SHAH ALAM – Perlis Mufti urges the public not to remain ignorant about the GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) issue, which allegedly involves the circulation of deviant teachings and blind worship of its cult leader.
Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, or popularly known as Dr Maza, stressed that supporting or sympathising with the group is akin to condoning their wrongdoings and evil actions.
He said that the act of sympathising could only be justified if it involved the oppressed, such as the sexual abuse victims of the 23-year-old teacher at a religious school linked to GISBH who was sentenced to 10 years of prison last Sept 26.
"If you sympathise with victims, that is understandable. However, sympathising with GISB means you agree with their evil deeds and wrongdoings.
"This is not permissible in Islam and is considered sinful,” he said.
He urged the public to educate themselves before blindly supporting deviant groups.
Dr Maza warned that any group claiming infallibility, whether portraying themselves as holy like God or the Prophet and demanding unquestioning obedience to their leader, exhibited clear signs of deviation.
"They believe their leader’s word is absolute truth and that they must follow without question because their leader represents Allah or the Prophet.
"This is cult behaviour and a clear sign of deviant teachings,” he added.
Dr Maza emphasised that the ‘ignorance’ fuelling such groups must be stopped, noting that it distorted Islamic teachings.
He acknowledged the importance of following knowledgeable leaders but stressed that Muslims should not cross boundaries set by the Quran and Sunnah.
"When you encounter anything illogical or absurd, it cannot be Islam,” he said, drawing attention to the stark differences between Islam and the practices promoted by GISBH, including the abuse of women and children’s rights.
He said that no Muslim could claim to follow the Quran while supporting a group that contradicted its teachings.
"Islam is an evidence-based religion and all beliefs must be questioned for their source,” he added.
He urged people to reassess claims, even if they were purportedly based on the Quran and Sunnah.
"We are blessed with a sound mind to understand the Quran. How can anyone claim to follow the Quran while violating the rights of women and children? Blind faith has no place in Islam, which prioritises evidence in all actions,” he said.
When discussing actions that could be taken to combat further deviation from the right Islamic pathway, Dr Maza highlighted the importance of understanding and changing the thoughts of those misled, rather than just punishing them.
"This is about correcting thoughts, not deeds. To combat false beliefs, we must offer stronger arguments and solid evidence to prove they are wrong and against Islamic teachings. It goes against sound logic and humanity,” he said.
Dr Maza further stressed that among other effective proactive steps to stop those blindly supporting GISB or other deviant groups would be to educate them followed by removing them from environments that perpetuate support for deviant groups like GISBH.
Addressing social media users who wanted to escalate the situation of GISBH, he said that the people would be responsible for everything they said online on Judgment Day.
"You can fight behind anonymous accounts now but you will be responsible for whatever you write on Judgment Day.
"You will have to justify any harmful things said with the intent to cause trouble for others,” he warned.
Since the first phase of Op Global began in early September, more than 300 people, including GISBH’s senior management, have been arrested, 572 victims have been rescued and eight individuals have been brought to court, facing a total of 33 charges.
Home Minister Daruk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the investigation and enforcement action in this case were conducted not only by the police but also involved various agencies, with the participation of 1,226 officers and members from the Health Ministry, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission and the National Registration Department.
He said revealed 80 investigation papers have been opened so far, following the arrest of 359 GISBH followers.