As for this topic, please refer to my previous posting dated 27 June 2012（http://d.hatena.ne.jp/itunalily2/20120627）. (Lily)
Malaysiakini（http://www.malaysiakini.com）
(1)Critics have now accepted my views, says Kassim, 27 June 2012
by Fathi Aris Omar & Jimadie Shah Othman
INTERVIEW Despite the ban 26 years ago on the book Hadis: Satu Penilaian Semula (Hadith: A Re-evaluation), its writings have left a lasting impression on several politicians including two former premiers.
Its author Kassim Ahmad said his confidence in this issue stems from the belief that he is on the right path and eventually the Muslim community would digest the ideas which he had inked in the controversial book.
“In an interview then, I would have said in the future, 10 or 15 years later, (those who oppose) would find peace with me. They will accept my presence in the community. I feel that time has passed,” he told Malaysiakini in an interview at his Kulim home recently.
He said that New Straits Times, then led by A Samad Ismail, had given him an avenue to explain his stand through an interview with Adibah Amin, amid Muslim uproar over his very critical stance on hadith.
Reminiscing on his banned book, Kassim claimed that many Umno leaders are comfortable with his hadith book and other works, including former premiers Dr Mahathir Mohamad and Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
However, he denied he joined Umno in 1986 to get political protection from these leaders.
Kassim said he joined the Malay party because the leftist bloc for which he had fought for so long had crumbled across the world in the 1980s.
“The book (Hadith: A re-evaluation) was banned two months after it was published. I joined Umno in 1986, the same year the book was published. Hence, if you say that I joined Umno to find protection from criticism it is incorrect, as it was at about the same time,” he said.
Kassim, a well-known left-wing leader who helmed Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia for 18 years, submitted his application form to Dr Mahathir himself soon after he gave a critical lecture on hadith in Kangar that year.
However, he left the nationalist party in 1995 to focus on writing.
The controversial works contains five chapters where Kassim is seen as dissecting and being critical of the hadith (sayings of the Prophet) including its contradictions with the Quran, science and history.
From correspondence to long camaraderie
Kassim explained that his relationship with Dr Mahathir initially started through correspondence via letters, and this was extended through discussions and exchanges of views.
He said Dr Mahathir was willing to write the foreword to his memoirs Mencari Jalan Pulang (The Road Home, 2008), which among others highlighted his intellectual journey from being a leftist to a conservative and Islamist.
Kassim said besides Dr Mahathir and Abdullah, several other leaders who are said to have accepted his views are the late minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdul Hamid Othman and former PAS vice-president Nakhaie Ahmad, who later headed the Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia from 1990 to 2010.
“Nakhaie was once my staunchest critic four to five years ago. However, he later accepted my concept till today,” said Kassim.
Kassim said although Dr Mahathir started as his political rival, they became good friends and he in fact was happy with the book and suggested some improvements when it was still a manuscript.
“Dr Mahathir called me at home. He said he was happy someone was writing on this issue,” he said, adding that the then-prime minister also had commented on his mistake in citing the wrong verse and chapter of the Quran.
Kassim said Dr Mahathir had suggested that the book be divided into two, the first being his criticisms on hadith (sayings of the Prophet) and the second on his explanation, but as the author he rejected the idea.
He said Abdullah, meanwhile, had agreed that that the book be discussed intellectually, and this stand was against that taken by Pusat Islam (the Islamic Advancement Department).
“Pak Lah viewed that if there was a mistake, then we need to comment on it and correct it,” said Kassim, in commenting over the then-proposed debate between him and Pusat Islam.
Hamid Othman described it as a revolution
In commenting on Abdul Hamid’s views, Kassim said the late minister had described his action as a revolution similar to what he had done in his dissertation during the 1950s in Universiti Malaya Singapore, where he had challenged the traditional view of Malays who described Hang Tuah as a hero.
“Hamid told me, Kassim, previously you created a revolution regarding Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat. Now you are doing the same with the Al-Quran,” said Kassim on what the former minister had told him.
In commenting on opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, the controversial author looked stern and said, “He accepted my ideas in principle but later he joined with the ulama (religious scholars) to pressure me.”
Kassim, who initially moved through the Jemaah al-Quran Malaysia to promote his ideas, however, had problems in having it registered and decided to form a new group called Forum Iqra.
He has obtained sponsorship from an entrepreneur to conduct ceramah at various places including Singapore and Indonesia to promote his Islamic rationale.
