Asri slams Jais for stopping non-Muslims entering mosques
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid, The Malaysian Insider
Controversial former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin continued his campaign against his persecutors, the Selangor Islamic Affairs Department (Jais), by calling the agency extremists for not allowing non-Muslims to enter mosques in the state.
He had previously said that Jais should do away with “authorisation” letters for preachers as it goes against the freedom of expression, even within Islam.
This time he picked on Jais director Datuk Mohamed Khusrin Munawi who told Utusan Malaysia that non-Muslims cannot enter mosques as “they are like women with menstruation” after an alleged ceramah by Selangor executive councillor Dr Xavier Jeyakumar in a Klang mosque.
Muslim women who are menstruating usually do not go to mosques to pray.
“This is a shallow and narrow view. This is the kind of statement that repels and alienates non-Muslims from Islam. It gives a wrong and false impression of the religion,” Asri told The Malaysian Insider today.
He added that even during the time of Prophet Muhammad, non-Muslims were allowed to enter mosques as this would be the best way for them to experience the religion first hand.
“It will give non-Muslims the opportunity to get to know Islam better and Muslims too can engage them in the spirit of constructive dialogue. Isn’t this good for Islam?” commented Asri.
