KUANTAN, Oct 5 — The Pahang Mufti Department, through the Pahang State Islamic Law Consultative Committee, has declared that the followers of GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) as heretical and deviant for continuing to uphold two beliefs.

Pahang Mufti Datuk Dr Asmadi Mohamed Naim said the followers continue to uphold the beliefs and practices of Aurad Muhammadiah propagated by the al-Arqam group, which was declared heretical and deviant in 1994, as well as believing that the al-Arqam founder Ashaari Muhammad who passed away in 2010, did not die but ghaib (vanish into the unseen).

"This decision encompasses any version, form or offshoot of the said teachings including beliefs, ideologies, philosophies or groups that have existed or will be established,” he said in a statement here today.

Asmadi said the decision was made during a special meeting on Wednesday, adding that the Pahang Sultan Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah consented to its dissemination to the public.

The committee also agreed that the economic system developed by the followers is not Islamic and does not comply with Islamic laws.

He urged all authorities, including the Pahang Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council, Pahang Islamic Religious Department, Royal Malaysia Police, Social Welfare Department, and Pahang State Education Department, to formulate and implement rehabilitation and monitoring of the group’s followers. — Bernama