‘Islam-as I say-tion’: The Slide Into Tyranny?
Introduction
I am not a scholar of Islam. I can neither read nor write Arabic. I have never received any formal training in the exegesis of the Holy Qur’an.
However, over a period of some twenty years, the last ten of them with the aid of dictionaries, concordances, lexicons and transliterations, I have ploughed through over 21 different translations of the Holy Qur’an.
I am now firm in my conviction that the Holy Qur’an is truly the inerrant Word of God.
In the last nine years to this date, I have tried to live the Islam of the Holy Qur’an.
As I understand it.
There are laws in this country, though, that prohibit me from trying to live the Islam that I have come to understand, if my understanding does not conform with the decrees issued by councils of men, known as the ‘Fatwa Committee’ or ‘Fatwa Council’. These laws, and these councils of men, are part of a process that has gradually begun to impact on the lives of all Malaysians. Those steering this process would have us believe that the ‘Islamisation’ of Malaysia is their goal.
In a Malaysiakini report dated 24th July, 2006 entitled ‘10,000 Muslims attend forum centred on apostasy’, Azmi Abdul Hamid of Teras is reported to have said:
“We have every right to seek the continuation of this process of Islamisation”.
Azmi’s quoted statement, for me, raises the following questions:
what does Azmi mean by this ‘process of Islamisation’?
Azmi speaks of the continuation of this process. When did it start?
who are the ‘we’ that Azmi speaks of?;
I have grave reservations about this ‘process of Islamisation’ that Azmi speaks of. I am very concerned about this ‘Islamisation’ that we see unfolding in our country.
For the moment, let me say quite simply that, in my view, the 'process of Islamisation' that Azmi speaks of and that which we see taking place offends the Islam that I have come to understand from the Holy Qur'an.
Through this paper, I will try to answer the questions I have outlined above and share my views on who is moving this ‘process of Islamisation’ in this country, what this process entails and why, in my view, it is at odds with the Holy Qur’an. In order that you may better understand the impact of this process and why I take the view that it offends the Holy Qur’an it will be necessary for me to briefly share my views on:
m as the way of life of peace through submission to the Almighty as I have come to u
Finally, I will share my thoughts on what Malaysians of all faiths must do if they are not in favour of any change brought about or sought to be implemented by this ‘process of Islamisation’ to the system of governance and way of life put in place by the Federal Constitution.
I must point out that in making numerous references to the verses of the Holy Qur’an, I do not always quote from a generally acknowledged translation More often than not, I have presented a re-work from such a translation premised on my understanding and interpretation. The reader is therefore urged to check verse references in this paper against a translation or translations of the Holy Qur’an which the reader is familiar and comfortable with.
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