At the recently concluded PAS muktamar, party president Abdul Hadi Awang declared that the time had come for the nation to be governed according to the true principles of Islam.
I support this statement wholeheartedly.
But Islamic governance requires magnanimity, wisdom and moral clarity — not from the perspective of someone trapped in a nativist bubble.
Islam upholds the sanctity of life and the dignity of all human beings, regardless of race, faith, or even lifestyle.
It does not condone the labelling of non-Muslims as “animals” simply because of how they dress — something an Islamic party leader did not too long ago.
Many communities around the world live with minimal clothing due to their climate and traditions. As a Muslim, I do not view them as animals. Their way of life simply reflects adaptation, not moral failure.
A true Muslim leader is one who represents all, regardless of faith or creed, not one who lords over a small geographical corner of the world with false piety and illusions of grandeur.
As the great thinker Imam al-Ghazali wrote in his magnum opus, “Ihya Ulumuddin”, it would be sinful for Muslims to resort to name-calling when faced with dissenting views.
Secondly, Islam respects the truth in all its forms, and would never allow, excuse or encourage the slander of any person.
That being the case, how can a party claiming to uphold Islamic values belittle non-Muslims simply because they hold different worldviews or political ideologies?
What message does it send when a donation drive for a leader found liable for slander is labelled a “jihad”?
Muslims must remember that Abu Talib — the Prophet Muhammad’s uncle — though not a Muslim, protected the Prophet steadfastly until his final breath.
They must also remember that Waraqah bin Naufal, a Christian, was the first to declare Muhammad a prophet, affirming that he had actually met the Archangel Gabriel, a messenger of Allah.
Muslims must also remember the story of Bahira, a Christian monk who advised Abu Talib to be vigilant in protecting his young ward in the face of threats to kill him due to his religio-political ideas.
Nor should they forget Negus, the Christian king of Abyssinia, who risked his throne to heroically shield the first Muslim immigrants fleeing persecution in Mecca.
Without his protection, the Quraish persecutors would likely have massacred vulnerable members of the early Muslim community — especially, its women, children, the elderly, and the young.
Finally, it must also be remembered that the Ansar, the native inhabitants of Medina who welcomed the Prophet Muhammad as a leader and arbiter of the city’s warring factions, included Jews, Christians and non-believers.
Indeed, Islam respects and values all humanity, not just Muslims or members of a so-called Islamic party.
Thirdly, Islam is a religion and a way of life that evolves with the advancement of ideas, thought and technology.
In a 2018 speech, the great Malay thinker, spiritualist, educator and political leader Siddiq Fadzil, a former president of the Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim), used the word “ukhwah” (brotherhood) when touching on ties with non-Muslims.
The word is traditionally used to describe the sacred bond among Muslims.
In the same speech, Siddiq, father of the current education minister, discouraged the use of the term “kafir harbi” to describe non-Muslim citizens of our country.
However, several years after his death in 2021, a party that brands itself an Islamic outfit, called non-Muslims from another political party “kafir”. In fact, in their Qunut Nazilah declaration, this very Islamic party also labelled MPs outside its alliance and other Malaysians “the enemies of Islam”.
Islam respects all men from all cultures and faiths. In peace time, it is permissible for Muslims to collaborate or enter into agreements with non-Muslims.
That being the case, it is sad to see certain religiously-inspired politicians insinuating that non-Muslims cannot be trusted.
For instance, when non-Muslims make a mistake in displaying the Jalur Gemilang they are called “traitors”.
Some leaders of this party have also insinuated that non-Muslim Malaysians are enemies of the state — simply for participating in celebrations that honour Malaysia’s historical ties with China, a key trading partner today and a former protector of the Melaka sultanate against the Kingdom of Siam.
In conclusion, I reaffirm my full agreement with Hadi, who was a profound inspiration during my early days of Islamic reform and throughout Anwar Ibrahim’s “Reformasi” era.
Islam remains, in my view, one of humanity’s most vital and transformative ideologies.
It is good that Hadi has declared that true Islam is the future of politics, both in the nation and the world.
And so we look to his party to embody the spirit of Islam as introduced and propagated by Prophet Muhammad — one rooted in democratic values and multicultural inclusiveness.
Not an Islam that is racist, bigoted and exclusive, but one that recognises the dignity of all races, cultures and faiths.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
