IPOH, March 12 — The Mufti of Perak, Tan Sri Dr Harussani Zakaria said the state will gazette a fatwa concerning the terrorist organisation called The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

He said the fatwa was created after the 106th conference of the National Fatwa Committee on Islamic Religious Affairs last Oct 21 and 22 on issues concerning Malaysian Muslims fighting in the name of ISIS.

“The fatwa which was created on Feb 23 would be presented to the Sultan of Perak (Sultan Nazrin Shah) before it is gazetted. Once it is agrred upon by the Sultan, we will send it to the Legal Advisor for drafting and presented again to the Sultan for his signature before it is gazetted,” he told reporters at the Kompleks Islam Darul Ridzuan, yesterday.

Harussani said ISIS was not approved by all Muslims because it was not an Islamic struggle but that of a criminal group who might only be using the Islamic name to seek influence to support the group.

“In his lifetime, the prophet himself had prohibited the killing of the elderly, children, women and those people who were in the temples, churches or other houses of worship in times of war.

“They can be captured but cannot be killed...but what we see is directly the opposite of the teachings of Islam that is being committed by ISIS,” he said while urging parents and students to understand the real meaning of ISIS and not to be hasty in fighting in the name of Islam and pursuing martyrdom.

In another development, Dr Harussani reminded missionaries and religious speakers to follow the correct method when preaching instead of inserting too much humour and that they should be based on the Al-Quran and practices of the Prophet.

He said a new trend was now emerging when delivering religious knowledge whether on television, radio, at public gatherings, social websites, YouTube and so on by singing, entertaining, and using humour to gain popularity and issuing deviationist fatwa.

Harussani said it was now becoming a trend where a missionary became an entertainer or became famous based on the individual’s singing ability such as the ‘Bollywood’ artistes and so on when delivering their religious knowledge.

He also reminded that missionaries wishing to preach the Islamic religion in Perak must seek permission from the Perak Mufti’s Office as required by government gazette. — Bernama