PAS' new spiritual leader Hashim Jasin is unwilling to give a straight answer on whether PAS is cooperating with Pakatan Harapan or Umno in the next general election.

For Hashim, it is a matter of "welfare" and piety", and the rejection of sin and enmity.

"We consider and support the welfare policies of both the government and the (federal) opposition.

"So, we cannot use our heads alone. We refer to our foremost source of reference, the Quran and the sunnah (prophetic traditions)," he told Malaysiakini.

Hashim, who was appointed PAS spiritual leader on Sunday following the death of incumbent Haron Din, also heads the PAS Syura Council.

The Syura Council is the topmost decision-making body in PAS, after the party congress.

Party organ Harakahdaily reported Hashim was elected unanimously based on the 77-year-old's breadth of knowledge and experience in politics.

Deputy spiritual leader Ahmad Yakob, who is also Kelantan menteri besar, reportedly remains in the number two post because his work in the Kelantan government takes too much of his time.

Asked if PAS was likely to lose seats if it cooperated with Pakatan Harapan, Hashim said this was merely an assumption.

He said such a decision could not be made using simple mathematics, if looking from a religious standpoint.

"It's easy to make assumptions, some say if we cooperate, we can win more seats, others say we will win less seats. But in religion, the view is different.

"What I am saying is that when we have RM10, and we donate RM1, we will be left with RM9.

"But from a religious point of view, we actually now have RM19 (due to divine rewards from making donations). This is, if we calculate from a religious perspective," he said.

PAS to decide on Pakatan alliance

He said PAS will meet on Thursday to discuss PAS information chief Nasrudin Hassan's statement that the party will not cooperate with anyone who has ties with DAP.

"We have reviewed the matter and it will be tabled in the next central committee meeting, God willing.

"The outcome will be considered by the Syura Council when we meet, and if it breaches syariah, then the (central committee's) decision is overturned," he said. 

In his new role, Hashim said he would follow the examples set by predecessors, including long-serving spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, who died last year.

"The Syura Council has guidelines and our role is to discuss matters decided by the PAS central committee to ensure syariah compliance. If it complies, then we need not do anything but support the decision."