Disturbing Acceptance Of Zakir Naik S Methods

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Are we Malaysians first or last? We all have several ways, all valid, as to how we identify ourselves, be it socially, politically and spiritually.
When former prime minister Muhyiddin Yassin once said that he was Malay first, it seemed to me that he was implying that his Malaysian identity may not be equal in any way to his main identity.
It inspired me to write an article “I am Malay first, Muslim first and Malaysian first” to show that all my identities are complementary to each other and none can or should exist without due consideration of the other.
Similarly when it comes to my marriage, it is husband first, wife first and all my five children first.
On belittling other faiths
Preachers like Zakir Naik are often accused, rightly or wrongly, by non-Muslims of uttering words that disparage their faith. I have also heard Ahmad Deedat’s speeches talking down Christianity as well as Bilal Phillips doing the same thing.
Although some scholars, including perhaps Malaysian muftis, do not find any problems with this “method” of dakwah, as an academic and as a Malaysian, I feel this is wrong, not only in Islam but more so in terms of nation-building.
Respect for all
I have great and deep respect for all great religions and find them very useful to complement my spiritual journey as a Muslim.
As an academic, I know enough but not everything, unlike those who project a pompous position of being a know-all and act like a divine secretary.
As a Malaysian, our education of Kesopanan dan Kesusilaan as well as “satu bangsa dan satu negara” posits a place of respecting each other’s culture, faiths and race.
There should not be any debate on this. Arguing that one’s religious understanding or rituals will necessarily hurt others is not only disturbing but fundamentally wrong, academically.
Don’t disparage others
I know enough about Islam and the practices of Prophet Muhammad to proclaim that Islam does not sanction the disparaging of other religions.
As a Muslim I do not accept any so-called excuse of putting other religions and faiths in a tough spot.
Take the example of the KK Mart incident. I find that a simple act of forgiveness would have ended weeks of tension and I was extremely sorry that not a peep was heard from the country’s many muftis until several outlets were attacked with molotov cocktails, which fortunately did not hurt anyone.
As a Malaysian, I am deeply saddened that there are some of us in high office at religious departments, with hundreds of thousands of followers on social media, who seem to put the affairs of Malaysians last, but their own faith and even their own political geography ahead.
This act will not only see our people divided but will also allow the kind of dakwah which enables disparaging others to flourish in our beloved country.
Naik and Maza
I do not hate or have any grievances against Naik. As a guest in this country, he should know by now the do’s and don’ts of our culture and politics.
This is even more so because he is recognised as a religious scholar while some of us will never be accepted.
I am even more impressed that many Malays who do not understand English listen in awe of Naik, who projects a charisma and magnetism equal only to the once great religious preachers Ustaz Badrul Amin, Fadhilah Kamsah, Hassan Ali and of course our dearest Allahyarham Siddiq Fadzil.
In the present era, that level of charisma, I believe, lies in the person of Asri Zainal Abidin.
At the end of the day, I believe that in order to be a successful nation we must respect all our people regardless of our religion.
As a Muslim I also believe privately that my fate in the hereafter depends very much on how I pass God’s test of respecting others and not just my own brethren of the same religion. - FMT
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of MMKtT.

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