Abdul Karim Hamzah says Mahfodz needs to widen his knowledge of Islam.
PETALING JAYA: Sarawak’s Assistant Minister of Housing, Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah has denounced PAS Ulama Council Chairman Mahfodz Mohamed for issuing what he called an “unIslamic” statement that belittled Sarawak Muslims.
The PBB strongman told FMT that Mahfodz needed to widen his knowledge of Islam. He was reacting to a news report in which Mahfodz was quoted as saying that Sarawak Muslims were not practising the true Islamic way of life.
Karim said it was wrong for Mahfodz to say that Sarawak Muslims were ignorant just because they did not support PAS.
He accused PAS of holding to a false interpretation of Islam, recalling that the party once attached the “infidel” label to Malays who supported Umno.
“Mahfodz himself is not guaranteed a place in heaven,” he said. “Yet he has accused his fellow Muslims of not living an Islamic way of life.”
Karim said Sarawak probably had the most organised bait ul-mal (Islamic treasury) and mosque management in the country.
“We don’t need PAS to tell Sarawak Muslims how to do things,” he said. “We just want to tell the party that God despises those who want to create disunity in the Muslim community.”
In his remarks yesterday, Mahfodz said Muslims in Sarawak suffered from religious ignorance and he blamed the situation on what he called the “colonial understanding” of Islam.
PAS Ulama chief apologises for ‘belittling’ Sarawak Muslims
ReplyDeleteRobin Augustin | June 3, 2016
Mahfodz Mohamad now says he meant many Sarawakians didn't understand PAS' Islamic politics and that is the reason party failed to win any seat in state polls.
PENGKALAN CHEPA: Mahfodz Mohamed has apologised for saying that the Malays in Sarawak were not practising the true Islamic way of life, a comment that one Sarawak leader said was “belittling Sarawakians”.
In his winding up address at PAS’ 62nd Muktamar, the PAS Ulama Council chief apologised to all Sarawakians, especially Sarawak PAS delegates over his comments in a speech at the opening of the party’s Ulama wing muktamar on Wednesday.
He explained that his statement stemmed from media queries as to why PAS did not win any of the seats contested in the past two Sarawak elections.
“I told reporters that among the factors was that many Sarawakians did not understand PAS’ Islamic politics,… not that they do not live an Islamic way of life.”
Mahfodz said if indeed many Sarawakians did not understand PAS’ brand of Islam, then the Ulama Council would have a discussion and send our committee members to explain the party’s Islamic politics and policies in the Borneo state.
“We will take turns going to Sarawak to preach. It is after all the duty of the ulama to preach, and God-willing once we are there, we will go to Sabah and do the same.”
Previously, FMT reported that Mahfodz said Malays in Sarawak were not practising the true Islamic way of life.
He had blamed this situation on what he called the colonial understanding of Islam, which had been perpetuated by Umno and PBB, and as a result the Sarawakian Malays were chained by religious ignorance.
Mahfodz’s remarks drew flak from Sarawakian leaders, including Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar who sarcastically said that Mahfodz must be conversing directly with God.
Sarawak Assistant Minister for Housing Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, meanwhile, labelled Mahfodz’s statement as belittling Sarawakians and being unIslamic.
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2016/06/03/pas-ulama-chief-apologises-for-belittling-sarawak-muslims/
‘Jahil Islam’, ulama PAS mohon maaf pada rakyat Sarawak
ReplyDeleteFaiz Zainudin | June 3, 2016
Beliau tidak bermaksud untuk menuduh masyarakat Islam di Sarawak jalil dan tidak mengamalkan Islam yang sebenar.
PENGKALAN CHEPA: Ketua Dewan Ulama PAS Pusat Datuk Dr Mahfodz Mohamed membuat permohonan maaf kepada rakyat dan perwakilan PAS Sarawak jika ucapannya sebelum ini mengguris hati rakyat di Bumi Kenyalang itu.
Malah, katanya beliau tidak bermaksud untuk menuduh masyarakat Islam di Sarawak sebagai jalil dan tidak mengamalkan Islam yang sebenar.
Mahfodz berkata kenyataan beliau itu sebenarnya merujuk kepada orang Sarawak yang masih belum memahami politik Islam dibawa PAS sehingga gagal menarik hati pengundi pada PRN Sarawak lepas.
“Kepada perwakilan PAS Sarawak dengan rendah diri saya mohon ampun dan maaf sekiranya kenyataan saya mengenai Islam di Sarawak mengguris hati.
“Apa yang saya nyatakan adalah antara faktor PAS belum menang di Sarawak kerana (rakyat di Sarawak) ramai di sana tak faham politik Islam (yang dibawa PAS), bukannya mereka (rakyat Sarawak) tidak menghayati ajaran Islam (jahil),” katanya ketika ucapan penggulungan Muktamar PAS ke 62 di Putik, di sini hari ini.
Mahfodz ketika menyampaikan ucapan perasmian Muktamar Dewan Ulama PAS di Tok Bali, Kelantan pada Selasa berkata parti pemerintah di Sarawak, Parti Pesaka Bumiputera Bersatu (PBB) meneruskan ‘pemahaman penjajah’ terhadap Islam sehingga rakyat Sarawak tidak faham Islam (jahil agama).
Mahfodz pada masa sama berkata PAS sedia untuk turun berdakwah ke Sarawak bagi menjelaskan kepada masyarakat di sana makna sebenar perjuangan Islam yang dibawa parti itu bagi menambat kembali sokongan rakyat di sana.
“Kalau benar rakyat Sarawak belum faham ‘harakah islamiah’ (gerakan Islam PAS) insya-Allah dewan ulama akan bincang, AJK akan turun di Sarawak bagi jelaskan politik Islam, kita gilir-gilir turun. Memang tugas ulama untuk berdakwah. Insya-Allah bila dah sampai Sarawak akan pergi Sabah,” katanya.
http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/2016/06/03/jahil-islam-ulama-pas-mohon-maaf-pada-rakyat-sarawak/