Wednesday December 10, 2008
Nazrin: Refer fatwa to Rulers
IPOH: The Regent of Perak Raja Dr Nazrin Shah has again reminded the National Fatwa Council that its primary role is to decide and issue a fatwa or edicts after referring them to the Conference of Rulers.
He also reminded the Mentri Besar, state Religion, Islamic Education, Women and Welfare Committee chairman, directors and staff of the state Religious Department to refer any matter to the state Islamic Religious and Malay Customs Council before making statements.
Speaking after chairing the Malay Customs Council meeting, Raja Nazrin said the National Fatwa Council should have referred the matter of Muslims taking up yoga to the Conference of Rulers.
He said if the matter was not corrected now, it would lead to confusion later.
Raja Nazrin also reminded the Department of Islamic Development (Jakim) that it did not have the legal power to give instructions to states on Islamic religious management.
He noted that to ensure a harmonious relationship, the National Fatwa Council and Jakim should understand and respect the status, right, advantage, sovereignty and power of the Ruler as enshrined in the Federal Constitution and state constitution.
In Kuching, The Sarawak Government has banned yoga in line with the National Fatwa Council’s edict.
Assistant Minister (Islamic Affairs) in the Chief Minister’s Office, Datuk Daud Abdul Rahman, said the decision was made by the Sarawak Fatwa Council which met last week.
“The State Attorney’s Office is in the process of gazetting the fatwa,” he told reporters yesterday.
Daud said he could not ascertain when the fatwa would be implemented and it was up to Muslims in the state to adhere to it.
He said, however, no legal action would be taken against Muslims who continued to do yoga.
On the effects of the fatwa on the owners of yoga centres in Sarawak, Daud said that it depended on their own initiative whether to adapt the yoga exercise to their own religious belief.
As for other states, Malacca plans to adopt the fatwa while Penang, Kedah, Terengganu, Perak and Selangor were reported to be discussing the matter.
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