Temper 'aggressive' approach to curb Islamophobia, says forum

Asila Jalil Asila Jalil Updated 7 years ago · Published on 29 Jul 2018 2:00PM · 4 Comments

Constitutional law expert Professor Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi says that in Malaysia, Muslim reactions to cases of unilateral conversion of minors to Islam is an example of a religious issue that has been handled in a way that angered non-Muslims. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Nazir Sufari, July 29, 2018.

MUSLIMS’ “over-assertiveness” in religious issues is one of the reasons for growing Islamophobia, academics today said at a forum.

They agreed that worldwide, prejudicial views against Islam were growing worse, in part due to lack of knowledge about Islam’s true teachings and objective and holistic discussions between different cultures.

Constitutional law expert Professor Dr Shad Saleem Faruqi said in Malaysia, Muslim reactions to cases of unilateral conversion of minors to Islam was one example of a religious issue that was handled in a way that had angered non-Muslims.

He cited the case of kindergarten teacher M. Indira Gadhi, whose three children were converted to Islam by her ex-husband, and for whom the civil and shariah courts had issued conflicting custody orders for the children.

Shad Saleem questioned the shariah court’s jurisdiction in the case where one of those involved was a non-Muslim, as the Malaysian constitution states that the Islamic court might only hear matters involving Muslim parties.

“If a case has two parties or more than two parties and one or more of them is non-Muslim, clearly the shariah court should not have jurisdiction,” said the law professor at University Malaya, who is the Tunku Abdul Rahman chair.

He was speaking at the forum “Is Islamophobia getting worse?” organised by the the Islamic Renaissance Front in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.

Shad Saleem said some Muslims also came across as being too “aggressive” in “dakwah” (missionary work).

“We must remember that our speech and character are the best form of dakwah. It’s not what you say, it’s what you do.” 

Another panelist, Jeffrey Kenney, a professor of Religious Studies at DePauw University, said Islamophobia was increasingly evident with public perception conflating gun control issues in the US with terrorism.

He cited a US study which found that more shooting deaths occurred due to firearms instead of terrorism.

“It is absurd but people focus on terrorism, although issues of gun violence have been brought up due to multiple incidents.

“Yet we do nothing about it and there is no discussion,” Kenney said, adding it was troubling that some people found Islamophobia acceptable..

Kenney said there was less support for Islamophobia among people who had Muslim friends and acquaintances.

“What we can tell is that people’s ideas about Muslims improved if they know someone of the Islamic faith. People who know Muslims tend to not have Islamophobic views.”

Another panelist, Dr Chandra Muzaffar, said more dialogues on social issues should be held for people of different faiths and backgrounds where the right knowledge about Islam can be disseminated.

“We should encourage dialogue related to healthcare or drug problems in society.” – July 29, 2018.

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Comments

  • I have lived long enough in this country to know when it becomes haram for some muslims to greet a fellow Malaysian "Merry Christmas", we are in extremist territory. According to Professor Shad Saleem, if a case has two parties and one or more of them is non-Muslim, shariah court should not have jurisdiction. How is it right then for former IGP exercise his own judgement in disregarding the civil court's order to arrest K. Pathmanathan @ Muhammad Riduan Abdullah for kidnapping his 11 months old daughter Prasana Diksa?

    Posted 7 years ago by Roger 5201 · Reply

  • The glaring truth overlooked on the version of Islam in this country is that it is no more a religion but a cult. The religious community here is more interested in inculcating the fear of man than the fear of God, to extent of justifying punishment by man on any sin committed to God. There is no room for learning of God's mercy but physical and mental torture to ensure submission to especially those who are politically powerful.

    Posted 7 years ago by Xuz ZG · Reply

  • Lets admit it truthfully about Islam and Muslim in this country. Are the Muslim in this country sincere in discussing about Islam with non Muslim let alone theologist of otherfaith. Are they matured enough to accept what others see in them to be accomodating or vice versa. The Islam in this world and even in Malaysia itself has morphed into a political religion without any tolerance for others but will always in the guise of political mileage claim to be undertanding and caring. The worst enemy of Islam is the religious heads who became political leaders and interpret the true teaching of Islam to their man made whims and fancies to stay in power. No one can questions and all religious institutions that are set up politicaly are just another vanguard front for the corrupted Islamiic leaders to hold the Muslim in bondage. It is already evidently in every Muslim countries and strangely their ideologies are taken up by the suppressed ignorant refugees running away from their own homeland and now perpetuating the wrongs in their newly adopted home which are totally unacceptable. All these Muslims are actually practiser of heresay and pass down by their teachers who earlier are also the same students of pass down teachings. It is known that most Muslim do not actually read the Koran and to understand the full meaning in Islam teaching. Their knowledge are usually to what they are taught till their teenage years and when their adulthood it is about daily routine of their working life. Their comprehension are limited as they do not refer back by themselves to the Koran for guidance but not the scholars who master in it. Unfortuntely the vicious circle of politics in the country chnages the set up of the scholartics mind and in the end they became lackeys to their political master. It is high time that an institution is set up to inculcate the younger set of generation in seeing Islam as per to the holy book of Koran with the guidance of Hadiths with more interaction of discussion within the Islamic council and other faith to stirr up good vibes and proper undertsanding. Almighty gives us intellectual prowess , lets put it to good use.

    Posted 7 years ago by Lee Lee · Reply

  • The police & higher authorities must be aware it is guaranteed that the Islamic State terrorists hiding among us are watching the fresh stirring up of Malay-Muslim religious concerns for next Saturday's Sg. Kandis by-election. Bombs can go off?..

    Posted 7 years ago by MELVILLE JAYATHISSA · Reply