RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS CRITICISE MISUSE OF 'QUNUT NAZILAH' IN PARLIAMENT

KUALA LUMPUR, July 19 (Bernama) -- The action of opposition MPs reading the Qunut Nazilah prayer after Machang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal was suspended from attending the Dewan Rakyat for six months has been criticised by religious scholars as making a mockery of the practice.

A scholar from the International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Dr Abu Hafiz Salleh Hudin, said that the opposition's use of Qunut Nazilah was alarming as it deviated from the original purpose of the prayer.

"When the Qunut Nazilah was read in Parliament after the suspension of the Machang MP, to whom was the prayer directed? Was it intended for fellow Muslims?

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"Are other Muslims considered enemies of Islam? This raises concerns," he said when contacted by Bernama here today.

Abu Hafiz, who is a Senior Lecturer at the IIUM’s Department of Qur'an and Sunnah Studies, Kulliyyah of Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, said the actions of the MPs should be taken seriously due to their impact on society.

According to Abu Hafiz, the misuse of Qunut Nazilah has not only occurred in Parliament, but has also been seen in other contexts, such as when a school rugby team recited the prayer to defeat their opponents.

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Yesterday, opposition MPs recited the Qunut Nazilah in Parliament after Wan Ahmad Fayhsal was suspended from attending the Dewan Rakyat for six months.

Meanwhile, PKR’s Department of Religious Understanding and Strengthening director Amidi Abdul Manan said equating political rivalry between parties with the Prophet Muhammad's (SAW) and Muslims' enmity with the polytheists of Makkah reflects narrow-minded political fanaticism.

He explained that the Qunut Nazilah was recited by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) during the Battle of Ahzab, where Muslim forces were fighting against the disbelievers.

"Islam should be the foundation of politics, not only in terms of faith and law but also in practicing noble character.

"Do not use Islam as a tool to gain political support," he said.

Meanwhile, former Pahang mufti Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Osman said all parties should consult religious scholars to understand the proper use of Qunut Nazilah to ensure it was not misused.

He explained that the Qunut Nazilah was used during times of war, such as during the time of Prophet Muhammad (SAW), when Muslims fought against non-believers seeking to destroy Islam.

"What was done in Parliament does not follow the ‘sunnah’ (sayings and practices of Prophet Muhammad). Only by following the sunnah can one receive rewards (blessings)," he said.

-- BERNAMA