YOURSAY 'I know that ‘no compulsion in religion' is clearly stated in the Quran, but can Nasha please tell me where it is written that ‘it only applies to non-Muslims'?'
Nasha: Nurul is wrong, Muslims have no choice
The Mask: Former PAS deputy president Nasharudin Mat Isa, you said "the verse which she (PKR vice-president Nurul Izzah Anwar) quoted can only be applied to non-Muslims." You also said, "Our right is only to listen and obey as it is clearly stated in the Quran."
I know that "no compulsion in religion" is clearly stated in the Quran, but can you please tell me where it is written that "it only applied to non-Muslims"?
Ipoh2: Nasha is only half right. While Muslims in many other parts of the world have switched from Islam to other religions, Malays in Malaysia can't. But if the same Malays moved away or migrate to other countries, they can have the choice.
What is contained in the Quran concerning this remains an unresolved issue among Islamic scholars. If Nasha said this in Indonesia or Turkey, he would probably be denounced.
Gerard Lourdesamy: Is the Holy Quran, which is a divine revelation, subject to qualification and interpretation by mere mortals? What is the point of having a bad Muslim who does not practice what is required in the Quran?
How does an apostate become an enemy of Islam if he converts without instigating others to follow or without publicly attacking Islam? It seems like it's more of a numbers game than actually following what the Quran teaches.
People like Nasharudin seem to be obsessed with the form and rituals of Islam but not its substance and beauty. It is sad that such a great religion is misused for political purposes in this country predicated on racial superiority and hegemony.
Pemerhati: Anyone can interpret and misinterpret what is written in the religious text as he wishes.
One thing that is certain is that the former frogs from Pakatan Rakyat and the potential and aspiring frogs like Nasharudin will interpret the current religious text in question according to the wishes of the corrupt Umno in order to get the crumbs that would be thrown at them by their Umno masters.
They must also be aware that there is no such thing as a free lunch and the size of their crumbs depend on their performance.
That is why whenever there is the slightest window of opportunity, you will that find that these frogs will start croaking and try and impress and please their Umno masters with their performance (i.e. telling lies to demonise the opposition) in order to earn their ‘lunch' and in the hope that the size of the crumbs will get bigger.
Apa Ini?: The way this issue has become an unending debate, one wonders if the Malays know what their rights are in this matter.
Writer Mariam Mokhtar in her article 'mind snatchers' points out that the late Lord President Mohamed Suffian Hashim's wife was a life-long Christian and 'they' snatched her body from the morgue and had her buried as a Muslim almost, it might seem, before he woke up to the fact. (He had hoped to fulfil her dying wish to be cremated and buried as a Christian.)
There's your choice, dear brothers and sisters in Islam. If the former chief justice could do nothing against the Islamic forces in this country, neither the constitution, the syariah courts, or a Quranic verse or two can help.
Geronimo: I sure would like Nasha talking to Prince Abdullah al-Sabah of Kuwait who apparently converted to Christianity early this year. His royal highness would probably give Nasha a pointer or two about his conversion and tells Nasha to mind his own business.
Swipenter: If Allah/God is who he is made up to be, then Allah/God has no choice but to judge us on our deeds committed when we are alive and not on whether we were Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, atheists, etc.
Anonymous #76965586: I am a human being. I have right to choose which religion to worship to make myself a better person. Nobody can force me to stick to a religion as this person is just another human being and not God.
God is perfect, but man is sinful. Please look at those who have been manipulating these issues. Are they better than us or actually devils? Are they doing it for a certain purpose?
Let's pray to God but not to them. If we think that we are not stupid, then we should know how to response accordingly.
I salute Lembah Pantai MP Nurul as she has the courage to speak her mind. We have been living in a country with too much intimidation. We must reject it.
Realis: The non-Malays/Muslims are having a field day quoting the Quran, etc, lambasting the average Malay/Muslim's feelings. They are joyous to see a Malay/Muslim trying to untie a uniquely close-knit and caring Malay/Muslim community not seen anywhere in the world.
They would like Malays to be like Malays in Indonesia and Arabs in some Middle Eastern countries. Please lah , be sensitive, we have in no way intrude into your way of life.
Magnus: I am amused by the level of response to Nasha's personal views of his religious beliefs.
I don't think anyone in their right mind here or anywhere else actually believes for one moment in this day and age that he is in any way speaking for or on behalf of the silent Almighty that one can only potentially only really hear or really feel within the stillness of one's own self.
But I have to laugh anyway at Nasha's real gall and give him some credit at least for stimulating what seems to be a healthy discussion on what Islamic spiritual teachings actually mean.
Mahashitla: Utusan Malaysia and Umno are once again stirring up race and religious issues, using the same old modus operandi. This time it won't work.
Too many issues of corruption and abuses in government have not been properly dealt with and now they think Nurul's speech can get them off the frying pan. You have to do better than this, Umno.
Not Confused: This is yet another example of a human being (Nasha) putting his own interpretation on that particular verse - "no compulsion in religion" - in the Quran. Why should his interpretation be any better or worse than any others?
The Quran is for the ‘enlightenment' of Muslims. So how come this particular verse only applies to non-Muslims?
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