There shall be no compulsion in the religion” (al-Baqarah:143).
Muslims should be focused on promoting inter-religious harmony instead of threatening others, said Saifuddin, quoting al-Hujurat, verse 13, which stated: “We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another” (al-Hujurat:13).
 “The dialogue should be conducted in a good manner as proposed in the Quran, 'Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best' (an-Nahl:125),” he added.

“Based on the above verses of the Quran and the tradition of the Prophet, it is clear that the minister’s argument does not reflect the true teachings of Islam and cannot be used to justify such statement from Datuk Ibrahim.”
Ibrahim's call in January last year prompted outrage from politicians and Christians, with critics accusing Putrajaya of double standard in using the Sedition Act against critics while sparing Ibrahim.
Nancy, replying on behalf of the prime minister yesterday, said investigations by the police into Ibrahim's statement found that what he had said was aimed at the activities of some individuals, who allegedly distributed Christian literature outside a school in Penang.
"The words he uttered were directed at individuals who were distributing Bibles with the word 'Allah' and also Jawi writings to students at Sekolah Menengah Jelutong, Penang, including Malay students," she said, referring to the police's findings.
This morning, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim censured Putrajaya for defending Ibrahim, saying that Islam would not condone such behaviour.
"It is just, I should say, the Umno position or the minister's position. (Burning the Bible) has never been condoned or tolerated (in Islam).
"In fact, my understanding of Islam is we must respect all religious beliefs and of course, religious texts," he said at the Parliament lobby.
He said the move by Putrajaya was clearly politically motivated as Ibrahim was only investigated under the Penal Code and not under the Sedition Act.
- TMI

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