Was majority decision on SIS absolutely correct?

COMMENT | In 2014, the Selangor government gazetted a fatwa which, inter alia, declared that Sisters in Islam (SIS), individuals, organisations and institutions that adopt ideologies of liberalism and pluralism are deviant and against the teaching of Islam.
The state fatwa committee prepared the fatwa.
Being aggrieved by the aforesaid fatwa, SIS and its founder,...

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Selangor Vows To Monitor Religious Liberalism, Pluralism To Safeguard Sanctity Of Islam

SHAH ALAM, June 20 (Bernama) -- The Selangor government will continue its efforts to monitor, detect, and enforce laws against any individual involved in promoting religious liberalism and pluralism, to safeguard the sanctity of Islam in the state. State Islamic Religious Affairs and Cultural Innovation Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said the public is also encouraged to report to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) if there is evidence of any individual practising or spreading such beliefs. "Muslims in Selangor cherish their religion and will continue to defend its purity. The majority of Muslims in the state will not tolerate any individual, group, or institution attempting to undermine, distort, or confuse the beliefs, faith, understanding, and practices of the Muslim community in Selangor. "Islamic religious administration and management institutions in the state, such as the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS), JAIS, State Fatwa Committee and the State Executive Council, will continue to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that the teachings of Islam remain strong, protected, and upheld in the state," he said in a statement today. The statement was issued in response to the Federal Court's decision yesterday in allowing an appeal by SIS Forum Malaysia and its co-founder Zainah Mahfoozah Anwar in their legal challenge against a fatwa issued in 2014 by the Selangor Fatwa Committee declaring the organisation to have deviated from Islamic teachings. A four-judge panel led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in a 3-1 majority decision set aside the fatwa, insofar as it applied to companies and institutions Mohammad Fahmi also emphasised that, according to the fatwa, any individual who subscribes to the ideology of liberalism and religious pluralism is considered deviant and strays from the teachings of Islam. He agreed with the stance and concerns of MAIS that the Federal Court's decision could potentially open the door for certain parties to promote such ideologies among Muslims in Selangor through organisations, associations, companies, or other institutions. "These individuals should not be allowed to continue practising and spreading such ideology either openly or privately using the label 'Islam' to legitimise their activities and gain acceptance,' he said.

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S'gor vows to track religious liberalism, pluralism to guard sanctity of Islam

The Selangor government will continue its efforts to monitor, detect, and enforce laws against any individual involved in promoting religious liberalism and pluralism, to safeguard the sanctity of Islam in the state. State Islamic Religious Affairs and Cultural Innovation Committee chairperson Fahmi Ngah said the public is also encouraged to report to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) if there is evidence of any individual practising or spreading such beliefs.

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an hour ago

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Selangor vows to monitor religious liberalism, pluralism

SHAH ALAM: The Selangor government will continue its efforts to monitor, detect, and enforce laws against any individual involved in promoting religious liberalism and pluralism, to safeguard the sanctity of Islam in the state. State Islamic Religious Affairs and Cultural Innovation Committee chairman Dr Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said the public is also encouraged to report to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) if there is evidence of any individual practising or spreading such beliefs. 'Muslims in Selangor cherish their religion and will continue to defend its purity. The majority of Muslims in the state will not tolerate any individual, group, or institution attempting to undermine, distort, or confuse the beliefs, faith, understanding, and practices of the Muslim community in Selangor. 'Islamic religious administration and management institutions in the state, such as the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS), JAIS, State Fatwa Committee and the State Executive Council, will continue to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring that the teachings of Islam remain strong, protected, and upheld in the state,' he said in a statement today. The statement was issued in response to the Federal Court's decision yesterday in allowing an appeal by SIS Forum Malaysia and its co-founder Zainah Mahfoozah Anwar in their legal challenge against a fatwa issued in 2014 by the Selangor Fatwa Committee declaring the organisation to have deviated from Islamic teachings. A four-judge panel led by Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat in a 3-1 majority decision set aside the fatwa, insofar as it applied to companies and institutions Mohammad Fahmi also emphasised that, according to the fatwa, any individual who subscribes to the ideology of liberalism and religious pluralism is considered deviant and strays from the teachings of Islam. He agreed with the stance and concerns of MAIS that the Federal Court's decision could potentially open the door for certain parties to promote such ideologies among Muslims in Selangor through organisations, associations, companies, or other institutions. 'These individuals should not be allowed to continue practising and spreading such ideology either openly or privately using the label 'Islam' to legitimise their activities and gain acceptance,' he said. Yesterday, the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, expressed disappointment and sadness over certain aspects of the Federal Court's ruling regarding the fatwa issued by the Selangor Fatwa Committee. The ruling stated that the fatwa applied only to individuals and not to Sisters in Islam (SIS) Forum Malaysia, organisations or institutions. In this regard, the Sultan of Selangor as the Head of the Islamic Religion in Selangor urged that SIS Forum Malaysia no longer use the word 'Sisters in Islam' on any form of publication on any platform associated with organisation so that the word 'Islam' is not arbitrarily used for its benefit and interests.