Despite MB’s proposal, Selangor Mufti says ‘will only entertain SIS if they repent’

By admin-s Last updated Nov 6, 2014

“If Azmin wants us to have a meeting, that is his suggestion but we will not face them.”

(Malay Mail Online) – The Selangor Fatwa Committee will consider letting Sisters in Islam (SIS) defend itself against a religious edict banning the group if it “repents” from the alleged practices that led to the issuance of the fatwa.

The committee chairman Datuk Mohd Tamyes Abd Wahid, who is also the state’s mufti, added that the religious body will only entertain the Muslim women’s rights group if it were to stop subscribing to the ideologies of “liberalism and religious pluralism”.

“I am steadfast in my position, I will not face them. What is the purpose of having a meeting? They have already filed for a judicial review,” Mohd Tamyes was quoted saying in Sinar Harian.

The mufti was responding to Selangor Mentri Besar Azmin Ali’s suggestion that SIS meets with Mohd Tamyes and Selangor’s Islamic Religious Council (Mais) to avoid a misunderstanding and to resolve the matter amicably.

Azmin was reported as saying that he had spoken to Mohd Tamyes and the latter had agreed to hold a discussion with SIS.

“If Azmin wants us to have a meeting, that is his suggestion but we will not face them. If (SIS) wants a clarification, they will have to retract the judicial review and repent, then we are ready to meet with them,” insisted Mohd Tamyes.

“I am also worried if we meet them, the conversation will be used against us as evidence in court… so we will not face them unless they retract their legal application… only then I will consider,” he said.

The religious edict or fatwa titled “Pemikiran Liberalisme dan Pluralisme Agama” declared SIS Forum (Malaysia) as subscribing to liberalism and religious pluralism, and therefore deviating from Islamic teachings.

On Friday, SIS filed for a judicial review on a gazetted fatwa in Selangor that declared the Muslim women’s rights group as deviating from Islam.