“Do not obey the deniers. They wish that you soften (in your position), so they would soften (towards you).” (Al-Qalam: 8-9)
For an organization that is so small in number, the audacity of DAP is mind boggling. Their actions and the statements they make day by day show that they are either desperate to lay forth their agenda that they simply do not care about the consequences, or they are simply stark raving mad. Add to these, media outlets (read TMI, Malaysiakini, The Malay Mail Online) completely to their disposal, funded by external forces (read NED) that simply have the same interests as they do. It appears to lend a certain strength to these bunch of circus actors, albeit mirage like and so wobbly in essence.
This is a Muslim country, in numbers and in fundamentals. We are the majority in number and Islam is the highest order of the constitution. There is NO doubt about that.
The latest saga to be brought forth is another attempt at ridiculing the capability and integrity of our Islamic Departments, and this week’s flavour… is JAIS.
3 days ago Penang executive councillor Chong Eng voiced her criticism over last Friday’s sermon. Like as if she would know better than JAIS over what is appropriate to be the content of OUR Friday sermons. (http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/penang-rep-blasts-jais-over-preventing-rape-sermon)
In her criticism according to the above portal she mentioned that:
‘According to the Quran, exposing the intimate parts of the body such as genitals and for women, breasts as well, are unlawful in Islam and regarded a sin. However, which parts of the body must be covered also varies depending on different schools of Islamic thought. Chong said JAIS’ emphasis on women’s aurat and victim-blaming showed that Malaysia’s religious leadership lacked gender sensitivity and understanding of women’s issues. She called for concrete efforts to increase women’s representation in all sectors, especially in religious leadership.’
First of all, there is no difference in schools of Islamic thought regarding aurat… it is clear in the Qur’an regarding the lowering of the veil to cover the chest and neck area. No recognized Islamic scholar has any tangentially differing opinions on this matter. She has none, not a shred, absolutely no authority whatsoever to say otherwise, sounding like she knows what she is talking about.
Secondly, we have nothing wrong with women’s representations in ‘all sectors’ … there was a meme going around… that the only ‘sector’ lacking of ‘female representatives’ and with that lacking of the regular feminist chorus of ‘underrepresentation’ is the manual labour sector. There’s certainly aplenty in the blue collar sector. And Malaysia has one of the best records in the world. Chong Eng should get her facts straight before regurgitating.
*Yes, ridiculousness… I know. And you know what? It Gets Worse!
THE U-TURN
So yesterday, 11th of February, Mr Lim Guan Eng decided to put his foot where his mouth is. Instead of reprimanding his colleague for inappropriately voicing an otherwise perfectly appropriate concern of hers, LGE is helping her sugar coating and backtracking her words. (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2015/02/11/there-was-no-insult-to-islam-guan-eng-says/)
Apparently, to Mr Guan Eng, his comrade was merely defending the rights of women. Nothing in her speech implies that she was ‘fighting with the religious authorities’ or god forbid ‘insulting Islam’.
The article mentioned that apparently what she was implying was that:
“Almost half the victims of rape are also under the age of 16. So my argument is the cause of rape is the unequal relationship between the perpetrators and their victims.”
Yep… 180 degree turn by now… *you should get used to their abrupt change in stances by now*.
So here, I d like to give a lesson or two regarding aurah to both Chong Ee and Lim Guan Eng:
Surah Nur, from whence an important ayah regarding aurah is mentioned, is a surah steep in the education of how a Muslim society should be. Sometimes stern and sometimes soft it seeks to cultivate people’s consciences, enhance their sensitivity and refine their moral standards to the highest degree.
A part of the surah tackles crime prevention, and the methods to reduce the temptation to sin. They are preventive measures that aim to promote purity and chastity in general by preventing what stirs up physical desires. For, the Qur’an recognizes the eternal physical attraction that lies between a woman and a man.
The ayah regarding aurah is within this part:
“Tell believing men to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity. This is most conducive to their purity. God is certainly aware of all that they do. And tell believing women to lower their gaze and to be mindful of their chastity, and not to display their charms except what may ordinarily appear thereof. Let them draw their headcoverings over their bosoms and not display their charms to any but their husbands, or their fathers, or their husbands’ fathers, or their sons, or their husbands’ sons, or their brothers, or their brothers’ sons, or their sisters’ sons, or their womenfolk, or those whom they rightfully possess, or such male attendants as are free of physical desire, or children that are as yet unaware of women’s nakedness. Let them not swing their legs in walking so as to draw attention to their hidden charms. Believers, turn to God inrepentance, so that you may achieve success.” (An-Nur: 30-31)
As you can see above, the Qur’an, in its greatness recognizes the role of BOTH women AND men in the curbing and controlling of sexual desires towards the promotion of a cleaner means of sexual expression. It is the embracing of the above two ayah and the rest that accompanies it by BOTH women AND men, AND the society in general that leads to the avoidance in the occurrences of sex related crimes. JAIS is not wrong in their text. It is the society that has yet to reach the status transpired in the Qur’an.
Meanwhile the tried, tested and failed Freudian method of a completely permissive society, the kind Mdm Chong Ee unintelligently implies by saying that the application of aurah differs from one Islamic thought to another, does not by any means prove that it results in the blunting of sexual desires and thus reduces the number of attacks because it gives a better ‘equality in relationship between perpetrator and victim’.
Just look at the the numbers! United States of America recorded the highest rape crimes reported. The list included Sweden, UK and Germany, countries which are the epitome of equality between gender.
http://therealsingapore.com/content/top-10-countries-highest-rape-crime
In conclusion, it is in your best interest that if you are not in the know, to please go and learn it up… or sit down and shut up. Lest you end up looking like a fool.
Thank you very much.
Dr Siti Nurhayati Adznan
Head of NAZIM, Malacca
Member of Wanita ISMA
