The Group of 25 (G25) has managed to garner a lot of attention since their inception. They call themselves ‘Prominent Malays’, but the question still lingers. Prominent in which field and what sense? Most if not all are retirees, and as we know once you retire from the executive you do not wield much if any influence at all.

That said, G25 get a lot of attention from the alternative media or the virtual media in Malaysia. They give a lot of comments, suggestions and critiques (mostly) on Islam and Islamic institutions. They are held by some as to be the voice of the moderates in this nation .

We rarely see the members of G25 covering their aurah. It is explicitly mentioned as a command for Muslim men and women to cover their modesty. If in the case of G25 however not covering their heads is a sign of moderation, then one has to argue whether wearing the headscarf results in extremism?

If going against Islam is labelled as moderation then a new meaning of the word moderation has to be adapted. Moderation roughly means, to be in the middle. If going against the commandments is labeled as moderation I wonder what behaviour is at the opposite ends of the spectrum?

G25 recently invited Abdullahi Ahmed an-Na’im to lecture on syariah. They have also invited in the past, Farouk Musa, Wong Chin Huat and many more, none of whom are authorities in the field of Islamic jurisprudence. G25 once managed to trap Mufti Ismail ibn Musa Menk into attending their seminars in the past.

Since then no Islamic scholar has seen the light of their events as a speaker. Just as G25 is not an authority on anything pertaining Islam neither are any of their invited speakers, except for the ones the managed to con into attending their seminars.

Farida Ariffin once said that, “liberalism is about accepting other people’s views”. She certainly does not accept views of Islamic scholarship and goes against these ideals whenever possible.

They label themselves as being moderate, in reality what you perceive might or might not be real, but what is true is real. If the truth is covered by falsehood it is not the truth any more.

“And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what it is).” - Quran 2:42.

The G25 never raised a voice in concern for the victims of paedophile Richard Huckle. Nothing against poverty or education, but everything against Islam. For those who take the members of G25 to be authoritative in Islam, they can also take David Hume to be the foremost authority on the doctrine of Salvation and Bertrand Russell an expert in the divinity of Jesus.

The G25 is ignorant about Islam and yet they try to interpret Islam according to their whims and fancies. If they want to choose the way of life that is their choice, but when they want to impose it on the state and the people it becomes an issue, it is terrorism of the intellect and perception.

REHAN AHMAD JAMALUDDIN AHMAD is president, Intellectual Wisdom Society.