In defence of Fathul Bari
With his words public, I can convince how perhaps we do not really need ulamas if what they know seem mostly irrelevant, and has not much practical value.
Zurairi AR, MMO
It is slightly embarrassing when somebody talks about a topic of which he has no clue. It is, however, pretty hilarious when Islamic clerics do so.
Case in point, Fathul Bari Mat Jahya, a popular preacher with ILMU, the Umno-backed wing of young ulamas (religious scholars).
During the weekend, Fathul Bari took to his column in Malay daily Sinar Harian to defend the recent fuel subsidy cut.
Granted, increasing fuel pump prices was bound to be a very unpopular move with the public, but Putrajaya did explain it as a way to reduce its ballooning deficit.
Not so for Fathul Bari, whose attempt to appease the masses is to explain that any increase in fuel prices is indeed “Allah’s will.”
According to him, any increase in the prices of goods is just a matter of God “testing” his believers in this fleeting material world.
He also seemed to have suggested that it is useless to strive for cheaper goods, for who are we to know what plans God has for us in the future?
This was, perhaps unsurprisingly, not Fathul Bari’s first and only attempt at justifying socio-political issues with such wonderful excuses.
Earlier this year, just weeks before the May polls, Fathul Bari had also claimed that Malaysians get their leaders as a result of “Allah’s will.”
Going by this trend, it would not be too far-fetched to imagine what Fathul Bari’s next few columns in the future will be like: “GST is Allah’s will”, “interest rate hike is Allah’s will”, and maybe “the property bubble is Allah’s will.”
Ridiculous as he may be, however, I support Fathul Bari’s freedom to speak his mind, unlike some who felt he is not worthy to talk about our economy.
Read more at: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/opinion/zurairi-ar/article/in-defence-of-fathul-bari
