Mufti: What next after Muslims-only laundrette?
Published on: Tuesday, September 26, 2017
PETALING JAYA: The mufti of Perlis has criticised the controversial Muslims-only policy of a laundrette in Johor, saying there will be no end when Muslims become obsessed with a skewed understanding of the Islamic rule on hygiene.Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said Islamic teachings were not meant to burden but to make things easier.He painted a scenario of what will happen if such "narrow-mindedness" is allowed to spread among Muslims.
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"I am worried that some might urge for Muslims not to use currency notes already used by non-Muslims, because they assume it is unclean after they exchange hands. And some may also say that the prayers of those who keep these notes in their pockets are not valid. After that, there is the separation of eating utensils of non-Muslims in restaurants."All these narrow-mindedness will take the country down the path to extremism, and we will then lose the balance to live in a multi-religious and multi-cultural society," the vocal mufti said.Social media has been abuzz with a photograph of a self-service laundrette in Muar, Johor, with a signboard informing that its service is only for Muslim customers due to hygiene reasons.The shop owner has defended the controversial policy, saying he was "only carrying out my duty as a Muslim", he told a Chinese Daily. Asri said as a living religion, Islam must exist in harmony with its surroundings.
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He said Muslims must not presuppose everything as unclean."I wish to advise Muslims that if the origins of something is clean, and that there is nothing unclean in terms of colour, smell or taste, then it is clean.
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"Any kind of over-assumptions burdening our lives are not teachings from Prophet Muhammad, whose intent is to make life easier," he said.Meanwhile, former Law Minister datuk Zaid Ibrahim described Malaysia a "sick Muslim country" and urged Muslims in the country to embrace the Islamic concept of hijrah, or the migration of the Prophet Muhammad to flee from persecution, by moving to the UK where he said their lives would be better."They give you the space to grow and make yourself useful. Move out while you can," he said in his latest blog post.In Malaysia, Zaid said, news was classified as fake or real depending on whether or not the government liked it."Corruption and abuse of power are glorified, while beer festivals are held up as an example of evil."He was referring to the Better Beer Festival 2017, which was banned by authorities after the Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) rejected the organisers' application for a permit to host the event.Inspector-General of Police Mohamad Fuzi Harun said on Thursday that the event was cancelled due to security reasons as the police had information that militants were planning to sabotage the festival.The event's organisers, MyBeer Malaysia, previously said they had been told by authorities that the beer fest was "politically sensitive".This followed opposition to the event by PAS, which labelled it as a "vice festival", claiming that such events could lead to Kuala Lumpur becoming known as Asia's vice centre.In Malaysia, Zaid added, Muslims scholars "don't like gays and liberals, although gays and liberals are God's creations too"."They will continue to make you intellectually poor by stifling you, giving you no freedom to grow and develop your minds."London is the place for you to migrate to. Many Malays are already making their homes here. Bring your family out and join them."The former minister added that the hijrah was not a one-day celebration, but a commitment to seek a new life."It means seeking a place where you can find knowledge and prosperity for your family," he said.Although England was a "beer-loving country", he said, it also produces well-educated men and women who contribute to science and the arts."They are inventors, who produce medicine, machinery, and so much more that makes life better for humanity."In Malaysia, meanwhile, there was no place for knowledge and scholarship, especially in matters of religion, he said."The people who talk about Islam in Malaysia are low-grade scholars, and many are mouthpieces of the ruling party."They are sycophants, not of the same calibre as the Mu'tazillah, the jurists and theologians of the Abbasiyah period who debated religious issues, such as the concept of tawhid or unity of God."They discussed the inherent difficulties of reconciling reason and revelation."They were not preoccupied with beer festivals or dress codes for women, or separate laundrettes for Muslims, although the revelry and festivities of the caliphates were well known," he said. Stay up-to-date by following Daily Express’s Telegram channel.
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