Halloween ban an attempt to uphold Islamist supremacy, says report
A Muslim religious edict denouncing Halloween is only the latest in a string of events which a political analyst says is an attempt by some of Malaysia’s Malay majority to use Islam to hold on to the reins of power, The Wall Street Journal reported today.
“Malay supremacy was the old school. People like (Isma president) Abdullah Zaik and others like him belong to the new school, and that’s Islamist supremacy,” professor James Chin of Monash University was quoted as saying.
“It’s potentially more volatile.”
The National Fatwa Council had on October 28 issued an edict or fatwa prohibiting Muslims from celebrating Halloween.
Describing the festival as a Christian celebration of the dead, the council said Halloween was against Islamic teachings and called for Muslims to pray for the deceased instead.
“Halloween is celebrated using a humorous theme mixed with horror to entertain and resist the spirit of death that influences humans.
“The Halloween celebration is clearly against the values of shariah.
“It cannot be celebrated by Muslims. To remember those who have passed away, Islam suggests the practices of reciting doa (prayers) and Quran,” the council said in the fatwa released on its website.
The fatwa against Halloween comes amid rising concerns over the role of Islam in public life.
Earlier this month, social activist Syed Azmi Alhabshi stirred controversy when he organised an event to help society overcome their fear of dogs.
The event, called “I want to touch a dog”, saw an overwhelming response with over 1,000 people attending, but also drew the ire of individuals and groups which accused Syed Azmi of insulting Islam and promoting liberalism.
Despite issuing an apology and clarifying that the event was not meant to deviate Muslims from their faith, Syed Azmi said he had received threats through his WhatsApp mobile messaging account, as well as through phone calls and social media.
Some had threatened to break his bones, while others threatened to kill him.
Although Syed Azmi had obtained permission for the event from the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais), Mais chairman Datuk Mohamad Adzib Mohd Isa said the event was not in line with the programme’s stated objectives as presented to the council.
The Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) had also stated its intention to carry out an investigation on the event, saying that Jakim regretted the irresponsible attitude of the organisers who were not concerned about the sensitivities of Muslims in the country.
Organisers of the Oktoberfest beer festival had also stirred controversy with PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang calling for strict control on immoral activities in the country.
Hadi had said that Islam and other religions did not condone its followers engaging in frivolous pleasures or immoral activities, adding that non-Muslims needed to take into account the sensitivities of Muslims and all other religions.
"So in instances where they are allowed to do certain things by their respective religions, there needs to be some control so that it does not touch on the sensitivities of Muslims as well as other religions that do not agree with what they do.
"There needs to be control," he said. – October 31, 2014.
