In the news article “In a Muslim State, Fear Sends Some Worship Underground” Gooch (2011) illustrates individual stories of Shia Muslims living in Malaysia facing injustice and oppression by the National Fatwa Council (NFC), the country’s top Islamic body (Gooch, 2011). In 1996, the NFC declared the Sunni Islam as the country’s official religion. While many interpreted this as “Shia Islam was banned” (Musa, 2013) due to their deviant teachings, a spokesperson for the federal government tried clearing doubts by stating the “Shia Muslims are free to practice their faith, but are not permitted to proselytize” (Gooch, 2011). The spokesperson did not make any further comments regarding his statement nor regarding the term “proselytize”. Religious
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RE students should look at this issue and consider the necessity for co-operation ultimately leading to the greater good of all. Students should understand that now is the time “human beings need to work even more closely together to solve bigger problems” (Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2013) than to oppress one another for practicing different faiths. According to the Constitution of Malaysia, Shia Islam is “not allowed to be spread” (Gooch, 2011) because through the teachings of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah under the Shafii school, Muslims are prohibited from spreading Islam, according to Jamil Khir Baharom, who is the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Musa, 2013). RE students can link this contemporary issue to the spread of the Fatimid da’wa in the east when the da’is “often worked in hostile territories, where the rulers looked upon the Fatimids and other Shia groups as a threat” (Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2013). This places an importance on the qualifications of a …show more content…
Due to this, the Shia Muslims practice their faith in secrecy and have said to be “in hiding because of the oppression” (Gooch, 2011). The NFC believes that majority of the civil disputes within other Muslim countries occur because of permitting different sects to practice their faith freely, and Malaysia should prevent this from happening by setting limitations on any sect that does not belong to their official Malaysian sect, Sunni Islam (Gooch, 2011). This leads to many hardships faced by the Shia
RE students should look at this issue and consider the necessity for co-operation ultimately leading to the greater good of all. Students should understand that now is the time “human beings need to work even more closely together to solve bigger problems” (Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2013) than to oppress one another for practicing different faiths. According to the Constitution of Malaysia, Shia Islam is “not allowed to be spread” (Gooch, 2011) because through the teachings of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah under the Shafii school, Muslims are prohibited from spreading Islam, according to Jamil Khir Baharom, who is the Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Musa, 2013). RE students can link this contemporary issue to the spread of the Fatimid da’wa in the east when the da’is “often worked in hostile territories, where the rulers looked upon the Fatimids and other Shia groups as a threat” (Institute of Ismaili Studies, 2013). This places an importance on the qualifications of a …show more content…
Due to this, the Shia Muslims practice their faith in secrecy and have said to be “in hiding because of the oppression” (Gooch, 2011). The NFC believes that majority of the civil disputes within other Muslim countries occur because of permitting different sects to practice their faith freely, and Malaysia should prevent this from happening by setting limitations on any sect that does not belong to their official Malaysian sect, Sunni Islam (Gooch, 2011). This leads to many hardships faced by the Shia