QUOTE
Tarnishing the intelligence of Muslims
There was once a time when Malaysians would make a virtue of how tolerant they were of each other’s religion and culture. The Open House, where you would invite your neighbors and friends from other races and religions to your house on the festive days you celebrate. The Government would also make a virtue of it, with Ministers holding Open House.
It didn’t matter whether the festive days were religious. The point was to celebrate together with fellow Malaysians your festive days and to celebrate with them their festive days. All sounds very 1Malaysia but while the APCO-inspired key messages of integration and tolerance are being pumped out by the Najib administration by the terrabyte-ful, the Government is also shooting itself in the foot.
Below is apparently the latest directive from the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development titled Guidelines for Muslims Celebrating Religious Festivals of Non-Muslims.
I thought it was a joke until he checked out the content’s veracity at the Department’s official website. Imagine the line of reasoning is that if you are a Muslim and attend someone’s Christmas party and their house has a cross, blinking lights, candles or a Christmas tree you would have tarnished the Islamic faith? Or you go to a Hindu friend’s house for Deepavali and he has some ask smeared on his forehead as is the customary thing, and that tarnishes Islam? How can the mind work in such fallacious ways?
The only thing that gets tarnished if anyone follows these guidelines or take them seriously is their own intelligence.
Does this earn the Department a $hit-for-brains tag or a $hit-for-brains tag?
There was once a time when Malaysians would make a virtue of how tolerant they were of each other’s religion and culture. The Open House, where you would invite your neighbors and friends from other races and religions to your house on the festive days you celebrate. The Government would also make a virtue of it, with Ministers holding Open House.
It didn’t matter whether the festive days were religious. The point was to celebrate together with fellow Malaysians your festive days and to celebrate with them their festive days. All sounds very 1Malaysia but while the APCO-inspired key messages of integration and tolerance are being pumped out by the Najib administration by the terrabyte-ful, the Government is also shooting itself in the foot.
Below is apparently the latest directive from the Malaysian Department of Islamic Development titled Guidelines for Muslims Celebrating Religious Festivals of Non-Muslims.
I thought it was a joke until he checked out the content’s veracity at the Department’s official website. Imagine the line of reasoning is that if you are a Muslim and attend someone’s Christmas party and their house has a cross, blinking lights, candles or a Christmas tree you would have tarnished the Islamic faith? Or you go to a Hindu friend’s house for Deepavali and he has some ask smeared on his forehead as is the customary thing, and that tarnishes Islam? How can the mind work in such fallacious ways?
The only thing that gets tarnished if anyone follows these guidelines or take them seriously is their own intelligence.
Does this earn the Department a $hit-for-brains tag or a $hit-for-brains tag?
QUOTE
Guidelines For Muslims Celebrating Religious Festivals Of Non-Muslims
The 68th muzakarah of the National Fatwa Committee for Islamic Religious Affairs on April 12, 2005 discussed the Guidelines For Muslims Celebrating Religious Festivals Of Non-Muslims. The muzakarah has decided that:
In determining the non-Muslim celebrations that can be attended by Muslims, several main criteria should serve as guidelines so as not to contradict the teachings of Islam. The criteria are as follows:
1. The event is not accompanied by ceremonies that are against the Islamic faith (aqidah).
The meaning of “against the Islamic faith (aqidah)” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will lead to tarnishing the faith (aqidah) of Muslims.
For example:
1. to include religious symbols such as the cross, installing lights, candles, Christmas tree and so forth;
2. to sing religious songs;
3. to put any religious markings on the forehead, or other markings onto parts of the body;
4. to deliver speech or gestures in the form of a praise to the non-Muslim religion;
5. to bow or conduct acts of honour to the religious ceremony of non-Muslims.
2. The event is not accompanied by acts against the Islamic law.
The meaning of “against the Islamic law” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will contradict the Islamic teachings practised by the Muslim community.
For example:
1. Wearing red costumes like Santa Claus or other garments that reflect religion;
2. Serving intoxicating food or beverages and the likes;
3. Having sounds or ornaments like church bells, Christmas tree, temple or breaking of coconuts;
4. Having ceremonies with elements of gaming, worship, cult, superstitions and the likes.
3. The event is not accompanied by “acts that contradict with moral and cultural development of Muslim society” in this country.
The meaning of “acts that contradict with moral and cultural development of Muslim society” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will contradict the values and norms of the Muslim society of this country which adheres to the Islamic teachings based on Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaah.
For example:
1. Mixing freely without any limit or manners;
2. Wearing conspicuous clothing;
3. Singing songs that contain lyrics of obscenity and worship;
4. Organising programmes such as beauty pageants, c@ck fighting and such.
4. The event is not accompanied by acts that can “stir the sensitivity of Muslim community”.
The meaning of “stir the sensitivity of Muslim community” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will offend the feelings of Muslims about their beliefs and practices.
For Example:
1. Speeches or songs in the form of non-Muslim religious propaganda;
2. Speeches that insult the Muslims;
3. Speeches that insult Islam;
4. Presentations with the aim to ridicule the religious belief of Muslims.
5. The organisers and the public are asked to get the views of religious authorities before organising or attending celebrations of non-Muslims.
The 68th muzakarah of the National Fatwa Committee for Islamic Religious Affairs on April 12, 2005 discussed the Guidelines For Muslims Celebrating Religious Festivals Of Non-Muslims. The muzakarah has decided that:
In determining the non-Muslim celebrations that can be attended by Muslims, several main criteria should serve as guidelines so as not to contradict the teachings of Islam. The criteria are as follows:
1. The event is not accompanied by ceremonies that are against the Islamic faith (aqidah).
The meaning of “against the Islamic faith (aqidah)” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will lead to tarnishing the faith (aqidah) of Muslims.
For example:
1. to include religious symbols such as the cross, installing lights, candles, Christmas tree and so forth;
2. to sing religious songs;
3. to put any religious markings on the forehead, or other markings onto parts of the body;
4. to deliver speech or gestures in the form of a praise to the non-Muslim religion;
5. to bow or conduct acts of honour to the religious ceremony of non-Muslims.
2. The event is not accompanied by acts against the Islamic law.
The meaning of “against the Islamic law” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will contradict the Islamic teachings practised by the Muslim community.
For example:
1. Wearing red costumes like Santa Claus or other garments that reflect religion;
2. Serving intoxicating food or beverages and the likes;
3. Having sounds or ornaments like church bells, Christmas tree, temple or breaking of coconuts;
4. Having ceremonies with elements of gaming, worship, cult, superstitions and the likes.
3. The event is not accompanied by “acts that contradict with moral and cultural development of Muslim society” in this country.
The meaning of “acts that contradict with moral and cultural development of Muslim society” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will contradict the values and norms of the Muslim society of this country which adheres to the Islamic teachings based on Ahlus Sunnah Wal-Jamaah.
For example:
1. Mixing freely without any limit or manners;
2. Wearing conspicuous clothing;
3. Singing songs that contain lyrics of obscenity and worship;
4. Organising programmes such as beauty pageants, c@ck fighting and such.
4. The event is not accompanied by acts that can “stir the sensitivity of Muslim community”.
The meaning of “stir the sensitivity of Muslim community” is a thing, act, word or situation which if conducted will offend the feelings of Muslims about their beliefs and practices.
For Example:
1. Speeches or songs in the form of non-Muslim religious propaganda;
2. Speeches that insult the Muslims;
3. Speeches that insult Islam;
4. Presentations with the aim to ridicule the religious belief of Muslims.
5. The organisers and the public are asked to get the views of religious authorities before organising or attending celebrations of non-Muslims.
