PETALING JAYA: Author and businessman Anas Zubedy (pic) has appealed to the Home Ministry to lift the ban on a compilation of Quranic verses that were published in English and Malay as part of the "Let's Read The Quran" campaign launched recently.
Anas, who initiated the campaign with some friends, said he welcomed advice and suggestions from the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and the ministry so that the material used would comply with regulations set by authorities.
"We believe the campaign is a noble initiative that seeks to raise awareness about the universal message of the Quran.
"We hope it will not be stopped and welcome any advice and suggestions moving forward," he said in a statement.
The campaign hit a snag on Thursday after the Home Ministry's Al-Quran Printing, Control, and Licensing Board issued a statement barring the publication on grounds that writing and reading the Quran in any other language besides Arabic is prohibited.
The board's chairman, Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, said that translations of the Quran without the Arabic text is prohibited as it could lead to misunderstanding.
Harussani had said that while translations of the Quran helped people understand the meaning of the holy book, they would not bring spiritual reward to those who read them.
Anas said he was willing to meet Harussani and the Quran licensing board to discuss the best way to continue the campaign without falling foul of the law.
He explained that the books were merely translations of Quranic verses for the convenience of those who do not understand Arabic.
"Our objective is to encourage more people to understand the Quran in their own language, so that its message can spread more widely and effectively.
"This approach has been well-received, not just by Muslims, but non-Muslims too," added Anas.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Get 20% OFF The Star Digital Access
Cancel anytime. Ad-free. Unlimited access with perks.
