KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 12 — Selangor’s Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah has today warned politicians against issuing “fatwa” or Islamic religious rulings, calling the irresponsible move a “dangerous trend”.
The Selangor Sultan warned that such a practice must stop as the nation will face strife, division and even violence if politicians are allowed to do so.
“I urge the people, especially the political leaders, to immediately stop issuing fatwas irresponsibly in order to preserve the unity of the people in this country,” said a statement issued on the Selangor Royal Office’s Facebook page.
The Sultan said fatwas can only be issued by each state’s mufti or fatwa committee after obtaining the consent of their Malay Rulers.
He added that there is already a Fatwa Committee of the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs that is responsible for issuing Islamic jurisprudence opinions based on discussions between muftis with approval from the Conference of Rulers.
“The fatwa issued is not solely based on the individual views of a mufti, but rather it is made by consensus of the majority of members either in the national or state fatwa committees consisting of scholars and those who are experts in their respective field.
“This is to ensure that the issued fatwas are accurate and bring good to Muslims and all the people,” said the Sultan.
Sultan Sharafuddin also urged senior and veteran political leaders to refrain from causing enmity among Malaysians and to prioritise unity in order to foster a strong sense of national solidarity among diverse ethnic and religious groups for the well-being of the country.
“Take good care of our country because this is the only land of our blood, that we need to defend its prosperity and sovereignty,” said the Sultan.
The Sultan also called on the police to take proactive action in investigating and taking action against those who raise sensitive issues involving religion, race, and the position of the Malay Rulers.
“I emphasised here that the Malay Rulers and the Conference of Rulers have a role in preserving the rights of the Malay people and the Islamic religion is always guaranteed,” he said.
“In addition, the Malay Rulers are also responsible for guaranteeing the rights and safety of the other races that make up the Malaysian people.”
The Sultan said that people should not worry about the preservation of the rights of their respective races and the religion practised by each race in this country.
“This is because national laws, especially the Federal Constitution, have provided rights for all races and religions to every Malaysian,” he said.
Earlier today, the police said Perikatan Nasional chairman Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin had finished giving his statement to the police after allegedly issuing a political fatwa that declared voting for Pakatan Harapan’s candidate Suhaizan Kayat in the Pulai by-election last week as “haram”, or forbidden for Muslims.
Last week, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain warned that stern action will be taken against those who play up the topics of race, religion, and royalty, also known collectively as “3R” issues.
