Respect ban on Muslims participating in rituals of other faiths - Johor Exco

JOHOR BAHRU: The public has been urged to respect the fatwa issued by the Johor Islamic Religious Council (MAIJ) prohibiting Muslims from attending and participating in religious rituals of other faiths in the state.

State Health and Unity Committee chairman Ling Tian Soon said the fatwa was issued specifically for Muslims and it should be respected.

"The guidelines are specially for Muslims in Johor and Malaysia, it does not contradict the spirit of unity and the people of Johor because we live in a plural society.

"We respect the Muslims and their religion. It's the same with the non-Muslims we need to respect them and this has been our practice all along," he said at a press conference after the launching of the Akuagro Project of the Johor Rukun Tetangga (neighbourhood) here today.

He was asked about the fatwa which was issued by MAIJ yesterday which prohibited Muslims from taking part in the religious rituals of other faiths.

Ling said the decree of the Sultan of Johor Sultan Ibrahim Almarhum Sultan Iskandar on the matter yesterday was also clear for all Johoreans to understand.

Yesterday, Sultan Ibrahim consented to the fatwa which he said did not contradict the values of tolerance, unity and understanding between religions.

State Islamic Religious Affairs Committee chairman, Mohd Fared Mohd Khalid had informed that Sultan consented to the fatwa which took effect on Feb 2, adding that scholars from the four imams namely Syafie, Hanafi, Maliki, Hambali, had agreed that Muslims are prohibited from attending religious rituals of non-Muslims.

-- BERNAMA