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PETALING JAYA: The process of rehabilitating followers of deviant cults must be thought out properly and carefully, says Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.
He said that this is why a special task force was established to develop effective programmes for counselling and guiding individuals who had gone astray from the Islamic faith.
“The special task force’s duty is to investigate and study in detail the doctrines of members of alleged cults who have deviated from true Islamic teachings.
“The task force will study the doctrine of Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISB), although I will not disclose the members’ names at this time,” said the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs).
He added that the findings from this study will help religious authorities determine whether the group should be banned under a national fatwa (religious decree) and if its followers should be required to undergo rehabilitation.
The Islamic Development Department, he said, has rehabilitation programmes for adult Muslims who have strayed from their faith, but there are currently no programmes for children born into cults and groomed from infancy to accept deviant teachings.
He said that he would reserve his comments on potential rehabilitation programmes for GISB members until the beliefs of the group are discussed by the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI) and the Conference of Rulers in October.
“We must consider various factors to ensure that the rehabilitation of followers of deviant groups – be they children or adults – are fully effective, preventing these cults from re-emerging under different names.”
He was referring to the case of Al-Arqam which was banned in 1994 but emerged again under another name called Rufaqa in 1997.
The issue of deviant groups among Muslims came up following joint raids on charity homes linked to GISB on Sept 11 by the police.
GISB, which has been embroiled in scandal following allegations of sexual abuse against children at its welfare homes was initially founded by Ashaari Muhammad – who was also the founder of Al-Arqam.
Perlis Mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said that the banned teachings of Al-Arqam persist among some Muslims due to the blind idolatry of individuals believed to be messengers of God.
“This is because there is belief that those who preach religion are holy or almost holy, to the extent that they can do anything or give their views on everything, even when the views contradict the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad,” he added.
Mohd Asri said the eradication of deviant teachings can be achieved through education and religious programmes in mosques and schools.
He said Muslims are encouraged to use academic methods and evidence-based teachings to ensure that what is presented is the right path.
Meanwhile, Selangor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Amirudin Shari said GISB will be banned from using any premises in the state for their activities.
“The police will be asked to investigate and give us a report and we will take stern action based on fatwa and guidelines from the state Islamic Religious Council,” he said in Shah Alam.
Amirudin said this was not the first time GISB has come up on the radar of the authorities.
“This is the third incident: first they registered as Al-Arqam and then they were renamed Rufaqa (Rufaqa Corporation Sdn Bhd) and acted as a business,” he added.
The Mentri Besar, who attended a weekly meeting with Selangor Ruler Sultan Sharafuddin Shah yesterday, said the Sultan expressed his view that the investigation team must be more efficient in scrutinising any offences related to GISB, including criminal cases.
