NGO Ikatan Muslimin Malaysia (Isma) president Abdullah Zaik Abdul Rahman says the opposition to liberalism on the part of Muslim NGOs in the country is because of their belief that liberalism is based on atheism.

He pointed out that the liberal slogan, "Liberty, Equality and Fraternity", is also the theme of the Freemason movement.

"When we examine the matter deeply, we see that  this is not an understanding based on religion. This is an understanding that is against religion," Abdullah said in a talkshow on liberalism with KiniTV recently.

The forum-based talkshow, which discussed the threat of liberalism in Malaysia, also featured Policy Research Institute (IKD) director Khalid Jaafar ( left ).

Khalid rebutted Abdullah Zaik's argument, saying that liberalism is not based on atheism but based on the need to ensure justice in a country's administration.

He pointed out that the founder of the liberal movement, John Locke, was a religious man,  not an atheist.

Khalid said liberalism gives a wide space of participation for Islamic religious scholars, such as Muhammad Abduh, Ali Abdul Razib, Rifaat Tahtawi and he himself.

"There are liberals who are very religious, like John Locke. There are also theologists and religious scholars who are liberals, consciously or subconsciously.

"For example, Yusuf Qardhawi defends justice and democracy and also the right to remove a cruel government," Khalid said.

'Aspects of liberal movement can be adapted'

Abdullah agreed that several aspects of the liberal movement could be adapted into Islamic politics, but insisted that the idea must be rejected because liberalism consists of many other packages.

"I agree you can adapt parts of this democracy one by one. Not everything but from certain perspectives. This is not liberalism, but several aspects of it, such as democracy, for example - elections.

"In the context of liberalism, they do not admit that this is the rule and regulation of God or Allah. Even if they acknowledge God or Allah, they can create things on their own and have their own faiths," Abdullah said.

Khalid said there are those who criticise liberalism but subconsciously agreed with the idea of liberalism.

He pointed out that liberalism destroyed the slavery system, which was a "culture" in the world, including in the Islamic and Malay world.

"We used to think that slavery is good, even Malays had slavery back then. But when society became more liberal, they rejected slavery. The biggest contribution of liberalism is to eliminate slavery in an institutionalised manner," Khalid said.