Religious scholar Fathul Bari said Nurul Izzah is ignorant and arrogant for saying that she is supportive of religious freedom for Muslims in yesterday’s forumKUALA LUMPUR: Parti Keadilan Rakyat vice president Nurul Izzah Anwar has come under fire over her statement allegedly supportive of freedom of choice for Muslims in selecting their religion.
The statement, made at a forum on Saturday, has since drawn heavy criticism from certain quarters, including Muslims scholars.
Religious scholar Ustaz Fathul Bari Mat Jahaya said ignorance was to blame for her statement.
"I'm certain that she is ignorant, this is why she made such a statement. Her statement has clearly deviated from the maqasid syari'yyah and can be categorized as deviating Islamic principles.
"I feel she has been talking without sufficient religious knowledge. It is more honorable for her to retract the statement altogether without twisting it, as God is all merciful," he was quoted in Berita Harian today.
Fathul Bari, who is also Umno Young Ulama (Ilmu) working committee secretariat chairman, said her statement goes against what has been repeated by Nurul Izzah's father, Opposition leader Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on maqasid syari’yyah or the key reasons why the Al-Quran was passed down, which are religion, mind, life, property and dignity.
"Nurul Izzah should have referred to PAS ulama first. Even the Opposition leader himself always spoke about maqasid syari'yyah," he said.
Fathul Bari said Nurul Izzah's statement could have implications on Muslims in the future, resulting in Muslims not placing religion as the most important subject, and steer towards pluralism ideology.
"How can we religion is free and open, or place Islam on the same level as other religions. If this happens, think of why Islam is enshrined in the constitution and what is the purpose of the Malay rulers," he said.
Meanwhile, Puteri Umno chief Datuk Rosnah Abdul Rashid Shirlin said Nurul Izzah's statement can create unease within the Muslim community.
"Imagine, even with enforcement, there are Muslims who become murtad. The situation will be worse if there is absolute freedom," she said.
She said, in matters of faith, it is clearly stated that Muslims should do all they can to preserve Islam and not place it in a vulnerable position.
Nurul Izzah, however, has since denied that she had trivialized the issue of Islamic faith and that she supported apostasy.
The Lembah Pantai MP said she was disappointed that certain quarters were twisting her statements on the subject of religion being forced onto Muslims in Malaysia.
She said she had attended a forum titled ‘Islamic State: Which Version? Whose Responsibility?’ as a panellist on Saturday. In the question and answer session, one of the questions posed to her was on the issue of Islam being imposed on Muslims.
"My answer stressed on the phrase 'there is no compulsion in Islam'. This was taken from verse 256 of the Surah Al-Baqarah in the Al-Quran. The phrase applies to all mankind," she said.
Nurul Izzah added that she holds firm to the belief that after embracing Islam, a Muslim is bound by Syariah law, just as how a citizen is bound by the Federal Constitution.
"I am disappointed that there are efforts to twist my statement as if I had trivialised faith or easily accepted how Muslims can become apostates," she said, adding that she has always been supportive of educational programmes to strengthen one's faith and increase understanding of the religion.
Malaysiakini had on Saturday quoted Nurul Izzah as saying that people should not be compelled to adopt a particular religion, with the same applying to Malays.
"If you ask me, there is no compulsion in religion... how can anyone say sorry, this (religious freedom) only applies to non-Malays, it has to apply equally," she was quoted as saying.
The report also quoted her as saying that her secondary school education, set amidst a Catholic school backdrop, did not influence her.
"Even me, being schooled in Assunta (secondary school) with a huge cross in the hall and an active singing Catholic society did not influence me," she was quoted as saying.
However, the report said she stopped short of saying that Malays should be legally granted religious freedom, saying: "I am, of course, tied to the prevailing views."
- mD
