Religious minister: Prophet Muhammad was not a refugee
PARLIAMENT | De facto Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Mohamad has rebutted an assertion by Amanah president Mohamad Sabu that Prophet Muhammad was a refugee.
Citing a biography book on the prophet's life by scholar Muhammad Said Ramadan al-Bouti, the prophet's hijrah (migration) from Mecca to Medina was not an act of fleeing....
PARLIAMENT | De facto Religious Affairs Minister Zulkifli Mohamad has rebutted an assertion by Amanah president Mohamad Sabu that Prophet Muhammad was a refugee.
Citing a biography book on the prophet's life by scholar Muhammad Said Ramadan al-Bouti, the prophet's hijrah (migration) from Mecca to Medina was not an act of fleeing.
"When the hijrah happened, it did not mean the prophet was running away. But (he left Mecca) on the command of God.
"The term hijrah, is also very different in terms of religion compared to other terms," Zulkifli (above) said in the Dewan Rakyat today.
He was responding to a supplementary question from Mohd Fasiah Mohd Fakeh (Bersatu-Sabak Bernam), on whether the Amanah president had insulted the prophet by calling him a refugee.
Zulkifli did not state a stance on whether this was an insulting remark.
According to Muslim tradition, Prophet Muhammad who had been facing persecution in Mecca, had been instructed by God to leave for Medina, whose people had vowed to give him protection if he were to stay with them.
On the night of his departure, a siege was laid on his house by Meccans who had planned to kill him.
The prophet, however, managed to escape and hid in a cave for several days to evade his would-be assassins, before finally making the journey to Medina.
Mohamad (above), better known as Mat Sabu, had used this event as an example to say that the prophet was considered a refugee.
He had said this in warning against painting all refugees with a negative brush and wishing them harm.
Perikatan Nasional lawmakers later said that Mohamad was misleading the House and that he should retract his remarks.
The speaker has not made a ruling on whether the remarks should be retracted.
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