KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 12 (Bernama) — The Malaysian Institute of Islamic Understanding (IKIM), established on Feb 18, 1992, is a think tank that strives to enhance Islamic understanding among Muslims and non-Muslims.
As its third director-general, Dr Syed Ali Tawfik Al-Attas has set out to further improve IKIM’s standard and achievements at the national and international levels.
The following is Bernama reporter Rosliwaty Ramly’s exclusive interview with Dr Syed Ali on issues involving the ummah and IKIM’s vital role in correcting misinformation about Islam.
1. YOU HAVE PREVIOUSLY STRESSED THAT ISLAM HADHARI IS ACTUALLY A POLITICAL APPROACH. CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THIS?
Islam Hadhari is actually a political approach. In my opinion, if we look at the originator of this idea who is our Prime Minister (PM), he is the master manager or the country’s main administrator.
Therefore, if we refer and scrutinise the term administration, it is more towards this direction. Our PM is looking far beyond that. Obviously, the objective is to bring good.
Hence, we have to ask what is the objective. From the very beginning, PM has lectured at great lengths on his objective in his speeches at national-level conferences or among international circles.
As far as I can see he has three elements.
First, on the knowledge where he is trying to re-establish some kind of intellectual tradition.
Second, the human capacity development and third is the economic factor. But the last two, depend on the first one, on the intellectual tradition and dynamism.
Therefore, if we know what is the objective, the next question is on the approach towards that objective or what is the way to achieve this objective. The answer is, through the Islam Hadhari approach.
It is up to the government to define this Islam Hadhari. Islam Hadhari is like a map. If the map is not written clearly or worded in the language that can be fully understood, how can we expect people to understand it.
For this reason, Islam Hadhari cannot be anything else but a political approach. We already know the objective and the political approach is meant for the government. It refers to good governance. A form of civilised administration.
PM has explained that this is Malaysia’s political strategy and can be expanded, particularly to the Third World countries.
This is because the Islam Hadhari approach focuses on understanding and resolving current issues based on the Islamic framework, hence there is nothing wrong if other nations including non-Muslim ones accept the Islamic approach to resolve problems in their political situation.
And as Muslims believe that Islam is wholesome and complete, for any problem that you are facing, the answer can be found either in the Quran, Sunnah or through Islamic history.
That is why IKIM has clarified that Islam Hadhari is an effort to identify issues and find solutions according to the Islamic views.
The PM has already endorsed our understanding on the Islam Hadhari approach.
So, if someone is saying that PM has lost control, that’s not really the case. We are looking at the approach and the PM is not the micro-manager where it is not within his capacity to be at every place every time.
As such, Islam Hadhari cannot be a religious approach. Islam is Islam. There is no such thing like liberal Islam or modern Islam versus the old Islam. Islam is a reality.
The Islam Hadhari approach actually refers to Muslims and not the religion. In other words, it is more on progress of Muslims and does not refer to the religion.
Many are confused. There are those who said, there is no such thing as Islam Hadhari.
That is true as there are no varieties of Islam. Islam is only one. That is what IKIM has tried to explain.
2. WHAT IS IKIM’S MOVE TO EXPLAIN THE ISLAM HADHARI APPROACH TO THE PUBLIC?
We are taking problems that we see, existing issues and suggest solutions according to the Islamic framework within the scope of knowledge.
If we do not know, we will direct attention to those who know.
3. ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH IKIM’S ROLE IN EXPLAINING THE ISLAM HADHARI APPROACH?
Yes, I am satisfied with IKIM’s role all this while. For one-and-a-half years, I am satisfied explaining the Islam Hadhari approach and the second half of 2005 was also spent on explaining this approach.
In 2006, we were also doing the same thing. We had already explained sufficiently. It’s up to those who are charged or tasked with writing this map, whether to adopt or reject our conclusion. We have done our job. If they reject, they have to show why.
4. HOW FAR IS IKIM’S ACHIEVEMENT IN THIS ISSUE?
This approach is not specific on one particular problem, but more on existing issues. Therefore, IKIM focuses on existing issues. No point microscoping problems elsewhere but neglecting major issues that are confronting us.
5. WHAT IS IKIM’S EFFORT TO CORRECT THE PERCEPTION ON ISLAM?
Actually I think the non-Muslims, they are really not that confused about Islam. It’s the Muslims themselves that make the non-Muslims confused. I don’t think the non-Muslims have problems with the religion.
Most of the issues that cropped out, like the case of A. Rayappan, is not on religion. It is more on the Islamic society’s administration and management.
6. THE MOVE TO IMPROVE UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM SHOULD ALSO BE DONE FOR MUSLIMS, AND NOT ONLY FOR NON-MUSLIMS. WHAT IS YOUR COMMENT?
I agree. In fact, the one that we should emphasise is understanding of Islam for Muslims themselves.
What I can see now is that we have made issues out of everything. Look at the halal issue. Why now suddenly it has become so difficult?
People who are not well-versed in “halal and haram” are allowed to air their views. For example, there are those who say if it tastes like pork, then it is haram. This is highly ridiculous.
This view is not only narrow but it is a case of ignorance. How can we say that? You must make your judgment based on experience and knowledge.
They have wrongly interpreted the religion until everything is placed under “halal and haram”. Islam is universal. It is not only for all but in everything, we should know on relation between mankind and Allah and the relation between mankind and the universe.
If Islam is limited to “halal and haram”, it means we have narrowed our understanding of the religion. It is not to be, as this is not Islam’s objective as Islam aims to widen a person’s knowledge and not to narrow it.
The same goes to controlling the “halal” market. Do not allow non-Muslims to manage it as their focus is only on profit. Their ultimate goal is profit-making.
As an institute on Islamic understanding, our task is to provide and improve understanding of Islam among society. It is only proper for Islam to be fully and correctly explained to avoid us from being influenced by trivial matters like what is frequently raised by others.
IKIM is out to assist government agencies and it is not our aim to ridicule or label them as lacking understanding.
7. WHAT IS THE MAJOR PROBLEM CONFRONTING MUSLIMS NOW?
The biggest problem as far as we are concerned is the corruption of knowledge. In the bigger sense of the word, it means that, supposing, we have an individual who establishes an intellectual tradition or school of thought and supposing that, we critisise, insult and make him angry and completely ignore his intellectual tradition or school of thought, what will happen is that people will not know his contributions as the knowledge that this person has brought forth has been hidden from us.
When you do that, you are actually doing a big sin in Islam and the punishment is very grave indeed. Corruption of knowledge happens in this country. The one that has brought truth, clarity and resolve, you keep that one hidden, instead you put up another person and this does not lead to clarity but rather leads to falsehood, corruption and confusion.
The solution is we have to explain the truth and follow the road of truth based on sound and valid arguments, knowledge and wisdom.
8. WHAT IS IKIM’S AGENDA FOR 2007?
For 2007, IKIM has outlined several programmes covering 12 seminars on various aspects like science and technology, nutrition, environment, fatwa and mufti issue as well as human capital. Three workshops to be handled by IKIM’s Consultation and Training Centre will also be on the agenda.
9. WHAT IS YOUR HOPE?
That, we once again emulate the tradition of learning which the Islamic civilisation and Islamic world in general can be proud of. We bring forth and highlight contributions of those who really have brought truth and clarity. We know what “amanah” means, the trust we have been given will result in truth.
Our job is not easy. We are faced with many who are perhaps not in agreement with what we say. Some say we are too harsh. I dont think we are harsh. Only those who are sensitive think that way.
— BERNAMA