KUALA LUMPUR, March 17 ― The Federal Territories mufti has urged controversial shaman Datuk Ibrahim Mat Zin to repent, after the latter again entered the spotlight for his antics purportedly to defend Malaysia against North Korea.
Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad said the man popularly known as “Raja Bomoh”, or Malay for “Shaman King”, will make the country and Islam a laughing stock when his videos are spread across the world.
“We strictly state that the shamanic practices done by Datuk Ibrahim Mat Zin is bid’ah that must be stopped,” he said in a statement on his website.
“Bid’ah” refers to new “innovations” after the times of Prophet Muhammad that are forbidden by Islam.
“We take this opportunity to urge him to return to the path of true Islam and repent to Allah,” the mufti added.
Zulkifli also told Ibrahim to refer either to federal or state Islamic authorities before practising anything linked to the religion.
Earlier this week, Perak deputy mufti Zamri Hashim said the Perak state government has issued a fatwa declaring Ibrahim’s rituals as “haram”, or forbidden.
Zulkifli said today his office agreed with Perak’s fatwa, saying Ibrahim’s rituals not only did not exist in Islam, but are also against the religion.
The Star Online reported Sunday a video showing Ibrahim and three assistants ankle-deep in the sea with two coconuts, a pair of sticks, bamboo cannons, a carpet and a bowl of seawater, as Ibrahim recited prayers.
He also performed another ritual outside the Kuala Lumpur Hospital’s National Institute of Forensic Medicine on Monday.
