KUALA LUMPUR, March 5 — Popular Islamic preacher Datuk Mohammad Kazim Elias complained against Perlis Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin for excluding him from a forum in the state, calling the action “hasty and shameful”.

In response, the newly-returned mufti said his disagreement was personal and internal matter, arising from Kazim previously citing a dubious tale of Prophet Muhammad serving his guests roti jala and curry, a predominantly Malay dish.

“I was informed about the cancellation of my invitation to the event two weeks ago, but I did not want to publicise this matter to preserve their dignity,” Kazim said, as quoted by Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia.

“But, with the spread of the letter, I regret this injustice. I was not given a chance to answer the allegation.”

Yesterday, a copy of a letter from Mohd Asri was spread online, in which the mufti disagreed with Kazim’s inclusion in a forum in May in conjunction with the Perlis Sultan’s birthday, allegedly because the preacher was involved with the spread of “dubious tales”.

Mohd Asri then defended himself on his official Facebook page, attaching a copy of a book in which Kazim related the roti jala tale.

“After this, there might be those who label me as the spreader of false hadith, and I will not be invited to hold lectures,” Kazim said today, referring to the collection of sayings and practices attributed to Muhammad.

According to Kazim, he had only used the roti jala example as an analogy for his Malay audience, whereas Muhammad had served his guests with Arabic bread and a mutton dish.

In another report by Utusan, Mohd Asri said that the letter did not mean that Kazim was banned from preaching in the state.

“[This action] is consistent with the intellectual needs and the society itself to ensure the tales are genuine,” Mohd Asri added in a statement.

Last month, Kazim was thrust into headlines after a six-year-old clip, in which the popular Islamic preacher asks “who’s the master, who’s the slave”, resurfaced on YouTube.

In the video just over an hour-long, Kazim berated Malaysia’s ethnic Chinese and Indians for having fun drinking and dancing in clubs while the Malays worked hard for the country as soldiers, police officers, firefighters, and cleaners.