Some scholars use or sell religion for their own benefit, says expert
NURUL AISYAH MOHD NOR22 Sep 2022 06:59pm
Wacana Special speakers National Journalist, Tan Sri Johan Jaafar, Prof Tajudin Rasdi of UCSI University, IIUM's Dr Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin and President of Perak Islamic Religious Council and Malay Customs, Tan Sri Mohd Annuar Zaini.
SHAH ALAM – Some scholars use or sell the religion for their own benefit, cautioned Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin of International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM).
The Revelation and Human Sciences lecturer further said even perpetrators of 1MDB are also defended by well-known religious scholars as these scholars tend to take the religion only by certain parts of the religion.
For example, he said they sympathise with those faced with hardships but they forget that the same people have committed bigger crimes.
“The scholars now only speak of things when it benefits them,” he said.
He said this when attending a book launch titled Corruption and Hypocrisy in Malay Muslim Politics: The Urgency of Moral-Ethical Transformation at Karangkraf Media Group headquarters today.
The book, written by Prof Emeritus Tan Sri Kamal Hassan, was launched by Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah.
He said that not many preachers have the guts to speak openly against corruption and urge people to understand corruption.
“Even though we have to respect these scholars but that doesn’t mean we have to be silent against the mistakes done by these scholars,” he added.
Even in recent studies by public university students, Hafiz said if scholars could gain benefits from corruption, they will take it.
Over the younger generation becoming policy-makers, he said the youngsters need to go through elections and break the cycle of corruption.
Tan Sri Prof Dr Mohd Kamal Hassan’s book, ‘Corruption and Hypocrisy in Malay Muslim Politics – The Urgency of Moral-Ethical Transformation’ is considered bold, said Hafiz.
Hafiz said the word hypocrite or ‘Munafik’ used in the book has weight, especially in the eyes of the religion as hypocrisy in Islam is between being a Muslim and a disbeliever.
People need to know PM, chief secretary are here to serve the rakyat using people's funds
Prof Tajudin Rasdi, Professor of Islamic Architecture of UCSI University said corruption is not a problem but a symptom as the issue was over the understanding of what democracy and nation-building mean.
“We are treating symptoms; we are not treating the problem. The real problem is that you don't understand nation-building, which means we are a family, different in terms of culture and race.
He said democracy means the prime minister and the chief secretary of state are here to serve the rakyat, adding that the rakyat need to know that they are responsible for nation-building and the money is their money and not the government.
