Asia

Malaysia Federal Government, State Muftis Asked to Endorse Amman Message on Sunni-Shia

ammanThe International Movement of Just World (JUST) appealed to the Malaysian Federal government and state muftis to publicly endorse the Amman Message concerning the Sunni-Shia issue.

Its president, Dr Chandra Muzaffar, told on Wednesday that this was very urgent in view of the current confusion and anxiety caused among the Muslim Ummah in the country due to “inaccurate and misleading” information in the mainstream and other media, regarding the issue.

He said the Amman Message formalised by 200 of the world’s leading Islamic scholars from 50 countries, including Malaysia, at an international conference in Amman, Jordan in July 2005 initiated by its King Abdullah II, would help foster unity of the Muslim Ummah.

Chandra said the message embodies three essential points:

It recognises the validity of all 8 legal schools of Sunni, Shia and Ibandhi Islam, of traditional Islamic theology, Islamic Mysticism (Sufism) and true Salafi thoughts;

It forbids Takfir (declaration of apostasy) between Muslims and;

It sets forth the subjective and objective preconditions for issuing of Fatwas (edicts), thereby exposing ignorant and illegitimate edicts in the name of Islam.

He said that there were several compelling reasons why the message had to be publicly endorsed including to reinforce commitment to unity of the Muslim Ummah especially since the Sunni-Shia divide had been exploited by various groups to weaken Muslim solidarity.

He also suggested that the message should not only be publicly acknowledged but also be widely distributed to secondary Islamic schools, the community of men and women teachers throughout the country.

The message could also be incorporated in the Friday sermon and broadcasted via radio and TV and other media, he said.

He was confident that the message which was adopted by the Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) summit in Mecca in December 2005, would promote understanding and goodwill between the Sunni and Shia in the country.

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