Respect one another’s choice of religion

comments     Yoursay     Published     Updated

YOURSAY Choosing another belief is no plunge into a valley of destruction.

PAS leader backs Jais, warns of 'love threat'

Tholu: PAS central committee member Ridhuan Mohd Nor: go ahead and say, if it pleases you, that you agree with the Jais action. But, who are you to say that Jais saved the girl from plunging into a "valley of severe destruction"?

It is in your belief in Islam and in your perception that adherents of other religions and belief systems are damned by your God. Followers of other religions staunchly and devotionally believe that their religion is the true and superior religion.

This debate of whose religion is true and superior has been going on since the origins of the religions and will never will see a conclusion and end to it.

In a multi-religious country like ours, one should be careful with one’s words when talking about other religions. We should recognise and accept the existence of the various religions and belief systems in this world and refrain from hurting the feelings of others by condemning their religions using provocative and uncalled for views and opinions. To you, your religion, and to us, ours.

Gggg: When someone has already submitted herself to religious rites in another house of worship, then it can only mean she has crossed over. Go beyond religion, be a human first. Think about love, respect for another house of worship and the fate and expenses of the poor families concerned.

Zarina Abdullah Majid has been trying to change the status of her religion for so many years and yet no one wants to help her despite the Federal Constitution saying there’s freedom of religion and Islam saying there is no compulsion in religion.

Tan Kim Keong: Ridhuan has ignored the fact that according to the bride, she has never been brought up as a Muslim and has lived the life of a Hindu since a child.

So, the issue of rescuing her from 'blindness' and undermining her faith does not apply at all.

Awakened: Ridhuan Mohd Nor, the bride was converted to Islam by her father when she was young. In Islam, there is no compulsion. She was brought up as a Hindu even though her name and religion have been changed and registered by her father.

She has been trying to change her name and religion back to Hinduism. What right do you have to say that she is still a Muslim when she herself does not want to be a Muslim?

Does it mean that if the registrar refuses to change the religion stated in her ID to Hinduism, she has no choice but to "embrace" Islam, even though it is not according to her will and wish? You are trying to defend Islam, but in the process you are giving Islam a bad name.

You can't force a person to become Muslim. It is against the constitution and you are taking away the fundamental right of a person regarding his/her religion.

Why so sebok wan: Why doesn't PAS do a study on how many Muslim men abandon their families and fail to provide maintenance and upbringing for their children?

Does Ridhuan even know what the woman's situation really is? And why did Jais have to invade the temple, when it could have just approached the woman quietly, days or weeks before the wedding and asked her about it in private?

Surely that would have been a more diplomatic and compassionate way of addressing the matter?

This is a very inconsiderate way of handling a 'problem', and does not value human relations. Very unIslamic. Shame on them.

ACR: The National Registration Department has to take the blame for sitting on this since 2007. It is high time that these Ridhuan-type of people understand that they undermine Islam by forcefully keeping a person as Muslim in situations like this - where the child never grew up as one, after being abandoned by a Muslim parent.

Sakit hati ku: PAS needs to be more transparent with the electorate. Either you are a religious fanatical group or moderate politicians. You need to come clean.

We are aware there are two factions in the party, the conservatives and the moderates. Let the controlling faction take over the party and other faction members join a coalition of their choice, sharing their same values.

Pakatan Rakyat, it is about time you demand the truth. We lost the TeIuk Intan by-election because only the moderates were seen willing to support Dyana Sofea Mohd Daud. Was it not obvious? When will the leaders of this unstable alliance have the courage to confront this serious problem and make a decision?

Hello: This event is also another reason why DAP must do some soul searching to review its cooperation with PAS. Along the way, there seems to be always some event that shows up the conflict of ideals and this reflects on the people’s support of the parties.

If PAS cannot stick to the common agreed goals (the Buku Jingga), then it’s better to part now than regret when it’s too near GE14.

I WONDER?: This Ridhuan is an extremist and probably another Umno Trojan horse, tasked to stir up controversies.

Hafidz Baharom: From what I understand in this case, is that the bride is willing to cooperate with Jais on the matter. That being said, Jais needs to up its game and inform those being converted by a parent when they reach maturity or even - in this case - are about to get married.

As for complaints from the public, it has to be asked why members of "the public" would get involved at the last minute of this wedding and did not bother to raise a red flag when they started dating, or even before that?

Who on earth is this ‘member of the public’ who filed the complaint and had direct knowledge of this matter but kept quiet for so long, until it truly mattered?

Pputeh: It’s really time for the Pakatan parties to sit down and talk. If this continues, the pact is going to be torn apart. It’s better for PKR and DAP to leave the pact now than later.

Let PAS go and sort out its moderates and ultras. Maybe the moderates can join PKR or even DAP. Let the ultras in PAS join Umno and be done with them.

This festering wound will never heal as long as you have these fellows not realising they live in Malaysia and not in Pakistan, a Taliban country, or in Saudi Arabia.

Caesar: Why is it that in other countries, Muslims and non-Muslims can marry without converting and still, piously, follow their own faiths and live happily?

Mamadias: Unfortunately this is the law of the land. In a democracy you respect the law of the land otherwise it will be the law of the jungle.

What Jais did may not go down well with many. But if there is a law that allows their action, then everyone has to respect it. Many may have hated former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, but at least he kept all these fellows in check.

Pa tri ot ic: This is exactly the reason why PAS lost Kedah back to BN. If this keeps on going, Pakatan will lose Selangor soon.

IQ900: Does Jais want to follow Sudan, which sentenced a Muslim woman born of a Muslim family to death for marrying a non-Muslim?

Where is religious freedom as guaranteed by the Federal Constitution? Where is Najib, who swore to protect the people as guaranteed by the constitution?

Fair Play: The last paragraph of this article says, 'Jais sources were reported as saying that it used a 1988 law, to prevent Muslims converting out of the faith, to justify its action for taking the bride away.' I think Jais is giving the authority a solution for the dilemma.

Think logically. The lady in question didn't even know her father had registered her as a Muslim. Throughout her adult life, she is a Hindu. So, how could she be 'converting out of the faith'?

The right thing to do is for Selangor MB Khalid Ibrahim to seek an audience with Sultan of Selangor and seek his consent to table an amendment that would provide a win-win situation for all Malaysians.

Although a non-Muslim, I believe the action of Jais is justified according to existing law. So, Hindraf, don't get all emotional and say the wrong things to make matters even worse. Khalid, where are you?

Anonymous #33227154:   One PAS leader doesn't represent the whole PAS.


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