KUALA LUMPUR: Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar expressed concern over the increasing presence of Khawarij and Takfiri ideologies in Malaysia.
He mentioned that the government is taking steps to address this issue by closely monitoring Islamic teachings and organizing lectures and classes in public places such as mosques, suraus, and social media platforms to promote unity and prevent deviation from the teachings of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaah.
The Khawarij ideology involves condemning perceived ‘oppressive’ governments, while the Takfiri ideology revolves around easily accusing others of apostasy.
Mohd Na’im emphasized the importance of firmly establishing and ensuring comprehension of the teachings of Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaah within the Muslim community to prevent the spread of radical ideologies.
He also warned that religious speakers introducing divisive topics that threaten unity may face warnings from the Mufti department and risk having their teaching licenses revoked if they do not comply with regulations.
The goal of the government is for Malaysian Muslims to follow Ahl al-Sunnah wal Jamaah and refrain from labeling fellow Muslims as unbelievers solely based on differences in opinions.
In a separate matter, Mohd Na’im shared that a special committee is studying issues related to the competencies of State Legislative Assemblies in enacting Islamic laws and will present their findings and recommendations within six months to a year.
The report will undergo approval from the National Council of Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) and the Conference of Rulers before being tabled at a Cabinet meeting.
He urged all stakeholders to be patient and allow the committee to complete its study and provide insights on arising issues. Concerns regarding the Nik Elin Zurina case on Syariah courts were also addressed reassuring the public that it would not impact the authority of Syariah courts or the Syariah laws in different states.
