MAJOR BOMBSHELL – HADI OPENLY CHALLENGES ROYAL DECREE – ‘I WILL CONTINUE MY SERMONS AS PER USUAL IN SURAU & MOSQUES’ – DESPITE BAN ACROSS TERENGGANU ARISING FROM SULTAN’S CONCERN OF ABUSE BY SOME POLITICIANS – ‘WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ISLAM, AND IN POLITICS THERE IS ISLAM, SO IT BECOMES POLITICAL ISLAM. THERE IS NOTHING WRONG & WE HAVE A DUTY TO TALK ABOUT IT,’ CLAIMS HADI
PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said there is nothing wrong with Muslim politicians delivering sermons in mosques or surau, pointing out they have a duty to speak up on various matters including politics.
The Perikatan Nasional deputy chairperson, who delivers weekly Friday sermons from Masjid Rusila, Marang, stressed that politics and religion in Islam are inseparable.
“Even the Prophet Muhammad SAW talks about politics in his sermons.
“We are talking about Islam, and in politics there is Islam, so it becomes political Islam. There is nothing wrong and we have a duty to talk about it,” said the Marang MP during a press conference in Rusila yesterday.
“Something that is not right, we must speak up. Be it on the economy, politics, or others, Muslims have a duty to speak up, including to encourage good deeds and prevent vices,” said Hadi .
He said this in response to the ban against all politicians including parliamentarians, state assemblymembers, and senators from delivering a lecture or sermon in all mosques and surau across Terengganu.
Hadi, however, said the Terengganu Malay Heritage and Islamic Religious Council had in the 1960s issued a similar directive to prevent houses of worship from being abused for partisan politics.
“I will continue my sermons as per usual in surau and mosques,” added Hadi.
However, Shaikh Harun said exemptions are given to politicians who have been recognised to teach or those with permission to do so from the council.
In January, Johor crown prince Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim decreed that all mosques and surau in Johor were prohibited from being used as platforms to deliver political speeches.
Tunku Ismail, who is also Johor Islamic Religious Council chairperson, forbade any individual or politician from using mosques and surau as a place to discuss political issues. MKINI
Defiant Hadi says will continue with sermons in T’ganu mosques, surau despite ban
PETALING JAYA: PAS president Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang says he will continue to give sermons as usual in Terengganu despite a ban on politicians delivering lectures or sermons at mosques and surau in the state.
“I will continue giving my sermons as usual in surau and mosques,” the Marang MP said in a press conference in Rusila that was posted on his Facebook page on Saturday (March 4).
He added that there was nothing wrong with Muslim politicians delivering sermons in mosques or surau and it was important for leaders to speak up on various matters including politics.
“We have to understand…when we talk about Islam, we cannot separate politics from religion.
“Even the Prophet Muhammad talks about politics in his sermons. There is nothing wrong and we have a duty to talk about it,” he said.
He was asked to respond to the ban on all politicians including parliamentarians, state assembly members, and senators from delivering lectures or sermons in all mosques and surau across Terengganu.
Asked if he would ask PAS leaders and members to stop giving sermons, he replied, “We are talking about Islam. In Islam there is politics. There is nothing wrong.”
He added that there were similar previous rulings issued in the 1960s to prevent houses of worship from being abused for partisan politics. ANN
MKINI / ANN
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