YOURSAY | Is Hadi untouchable?

YOURSAY | ‘Hadi ignoring sultan’s decree on Friday sermons shows that he is.’

Hadi: Nothing wrong with politicians speaking in mosques, suraus

Vijay47: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, you hold that it is not lkwrong with politicians to speak in mosques or suraus.

Of course, there is nothing wrong, you are so right. Especially when the speaker is of your standing, eminence, calibre, experience, righteousness, piety, and, an exquisite flair for Arabic spoken and no doubt, written.

Who would have thought otherwise? It is an affront to you or all persons to suggest that you are not qualified or worthy to present sermons in mosques and similar places of Islamic worship.

Perhaps you might want to summon royalty and lecture them on their errors.

Kilimanjaro: Well, this directive (the ban against all politicians delivering a lecture or sermon in all mosques and surau across Terengganu) seems to have been around since the 1960s. Of course, it appears to have been wantonly ignored.

Maybe the then-ruling Umno found it convenient to ignore it and did not see the need to enforce it until it was pushed out of power. Can the religious council enforce it now? Hadi has effectively ruled out following this latest requirement.

Hadi is probably right - you can't say you want only the head and not the tail of the coin. What about discarding the coin itself - I mean away from politics?

GanMu: To Hadi, there is nothing wrong because it benefits his political goals, and he uses it to the fullest. But to everyone else, it is absolutely and totally out of order for them to enter the holy mosque and preach their political rubbish.

This is the house of God and only religious heads who are apolitical have the clout and the dignity to speak on religious matters should be permitted.

If he is adamant and insists on giving sermons, then he should resign from all political positions and then give his sermons if he is genuinely interested. He can't have it both ways.

BOBBYO: This puts Jakim, the police and even the royalty to shame. It clearly shows that Hadi knows that he is untouchable. That is why he dares to go against the decree of the royals.

Terengganu ruler Sultan Mizan Zainal Abidin knows that the mosques and suraus have been used by these politicians to spread their political ideas. Mixed in their sermons, they have managed to, at times, mislead the congregation.

It is time to separate politics from religion, as in those days it was common to see those that reigned over the nations also made sure their beliefs were imposed on the cities and residents they conquered.

Fast forward to today, this arrangement is not suitable. There must be a separation for politics, religion and even education. Let the politicians rule, the educationist educate and the religious handle the religious matters.

OCT: I agree. Hadi can say anything and nobody dares to prosecute him. He is getting bolder each day. The government doesn’t have the will to go after Hadi as his followers will run riot. Now he is challenging the sultan.

No government officers dare to do anything. Soon he will rally his followers to oppose the government. There have been numerous police reports. The police dare not detain him. Hadi is always released without conditions after his statements had been taken.

So far, he has not been in court. Not even once. This is the main reason that has made him more outspoken and arrogant. Nobody wants to bell Hadi.

drkam: There are politicians, including Hadi, who use divisive and misleading statements to rationalise their misconduct, such as the misuse of authority and the perpetuation of corruption.

As an MP, one should discuss political and economic matters within the appropriate forum of the Parliament, rather than in the holy mosques.

It is critical to participate in parliamentary proceedings and engage in constructive debates, rather than offering a unilateral opinion on everything. No one is above the law or possesses the divine authority to act with impunity.

Fisher: There are perhaps possibilities for certain grey lines and misplaced values if not arrogance with certain well-placed individuals about layman concerns and cleric values in politicking. Never mind benchmarks about separation of state etc.

Picking and choosing what to articulate is a skill easily cultivated by certain individuals in certain positions and circumstances. And he has seemingly become adept at it. His notorious views on corruption for example are perhaps indicators of his mindset on such otherwise repugnant issues.

His contentions and subsequent withdrawal from a lawsuit against the founder of Sarawak Report Clare Rewcastle Brown is an indicator too.

Nuyiko: Other than using race and religion to get power, what had Hadi and PAS done to help Malay Muslims?

In Kelantan, they failed to provide clean water, collect garbage and maintain roads. They also failed to create jobs and development resulting in Kelantan being the poorest state in the country.

Many kampungs are flooded now, what had they done to help and rescue flood victims? Nothing, they continue to race and religion to divide people.

Maya: Well, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has said to ignore Hadi because he is delirious. Even now he even dares to challenge the Terengganu Sultan's decree. Interestingly, he sees that there is something called political Islam. This is what he is and has been preaching.

"However, (Terengganu Malay Heritage and Islamic Religious Council chairperson) Shaikh Harun said exemptions are given to politicians who have been recognised to teach or those with permission to do so from the council."

Which means there is a caveat on the decree itself. Who does it apply? Is Anwar again going to say, "ignore him he is delirious"?

Are all these, along with former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad‘s recent statement going down well with the majority? Umno will be silent. DAP cornered.

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