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Malay Mail
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Selangor exco sees SIS ruling as opening door to liberal and plural Islamic views, warns fatwa on ‘deviant' individuals still enforced
KLANG, June 20 – The Selangor government has claimed today that yesterday's landmark decision in favour of Muslim women's rights group Sisters in Islam (SIS) may open the door to the spread of liberal and pluralistic views of Islam. State Islamic affairs and innovation committee chairman Mohammad Fahmi Ngah said he agrees with the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) that the decision could be exploited by some organisations or institutions to disseminate alternative interpretations of Islam. 'The state government will continue efforts to scrutinise, detect and enforce [the law] on any individuals who practise liberal and pluralistic religious ideologies,' he was quoted saying by The Star. 'This is to ensure that the sanctity of Islam continues to be protected in Selangor.' Fahmi said existing fatwa or religious edicts still deem individuals who promote liberal and pluralistic interpretations of Islam as 'deviants'. 'These individuals cannot be allowed to freely continue practising and spreading such ideologies directly or indirectly using the Islamic label to obtain legitimacy,' he reportedly said. He urged the public to report any deviant religious teachings to the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais). Yesterday, civil society SIS won its nearly 11-year-long court challenge against a Selangor fatwa, which means that its company — SIS Forum (Malaysia) — is no longer labelled 'sesat' or 'deviant' from Islamic teachings. Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat, who chaired the Federal Court's five-judge panel, read out the majority judgment which quashed parts of the Selangor fatwa. In other words, the Selangor fatwa will now only apply to individuals — labelling those who hold liberalism and religious pluralism beliefs as 'deviants' from Islamic teachings and requiring them to repent. In response, Mais had cited the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, expressing his disappointment and sadness over the Federal Court's decision. The sultan also urged SIS to cease using the term 'Sisters in Islam' in any publication or platform associated with the organisation.
Malay Mail
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Federal Court sets June 19 decision date for SIS Forum's appeal against ‘deviant' fatwa
KUALA LUMPUR, June 6 — The Federal Court will deliver its ruling on June 19 in the appeal filed by SIS Forum (Malaysia) against a fatwa issued by the Selangor religious authorities, which declared the organisation deviant and contrary to Islamic teachings. The matter was confirmed by Datuk Zainul Rijal Abu Bakar, counsel for the Selangor Fatwa Committee, when contacted today. 'The court informed the parties of the decision date via email on May 20,' he said. In addition to the Selangor Fatwa Committee, the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (MAIS) and the Selangor government are also named as respondents in the appeal. On Aug 21, 2023, the Federal Court granted leave to SIS Forum and its founder, Zainah Mahfoozah Anwar, to appeal against the Court of Appeal's earlier decision dismissing their bid to annul the fatwa. In a 2-1 majority decision, the Court of Appeal held that the fatwa issued by the Selangor Fatwa Committee did not constitute a final decision and, therefore, could not be challenged by way of judicial review. SIS Forum and Zainah had appealed to the Court of Appeal after the High Court dismissed their application for a judicial review on Aug 27, 2019. The fatwa, gazetted by the Selangor State Government on July 31, 2014, declared SIS Forum, as well as any individual or group subscribing to liberalism and pluralism, as deviant and contrary to Islamic teachings. The fatwa further directed that any publication espousing liberal or pluralist views be banned and seized, and urged the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission to censor social media content deemed contrary to Islamic teachings and syariah law. — Bernama
South China Morning Post
30-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Malaysia's first AI preacher stirs debate on Islamic principles
The launch of artificial intelligence-powered Islamic preachers has raised questions in Malaysia over the technology's potential to distort local Islamic teachings and undermine the role of qualified scholars. Advertisement In Malaysia, where Islam is the state religion, religious discourse is tightly regulated and preachers must obtain official credentials and strictly adhere to state-sanctioned interpretations of the faith – or risk infringing sharia court rulings of 'deviant teachings'. But AI avatars are on the rise, including 'AI-Dr Munir' and 'AI-Dr Munirah', which are trained on more than 9,000 published articles by former Islamic affairs minister and Kuala Lumpur mufti Zulkifli Mohamad Al-Bakri and built using ChatGPT. The so-called Smart Sharia Officers are seen by critics as contradicting Islamic principles that emphasise learning the faith through human interaction and community. Zulkifli said on Thursday the avatars served to summarise his thoughts and answers on Islamic questions ranging from rulings, fatwa and societal issues regarding the practice of Islam. Advertisement 'Do not worry as they have been programmed to be social media-friendly,' Zulkifli said in his announcement on X. 'Their answers are also based on my stance in relation to religious matters.' Public reaction, however, has been mixed.
Malay Mail
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Perlis ruler urges rejection of superstition and deviants teachings, calls for stronger Sunni teachings
KANGAR, May 12 — The Raja of Perlis, Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin Putra Jamalullail, has called on all quarters to continue strengthening the teachings of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah in the state, which are firmly rooted in the Quran and Sunnah. His Royal Highness said support must be given to the organisation of knowledge-based programmes and beneficial activities to uphold the true teachings of Islam, and at the same time reject superstitions and deviant practices that contradict the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). 'Let us prosper this state by strengthening all that is good so more people may benefit,' said Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin when officiating the closing ceremony of the 10th edition of the 'Perkampungan Sunnah' programme here last night. Also in attendance were the Raja Perempuan of Perlis Tuanku Tengku Fauziah Tengku Abdul Rashid, the Raja Muda of Perlis Tuanku Syed Faizuddin Putra Jamalullail and the Raja Puan Muda of Perlis Tuanku Dr Hajah Lailatul Shahreen Akashah Khalil. Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin also reaffirmed Perlis' position as a stronghold of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah teachings, which rejects the misuse of religious terms such as 'seeking blessings', 'sacredness' and dreams of seeing the Prophet. The programme, themed 'Mengangkat Kebijaksanaan, Meruntuh Kedangkalan', was held from May 9 until yesterday and featured nearly 60 speakers from Malaysia and abroad, including Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Singapore. — Bernama
