Muslims, non-Muslims barred from praying together 

The Malaysian Insight The Malaysian Insight Updated 4 years ago · Published on 5 Sep 2019 7:00AM · 17 Comments

Muslims can only pray to Allah and mustn’t be present if there are prayers conducted by other faiths as they don’t understand them, says a mufti. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 5, 2019.

JOINT prayers at unity events involving both Muslims and non-Muslims have been barred under a directive issued by an agency under the Prime Minister’s Department.

The directive from the committee to promote understanding and harmony between religions, which is under national unity and integration department, was issued on Tuesday (September 3).

The letter, sighted by The Malaysian Insight, touched on two types of prayer sessions:

* where Muslims recite their doa (prayer of supplication) simultaneously with members of other faiths who recite their own prayers before a function begins.

* when Muslim and non-Muslim groups each prays before the start of a function.

The letter states that on the advice of the Federal Islamic Affairs Department (Jakim) both types of prayers should not be held in the same programme.

Such prayers should instead be “replaced with an activity where a message of unity is shared”, it stated.

The letter referred to arguments made by Jakim in a letter dated August 7 to the committee.

Sources in non-Muslim religious organisations said they were aware of the committee’s and Jakim’s directives.

Two sources told The Malaysian Insight that they were made aware of the directive as the committee included representatives of the country’s major religious groups.   

One source confirmed their group received both the committee’s and Jakim’s letters.

An interfaith ceremony is held at the Sungai Buloh burial ground for May 13 riot victims. Muslims are barred from attending such joint-prayer sessions, says a mufti. – The Malaysian Insight file pic, September 5, 2019.

Non-Muslim organisations are unhappy with the directive as it destroys the intent of interfaith events where Malaysians of different backgrounds learn about different faiths and to respect freedom of religion.

In the August 7 letter from Jakim, it said Muslims are barred from reciting a prayer with those of other faiths at the same event.

The restriction covers instances where all participants, Muslim and non-Muslims, either recite their respective prayers silently together or where each faith recites its prayers.

The ban is based on conclusions reached at two meetings – a 2006 national-level meeting between all state fatwa councils (MKI 74) and the Federal Territories Islamic regulations committee meeting.

Jakim also based its decision on an opinion by the Negri Sembilan mufti Mohd Yusof Ahmad published on August 7 in Malay daily Berita Harian.       

The MKI 74 meeting states that prayers should be performed in events not against the spirit or belief in Allah because Muslims are supposed to address their prayers only to Allah.

“Therefore, MKI has decided that Muslims should not instruct non-Muslims to recite doa according to their respective faiths. But if they do recite the doa according to their own religion and on their own accord without being instructed to do so, this act is not to be forbidden.”

Meanwhile, the 113rd Federal Territories-level meeting concluded that Muslims could not attend mass prayer events organised by non-Muslims or in functions where the meanings of such prayers can’t be understood.

The Federal Territory body said these conclusions are based on the principle of sadd al-zara’i (to close off the paths of destruction) to stop the spread of religious pluralism, a belief that “conflicts with many religions”.

The ban against Muslims is to also prevent the spread of other religions among Muslims according to the Article 11 of the federal constitution.

According to Yusof, Negri Sembilan’s mufti, the act of Muslims reciting the doa in a joint-prayer setting with non-Muslims lowers the status of Islam. – September 5, 2019.

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Comments

  • Then in any event, before the prayer, non muslim can dismiss first before the muslim recite starts.

    Posted 4 years ago by James Wong · Reply

  • Can I conclude here that Jakim is afraid that Allah will get confused with so many prayers or the effectiveness of the Muslims' prayers are defiled or diluted? Islam higher status? Muslims' faith so weak?
    "But if they do recite the doa according to their own religion and on their own accord without being instructed to do so, this act is not to be forbidden.Does it mean that in such situation, Allah will not be confused

    Posted 4 years ago by Jacob Hong · Reply

  • ......., Islam won't be low classed and the faith of Muslims will not be jeorpadized? So, if I'm a Muslim today, my reaction would be to distance myself from my fellow Muslim citizens. What a way to foster national unity and integration!! Agong said we talked so much about unity , we must show and prove it!!

