While efforts to strengthen the Islamic faith are to be lauded, it is no excuse to malign or hurt followers of other religions, PAS' Parit Buntar MP Mujahid Yusof Rawa says.

 

He expressed fear that the controversial seminar on Christianity and the use of the word 'Allah' at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) on Tuesday has exacerbated the already tenuous inter-religious ties in Malaysia.

 

“The seminar at Universiti Teknologi Mara  hosted by UiTM and the Selangor Islamic Affairs Council did not do much to heal festering inter-religious relations in this country but instead rubbed salt into an open wound.

 

“I don't know the motive of the seminar - if it was to strengthen Islamic faith, this is good but that does not give us licence to malign other faiths,” Mujahid said in a statement late yesterday.

 

“The organisers should have been wiser so as to not allow the seminar turn into a place to sow hatred among religions, even in the framework of defending what is perceived to be the right of Muslims.”

 

He also cited a verse from the Al An'am chapter of the Quran which states that one should not ridicule the religion of others.

 

Mujahid, who is also member of the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC), stressed that ties among people of difrferent religions in Malaysia is now “tested to the maximum”, as is the rakyat's patience.

 

Don't turn the clock back

 

According to the PAS MP, the “Malaysian dream” is built on a multi-racial and multi-religious platform, and having Islam as the religion of the federation does not infringe on the religious freedom of Malaysians.

 

“Yet there are some among us who turn a deaf ear and a blind eye to this in pursuing their narrow interests,” he said. “I urge for all not to turn back the clock on inter-religious ties in this country.”

 

Mujahid said if the purpose of the UiTM seminar was to understand the many different religions in Malaysia or to debate current issues, then Christians should have been invited to speak.

 

“It would have been more effective to invite Christians to explain issues that have caused concerns among Muslims, like the use of the word 'Allah', to reduce prejudice,” he said.

 

The same can be said for claims of proselytisation of Muslims, which he stressed is already an offence in law.

Making claims of Christianisation also strains Christian-Muslim ties globally, Mujahid added, would not bode well for Muslims who live as minorities in other countries.

 

Speakers at a seminar on the word 'Allah' and Christology on Tuesday warned of surreptitious proselytisation of Muslims by Christians and linked it to the Christians’ insistence to use the word 'Allah' in referring to God in Bahasa Malaysia.