SIS : Exercise wisdom and compassion on freedom of religion

Sisters in Islam

SIS is concerned that the government has yet to respond to the growing number of critical questions in relation to the issue of freedom of religion in the country. The recent case of Marimuthu and Raimah and their six children, as reported in the media, is yet another tragic episode of a family ripped apart because of disputes over religion.

SIS urges the government to take a clear and principled position in respecting freedom of religion as clearly envisaged by the Qur'an, as reflected in Article 11 of the Federal Constitution and Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As a democratic country that upholds the Constitution and rule of law, and as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the government must exercise its political will to uphold and safeguard the fundamental liberties of its citizens.

In a multi-religious society such as ours, conflicting situations on issues of faith are bound to arise. These include such cases of

1) non-Muslims converting to Islam, thus affecting the rights of the non-converting family members;
2) born Muslims who never led the life of a Muslim as they were brought up by non-Muslim family members;
3) converts to Islam who later want to leave Islam;
4) born Muslims who wish to leave Islam out of their own free will.

It is high time for the government to show wisdom and compassion in dealing with such matters of faith so deep in a person's heart.

The search for solutions to these challenges cannot be conducted in ways that violate the legitimate rights of Malaysian citizens. The government cannot postpone any longer the need to act on the Prime Minister's many calls for Muslims to exercise ijtihad and rational thinking as well as to strive for a more enlightened interpretation of the Qur'an and Hadith to deal with our ever changing times and circumstances.

SIS stands in solidarity with fellow Muslims who uphold freedom of religion as enjoined by the Qur'an. In fact, freedom of religion is a fundamental tenet of Islam.

In Surah al-Baqarah, 2:256, Allah explicitly states: "Let there be no compulsion in religion". This verse has been widely interpreted to mean that no one can be compelled to embrace Islam because religion depends upon faith and will, and this would be meaningless if induced by force.

Islam itself means submission to the will of God; and the willing submission of the self to faith and belief must be attained through conviction and reason, not through coercion and duress.

Surah Yunus 10:99 goes on to emphasise diversity in beliefs, "If your Lord had willed, all the people on the earth would have come to believe, one and all. Are you going to compel the people to believe against their will?"

Such messages in the Qur'an cannot possibly be translated to mean punishment, detention and forced rehabilitation for those who change their faith. If anything, the Qur'an demands in Surah an-Nahl 16:125 for us to "invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and reason with them in ways that are best and most gracious."

We call on fellow Muslims to display the beauty, compassion, peace and wisdom of God's message for it is a disservice to Islam that we merely stand by and watch the agony of families torn apart.

http://malaysia-today.net/blog2006/letters.php?itemid=4512