Sisters in Islam (SIS) has filed a judicial review against  the Selangor fatwa committee, Selangor Religious Affairs Council (Mais) and the Selangor government over a fatwa labelling the NGO as "religious deviants".

The fatwa gazetted in Selangor on July 24 declares those subscribing to "liberalism and pluralism" as "deviating" from Islam, citing the NGO as an example.

SIS executive director Ratna Osman and board member Marina Mahathir filed the judicial review at 10.30am today at the Kuala Lumpur High Court.

The co-appellants in the suit are former de facto law minister Zaid Ibrahim ( right ) and co-founder and the former SIS executive director Zainah Anwar.

The duo are participating in the legal action as co-appellants, not as part of SIS but as concerned Muslim citizens in the country.

At a press conference later, SIS said it was clueless about the fatwa against them.

Ratna said that SIS only found out about the matter on Oct 20, during a random online search on the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia's (Jakim) e-fatwa website.

The fatwa, filed in the website as ' Pemikiran liberalisme dan pluralisme agama ' (Religious liberalism and pluralism), was activated since September 1.

It mentioned SIS as an organisation or institution that subscribes to religious liberalism and pluralism that deviates from the teachings of Islam.

The fatwa also bans and allows confiscation of any publication that has elements of religious liberalism and pluralism.

Moreover, it also calls upon the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to block any social websites that ‘oppose Islamic teachings and laws’.

The religious edict also urges that ‘any individuals confessing to religious liberalism and pluralism to repent and return to Islam’s path.’ 

'Fatwa not applicable'

SIS said that as the organisation was registered as a company under the  Registrar of Societies (ROS), such a  fatwa is not applicable to it.

"SIS adheres to the country's laws and not some illegal Islamic books. Where is the sesat (deviation) in this," asked Ratna.  

Marina ( right) said that SIS is furthermore registered as a non-profit company under the ROS.

"Companies, as we know, have no religion,” Marina said.

She also said that by making the fatwa a law, the Selangor state authorities had violated the Federal Constitution.

Zaid,  who was also present at the press conference,  insisted that the Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak should explain the fatwa ruling in detail for the better understanding of all.

“I urge the PM, for the importance of all Muslims, to explain in detail regarding this fatwa, preferably in a public discussion," said Zaid.

The issue was said to have been first brought up by members of the Shah Alam division of the opposition party PAS, after which the authorities came out with the said fatwa.

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