Former Perlis mufti Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, who was detained by officers of the Selangor Islami Affairs Department (JAIS) early Monday morning, has since been released on a police bond.
Questions, howevasri-syariah-case-5.jpger, have surfaced on why he was arrested,
- What was the motive of the arrest?
- Who was behind the arrest or who had ordered it?
- If he was not a 'recognised' speaker, who would be the one deciding on his status?
- What about those who took part in the arrest? Were they qualified, with regards to religious eligibility, to carry out the arrest?
- Was it a move to 'sabotage' his position as president of the national Islamic missionary foundation, Yayasan Dakwah Islam Malaysia?
- Are there any personal grievances between the raiding officers and Asri?
PM said Federal govt not involved
Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak said the mufti’s arrest had nothing to do with the Federal government.
“I don’t know what the motive of the arrest is. It was done by the state religious agency. It has nothing to do with the Federal Government,” he told reporters on Monday after launching a pasar tani (farmers’ bazaar) convention here.
Najib considered Dr Asri as a “truthful speaker” whose talks were backed by proof and clear dalil (examples of Quranic and Hadith exhortations).
PAS said JAIS' action on Dr Asri was ‘unprofessional’ and alleged that the department officers had misused their authority.
nasrudin-hassan-2.pngPAS Youth chief Nasrudin Hasan Tantawi said the movement regretted the JAIS decision to detain the former mufti, who was picked up at a house in Taman Sri Ukay, near here, after he delivered a religious ceramah on Sunday night.
Youth movements regret action
"I regret that JAIS had done this. It could do better, like conducting anti-vice raids throughout the state,” Nasrudin said in his blog.
“If official recognition is the issue, JAIS could gather all dakwah speakers, conduct interviews with them and give the certificates .. if that, indeed is the procedure to take,” he added.
“It’s bad when the target is a well-known speaker who has already got the credentials in the religious fields and the recognition had also come from a university that is famous for awarding BAs, MAs and PhDs in the field," said Nasrudin
He said PAS Youth was prepared to meet JAIS officials to discuss the issues of Asri’s arrest and the spreading Islamic missionary without a so-called tauliah.
Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said the movement was also ‘shocked’ on learning about Asri’s arrest.
“I hope he will be given the appropriate defence and justice, especially when Asri himself had been so cooperative that a warrant of arrest need not be issued," he said.
Writing in his blog, the Rembau MP questioned the legitimacy of making the arrest even though the former mufti is known to sometimes make controversial comments.
Why now and not before?
“If it was because of his talk, why arrest him now? He has delivered so many speeches and shared his thoughts and comments many times before this; whether through his blog or in the newspaper columns that he writes,” Khairy said.
He added: “I hope this is not one of those ‘selected detentions’ that was provoked by people who don’t like him or instigated by some political elements.
The reason for his arrest is not immediately known.
Dr Asri and his supporters had gathered at the Gombak Timur Lower Syaria court Monday morning but he was not charged. He was only issued a police bond as a notice for JAIS enforcement officers to question him at a later date.
There were no JAIS officers present.
“I dont understand why I have been treated like this. I am a former mufti. I have a PhD in Islamic studies from the International Islamic Universiti. I tutor PhD and Masters’ students in my classes (at Universiti Science Malaysia).Why am I being treated like this?”
“I hope this becomes a point for the Government to amend the laws for better human rights and more freedom of speech,” he told reporters after being issued the bond.
Despite waiting nearly three hours at the court, the prominent Islamic scholar said he has not been informed of the charge that JAIS plans to file against him.
It is, however, expected that he would be charged under Section 119 of the Selangor Islamic Administration Enactment for preaching without state permission (tauliah) at the private house in Taman Sri Ukay., Gombak to a crowd of 500 friends and relatives on Sunday night.
Among them were Ampang MP Zuraida Kamaruddin and Hulu Kelang state assemblyman Saari Sungib.
They were also among those who gathered at the courthouse, including Titiwangsa MP Dr Lo’ Lo’ Mohamad Ghazali, Sisters In Islam board member Zainah Anwar and social activist Marina Mahathir.asri-syariah-case-1.jpg
Dr Asri told reporters that the authorities did not take his statement but only his personal particulars. He was ordered to present himself at court.
Support at the courthouse
Several people who were at the ceramah said the situation at the house during the arrest was tense and reminiscent of the arreset of Anwar Ibrahim at the former deputy prime minister’s hopuse on Damansara in 1998.
Zuraida called for calm and not cause any disturbance while the enforcement officers did their job.
At about 2am, several policemen and Dr Asri were seen talking and the former mufti then agreed to make a statement at a police station. He was seen being escorted into a Jais van
Hours before his arrest, the former mufti told the media that he was giving a week to the Syarie Lawyers Association of Malaysia (PGSM) to provide proof that he had insulted renowned 'ulama' (learned scholars) among them being Imam Nawawi, Imam Bukhari and Imam Ghazali.
Challenge to syarie lawyers
Asri said he wanted to see for himself the writings and words that he was purportedly said to have used to insult these 'ulama'.
On Oct 12, PGSM had sent a memorandum to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin to withdraw Dr Asri's appointment as the head of the Yayasan Dakwah Islam Malaysia (Yadim), a national missionary foundation, on various charges of insulting the
Yesterday, Bernama also reported that Dr Mohd Asri gave a week to the Syariah Lawyers Association of Malaysia (PGSM) to provide proof that he had insulted renowned 'ulama' (learned men) among them being Imam Nawawi, Imam Bukhari and Imam Ghazali.
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35 JAIS officers and 25 policemen to arrest an ex-mufti!!! Anyone in commando outfit and any snippers involved?
The plan is simple. JAIS arrests Asri. Then hero Najis comes to his rescue. All muslims clap hands and cheer the hero.
It is also a warning to Asri.
It is a clear warning to Dr Asri. You go with PAS you will suffer, you go with UMNO you will prosper. Let hope Dr Asri is strong enough to weather UMNO stick or carrot tricks.
The JAIS people responsible should be sacked for their incompetency, ignorance of the law and plain stupidity.
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