N E W S
The Star

Opinion
Thursday 10 May 2007

Be guided by compassion and wisdom

SISTERS in Islam (SIS) urges the Government to respond to the growing number of critical questions in relation to the issue of freedom of religion in the country.

The case of Marimuthu and Raimah and their six children, as reported in the media, is another example of a family ripped apart because of disputes over religion.

The Government should exercise its political will to uphold and safeguard the fundamental liberties of its citizens, including the freedom of religion as envisaged by the Quran, and as reflected in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution and Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

In a multi-religious society such as ours, conflicting situations on issues of faith are bound to arise. These include:

·NON-Muslims converting to Islam, thus affecting the rights of the non-converting family members;

·BORN Muslims who never led the life of a Muslim as they were brought up by non-Muslim family members;

·CONVERTS to Islam who later want to leave the religion; and,

·BORN Muslims who wish to leave Islam out of their own free will.

The search for solutions to these challenges cannot be conducted in ways that violate the legitimate rights of Malaysians.

The Government needs to act on the Prime Minister’s many calls for Muslims to exercise ijtihad and rational thinking as well as to strive for a more enlightened interpretation of the Quran and Hadith to deal with our ever- changing times and circumstances.

SIS stands in solidarity with fellow Muslims who uphold freedom of religion as enjoined by the Quran.

In fact, freedom of religion is a fundamental tenet of Islam. In Surah al-Baqarah, 2:256, Allah explicitly states: “Let there be no compulsion in religion”.

This verse has been widely interpreted to mean that no one can be compelled to embrace Islam because religion depends upon faith and will, and this would be meaningless if induced by force.

Islam itself means submission to the will of God; and the willing submission of the self to faith and belief must be attained through conviction and reason.

Surah Yunus 10:99 goes on to emphasise diversity in beliefs: “If your Lord had willed, all the people on the earth would have come to believe, one and all. Are you going to compel the people to believe against their will?”

We call on fellow Muslims to display the beauty, compassion, peace and wisdom of God’s message for it is a disservice to Islam that we merely stand by and watch the agony of families torn apart.

SISTERS IN ISLAM,
Kuala Lumpur.