Pahang mufti’s statement does not constitute an edict, says PMO

KUALA LUMPUR: The Cabinet is of the view that Pahang mufti Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Rahman Osman’s statement on kafir harbi (those at war with Islam) was just an opinion, and not a fatwa.

It said the mufti’s statement actually meant that the kafir harbi group should be resisted, but not necessarily with violence.

“His statement was also not a fatwa (edict). This is because an official fatwa must first go through the fatwa committee for determination.

“This issue has become a controversy due to the attempt by certain quarters to twist the statement by using the term ‘fight’,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said yesterday.

Dr Abdul Rahman was criticised by various quarters for labelling non-believers, in particular DAP, kafir harbi for their staunch objection to the Private Member’s Bill on Syariah court amendments tabled by PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang.

His remark also drew ire from politicians across the divide, with some lodging police reports against him for “incitement”.

The PMO said that in the context of Islam, the term kafir harbi referred to non-Muslims based on the conditions stipulated in the religion and who were prepared to fight the rulers.

“In this context, non-Muslim Malaysians cannot be categorised as kafir harbi as they are citizens of this country, are protected by the country’s laws and are not at war with the Government.

“Therefore, the Government stresses that any party giving views on the term kafir harbi must exercise due care so as not to create uneasiness among members of society, especially the non-Muslims,” it said.

The Government hoped that this statement would allay the uneasiness among the public, especially non-Muslims, more so in safeguarding harmony and national security, in line with the principles of maqasid syariah (objectives of Islamic law), it added. – Bernama