The Perlis government, through its fatwa council, has extended an official invitation to popular Islamic orator Muhammad Uthman El-Muhammady, who had allegedly linked several Islamic scholars with Wahabism and terrorism, for a dialogue.

According to Perlis mufti Juanda Jaya, a written invitation was sent to the research fellow with the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC) today, after a decision was made by the council last night.

“We hope the event will be held during the fasting month to reduce devilish elements. If the allegation is not true, it will be considered as an effort to divide the people, an effort that is imitative of the behaviour of Satan and is a threat to the nation,” Juanda said.

It was reported that the National Security Council (NSC) was told at a closed-door briefing in Putrajaya on Monday that former Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin and some 40 young ‘Umno ulama’ were among those linked with Wahabism.

NONE The briefing, which was attended by Uthman as a presenter, was also told that the Saudi government was behind their activities.

Yesterday, Juanda  ( left in photo ) revealed that institutions of the Perlis government, and he himself, were also victims of “wild allegations” raised during the briefing.

Contacted by Malaysiakini yesterday, Juanda said Uthman could pick any time suitable to him to present his views to the state fatwa council members and other invited scholars.

“This event will be open to the public and media, so that all quarters can make their own judgments,” said Juanda, who is also a visiting fellow with Oxford University.

‘Allegations involve important practices of Muslims’

According to Juanda, it was necessary for Uthman to provide an explanation because the allegations made during the briefing involved important practices of Muslims, such as performing umrah and haj in Mecca, the holy city governed by Saudi Arabia.

“During Ramadan, many imam from Mecca will also be invited to head the Tarawikh prayers in this country, and we are concerned that their practices will be deemed illegal,” he said.

Saudi Arabia is the country most associated with the Wahabism ideology, especially by the Orientalist group. In Malaysia, Perlis is one of the states that is linked to the ideology, although this has been denied by its religious leaders and scholars.

ti religio-corruption workshop 231105 muhammad 'uthman el-muhammady Malaysiakini made several attempts to obtain response sfrom NSC and Uthman, but to no avail.

Uthman ( left ) was honoured with the much-coveted national Maal Hijrah award in 2005. This holder of Doctor of Letters ‘ honoris causa ’ from Universiti Sains Malaysia is well-known for his studies in the Islamic field of Akidah .

Meanwhile, the young Islamic scholars in Umno, who are facing the same allegation, have not put the blame on the NSC, which organised the briefing.

Instead, they suspect that the allegation is the work of some “pet ustaz ” close to the council, which is under the Prime Minister’s Department.

“They were just taking advantage of several differences in opinions over furuk (non-fundamental) issues to divide the Muslims,” said Umno young Ulama secretariat working committee chairperson Fathul Bari May Jahya.

Fathul also holds the view that the allegations should be clarified through dialogue.

“We are prepared to have a dialogue with anybody, so that there will not be any more confusion,” he said, adding that the dialogue, however, should be a closed-door event.