Ummu Jah and followers continue to be monitored - JAKIM

The federal and state religious authorities will continue to monitor the movements of Hatijah Aam, the widow of the banned Al-Arqam movement founder, and her followers.

Malaysia Islamic Development Department (Jakim) director-general, Datuk Othman Mustapha said it asked that Hatijah and all her followers truly repent and return to the true teachings of Islam.

"We don't want the bluff to happen twice as they had stated before that they repented but it was all rhetoric and play-acting.

"Therefore, they should better equip themselves with religious knowledge, especially on 'aqidah' (faith) by referring to the religious authorities.

"We hope at the 'istitabah' (repenting) ceremony today, they would truly repent," he said in a statement, here, today.

Hatijah and about 300 of her followers today took part in the istitabah organised by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) in Shah Alam, Selangor.

Othman said what was important was not only for them to repent, but to also do away with their practices as a group in Global Ikhwan Sdn Bhd and instead, follow the mainstream system practised in the country. "This includes ensuring that their children follow the national education system.

"They must not isolate themselves from the other Muslim communities in the areas they stay, but to participate and mingle in order to convince others that they are really remorseful and have repented," he added.