KUALA LUMPUR, July 21 — Perikatan Nasional (PN) MPs were recently criticised for reciting a supplication called "Qunut Nazilah” in the Dewan Rakyat, after Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal was suspended for six months.
The move was seen by many as an abuse of Islam and the weaponisation of religion. Why was that so?
What is a ‘qunut’?
The word "qunut” in Arabic literally means "standing”. However, in Islamic practice, the "qunut” — also called "doa qunut” in Malay — is an act of supplication to God while standing.
There are two types of qunut:
- Qunut Ratibah — Recited on the last unit of prayer called raka’at, while still standing after performing i’tidal, and before proceeding to the sujud position. This is performed during the daily subuh prayer, and the witr prayer in the second half of Ramadan. It is considered "encouraged” or "recommended” — or "sunat” in Malay — although some Muslim minorities eschew its practice altogether.
- Qunut Nazilah — Recited during times of calamity or disaster, especially when it affects the Muslim community as a whole. This is considered at least "permissible" in Islam — or "harus" — and can even be "sunat” according to situations, according to former religious affairs minister Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad.
When does one recite the Qunut Nazilah?
The practice started with Prophet Muhammad reciting the Qunut Nazilah during prayers for a month, after an act of betrayal that resulted in 70 of his companions being murdered — as recorded in the hadith by Anas bin Malik and Abu Hurairah.
According to the office of the Federal Territories Mufti, one of the most common forms of Qunut Nazilah — based on the recitation of Caliph Abu Bakar during a war with the Nazarenes — is translated as such in English:
In recent times, the Qunut Nazilah was recited by Muslims here as a supplication for:
- Seeking divine protection from the Covid-19 pandemic
- In solidarity Palestinians facing atrocities from Israeli military forces in Gaza
The office of the Federal Territories Mufti had also released a special version of the Qunut Nazilah to be recited for the sake of Palestinians:
Why was the Qunut Nazilah recited in Dewan Rakyat?
It was recited by several PN MPs after Wan Ahmad Fayhsal was suspended for six months. The Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia MP had cited a poison pen letter, which mentioned an alleged mastermind behind Malaysia Airport Holdings Bhd’s (MAHB) share deal.
The recital was led by Zulkifli Ismail, the Jasin MP from Islamist party PAS.
PN proponents claimed that the Qunut Nazilah was recited in solidarity with Palestinians, as the MAHB deal had previously been linked with BlackRock — reported as the world’s biggest asset manager with huge investments directly in Israel. This direct link with BlackRock has been denied by Putrajaya.
However, this move also followed a TikTok clip from an anti-government account that recited the Qunut Nazilah while urging the public to pray for the downfall of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his administration.
The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) has since filed a report with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) against the social media post.
What do authorities say about the Qunut Nazilah in Parliament?
The move was criticised by Home Minister Senator Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail, who questioned the weaponisation of Islamic practice against political opponents:
According to scholar Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin from the International Islamic University Malaysia, PN MPs’ use was alarming as it deviated from the original purpose and was directed against fellow Muslims.
Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin also referred to the matter on his Facebook page, saying:
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