(2)Gov't seeks review of 'anti-hadith' book ban, 27 June 2012
by Ahmad Fadli KC
The Home Ministry has directed the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) to review the ban on the book Hadis: Satu Penilaian Semula(Hadith: A re-evaluation).
Author Kassim Ahmad said he has been sent a copy of the letter, dated June 20, from the ministry’s secretary-general to Jakim.
Kassim lauded the move as appropriate, “in accordance to procedure”, and consistent with Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak’s transformation plans.
“So we shall see what the Najib-led government will do with his innovation and transformation,” he said.
The five-chapter book was banned in 1986 several months after it was published because the National Fatwa Council had found that it ‘contains ideas detrimental to the faith of Muslims’.
The book is a compilation of lectures delievered at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia’s Department of Anthropology and Sociology almost three decades ago, and offers a critical take on the Hadith.
Kassim, a former leftist leader turned Umno member, had written to the ministry three months ago, asking for the ban to be lifted and saying that times have changed.
Should be ban be lifted, Kassim said he hopes that he can challenge younger readers to rethink the role of the ulama in society.
“Muslims today in Malaysia and across the world are too (accepting of) Islamic scholars of the four schools of Islam,” he said.
A spokesperson from the Home Ministry, when contacted byMalaysiakini today, confirmed that they had sent a letter to Jakim's research and planning division.
However, the decision to withdraw the ban would depend on Jakim's response.
(3)Kassim: Anwar should be hanged for treason, 29 June 2012
by Fathi Aris Omar & Jimadie Shah Othman
There may be no Malay intellectual more opposed to opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim than Kassim Ahmad.
To him, Anwar is a “forked-tongued” politician and a slandering “traitor” to the nation who has been implicated in various issues such as accepting foreign funds.
At the mere mention of his name, the controversial author’s tone hardened. He repeatedly expressed his desire to “spit”, “hang”, “behead” and “slap” the de facto PKR leader.
“As I have said, I am willing to hang Anwar to death. Even now I am willing to shoot him.
“He is evil,” said Kassim while defending Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak on the Altantuya Shaariibuu issue.
The supposed link between the premier and the Mongolian national is just “slander” by Anwar, he told Malaysiakini at his home in Kulim.
The authorities need not fear taking action against Anwar despite his oratory skills, because he has been accused of repeatedly lying, he added.
Even Pakatan Rakyat is uneasy with the opposition leader, he charged, citing DAP chairperson Karpal Singh’s “slip of the tongue” on the non-Malay prime minister issue.
The interview with Malaysiakini had not even begun when Kassim read out a letter in The Star criticising Anwar in relation to foreign observer groups at the Bersih 3.0 rally.
Nik Aziz ‘deified’
The international group on an electoral system fact-finding mission consisted of Anwar’s friends, alleged the letter, among other things.
Kassim then went on to heavily criticise PAS spiritual adviser Nik Aziz Nik Mat, saying he feels that Nik Aziz is too deified by his followers.
His criticisms were vague, but he frequently mentioned the culture of “feudal ulama (religious scholars)” in the Islamic party. He is known to be critical of the scholar “caste” in Islam.
Shifting to fellow comrade PKR senator Syed Husin Ali’s joining of Pakatan, Kassim said the former PKR deputy president was just “being influenced”.
Syed Husin was formerly with Kassim in Parti Sosialis Rakyat Malaysia (PSRM). Kassim headed the leftist party from 1966 to 1984, and was succeeded by Kampo Radjo and then Syed Husin.
“When Anwar was sacked (from Umno and the government in 1998), thousands came to listen to him speak. He claimed that it was a people’s uprising. I said masya-Allah, (Adolf) Hitler also gathered millions,” he said.
‘Late and stupid’
However, Kassim’s ‘cold war’ with Anwar may have begun even earlier in 1986, when he believed that Anwar was behind the banning of his controversial book Hadis: Satu Penilaian Semula (Hadith: A Re-evaluation).
Anwar conspired with the “scholars” to pressure him despite initially agreeing with him “in principle”, he claimed.
In the 1990s, Anwar blocked his proposal to hold a dialogue with Perak mufti Harussani Zakaria on the contents of his book, despite Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s supposed approval, he added.
Even his first meeting with Anwar was not encouraging, when the former Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (Abim) leader arrived 45 minutes late, he revealed.
“When I entered, I spoke. He listened but did not say a word. That is Anwar. He was afraid, really afraid that I would write or ask him anything.
“That is my experience with Anwar - once he was late, once he acted stupidly,” he said.
(End)
