KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 20 — The Perlis State Fatwa Committee has officially declared the beliefs and teachings of Global Ikhwan Service and Business Holdings (GISBH) as deviant, making Perlis the first state to take such a stance against the organisation.
Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said in a statement today that the fatwa was issued based on evidence showing that GISBH is a continuation of the outlawed Al-Arqam movement.
“After reviewing the evidence and being convinced, the committee concluded that GISBH promotes deviant teachings, particularly in spiritual beliefs.
“This is a continuation of Al-Arqam teachings, which were banned nationwide.
“GISBH members venerate their leaders and religious figures to the extent of equating them with prophets, attributing them with the power to perform miracles, and claiming they possess knowledge of the unseen, as though they were divine.
Such beliefs are deviant and have strayed from Islam,” the statement read.
Mohd Asri added that this idolisation has led followers to obey their leaders even when their actions conflict with the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.
“Followers of GISBH blindly follow their leaders’ instructions, even when these go against Islamic principles.
“They also seek blessings from their leaders’ physical remains and justify their actions with references to figures such as Imam Mahdi, Prophet Muhammad, and saints,” the statement added.
The committee highlighted that followers of GISB believe their deceased leaders are still alive and guiding them, and they have established new regulations concerning marriage and prayer that contradict Islamic teachings.
“We call upon the Muslim community to support GISB followers in their rehabilitation. Zakat can be utilised for this purpose, helping to provide education, rebuild lives, offer protection, and cover legal fees to assist them in freeing themselves from GISB,” the statement concluded.
Last week, Bukit Aman CID raided 20 charity homes associated with GISBH in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, rescuing 392 children and adolescents aged between one and 17.
Health screenings of 392 of the rescued children revealed they had suffered physical and emotional abuse. The children are also suspected of being exploited for labour, having been forced to sell products.
Earlier this week, His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia, decreed that PDRM conduct a swift and thorough investigation into the alleged criminal misconduct and child abuse issues linked to GISBH’s charitable homes.
