Selangor has recently become the second state to issue a fatwa declaring Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH) as an organization promoting deviant teachings. According to the Selangor Royal Office, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah approved the state fatwa committee's decision on September 30. The fatwa committee expressed that they are convinced GISBH’s leaders, followers, and members continue to practice teachings rooted in the Darul Arqam group, which was banned in 1994.
“The committee expressed satisfaction and conviction that the leaders, followers, employees or members of GISB and its affiliates have been and are still practising ‘Aurad Muhammadiah’ or ‘Zikir Agung’, promoted by the Darul Arqam group. This practice was previously declared deviant from the true Islamic faith according to Gazette No. 54, published on Feb 4, 1993,” the Selangor Royal Office said through a Facebook post on the 3rd of October 2024.
Selangor’s declaration comes after Perlis became the first state to issue a similar fatwa. Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin explained that the ruling was based on solid evidence, highlighting that GISBH’s esoteric, or "batiniah," elements are a continuation of the banned Al-Arqam ideology. The committee concluded that GISBH promotes a cult-like devotion to its leaders, elevating them to a status akin to the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and attributing them with near-divine knowledge.
But just how deviant are the teachings and practices of this cult? A recent post by the Pusat Kajian Ajaran Sesat (PUKAS) revealed that members of GISBH believe in transferring the power of blessings... through the air. As many already know, the GISBH congregation is indoctrinated to be fanatically devoted to their leader. Every part of the leader's body and personal remnants are considered blessed, and in the case of their current leader, Nasiruddin Ali, the same reverence applies.
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020 and the Movement Control Order (MCO) was enforced, members were unable to physically seek blessings from the leader due to movement restrictions. In response, Nasiruddin introduced a new practice, never before seen in GISBH — transferring the power of blessings through the air. The GISBH Advisory Board, together with Nasiruddin, would serve as transmitters by raising their hands to the sky, while other members acted as receivers, lifting their hands to catch the leader’s blessings from afar.
The act of raising hands to the sky to "transfer the power of blessings" reminds me of the Spirit Bomb from Dragon Ball. If you're not familiar with this childhood anime that many of us grew up watching, the main character, Goku, uses a move called the Spirit Bomb. This technique involves him gathering large amounts of energy from surrounding life forms and inanimate objects and then channeling it into a massive sphere with immense destructive power. To do this, Goku first raises his hands and asks people around the world to lend him their energy—much like the gesture practiced by the GISBH cult.
Another post by PUKAS reveals that the GISBH cult believes their leader can bless food with his breath. Nasiruddin Ali, known to members as 'Tuan CEO,' has positioned himself within the congregation as a great wali (Muslim saint) tasked with preparing the way for Imam Mahdi. As mentioned earlier, every part of his body is believed to carry blessings, including his breath. The post even includes pictures of ‘Tuan CEO’ appearing to blow air onto uncooked seafood like fish and prawns. There’s also a glass of water in the scene, and one can only hope it’s not meant for him to drink and then spit onto the seafood to 'bless' it.
Amusingly, in one of the photos, a GISBH cult member can be seen in the background pinching his nose, seemingly reacting to the unpleasant smell of ‘Tuan CEO’s’ breath. The irony is hard to miss—while others revere his every action as sacred, this member appears visibly uncomfortable with the so-called "blessing." It adds an almost comical layer to the otherwise bizarre scene, highlighting the absurdity of the situation. For a ritual supposedly filled with reverence, the image of someone recoiling from the leader’s breath is striking.
As we peel back the layers of GISBH’s practices, the question arises: how far can a leader’s influence stretch before it crosses into dangerous territory? From the bizarre act of "blessing" food with breath to the fantastical notion of transferring power through the air, it becomes clear that blind devotion can blur the line between faith and manipulation. What happens when the unquestioning reverence of a leader distorts spiritual teachings beyond recognition? As more states recognize GISBH’s practices as deviant, one must wonder—how long will it take before others begin to see through the façade? The real challenge lies not just in exposing the truth, but in encouraging those trapped in such systems to reclaim their sense of reason.
Aaron Colt 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!
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