Recently, as reported by Bernama on 9 July 2022, a woman, Siti Nuramira Abdullah, performed an act at a comedy club in Taman Tun Dr Ismail by removing her tudung (headscarf) and baju kurung on stage, revealing a low-cut blouse and miniskirt underneath her previous clothing. It was seemingly meant to be a stand-up comedy act. It didn’t turn out to be one! It wasn’t funny; it was stupid!
Islamists took offence at her act as an insult to Islam. She was detained and remanded for three days and released on bail of RM20,000.
Now the question arises: is the dignity of Islam dependent on the conduct of Muslims? How can that be? Unbecoming acts of Muslims condemn them for misbehaviour. Their behaviour does not in the least reflect the sanctity of Islam. Islam is pristine. It doesn’t depend on the conduct of Muslims to safeguard its prestige or stand out as a respectable religion.
A bad Muslim is a bad Muslim. His indignity does not rub off on Islam. His behaviour does not affect the image of Islam. To imply that it does, only shows how stupid some Muslims can be!
If we are to judge Islam by the conduct of Muslims, Islam must be the most insulted religion in Malaysia. Look at the crooked and corrupt Malays/Muslims among Malaysian politicians. So many of them cheat and loot, rob and plunder, lie and steal and disgrace themselves, put their hands into the public till and steal as they please, rape and commit incest and adultery, don’t follow the path of righteousness, discriminate and deny justice to others, kill and murder to put away their enemies. All this atrocious behaviour and conduct does not insult Islam. Islam is not responsible for their unbecoming behaviour.
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With so many offences committed and practised, such Muslims cannot be a credit to Islam. But their conduct doesn’t insult Islam in any way; they condemn themselves as bad Muslims. Their conduct doesn’t bring a bad name to Islam.
After all, doesn’t Islam, like all the other religions, exhort its followers to lead an exemplary life that will project them as decent human beings?
If they don’t follow the precepts of Islam, they are bad Muslims. Islam is not insulted when a Muslim denigrates himself.
Islam stands pure and pristine. Islam can never be tainted and tarnished by the misconduct of any of its adherents.
We hope that the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and all the muftis will understand this simple logic and stop accusing misbehaving Muslims of insulting Islam by their unbecoming conduct.
Their conduct only condemns them as non-Islamic in their behaviour. Their conduct does not lower the image of Islam. It does not sully the standing of Islam. It does not denigrate Islam.
We hope that we can put a stop to this cavalier attachment of the misconduct of such adherents to the religion of peace. Islam is beyond reproach when silly Muslims don’t live up to the teachings of Islam. Let’s not be misguided by unenlightened religious personages and politicians.
- Tegakkan maruah serta kualiti kehidupan rakyat
- Galakkan pembangunan saksama, lestari serta tangani krisis alam sekitar
- Raikan kerencaman dan keterangkuman
- Selamatkan demokrasi dan angkatkan keluhuran undang-undang
- Lawan rasuah dan kronisme
The views expressed in Aliran's media statements and the NGO statements we have endorsed reflect Aliran's official stand. Views and opinions expressed in other pieces published here do not necessarily reflect Aliran's official position.
Ketuanan Melayu (Supremacist Ideology of so-called Master race) is the the core of the issue here, not religion in my humble opinion. Why? If a non-Malay Muslim had done it – would the actions by the authorities be fast and swift? Have we ratified ICERD? No. Race Relation Bill enacted to check the current racial issues affecting our country also not being pushed forward by so-called defender of the Master Race so that they can plunder & steal from the country’s treasury!
That’s a logical statement. The misconduct of an individual Muslim cannot be taken as an insult to Islam. JAKIM and the Muslim leaders have to get that logic in their minds.