Time to stop irresponsible campaigns boycotting legitimate businesses

Prof Mohd Tajuddin

I THINK it is high time that we as a nation propose a law that makes those who call for the boycott of any legitimate business a crime. I also think that it is high time that the “guardians of Islam” in this country meet and discuss a fatwa, or a religious ruling, that can be declared against any Muslim who calls or campaigns for a boycott with the intention of destroying the livelihoods of people who are innocent of any crime.

In the latest incident, Umno Youth, with its usual senselessness under incompetent leadership, has threatened a boycott of a legitimate business with 5,500 Malaysian workers over the simple mistake of displaying for sale socks with the the word “Allah” on them.

To me, there is no issue whatsoever to be getting “excited” about, as any legal accusation of the store “insulting” Islam cannot be proven at all.

Firstly, did the store specifically order a whole bunch of socks with “Allah” written on them? I do not think so.

Second, is there any ruling accepted in Malaysia that says the name of God cannot be inscribed on a shirt or other clothing? I am not 100% sure but I really don’t think so.

Third, where does it say anywhere that the name of God embossed on clothing is blasphemous?

Fourth, is the word on the socks a reference to the Allah of Islam or the Allah of the Arab Christians and Arab Jews?

Fifth, did the store purposely make commercials encouraging people to insult Islam by wearing the name of God on their feet? No, it did not.

I am not a lawyer but these questions would be my defense if ever this issue is taken to court, and I know that I would win hands down.

The owners have given a remorseful public apology. Cukup lah. The owners acknowledged their mistake and oversight. Apa lagi lu mau?

The Prophet Muhammad forgave Abu Sufyan after the Meccans were defeated when Abu Sufyan plotted the assassination of the Prophet in Mecca. The Prophet forgave Wahsy, the assassin who was hired by Hindun, Abu Sufyan’s wife, to kill Hamzah, the beloved Uncle of the Prophet. The Prophet forgave Hindun for desecrating the body of His Uncle by tearing out his heart and biting into it. The Prophet even forgave the whole city of Taif that sent youngsters to pelt Him with stones till blood filled the Prophet’s shoes.

What type of Islam did the members of Umno Youth learn and from whom? Learn from the Prophet Himself lah, not from some political party that uses religion to mesmerise Muslims with false piety.

Before this incident, boycotts against McDonalds and Starbucks had hurt the livelihoods of thousands of workers innocent of any crime. There is no shame, apparently, in YouTube influencers or TikTok personalities who call for such boycotts under the pretense of solidarity for the oppressed and false piety.

Calling for a campaign to boycott a business is a serious thing and must be done, if need be, with strategy and foresight. Not done just to increase the number of viewers and followers.

When then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad called for the boycott of British products in the early 1980s with his "Buy British last" campaign, he did so in the position of the leader of a nation who saw the many implications of the call for the country’s economy. Who gives the right to nonentity influencers who think they are pious and righteous enough to use the name of Allah to destroy people working hard to earn an honest living? Who gave them the right? Democracy? Freedom of social media? Freedom of speech? None of these has any justification of any morality, including Islamic morality, to condone such wanton acts of destruction.

I humbly ask the self-appointed “guardians of Islam” to instruct the writers of sermons and the speakers and teachers in mosques to proclaim the great sin of calling out a callous and careless boycott of legitimate businesses that employ thousands of innocent workers of all races and faiths.

The sin of calling a baseless boycott should be seen as greater or equal to drinking alcohol or even eating haram food. The Prophet also once said that backbiting is like eating the flesh of a dead Muslim.

Let us put an end to any calls of boycotts for any reason by politicians, individuals or social media influencers. Let the hammer of justice fall on all these irresponsible people. Let the moral justice of a sin against God also be pronounced against these types of people from all religions.

Calling for the boycott of a business must be done in a most responsible and strategic manner. Not according to the whims of ignorant dogooders, popularity-seeking influencers, and incompetent politicians. Enough is enough.

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Prof Tajuddin writes the fortnightly Over the Top column in The Star. The views expressed here are entirely the writer's own.