SINGAPORE: A fatwa - or religious ruling - has been issued by the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) against a group known as Madrasah Faiz al-Baqarah for spreading "misleading teachings about Islam".
Muis states in a posting on its website that the group is a
splinter of Roh Mutmainnah, another group ruled as deviant by the Fatwa
Committee in 1974 and 2001.
Muis usually issues fatwas to help Muslims in Singapore with solutions
or opinions on issues related to the Muslim religion.
In 2007, for example, the committee issued a fatwa taking the position
that it is permissible for Muslims to be included in the Human Organ
Transplant Act.
After it had received complaints from the community about Madrasah Faiz
al-Baqarah, the committee met its leader Mr Rahman bin Kamari, on March
11 "to verify the information received on the group, as well as to
ascertain its teachings".
The fatwa was issued against the group on May 20 after it was found,
among other things, that Mr Rahman had claimed to be a follower of Roh
Mutmainnah founder Hassan bin Jonit who died in 2004.
Mr Rahman, who is believed to be in his 50s, claimed Mr Hassan was "the
early spiritual form of the Prophet Muhammad".
Not much else is known about the activities of Madrasah Faiz al-Baqarah,
except that it has about 100 active members.
It is understood Mr Rahman conducted lectures at flats belonging to
followers.
The group created a buzz among sections of the Muslim community when its
leader claimed an earthquake would hit Singapore on Jan 29.
Mr Rahman had supposedly told his followers to leave Singapore to save
themselves.
"This belief has no basis in Islam and is blind adherence to one's
desires and personal gains," said Muis.
Still, lawyer Haji Hussien Bin Abdul Latiff, who practices Syariah law,
said it would be difficult for Muis to enforce the fatwa.
"There are deviant groups practising in Singapore because we have
religious freedom," he said.
"Such groups can only be stopped if a law outlawing such practices is
passed."
There are no official numbers of such Islamic groups here but some, like
the Ahmaddiya sect which operates out of Taha Mosque, continue to
practice.
In its statement, Muis said it was exposing the activities of Madrasah
Faiz al-Baraqah "to protect members of the community from being
influenced and misled by their false teachings and claims".
The topic of tackling deviant teachings will be the theme of Friday’s
sermons in mosques across Singapore.
-- CNA/vm
really sensitive issue. can only hope that everyone is rational when it comes to dealing with such matters.