Pahang mufti slammed for ‘kafir harbi’ remark (Updated)

PETALING JAYA: Pahang mufti Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Osman who labelled non-Muslims as "kafir harbi" (non-Muslim infidels) has drawn criticism from both Muslim and non-Muslim leaders.
They fear the statement from the mufti would spark violence, incite religious hatred and encourage extremism as technically, people categorised as "kafir harbi" can be killed for being against the implementation of Islamic principles and going against God.
Perlis mufti Datuk Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin stressed that non-Muslims in Malaysia cannot simply be categorised as "kafir harbi" as they are protected under the Muslim country.
Mohd Asri said the term "kafir harbi" is reserved for non-Muslims who reject and oppose Islam, conspire with the enemies of Islam and have no peace agreement with Dar-al-Islam (land where a Muslim government rules and the Holy Law of Islam prevails).
"Therefore, non-Muslims who have citizenship and are protected by the laws of a Muslim country are not called 'kafir harbi'," Mohd Asri said in his Facebook post.
Abdul Rahman had originally used the term on Thursday when he said it is a sin for Muslims to support the DAP, which he labelled as "kafir harbi" over its opposition to hudud laws.
Today, he went on to say he was not referring to the DAP alone but to anyone who opposed Islam, adding that his reference was to the party's ideology and not specific individuals.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng said it had never crossed his mind that the remark could come from a mufti, a position that was considered high in the Muslim hierarchy.
"No religion will ask you to kill another person just like that, and that has never happened before. I very deeply regret this type of remark ... it is extreme and should have not come out from a mufti", he told a press conference at Komtar today.
DAP Socialist Youth (Dapsy) central committee member Dyana Sofya Mohd Daud urged Abdul Rahman to retract his statement and apologise to those affected by it.
Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali said it was too much for Abdul Rahman to come out with such statement which could cast a negative perception among the non-Muslim community towards Islam.
"It is best for the Pahang mufti to rectify his statement. He can state that he was in disagreement with the DAP," he said.
Meanwhile, PKR central committee member Latheefa Koya said it is completely unIslamic to declare a whole political party and those who support it as a group of people who can be fought against in a violent way.
"It is absurd and a false teaching to suggest that those who question the PAS version of hudud are therefore fighting Islam," she said in a statement.
MCA publicity bureau chairman Datuk Chai Kim Sen said Abdul Rahman's words would encourage terrorist activities within Malaysia and start a civil war.
"On the contrary, the Pahang mufti should call on Malaysians to support efforts by Bukit Aman's counter-terrorism unit to overcome Daesh influences and activities and cell groups in Malaysia," he said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Penang state executive councillor Datuk Abdul Malik Kassim claimed that Abdul Rahman's remark was politically motivated, as he could not understand why the DAP could be labelled as kafir harbi by Abdul Rahman.
"Which aspect shows that the DAP is anti-Islam?" he asked, adding that despite being against PAS tabling the Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Bill 2016 in Parliament, the party had never declared itself as anti-Islam.
MIC Youth chief C. Sivarraajh urged the mufti to apologise and retract his remarks, saying they were uncalled for and unethical.
"As much as the MIC disagrees with DAP politically, we would never label them by such a category and call them names.
"The DAP is a political party and part of the country's democratic process. It should not be labelled as such. In fact, nobody should be labelled as such ... it should be withdrawn with an apology," he said in a statement.
"The police should initiate criminal investigations against the mufti on grounds of creating public mischief and incitement," he added.
Until press time, attempts to get police officials to comment on the matter were unsuccessful.