OF MUFTIS AND GYMNASTS

S. N.

This letter stems from the recent Gold Medal achievement of national gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi. But the weight of this letter is for those in Malaysia who think that they have the right to ridicule others and to judge whether one’s actions are properly Islamic.

Recently, the Mufti of Perak, Tan Sri Dr Harussani Zakaria, claimed that gymnastics is not for Muslim women because of its attire. Alongside him, many others condemned Farah for her outfit, evidently incapable of comprehending the amount of hard work and practice required to achieve what Farah did. The irony of it all comes back to the lost condemners, the ones who think they have the authority to judge other Muslims. No matter who you are, no matter your family or your political authority, as Muslims, no one has the right to tell others whether Allah will accept you. As Muslims, we are taught to focus primarily on our own connection with Allah and not to be running around wagging our fingers. I may not be an Islamic scholar, but as a Muslim, I know that the basic truth of Islam is its non-compulsion. As stated in Surah Al-Baqarah, “Let there be no compulsion in religion,” (2: 256) meaning that Islam comes from within; it is a personal decision and a faith that can only be developed when the individual decides to engage with the Quran. Similarly, in Surah Yunus, the Quran asks rhetorically: “Can you compel people to believe against their will?” (10: 100). Islam’s very definition is “submission to God.” No one has the authority to make you submit, no one is allowed to push your forehead to the ground when praying.

During the time of prophet Muhammad (SAW), Islam represented a belief that empowered the poor and the oppressed of Mecca, the Prophet’s first revelation was concerned on aiding the poor. Today, Islam is being used by old men to maintain control of a society where women are increasingly taking roles of leadership.

In specific regards to Mufti Tan Sri Dr Harussani Zakaria, it is inadvisable to take your recommendations and advice seriously considering how, just this April, you proclaimed that wives are unable to refuse when the husband asks for sex, that apparently women lose their right to decline intercourse after the dowry has been paid: “Once she got married…she can’t refuse unless when she’s [on her] period.” What perhaps makes this statement more alarming is how you cite Prophet Muhammad SAW to justify this rapist assertion. Let it be clear, Prophet Muhammad SAW, who had even been criticized by his fellow companions for giving equality to women in Medina, would never condone such an animalistic behavior from any man, let alone a Mufti of Perak.

Stepping back, it’s easy to recognise that the ignorant criticisms on Farah’s gold medal success is just another chapter in the extending story of Malaysia’s skewed and wrongful authoritarian view of Islam, but ignoring or even allowing individuals such as the Mufti of Perak to spread false rumours about Islam is detrimental to our national societal maturity. It is dangerous to our democracy.

The example of South Africa’s apartheid is a case in point. In one of the most morally corrupt regimes in world history, it is vital to note that apartheid held its strength from the state Church, from—now very clearly false—interpretations of Christianity.

In the 1960’s and 70’s, the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) in South Africa upheld the belief that God had made man of distinct color so each would have his own way of life, they proclaimed: “God had established nations as cultural communities, each having its own identities and man dare not misinterpret God’s will in a manner which would upset the order which he established.” As a result, the church ensured that the different ethnicities in South Africa would maintain segregation. Church’s were built separate for whites, for coloreds and for Africans.

Eventually, South African apartheid leaders used the Church to justify their rule of segregation and oppression of the African community. Eventually, the apartheid government invaded schoolbooks to ensure that children of South Africa had no conception of a world without division.

The point here is not that Malaysia lies vulnerable to be an apartheid state but that it is important to comprehend religious “authorities” as individuals who hold their own personal beliefs: if you are a racist and a Christian, you’re a Christian racist, if you’re a sexist and a Muslim, then you’re a Muslim sexist who uses Islam and the Quran to justify your beliefs. There are plenty of religious leaders today—and especially in Malaysia—who make outlandish statements then cowardly hide behind Islam to justify their claims. As a growing and maturing society, it is pivotal for us to remember that when religious leaders say, “the Quran says,” part of the “saying” comes through their interpretation, you don’t listen to the Quran speak, you have to read it. And when you read it, it is up to you on how you comprehend the message. This is the miracle and empowerment that the Quran gives to its readers, that everyone has the ability to pick it up and make your own conclusions through your own interpretations. It is a direct connection with Allah SWT.

Last week, I attended the Friday prayer at New York University and listened to their Islamic Chaplain, Khalid Latif, talk about the troubling feature of Muslims today; how Muslims now are too focused on the does and don’ts, on what’s haram and what’s not, that we’ve forgotten to focus on the primary message of Prophet Muhammad SAW of showing unrelenting love to all peoples. It is from the Prophet that we must remember to not cast judgment on those we disagree with, it is through the Prophet that we should remember to always respect the person in front of us, no matter if they’re Muslim or non-Muslim, man or woman. “Kita manusia sama saja. Tiada tinggi, tiada rendah.”

Congratulations Farah on your success in gold! Your passion for gymnastics is and should rightfully be an inspiration to all in Malaysia.