Apr 16, 2014 at 9:57pm
“With such a huge statue, you’re showing that your religion is all mighty and powerful,” Datuk Mohd Noor Abdullah said — and in the supremacist vision that he has, since he “insisted Islam is above other faiths,” that is unacceptable. He did not receive the memo that Muslims in the West have received, that “interfaith dialogue” is the order of the day, full of smiles and assurances of tolerance — until such displays are no longer necessary, and a vision of Islam much like that of Datuk Mohd Noor Abdullah takes its place. “‘Huge’ Hindu, Buddhist Statues Against Islam, Ex-Judge Says,” from the Malaysian Digest, April 17:
KUALA LUMPUR: The “huge” statues at a Hindu temple in Batu Caves and Buddhist temple in Penang are an affront to Islam as the religion forbids idolatry, a retired Court of Appeals judge said.
Datuk Mohd Noor Abdullah stressed that such sculptures of non-Muslim deities should not be built in the open, but should be placed within an enclosed building instead.
“With such a huge statue, you’re showing that your religion is all mighty and powerful,” Mohd Noor told The Malay Mail Online and Bernama in an joint interview yesterday, referring to the 42.7-metre high statue of Lord Murugan, the Hindu warrior god, at Batu Caves in Selangor.
Pointing to the Federal Constitution which states that Islam is the religion of the federation, the former judge insisted Islam is above other faiths.
“When non-Muslims build such big idols, it hurts people’s feelings,” he said.He added that non-Muslims had freedom of worship, but that such freedom must be exercised in a way where “Muslims don’t feel threatened”.
The retired judge also criticised the 30.2-metre high statue of Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy, at a Buddhist temple at Air Itam, Penang.
“Islam forbids images (of gods). Here, you allow images of Buddha in the country. That’s not consistent with Islam. But if you cover it up, you can allow it,” Mohd Noor said.
Mohd Noor also called for Malaysians to set aside their racial identity and to simply think of themselves as Malaysians, in order to foster national integration.
“The constitution does not divide the community to Malays, Chinese, Indians and others. In the Federal Constitution, Malaysia is composed of the Orang Asli, natives, and non-native community,” he said.
He noted that the constitution defines natives as the Malays from the peninsula and the Bumiputera in Sabah and Sarawak.
“Malays now are inclusive Malays, not exclusive,” he said.
Mohd Noor said that based on the Federal Constitution’s definition of a Malay — who is defined as a Muslim who speaks the Malay language and conforms to Malay customs — Malaysians who convert to Islam should be considered Malay.
“Why should the Malays be jealous and reject them as Malays? People tell me that if Muslim converts are considered Malay, we’re selling off Malay rights to the Chinese and Indians. But Islam says that you should share and share alike with Muslims,” he said….
And what of non-Muslims? “Muhammad is the apostle of Allah. Those who follow him are merciful to one another, and harsh to the unbelievers” (Qur’an 48:29).
