KUALA LUMPUR: Using Umrah as a means of profit-making is a despicable and heinous act, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na’im Mokhtar.
Referring to the case of Umrah service fraud involving the use of the faces of celebrities and their family members, Mohd Na’im said cheating in the name of religion is a serious crime and Allah SWT strictly prohibits the act as contained in verse 188, surah Al-Baqarah.
“I would like to express my sympathy and solidarity to all those who have been victims of this scam. Deceiving in matters of worship is a great betrayal of religion, of the trust of Muslims and of human values.
“Turning holy worship into a tool to make a profit is a despicable, heinous act and will not escape the retribution of this world and ‘akhirat’,“ he said in a Facebook post today.
He said the government would not remain silent and strict legal action would be taken against any individual, group or company involved in Umrah service fraud.
Therefore, Mohd Na’im called on all umrah service operators to always maintain integrity, trust and responsibility towards customers.
He said the public should check and ensure that the umrah agency is involved, registered and legally valid before making payments.
“Do not easily believe photos of artist, testimonials or videos that are not necessarily authentic and always check the background of the company and the services offered,“ he said, adding that victims or witnesses of fraud are urged to immediately lodge a police report and notify the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN).
Recently, popular celebrity Neelofa asked a man to stop carrying out Umrah service scams by using the face of her mother Datin Noor Kartini Noor Mohammed and her sister Ameera Khan.
