Is Islam really under siege in Penang?

A proposal to prohibit the use of loudspeakers outside mosques and surau in Penang except for azan and iqamah has been making headlines of late, sparking some heated debate not only among Muslims in the state, but across the country.

The trigger was a leaked letter which revealed the Penang State Fatwa Committee’s proposal to follow up and improve on a decision it made back in 2011, which at that time was to prohibit the use of external loudspeakers for the recitation of the al-Quran before Subuh prayers.

There are some who feel that this is a first step by the powers-that-be in the state, towards sidelining Muslims in Penang.

Really?

To those who believe this is so, let me just say that before you point the finger of blame at anyone, factor in the following considerations.

First, if you do feel this way, are you not indirectly questioning the motive and credibility of the Penang State Fatwa Committee itself?

I don’t know about you but I for one am still far behind in terms of my knowledge of Islam, to consider disputing the reasoning of these learned religious experts.

Second, did the Prophet Muhammad S.A.W not advise against Muslims raising their voice while reciting Quranic verses and dzikir if it brings discomfort to others? Refer to what was said by Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri, and for the record, this is listed under the Abu Daud collection of hadith.

Third, the Mufti of Perlis brought up similar points following the brouhaha over the leaked letter.

And finally, right on cue, the Mufti of Penang, Datuk Wan Salim Mohd Noor said on Saturday that even if the ruling is gazetted, mosque and surau committees in the state should use their discretion in using external loudspeakers, in the spirit and full understanding of the context of why the ruling was being introduced.

So how could anyone out there still feel that Islam is under siege in Penang?

Having said that, I do wonder if there really ought to be a need for official guidelines from religious authorities to regulate the usage of loudspeakers outside mosques and suraus in the first place. Wouldn’t a simple advisory be adequate to achieve the same result?

The whole issue after all does boil down to common sense, something which committee members of mosques and suraus would surely have in abundance, would they not?