MALAY Muslim DAP lawmakers should “humble their egos” by learning from PAS about Fiqh al-Ta’ayush or the Jurisprudence of Co-Existence framework that emphasises harmonious, peaceful living in a plural society like Malaysia.
This is given the presence of a Muslim leader or representative at a non-Islamic religious gathering cannot be left without a clear framework, ie it should be based solely on social relations or official protocol alone to prevent breaches to Islamic principles.
“Islam doesn’t teach hatred but Islam is very strict in preserving the boundaries of faith and these two things are not contradictory,” revealed Selangor PAS Youth’s Scholars and Research Bureau chairman Ustaz Dr Abu Musleh (pen name used by Dr Mohd Hapiz Mahaiadin) in a media statement.
“On the contrary, leaders who’re present with a clear and openly declared framework are the ones who most accurately portray a harmonious Islam because true harmony doesn’t require ambiguity but honesty.”
The Islamic scholar was referring to an alleged “Facebook status deletion” by Bangi MP Syahredzan Johan who had earlier uploaded a photo and caption of his attendance and excerpts from his speech at the closing ceremony of the “Thirumurai Recital Competition” in Kajang.
Probably, Syahredzan who is one the three DAP Malay Muslim lawmakers in the Madani government has only taken down the Bahasa Malaysia version of his so-called FB status given the English version was still intact at the time of writing.
Editor’s Note: The other two DAP ‘s Malay Muslim MPs are Young Syefura Othman a.k.a. Rara (Bentong) and Syerleena Abdul Rashid (Bukit Bemdera).
In his FB post, the National DAP vice-chairman noted that his presence at the event held at the Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple Kajang was at the invitation of the Kajang Council of Malaysia Hindu Sangam (MHS) and that he made it a point to attend this annual event.
Sending wrong signals
“In my speech, I said that competitions such as these are good for the development of children. They teach children discipline and encourage them to focus time and energy on more beneficial exercises,” Syahredzan pointed out.
“I share my hope that we can continue to work together for the betterment of our children and our community.”
Delving further, Ustaz Dr Abu Musleh stressed the need for Syahredzan to be aware that Muslim representatives assume positions and “carry signals” when they turn up at events with features of non-Muslim faiths.
“When such presence is normalised without proper explanation, it confuses the public to distinguish between tolerance and religious boundaries. It must be understood that mature inter-faith relations are built on clear and mutually respected boundaries,” he justified.
He further laid down five main Islamic principles in interacting with followers of other religions:
(i) Maintaining the faith in every situation while recognising religious freedom without accepting the validity of other religions;
(ii) Prohibition of participating in rituals or worship of other religions on the basis of tashabbuh (imitation) and preserving the purity of monotheism;
(iii) The necessity of presence that is purely social such as accepting invitations, maintaining neighborhood relations or official affairs as long as it does not contain religious elements that contradict the Sharia;
(iv) The obligation to act justly and with kindness to every individual regardless of religion based on al-Mumtaḥanah 60:8 and the hadith of the Prophet SAW who stood to respect the bodies of Jews; and
(v) Maintaining manners and sensitivity in every interaction, including not insulting what others worship based on al-Anʿām 6:108.
“Finally, it’s not too much for me to advise all Malay-Muslim DAP MPs to humble their egos and learn from PAS about Fiqh al-Ta’ayush to interpret the spirit of co-existence in Malaysia,” Ustaz Dr Abu Musleh somehow offered an olive branch.
“PAS’ relationship with other religions has never been problematic. There are principles that are upheld, there are guidelines that must be adhered to. The firmness based on Islamic law has even strengthens PAS’s determination to foster a spirit of goodwill between followers of diverse faiths.” – July 23, 2026
