How did this mufti miss the Qur’an’s dominant teachings of peace, which we all must believe exist on pain of charges of “Islamophobia”? Meanwhile, Catholic priest Father Lawrence Andrew is being investigated for sedition for using the word “Allah” for God. Just another day in modern, moderate Malaysia. “Perak mufti quizzed by cops over “˜bloodshed” remark,” by Lee Shi-ian for the Malaysian Insider, January 10 (thanks to Bren):
Police have recorded a statement from Perak mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria regarding his comments that it was permissible to spill the blood of those who protested during the New Year’s Eve rally.
Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar…told reporters at Bukit Aman today that Harussani had been interviewed by the police in connection with the comments he made.
“Any statement which is deemed a threat to national security will be thoroughly investigated, regardless of who made the statement,” he said.
He rubbished reports that only certain people could threaten security.
“We probe everyone, but you are only interested in certain people,” Khalid told the media.
Harussani had issued a fatwa on January 3 declaring it ‘halal’ (permissible) to shed the blood of the participants of an anti-price hike rally held on New Year’s Eve.
The Perak mufti had issued the edict based on the ‘bughah’ concept which refers to an armed revolt by Muslims against a just ruler or government in accordance with Islamic law.
Opposition lawmakers were outraged that police had not taken any action against Harussani, but had instead trained their sights on the editor of Catholic weekly Herald, Father Lawrence Andrew.
Andrew had said that churches in Selangor would continue to use the word ‘Allah’ during their Bahasa Malaysia services.
More than 100 police reports were lodged against Andrew by irate Muslims and police opened investigations against him under the Sedition Act 1948.
Police recorded statements from about 100 people, including Andrew and three TMI staff members.
They have completed their investigations and recommended that Andrew be charged with sedition.
Andrew’s statement, which had been made despite a decree by the Sultan of Selangor that non-Muslims in the state were prohibited from using the word ‘Allah’, provoked outrage and anger from various Muslim groups, including those from Umno who demanded that he retract his statement.
However, Andrew stood firm, saying that his statement had been based on the Federal Constitution, which guaranteed freedom for each religion to manage its own affairs. – January 10, 2014.