KUALA LUMPUR – “Rehabilitation” of those deemed as religious deviants or immoral Muslims will only bear fruit if the individuals themselves have the intention to change, according to Penang Mufti Datuk Seri Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor.
Speaking to Scoop, the cleric said this when asked about the Johor government’s plans to establish a rehabilitation centre aimed at addressing religious deviancy and to assist LGBT individuals.
While it remains to be seen how admissions to the centre will be conducted, Wan Salim cautioned that forceful admittance might result in the state government achieving little to no progress towards its supposed aim of refining religious understandings.
“It should be emphasised that efforts to improve one’s akhlak (conduct) mostly depend on personal initiatives. The government or any other party that wishes to aid such people can only provide an environment which would ease the recovery process.
“Forcing a person who is found to be deviant in terms of their religious or moral beliefs will not be effective as long as the individuals in question do not have the will to change their own behaviour,” Wan Salim said.
He also pointed to how the Quran outlines that there is no compulsion on adhering to teachings of the religion.
This, he said, is because forcing religious precepts onto others will merely result in the proliferation of hypocrites (munafik) who “pretend” to uphold Islamic principles in public but are, in reality, unconvinced of the religion’s truth.
“As such, a person forced to enter a rehabilitation centre will not sincerely attempt to change how they have deviated from the path of truth and work towards being a better person.
“Instead, there must be a genuine determination to immediately repent to Allah,” Wan Salim added.
He also said the effectiveness of Johor’s rehabilitation centre also hinges on the participation of multiple authorities.
“A comprehensive approach must be taken (in regards to the rehabilitation centre), which will require the involvement and cooperation of numerous parties and experts in fields such as psychology, religion, education and the media.”
Meanwhile, senior lawyer Nizam Bashir posited that state authorities should not be so quick to forget how “introspection and repentance” also has its place in Islamic theology.
“Some things and objectives can be achieved in far gentler ways, such as through persuasion, reason and an invitation to contemplate upon the infinite beauty and majesty of Quranic verses,” the shariah expert said, when contacted by Scoop.
“In fact, this approach is similarly exhorted to in the Quran itself,” he added, referencing verse 125 of Surah An-Nahl on calling people to the way of Allah with “wisdom and goodly exhortation” while reasoning with them in the best manner possible.
He also cited verse 99 and 100 of Surah Yunus which touches on how no one can be made to believe in Islam except by Allah’s leave and Allah lays abomination on those who do not use their understanding and conduct. – December 4, 2023