The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) has announced that it is reviewing recent remarks made by PAS President Tan Sri Abdul Hadi Awang, who suggested that political victory should take precedence over performing religious pilgrimages such as Umrah and Hajj.
Hadi’s comments, which gained attention following a Perikatan Nasional (PN) event, stirred debate after he urged Muslims in Malaysia to focus on achieving political strength before fulfilling their aspirations to perform the holy pilgrimages. According to reports, the PAS leader justified this view by referring to historical Islamic events, particularly the Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) delayed Umrah due to the Hudaibiyah Treaty, interpreting it as a strategic delay for a greater goal. He argued that ensuring Islam holds political power is more urgent and aligned with the responsibility to establish Islamic governance.
The remarks, however, have prompted concern among religious authorities. In response, JAKIM has initiated a thorough review of the statement in collaboration with the Mufti Department of the Federal Territories and other relevant bodies. The objective of this evaluation is to ensure that the public receives accurate religious guidance and that the significance of Umrah and Hajj is not undermined or misinterpreted.
JAKIM Director-General Datuk Dr. Sirajuddin Suhaimee emphasized that religious matters must be communicated with clarity and care to prevent misunderstandings within the Muslim community. He also noted the importance of reinforcing the true place of the pilgrimage in Islamic practice. The department reiterated that while discussions around the intersection of politics and religion are valid, they must not come at the cost of confusing believers about their fundamental religious obligations.
The agency concluded its statement with a reminder for public figures and religious leaders to exercise caution when addressing sensitive topics related to Islamic teachings. The need for balanced and responsible messaging was underscored to maintain unity and spiritual clarity among Muslims in Malaysia.
Information Source: WOB
Kamran is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact creator@newswav.com.
