SENIOR PAS leader Datuk Dr Nik Muhammad Zawawi Salleh has apologised and withdrawn controversial remarks he made about companions of Prophet Muhammad during a political lecture in Kuala Terengganu, acknowledging that his wording was inappropriate and had offended many Muslims.
The PAS Syura Council secretary and Pasir Puteh MP said he regretted using terms that associated revered Islamic figures with descriptions such as “loan shark” and “adulterer”, following widespread criticism over comments made during a ceramah on Sunday.
“Therefore, with humility, I apologise for this mistake. I had absolutely no intention of degrading or insulting individuals chosen and honoured by Allah SWT,” he said in a statement issued today.
Nik Muhammad said the original intention of his speech was to explain the transformative impact of Islam brought by Prophet Muhammad SAW in changing the social and cultural practices of the Jahiliyah era into a more civilised and dignified way of life.
He stressed that the controversy stemmed from his own personal error and did not reflect the official position of PAS or its leadership.
“I take full responsibility for this matter as my personal mistake and it is in no way related to the stance of PAS or its leadership,” he said.
In a video shared by PAS information chief Fadhli Shaari, Nik Muhammad Zawawi also thanked religious scholars, friends and members of the public who had offered criticism, advice and guidance regarding his remarks.
“There were those who supported me and there were also those who corrected me respectfully because the statement involved the companions of the Prophet.
“I never intended to insult the companions. The mistake was on my part when I used strong terms such as ‘loan shark’ and ‘adulterer’.
“So, I withdraw the use of those words and I apologise to anyone who was offended,” he said.
However, he also urged the public not to rush to judgement and called for criticism to be delivered in a measured manner.
“To those who criticised recklessly, in future do not react hastily because matters from the Jahiliyah era do not necessarily have historical narrations and even if narrations exist, they may be weak because they concern the pre-Islamic period.
“The mistake was that I attributed such descriptions to Sayidina Abu Bakar, Sayidina Umar and the companions,” he said.
The controversy erupted after clips of the former PAS Ulama Council chief discussing the lives of Abu Bakar, Umar, Uthman and Ali Abi Talib before they embraced Islam circulated widely on social media.
In the speech, Nik Muhammad allegedly described Abu Bakar as a “loan shark” because he lent money to people and oppressed the poor, while Umar was portrayed as violent and fond of adultery before converting to Islam.
The remarks drew criticism from various quarters, including PAS members themselves. Selangor PAS Youth chief Mohamed Sukri Omar publicly urged Nik Muhammad Zawawi to repent, stressing that the companions of the Prophet held a sacred and elevated status in Islamic history.
Separately, the Islamic Dakwah Foundation Malaysia (YADIM) warned that content mocking or trivialising religious figures on social media risked normalising disrespectful behaviour and damaging Islamic values within society.
YADIM president Datuk Dr Hasan Bahrom said the influence of digital media was especially powerful among younger generations and expressed concern over attempts to sensationalise the names of the Prophet’s companions for attention or personal gain.
“More worrying is when such expressions are delivered in a highly disrespectful manner by associating companions of the Prophet, who possessed noble character, with immoral behaviour such as illegal moneylending and adultery as though these were lifestyle habits. That is excessive.
“As a da’wah organisation that upholds freedom of expression and creativity, such freedom should not be abused because it can mislead society and legitimise harmful content that undermines the credibility of the Prophet,” he said in a statement.
Hasan added that seeking public attention without proper knowledge, manners or religious understanding would only create a society that had lost respect for religious institutions and Islamic figures.
“All companions of the Prophet are a generation praised by Allah and serve as examples of faith, integrity and sacrifice in the struggle of Islam.
“Using them as immoral references merely to attract attention in public discourse is irresponsible and sets a poor example for the speaker, the institution they represent and the religion they profess,” he said.
He urged religious speakers, influencers and content creators to exercise greater responsibility in public communication, particularly in line with the values of respect, compassion and social harmony promoted under the Malaysia MADANI framework.
“Do not seek attention through controversial issues, and society should become more mature and ethical in public speech by rejecting the exploitation of religion for personal interests.
“YADIM believes a mature and civilised society will not be easily deceived by irresponsible statements.
“We remain ready to work with all parties to educate the public, especially within the increasingly influential digital sphere,” he added. - May 13, 2026
