Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi today wished Hindu Malaysians "Happy Deepavali" to end a controversy over whether it is blasphemous for Muslims to extend the holiday greeting.

He also weighed into a furore over the mixing of the main Hindu and Muslim festivals which fall close together this month, saying joint celebrations were good for national unity in this multicultural country.

Abdullah dismissed controversial comments from an official with Malaysia's top Islamic insurer who said it was blasphemous to offer greetings for the Hindu festival of lights.

"There is nothing wrong in visiting them and greeting them," Abdullah told reporters as he wished his Hindu staff "Happy Deepavali".

"I do not want any confusion in all this because of late I have been hearing a lot of things. I want to set the record straight that this does not in any against Islamic teachings," he added.

Fauzi Mustaffar, head of the Islamic law department at government-linked Takaful Malaysia, apologised on yesterday for sending an email to Muslim staff that triggered a protest outside the company's headquarters.

"Muslims who have inadvertently wished Hindus a happy Deepavali, happy Durga Pooja or happy Lakhshmi Pooja must immediately repent and not repeat it in the future," he said in the mail.

Hindus will celebrate Deepavali on Saturday, just a few days before Hari Raya Aidil Fitri, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Deeparaya draws fire

The extended holiday season has been dubbed "DeepaRaya", but the melding of the festivals has drawn fire from Muslim leaders, who condemn joint celebrations as blasphemous.

"Having joint celebrations does not mean the Muslims or Hindus have to mix their religion. Everyone has their own belief and faith and it does not in any way pollute one's religion," Abdullah said.

"This is a Malaysian tradition involving a multiracial society which brings about harmony and unity."

He added that the sharing the celebrations does not tarnish the sanctity of Islam.

Meanwhile, Bernama quoted Abdullah as saying that the DeepaRaya celebrations do not involve any conflict of the faith of Muslims.

"It is not as though non-Muslims go to the mosque or Muslims go to the temple," he said.

"In terms of social relations, it is not a problem for us to visit our Hindu friends at their homes during Deepavali. Even when the festivals did not fall close to each other, we used to do that. Or they come to visit us on Aidil Fitri, there is no problem at all," he said.

He said that the joint celebrations did not mean that all customs and religious aspects of Islam and Hinduism are blended.

"I hope there will be no confusion regarding the matter, with talk that Muslims might have gone contrary to their faith," he said.

Controversial interpretations

Abdullah's remarks today is seen as a clarification to Perak Mufti Harussani Zakaria's interpretation on the joint celebrations.

Last Friday, Harussani Zakaria was reported as saying that Muslims are only permitted to extend greetings to those of other faiths in conjunction with their respective festivities.

According to him, Muslims are prohibited from joining in the celebrations as this can be against the tenets of Islam.

"If it is only wishing Happy Deepavali, it is okay as long as we (Muslims) do not celebrate these festivities," he told malaysiakini . Harussani is also the head of the National Mufti Council.

"If it is out of respect for your neighbours or visiting their houses (during the festivities), this is also permissible as long as we (Muslims) do not do things which are against the teachings of Islam."