Islamic politics need not be conservative, says Mujahid
(The Star) – The birth of Parti Amanah Negara was unavoidable because of an underlying ideological conflict between progressives and conservatives in PAS, said Datuk Dr Mujahid Yusof Rawa, now the vice chairman of Amanah.
It was not between the ulama and professional factions, said Mujahid who is also Parit Buntar MP.
Mujahid was speaking at Socialism 2015: Reform or Revolution, the 11th annual forum organized by the Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM) held at the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Chinese Assembly Hall.
On the topic of the direction of Islamic politics in Malaysia, Mujahid said there were prospects for an alliance between progressive Islamic movements and traditionally leftist parties such as PSM.
Mujahid said that many Islamic political movements have evolved over the years, in pursuit of progressive ideals like independence, justice and freedom.
“My political struggle is through my faith which has thought me to fight against oppression. That is why I cannot accept it when people say religion has no place in politics,” said Mujahid.
However religious ideas have often been subverted in service of the state, he said, adding that Arab nations had failed to provide a working example of Islamic politics.
“We are not just confronting PAS and the rightists, but a public that had been indoctrinated not to question Islam. But it is through questioning that we can evolve.”
PSM chairman Dr Nasir Hashim said that political Islam was tarred with terms like hudud and jihad, but it was time to redefine the movement.
Nasir said that Islam was not supposed to restrictive but recognized and respected the idea of religious pluralism.
However, he said, in Malaysia, the principles of justice were often subverted in pursuit of capitalist growth.
Globally also, from the Iranian Revolution in the late 1970s to the growth of ISIS, political Islam has often been distorted into something cruel and rigid, and religion is now being used as a form of control.
“Islam is now functioning under a siege mentality, whereas it is supposed to be a beautiful, open-minded religion,” said Nasir.
Nonetheless, Nasir said he was still optimistic that progressive Islam had a place in Malaysian politics, and looked forward to a working relationship between Amanah and PSM.
“Amanah has a tough task ahead and needs guys with revolutionary minds,” he said.