    Posted 4 years ago by Jacob Hong · Reply

  • In that case everytime there's doa selamat session in any official function, the non should also leave the session too! Cannot pray together!

    Posted 4 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • Does this mean all the doa reading sessions at government schools and offices in the morning will no longer be allowed because there are non Muslims there? So Muslims are going to stop the spread of Islam.

    Posted 4 years ago by Citizen Pencen · Reply

  • No need to pray at functions in the very first place. Just pray at home, its private... if you do pray

    Posted 4 years ago by Mo Salleh · Reply

    • Indirectly the directive is saying some prayers are more effective than the others. That's exactly how chaos in the world started.

      Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • I think this decision was made to avoid anymore tension among the muslim community. The authority too needs to be make such call to be seen as in control of the situation. Imagine, if they dont do anything about it and allow praying together, opposition forces might take this opportunity to slander the current government for threatening the place of islam. Just my thought.

    Posted 4 years ago by ANDREW NG YEW HAN · Reply

  • What the hell

    Posted 4 years ago by Lan Lan · Reply

  • In the very first i would say Jakim and NS Yusof are NOT ALLAH/GOD to give all tis kind of Instructions to Mankind bcoz they will also perish one day . Any Substance that WILL NOT PERISH IS ETERNAL. So ALLAH/GOD is ETERNAL. Abt Prayers No Human can keep ALLAH GOD IN HIS POCKET N WALK IT IS AN ENERGY THAT WORKS FOR ALL. Even a Silent Prayer is heard by HIM Muslim n Non Muslim Pray Together in their OWN WAYS the GOAL IS ONE ie Reaching Out to HIM The Creator. Muslims profess Islam Sikhs profess Sikhism Hindu profess Hinduism Christians profess Chiristanity n etc etc GOD IS VERY VAST CANNOT BE MEASURED. Stop the hypocrisy of putting ALLAH/GOD in the Jar use when u Like n Keep Aside when u Like. HUMANITY IS GOD .Human Pray Together or Not All Prayers are HEARD BY ONE POWERFULL SUPREME FORCE which is above
    Human Understanding.

    Posted 4 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • One Classic example a muslim , chinese, hindu, sikh, sabahan , sarawakian , christian are caught in a Lif which suddenly stops operating then u think what will these person do . Definately they will Receite their Prayers to ask for ETERNAL HELP. Eventually the Lif opens for ALL SAFELY.

    Posted 4 years ago by Mindy Singh · Reply

  • Whats next?
    Separate the air they breathe?

    Posted 4 years ago by Rock Hensem · Reply

  • If that is the case, then whenever the muslims make their prayer in public functions, then the non-muslim participants or non-muslim government officers should 'walk away' their

    Posted 4 years ago by Kimeng Ng · Reply

  • If that is the case, then whenever the muslims make their prayer in public functions, then the non-muslim participants or non-muslim government officers should 'walk away' their

    Posted 4 years ago by Kimeng Ng · Reply

  • If that is the case, then whenever the muslims make their prayer in public functions, then the non-muslim participants or non-muslim government officers should 'walk away' their

    Posted 4 years ago by Kimeng Ng · Reply

  • If that is the case, then whenever the muslims make their prayer in public functions, then the non-muslim participants or non-muslim government officers should walk away from this 'doa' prayer since they are kafirs and of lower class religions . This is called ketuanan Agama based on the 'supremacy' of Islam over othe religions in the Malaysian cultural context

    Posted 4 years ago by Kimeng Ng · Reply

  • No wonder Johor banned jakim...Middle east dont have this problem...
    Just wondering where this ass holes taking Malaysia too...Wanted to bid for World Cup! What happen if Israel qualified?

    Posted 4 years ago by Kalai Chelven · Reply