Malaysiakini.com（http://www.malaysiakini.com）
1. Promises of religious freedom undermined, 5 January 2009
by Josef Roy Benedict
Once again, Malaysians are faced with politicians who are seeking to repress and undermine religious freedom of minorities in this country.
Firstly, we have the Barisan Nasional government who have ordered the Catholic Church to cease its Malay language edition of The Herald, the internal-circulation Catholic newspaper, until courts resolve a ban on the paper's use of the word ‘Allah’. The move was part of a series of restrictions put in place by the government when it renewed the paper's licence last week.
This order seems to assume the state has a monopoly on who is allowed to use the national language and the word ‘Allah’ completely ignoring the reality that a large proportion of Catholics in Malaysia, particularly in East Malaysia, are bumiputera who mainly speak Malay.
Is this move part of the so-called moderate, progressive Islam Hadhari that Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has been peddling to Malaysians and the international community? He has clearly forgotten BN’s 2008 manifesto of ‘guaranteeing the right to worship and encouraging inter-faith understanding among Malaysia’s multiethnic people.’
On the other hand in Selangor, a Pakatan Rakyat-controlled state, we are seeing attacks on the Ahmadiyya a minority religious community. It was stated that the Selangor Islamic Affairs, Malay Customs, Infrastructure and Basic Amenities Committee chairperson Dr Hasan Ali had vowed to ‘bury’ the movement.
The Ahmadiyya community are facing religious persecution in many countries because of their beliefs including Pakistan, Indonesia, Bangladesh and now we can include Malaysia on that list.
If I remember correctly, in April 2008, just a month after the general elections, all the Pakatan leaders signed a statement ‘reaffirming its solidarity for Malaysians’.
The statement goes on to say that ‘Pakatan Rakyat is determined to implement and bring changes in accordance with the principles of democracy, socioeconomic justice, equal economic opportunities and religious freedom.’
It seems that Pakatan leaders, especially PAS, have conveniently ignored their commitments to the rakyat, which includes the Ahmadiyya community, and have decided to label them ‘deviant’ and target this community.
Why hasn’t PKR or DAP come out to criticise these discriminatory actions which clear violate the fundamental Malaysian right to believe and to practice one’s own religion in an atmosphere free from fear, intimidation and persecution?
Politicians on both sides of the political fence seem to have a notion that religious diversity is somehow a threat to the political and social order. It has been demonstrated to us time and time again that this is a slippery slope that has led to discrimination and the persecution of minorities around the world.
It is crucial that we as Malaysians, committed to multiculturalism, work to promote diversity and to affirm the dignity and mutual respect of all citizens whatever their religious identity and speak out against these injustices.
2. Books to bond Muslims and Christians, 5 January 2009
by Anas Zubedy
I congratulate the Perak Mufti Dr Harussani Zakaria as 2008’s recipient of the Tokoh Maal Hijrah award. I would also like to thank him in making clear that Islam is tolerant towards the other faiths.
As he quoted, ‘We do not condemn Jesus because he, too, is a prophet in Islam. Neither do we destroy the many temples and places of worship because our religion refrains us from doing so’. The mufti was probably echoing the following Quranic verse,
‘(They are) those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right,- (for no cause) except that they say, ‘our Lord is Allah... Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause); - for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will).’(Quran 22:40)
It is important that we make things clear - especially for the Muslim masses - that the Quran has a very practical view about our Christian brothers. The Quran suggest that as like the Muslims, they are both good and bad Christians, a realistic view indeed. The Quran says:
‘Not all of them are alike: Of the People of the Book are portions that stand (For the right): They rehearse the Signs of Allah all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration’ (Quran 3:113) - and - ‘Strongest among men in enmity to the believers wilt thou find the Jews and Pagans; and nearest among them in love to the believers wilt thou find those who say, ‘We are Christians’: because amongst these are men devoted to learning and men who have renounced the world, and they are not arrogant. ‘(Quran 5:82)
There is a need to help both sides understand each other better. I recommend the following books for the English speaking population. To understand the philosophy of Islam, read Kalam Azad’s The Opening Chapter of the Quran.
For a big picture of the Quranic worldview read Fazlur Rahman’s Major Themes of the Quran. If you want to read only one book about Christianity, I highly recommend Albert Nolan’s Jesus Before Christianity.
In the longer run, best to read the Quran and the Bible for yourself and today, both are readily available on the Net.
‘Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.’ (Quran 2 :62)
（End）
