RELIGIOUS authorities should not impose unrealistic conditions on preachers to speak in mosques and surau, said independent preachers.

They told The Malaysian Insight that while there should be guidelines on the contents of a sermon, religious bodies should not stop qualified preachers from speaking just because they are not accreditated.

Several states have recently barred non-accredited preachers, including politicians, from speaking in mosques and surau.

Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has explained that Islamic preachers must obtain accreditation to speak because that is shariah for the preservation of Islam.

He said only those who have sound knowledge of Islam would be accredited to teach in the state’s mosques and surau.

The Penang Islamic Religious Council has also prohibited parties without credentials from talking about Islam in Muslim places of worship.

Independent preacher Wan Ji Wan Husin said is is unIslamic to bar qualified person from speaking about the religion.

“A qualified person should receive accreditation without bureaucracy. The objective is to preach about Islam,” he said.

“The unity government is not being progressive and making it difficult for preachers to get accredited. In the old days, a similar rule was used to curb several well-known imam from speaking.”

Wan Ji admitted there are preachers who are divisive.

“Some incite hatred; this cannot be denied. This should be given attention because it can divide the people and should not happen in a holy place like a mosque.”

Wan Ji asked religious bodies for guidelines for speakers and the threat of penalty if they do not comply.

Gerakan Pembela Ummah chairman Ismail Mina Ahmad said no one should be prevented from speaking in places of worship.

“We invoke the Sedition Act for those who making hate speech. The same law can apply here,” he said.

“Place cameras at the mosques to record the speeches and if they break the guidelines, take action. You don’t stop qualified people from preaching.”

Former Shah Alam MP Khalid Samad said preachers should know the difference between politics and religion.

In 2017 Khalid was fined by the shariah court for violating section 119(1) of the Selangor Islamic Religious Administration Enactment 2003. He had delivered a talk in a surau on his 2011 visit to Palestine.

“You can speak about political Islam but the problem is when you politicise Islam. You create unrest among the people. That is not right when speaking about Islam in the mosque or surau.

“What we are hearing from some preachers lately is talk about a political party, which has nothing to do with Islam. Accreditation is a must so that you do not abuse the position you have,” said the Amanah communications director.

Last month, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang caused a stir when he said that politicians could deliver sermons or religious lectures, even stating that it was compulsory for them to do so.

He said politics and religion could not be separated in Islam, adding that Prophet Muhammad had himself been political in his sermons.

Hadi’s comments were in response to the Terengganu Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council’s ban on politicians speaking in the state’s mosques and surau. – May 30, 2023.