Don’t prolong ‘kafir’ issue, says religious minister
PETALING JAYA: The controversy over the use of the term “kafir” or infidel should not be prolonged, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.

The views of Federal Territory mufti Dr Luqman Abdullah that people not prolong the issue was apt to ensure harmony, Mohd Na’im said at Tabung Haji’s profit distribution announcement for the financial year 2023.

Luqman, in a Facebook post, had advised Muslims to be cautious and not issue statements that could result in misunderstanding within the community or allow opportunities for defamation when it comes to matters involving religion.

He said it was unfair to continue to judge or criticise based solely on video snippets without considering the overall context intended in a speech.

The public, he said, need to exercise caution and seek detailed information before commenting on the matter.

“Prolonged controversies without scholarly value and good manners will only increase confusion in society. It may lead to disputes and divisions.

“Indirect criticisms, using harsh words and making accusations through social media, will not benefit the Muslim community, which highly values unity as the strength of the ummah,” said Luqman.

A viral video on the use of the word “kafir” featuring Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek recently attracted attention online.

Fadhlina had said the video was edited to cause a stir on issues related to 3R (religion, race and royalty) by distorting the true meaning of her speech so that she would be blamed for hate speech.

“The post was deliberately produced to create a polemic to distort the original meaning.

“I mentioned that I do not allow my children to use the term ‘kafir,’ which has the connotation of hatred towards non-Muslims,” she had said.

Fadhlina said the issue of the term “kafir” was not her prohibiting the use of words in the Quran.
PETALING JAYA: The controversy over the use of the term “kafir” or infidel should not be prolonged, says Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.