KUALA LUMPUR – In a Friday sermon delivered at mosques across Pahang today, congregations were told to unite in the name of Malay and Islam to ensure a landslide victory in the coming general election (GE15).
The script, which was prepared by the state Mufti Department, said it is incumbent on Muslims that the ummah not be fractured, while calling on political parties to nominate only candidates that truly champion the religion.
“GE15 is just around the corner. As such, we urge all Muslims, and in particular Malay parties, to come united in the name of the Malay race and Islamic religion, and to never be divided.
“We need a victory with a huge majority,” read the sermon script, which is available on the Mufti Department’s website.
“We must also ensure that candidates who contest really fight for the dignity of Islam and care for the rakyat’s welfare.”
It said this is necessary in defending the state’s Islamic administration under the auspices of the sultan, who is also the religious head.
However, it is understood that not all mosques in the state had delivered the same sermon prepared and distributed by the department.
The sermon, a portion of its text of which has been shared on social media, has since courted criticism, with many disapproving the political element of what is supposed to be a religious speech.
Several netizens in Pahang confirmed the contents of today’s Friday sermon, saying they contained political connotations, with some also questioning if this is meant to indirectly influence voters to continue supporting Barisan Nasional (BN).
Since independence, Pahang has always been under the rule of Umno-led BN, whose former leader Datuk Seri Najib Razak, who also hails from the state, was incarcerated last week after being found guilty of corruption.
‘Nothing unusual with political speeches during sermons’
When contacted, a spokesman from the Pahang Islamic Religious Affairs Department said it is not uncommon for political elements to be included in Friday sermons, and that they were just meant to serve as advice to the masses.
“It’s common. In fact, our mufti once wrote a sermon telling Muslims not to vote for DAP.”
This is in reference to a controversial sermon delivered in Pahang in September 2015 that took Muslims who joined DAP to task, saying the party is clearly against Islam, and urged the ummah to be be united despite sharing different political ideologies.
Meanwhile, an officer from the Pahang Mufti Department told The Vibes that all sermons go through strict due process before they are approved and distributed to mosques across the state.
“First, we conduct a meeting to prepare the speech, which will then be scrutinised by a panel consisting language and legal experts, among others.
“Following this, it will go through a second panel check, this time chaired by the mufti himself, and comprising the top religious authority officials.”
Earlier today, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah, who is from Pahang, decreed that mosques should never be used as a platform to insult fellow Muslims or for political means.
“I would like to send a message to the management of mosques throughout the beloved state of Pahang; the management (bodies) of mosques are the trustees of Allah’s house. Carry out the responsibility in managing this house of Allah with full sincerity, honesty, and trust.
“I do not allow any political parties in the house of Allah; let this be a reminder to all of us and I hope no one disputes this order, it is for the well-being and common good of us Muslims and Malays.
“If you want to be political, do it outside the mosque, not inside. Let this be a reminder to all of us and especially the mosque management. Do not politicise what I said. It does not reflect the sanctity of Islam and the house of Allah,” said the king. – The Vibes, September 2, 2022
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