| Rokiah Mahmud & Fizah HAB |
MANY external factors can affect the harmony and sanctity of Islam and its believers.
One example of this is certain groups that claim to uphold the name of Islam with their different ideology, such as the Islamic Liberal group, whose teachings are not in accordance with the true Islam and contradict the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jama’ah school of thought.
Making these points was Ra’es of Religious Teachers’ University College of Seri Begawan (KUPU SB) Dr Haji Adanan bin Haji Basar in his opening remarks at the 18th Informal Religious Ministers Meeting of MABIMS (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore) and 43rd Senior Officers Meeting (43rd SOM) at the Musyawarah Hall of the International Convention Centre (ICC), Berakas yesterday.
The forum, themed ‘Liberalisation of Islam: Issues and Challenges, and Efforts for its Containment’, is hosted by Brunei Darussalam this year and continues until today.
Dr Haji Adanan explained that liberalism in religion is where the adherents want to loosen their religious beliefs, including their relationship with nature and God. He said these types of followers openly accept changes to religion, even to the point of exterminating religious teachings, so that their relationship with God and humans can be defined more loosely by way of thinking and culture.
“The idea of liberalism and individual freedom in religion is a dangerous thing to the Ahli Sunnah Wal Jama’ah. This is because Islam calls for its Ummah to hold on with Ijmak, which is also one of the original methods or religious proposals generally accepted by all Muslim scholars,” he said.
“Therefore the 43rd SOM highlights the theme ‘Liberalisation of Islam: Issues and Challenges, and Efforts for its Containment’, which is appropriate with the current global situation in which the harmony of Muslims is being disturbed.”
Following Dr Haji Adanan’s speech, papers on the forum theme were presented by representatives from the participating countries. Chairing the deliberations was officer at the Islamic Studies Department Haji Mohd Jaya bin Haji Metussin.
Representing Brunei was Special Grade Syariah Law Officer at the Islamic Law Unit, Ministry of Religious Affairs Dr Noryati binti Haji Ibrahim presenting her paper entitled Islam Liberalisasi: Isu dan Cabaran Serta Usaha Membendungnya – Pengalaman Negara Brunei Darussalam.
Speaking for Indonesia was Head of Researcher, Educational Development and Training Professor H Abdul Rahman Mas’ud presenting a paper entitled Islam Liberal dan Permasalahannya: Pengalaman Indonesia.
Malaysia was represented by the Director General of Insitut Kefahaman Islam Malaysia (IKIM) Datuk Professor Dr Azizan binti Baharuddin, who presented a paper entitled Islam Liberalisasi: Isu, Ancaman, Cabaran dan Usaha Membendungnya – Pengalaman Malaysia, while Singapore was represented by the Assistant Director of Asatizah Accreditation Scheme Office of the Singapore Islamic Religious Council (MUIS) Ustaz Mahmoud Mathlub, who presented a paper entitled Islam Liberalisasi – Isu dan Cabaran Serta Usaha Membendungnya – Pengalaman Singapura.
Adding on to Dr Haji Adanan’s views during the afternoon session of the 43rd SOM at the Indera Samudra Grand Hall of The Empire Hotel & Country Club was Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Religious Affairs Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz bin Orang Kaya Maharaja Lela Haji Yussof, the head of the Brunei delegation.
The permanent secretary pointed out that Muslims need to find solutions to mitigate the ongoing issues they are facing in the world, in line with the forum’s ‘Islamic Liberalisation: Issues and Challenges, and Efforts for its Containment’ theme.
“The issue of Islamic liberalisation is a challenge to the understanding and thinking of Islamic societies which hold steadfastly onto the faith of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jama’ah experts. Liberal thinking is easily absorbed into thought through the propagation of a more open and rational ideology of Islamic understanding by considering the Syariah of Allah the Almighty and His laws,” Dato Seri Setia Haji Abdul Aziz said.
Others in attendance at the forum included Minister of Home Affairs Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Kerna Dato Seri Setia (Dr) Haji Awang Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong, Minister of Religious Affairs Pehin Udana Khatib Dato Paduka Seri Setia Ustaz Haji Awang Badaruddin bin Pengarah Dato Paduka Haji Awang Othman, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Haji Bahrom bin Pengiran Haji Bahar and Deputy Permanent Secretary (Policy and Religious) at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Haji Mohd Seruddin bin Haji Timbang.
Leading the Indonesian delegation is Secretary-General at the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Republic of Indonesia Professor Dr Phil H Mohamad Nur Kholis Setiawan. Leading the Malaysian delegation is Director-General of the Malaysia Islamic Development Department Datuk Haji Mohamad Nordin bin Ibrahim while the Singapore group is headed by Chief Executive of Singapore Islamic Religious Council Haji Abdul Razak Hassan Maricar.