Letter to Mr Futile Democracy – Aliff Asyraf

Dear Mr Futile Democracy,

Thank you for following our statements and activities in ISMA. I see that you have shown huge interest in our movement and opinions shared to the public. I consider it as an acknowledgement for you have seen our potentials and even consider us a threat to the likes of you. Such is a threat that you couldn’t help to leave us uncheck and reply to us with full of enmity the way you did.

First and foremost, let us be fair and honest in defining the word ”Ideology”. Your definition is  ”A series of individual thoughts and ideas arranged into a dogmatic framework”. I couldn’t find it in any of the dictionaries available until today.

Referring to Oxford Concise dictionary published by of course, the western academia of which you have great respect, Ideology is defined as ” A system of ideas and ideals forming the basis of an economic or political theory” or ”the set of beliefs characteristic of an individual”.

So by referring to the definition of ”Ideology”, ”Religion” and ”Principle”, it seems clear that you have everything totally mixed up especially in claiming that Islam is a form of ideology.

Islam believes in Allah as the one and only God. Being a part of Islam means to obey certain rules and principles as the basis of faith and worship. It is not a system of ideas and ideals created by Humans. Nor is it a teaching created by our Prophet Muhammad SAW but instead they are delivered to him from Allah. Every rules and principle related to Islam is learned as divine revelations conveyed to Prophet Muhammad SAW as the words of Allah. And being more than just rules and principles, it is a way of life covering every aspects. So as you can see Islam is purely a religion, not an ideology.

The idea of restricting freedom is called principles, not an ideology. Principles unlike liberalism are parts of Islam. It is there to correct moral behaviors and attitudes. To inhibit people from killing each other as an example, we apply rules. By outlining rules and principles in life, we will have equal protection to all regardless of gender, belief and ethnicity. And on this ground, Islam is rich in it.

So there you have it, all the definition from the word you’ve been confused of or made confused to confuse others. Only by defining ideology properly, that we can have a mature and intellectual discussion. Not through accusation and assumptions with no basis.

Secondly, I am to prove that liberalism is an ideology created by humans. And Islam is not meant to restrict. Let us refer to history on how liberalism was born. For centuries, the west had been trap in a religious cage created by religious authorities from the church. A period of time known as the ”The Dark Ages” where Christianity, the main religion of the west, had failed to encourage development in science and social studies. As knowledge in science continued to develop, the church continued to struggle in proving the righteousness on Christianity. As time went by, more falsehood in the religion was exposed. Consequently, the church began to lose its power on the people and to maintain power, scientist were killed. The truth of science was denied and knowledge was prevented from reaching the public. Hence, the people of the west rebelled against the church and revolutionized. From there onwards, religion had failed to produce strong influence in the life of people. Philosopher and their philosophies became increasingly famous. Dualism between religion and thoughts were created (Secularism). And from this basis, figures such as Bertrand Russell and John Locke arranged a series of ideas and ideals into liberalism. Later on, liberalism continue to grow popular and went through series after series of rebranding through different philosophers, and not surprisingly, even until today.

So if we look deeply into this social and cultural background experiences by the west, we can conclude that the west had a strong reason to reject the role of religion in life. Until today, religion, from the western perspectives, had brought no meaning to civilization, and plays no role in developing their society. Having no guidance and no value to hold on to, they decided to subscribe to liberalism. Only by subscribing to liberalism were they able to achieve development and modernity.

In contrast to Christianity or any other religions, Islam, throughout history has brought mankind to a brand new heights of standards. Islam allows science and knowledge to expand tremendously. Before the uprising of the west after the dark ages, Islam had created great nations and civilisations and being the main reasons that the empires of Abbasiyyah, Uthmaniyyah retained power for centuries. This was until the people and rulers themselves abandoned Islam and favoured unjust power and endless entertainment.

Now the most important question to be answered here is ”Is it fair to claim that Islam would have the same effect just as Christianity had effected the west in Dark Ages? Did Islam prevent development? Is to separate religion from life affairs the only way to achieve a modern country? It is fair to draw a conclusion that Islam is the cause of many atrocities which may not have association with religion, and thus the same solution is needed just as the solution given to Christianity?

To force Muslim to accept liberalism is simply to restrict their freedom to hold on to their religion. This is sort of forcing them to abandon Islam. And I believe this is against the spirit of liberty proposed.

To have no power and responsibilities towards other is to produce a society that is no different than animals from the jungle. This is not what we call being civilized. It is never a concept in Islam. The main differences, contrary to what you have been proposing towards civilization, is where Islam is to guide and advise one of what is right and wrong in life, this  is a sign of civilization. This is what we call ”Amar Makruf and Nahi Mungkar’’ Encourage good, and prevent wrongs. A sign and a sort of encouragement that every member in the society love and care for each other. Develop good and respectable society together.

Your idea of civilization will only lead to parents not having power over their children when they grow above 17. They are free to choose to become a drug addicts, heavy alcoholics, even as prostitute as long as they choose according to their free will. And every member in the society has the rights to do something harmful, destructive, and abusive as long as they are free from any oppressing factor. No one could claim them to be wrong. That is just madness!

