In September 1998, when my daughter was only 12 years old, she helped me to translate from Malay to English, Professor Yusuf Qaradawi's fatwa or edict on the slander or qazaf befalling Anwar Ibrahim. When we came to the verses of the Qur'an's surah al hujurat, she read the translation concerning a slanderous person being compared to eating his own brother's flesh, she said "yurrgh". We were deeply moved and engrossed in Qaradawi's views which clearly spelt out Islam's abhorrence of slander and false accusations (qazaf), the upholding of honour, truth and justice , brotherhood and protecting the dignity of mankind.
Our translation was sent out in those days to abimlink and other mailing lists, and later it turned out that the PAS newspaper Harakah published it in full in its English section albeit without any form of acknowledgement. We were both surprised but contented. We felt that we had done our part.
Back then, when the masses were up in huge protests, the voices of official religious authorities were quite muted. So there were no local fatwas on such shameful, heinous and humiliating accusations being spouted and splashed daily by an insane and diabolical media onslaught which damaged the Muslim psyche in particular and challenged the clear position of the Islamic principles and shariah concerning testimony, morality, dignity and slander. Although pronouncements were made by many local scholars but the authoritative figures remained hushed. If there were private gestures, these efforts were not enough to bring back justice and righteousness to the fore as principles and values to uphold. It showed Malays and Muslims in reprehensible bad light.
So it came to pass, the second qazaf surfaced exactly 10 years on. Again, apparently it was all quiet on the part of the religious authorities. Instead, muftis were engaged on the issue of the taking of oaths or arbitration by swearing upon the holy book, the Qur'an. The real issue was fear of coming out in the open for a cause. The cause should have been the consensus for the accusations (qazaf) to be tried in the shariah court. It could have been nipped in the bud if those in authority had spoken out but it seems that ma'siat and fasad kept reigning their ugly heads.
Ma'siat was an unfortunate term used when the shariah court dismissed Anwar's attempt to seek justice through the shariah system in Wilayah Persekutuan. Professor Qaradawi had in his latest fatwa, specifically pronounced that the accusations against Anwar be tried under the shariah laws but to no avail.
Recently, two newly self declared UMNO young alims with salafi tendencies, succeeded in constitutionally challenging the Negri Sembilan Islamic enactment by going to the secular apex federal court. Self proclaimed salafis had sought secular judgements to overturn religious authority rulings. With friends and brothers like these, why fear the liberals, some may say.
When sports gambling was about to be legalized after being privatized, which does say a lot about Malaysia's governance, people were restive, leading it up to be one of the most unpopular government proposals of the decade. Religious authorities were restless but remained private or maybe preferring back-channels which were probably meant to save the government's appalling face. State governments which opposed the move became practical administrative stumbling blocks. Malaysian public anger and a loss of political nerve had prevented a major vice being promoted legally.
The latest clash of opinions among religious authorities concerning a popular and lucrative motivational training program shows a lack of consensus building, articulative difficulties and may yet become a major test or fitnah upon those entrusted with authority.
My son still asks about the position of scholars vis a vis current controversial issues and the answer is still the same. We respect them for their knowledge and their authority. We look up to them for guidance and we hope that they exercise their authoritative position to uphold the religion, defend truth and justice. We pray that they do all these with integrity and without fear or favour.
