MALAYSIA does not need “another Zamihan”, Amanah vice-president Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa said today, following a Muslim preacher’s remarks that it is haram for Muslims to go to non-Muslim barbers or hairdressers.

The Parit Buntar MP said people in positions of authority when speaking about religion, such as preachers, should mind what they say in their speeches, sermons or lectures.

He said they should consider the impact of their remarks because what they say carries weight.

“They should use their positions to call for peace, unity and respect among different faiths, love, justice and humanity values, not make remarks that sound like hate speeches inciting people to hate others.

“They have to remember that because of the positions they hold, whatever they say will carry weight,” he told The Malaysian Insight.

Mujahid, a former member the National Unity Consultative Council, was commenting on Penang preacher Shahul Hamid Seeni Muhammad saying it was “haram” for Muslims to go to barbershops, hairdressers and schools operated by non-Muslims and to wish people “happy birthday”.

In a video of a ceramah he gave two years ago, Shahul said he never allowed his head to be touched by “orang-orang kafir” (infidels) since he was a student, adding that it was better to go to Muslim barbers to help Muslim businesses.

Mujahid said Shahul should bear responsibility for his remarks, which had implications on Islamic rulings in the eyes of the public.

“There is no ruling that Muslims cannot go to non-Muslim barbers. Even if he said it would be good to help Muslim businesses, why did he have to make such a remark, which could be misinterpreted, in the first place?

“Never mind he said it two years ago. Whatever preachers say can be recorded and played back again and again.

“With Zamihan, the sultan of Selangor had to step in. We don’t need another Zamihan,” Mujahid said, referring to preacher Zamihan Mat Zin, a Kajang Prisons Department religious officer seconded from the Malaysian Islamic Development department (Jakim), who was stripped of his accreditation to preach Islam in Selangor yesterday.

Zamihan courted trouble with the royals, who are heads of religion in their respective states, after he said Johor’s Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar was wrong to ban Muslim-only laundrettes. 

His remarks led Sultan Iskandar to declare that Jakim was no longer welcomed to advise Johor in Islamic matters last week.

Zamihan, who was also recently released from police remand following a sedition investigation over his remarks related to the Johor issue, also ticked off the Selangor sultan with his statements that were “racist, vulgar and overly critical of the royal institution”. 

He reportedly said he expected it, and apologised to Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah in a statement today.

Mujahid said the Selangor sultan must have become fed up of preachers using Islam to stir up hatred and prejudice, instead of promoting peace among the people.

“Sultans have the moral authority to protect the religion from being misrepresented in such a way,” he said.

He also praised the sultan’s decree in limiting the use of loudspeakers for ceramah and religious talks within mosque and surau compounds to preserve Islam’s image and communal harmony.

“It is right to do so. Religion should make people feel comfortable, not the opposite.” – October 17, 2017.