How does allowing someone to choose any act that is harmful flourish individual talents and abilities? And how does allowing someone to commit suicide flourish individual talents and abilities? Why permit someone to do something that is universally accepted to be wrong when there are ways to restrict and prevent it? When you have various measures to prevent something, and you choose not to use it, that is just plain stupidity.

‘’…You are free to speak as you wish, you are free to love whom you choose, you are free to wear whatever you wish to wear, to believe whatever youwish to believe, and act however you wish to act…’’

I have never known that Islam restricts any of these. These are natural human characteristics. In Islam, you a free to speak as you wish as long as you do not offend others, do not insult others, do not accuse other about something they have never done, cross the line that deems taboos for others and anything that are universally accepted as being wrong. To not cross the line in subject matters regarded as taboos includes offending religions. One good example is where people draw cartoons of our Prophet Muhammad in the name of freedom and liberty.

You are free to wear whatever you want to wear for as long as you do not wear clothes mimicking the other gender and do not expose yourbody parts until it can distract others. You are free to love whomever you choose as long as the person is of the opposite gender. To wear something that the opposite gender would wear and loving someone of the same gender in terms of sex is just unnatural. Thus, it is prohibited. You are free to believe whatever you want to believe for as long as it is in accordance to what the Quran and Prophet teach us. And you are free to act however you wish to act as long as you do not harm and take the right of others.

The country’s National Fatwa Council are not the ones telling how others they should live their lives. They do not claim power over anyone. It is a body to ensure that people live their life according to what Allah have ordered them to live. They are advisors, not rulers. They do not gain power by enforcing rules.  The National Fatwa Council, JAKIM, or any other religious body in the country are there to ensure that the rulling set by Allah stands. Certain acts that will cause discomfort to the society eg lewd behaviour, immoral activities will need a certain measures to curb all these. So some rules will have to be applied. When you have rules, and you don’t have someone to enforce it, then people will tend to break it. You will not find a perfect society where 100% of their members obey every rule set for them. Just as there are no known country without criminals. 

It is permissible actually. With only one condition, to embrace Islam. If your love is so strong and pure for that Muslim women then what is it that is preventing you from reaching her? If you do, then we will be more than happy to accept you as a new brother. The same one condition is applied to me. If I were to fall in love with a non-Muslim women, then I myself must ensure that she embraces Islam. Otherwise she is not permissible for me to marry.

It is stated in the constitution ”Islam is the federal religion”. With evidence from its history, the majority of its people, the moon and star symbol on the flag and acknowledgement from the constitution, yes, Malaysia is a Muslim country. And being a Muslim country means that Islam has the rights to implement their teachings and preserve their identity. It is the human rights of the Muslim. Opposing it means abusing it. If they choose to implement Islam in their country according to their free will, then according to you logics they shouldn’t be prevented to go on with it. It is their liberty.

This is self-proven by the history of liberalism explained before. I could give you more details if you want me to.

In terms of authorities in Islam, authorities placed above you are the same authorities placed above me. I will not have a lighter punishment than you if both of us break the same rules set by Islam. Islamic rulings are fair. The authority is from Allah, we are the ones that authorities are placed. It does not grant us privilege over others in any imaginable ways.

‘’Non-Sunni interpretations of Islam are illegal. Ahmadiyyah, Islamailiah and Shia are all banned. They are not allowed to speak freely about their beliefs. Thus, one sect of one religion controls what opinions are‘acceptable’.’’

‘’What if a Shia uprising one day replaced that Sunni-only interpretation, with a Shia-only interpretation? Would you accept that as legitimate and thus bow to its demands?’’

It is surely worth pointing out here that Shia is not a section of Islam. Islam has no sections. True Islam is the Islam taught by our Prophets Muhammad SAW. We have not known any form of Islam other than it. If you are sincere enough, study the teachings of Shia and study the fundamentals of Islam. You will find it to differ completely. When you have something that differ from the very basis, then it cannot be claimed to be a part of it. So let me make it clear that considering Shia is a section of Islam is wrong. We are not controlling opinions of Shia, but totally rejecting it. So whether or not shia will become more dominant that the sunni (may Allah prevent it from us) we will not bow down to its demand and legitimacy. None of Shia interpretation represent Islam, hence none will be accepted.

To conclude, may I stress out again from what Abdullah Zaik had mentioned earlier. Islam is the true religion. Islam is Islam, and it is the truth. Anything other than Islam are FALSE. Ideologies are FALSE and not a part of it.

Truth and falsehood will forever collide and that have always been the reality throughout history. And it is the same reality in the world today. Until Islam rises again, ISMA will work and stop at nothing to grant it victory!

”To those who follow you; I’d urge you to put down the ideological dogma, and pick up John Stuart Mill’s “On Liberty”, and we’ll all benefit.”

No thank you. I choose to refer to the Quran. Complete guidance to all mankind. Revealing the matters of the ”seen” and the ”unseen”. Matters of the world we live today,and the world hereafter. Words from Allah the Al-Mighty. Words that was never affected by weaknesses and limited thinking abilities unlike John Stuart Mill, a HUMAN BEING.

Aliff Asyraf bin Salleh 
 ISMA Activist

Aliff is 24 years old, currently studying as a 6th year medical student in Alexandria University, Egypt.