PAS will on Monday discuss the controversy arising from the use of the words "rest in peace" (RIP) as a result of the National Fatwa Council's move to discourage the use of the term.

"We will be raising the issue at the party's political bureau in Kuala Lumpur and we will make a stand on it," PAS Research Centre director Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (right) said when met at the funeral wake of the late Karpal Singh in Penang today.

The decision will later be conveyed to the central party leadership, added the former Kuala Selangor MP.

Dzulkefly said the matter was a sensitive one to be brought up as the passing of a statesman like Karpal, or those from any political divide, deserved salutation and recognition.

Accompanying Dzulkefly was Tumpat MP Kamaruddin Jaafar (photo: above) , who said that this was a time to honour Karpal, the man and the memory, and not to resort to any negative comments and opinions.

"This is the undisputable practise of our beloved Prophet Muhammad, who respected the cortege of a Jew. When he was asked why, the prophet replied that the man has a human soul," Kamaruddin told Malaysiakini .

"And all human souls are from God," Dzulkefly added.

Dzulkefly said the actual Muslim response to the death of someone and in times of solemnity is the Quranic verse, "from God he comes, to God he returns".

'Term has Christian connotations'

The politicians were responding to the reminder by the National Fatwa Council, which has been discouraging the use of  the phrase “rest in peace" because the term has Christian connotations.

The council in a statement on its website, www.e-fatwa.gov.my , said non-Muslims can express their condolences to non-Muslim families as long as there are no religious implications.

According to the council, examples of such wishes allow include “I sympathise with what has happened to you” or “we express our sadness at the loss in your family”, but not “rest in peace”.

The council said RIP is similar to the Latin prayer, “May his soul and the souls of all the departed faithful by God's mercy rest in peace”.

This phrase was in prayers used by Christians during the 18th century and is often engraved on tombstones.

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