Some vice activities should not be reported, celebrity preacher says

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 18 ― Do Muslims have an obligation to report on all vice activities they witness to religious authorities? No, according to a celebrity preacher.

Ustaz Azhar Idrus told attendees of the PAS-led Himpunan 355 here, that they must weigh in many factors before telling on someone whom they have seen, or suspect of being involved in vice activities.

“We must first see the mistakes and the individuals who committed them. There are some things that we cannot report, and there are those which we can report. Examples of the ones we can report is when we know of someone who is indulging in activities which is left unreported, it would harm the public.

“If such activities cause someone to lose their property, causes someone to lose their lives. Now that we must report. For example if we know where a group of killers are staying. We know where they live, where they are renting a house and kill many people. Now that we have to report.

“But there are some things for example, even if it is considered maksiat (vice) in the eyes of Allah, we cannot report,” he added.

Azhar said that even if one knows that someone they know of are indulging in such vice activities, he or she must not report such things even to the family members of the person they suspect, as it would only bring about bigger problems.

He was one of the guest speakers at the rally today.

Currently, PAS secretariat predicts attendants to be at 300,000, while police say there are around 20,000 people.

Thousands converged Padang Merbok from 2pm, to show support to PAS president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang’s Private Members Bill, which seeks to amend Syariah Courts (Criminal Jurisdiction) Act 1965 or Act 355, to increase the Shariah Courts powers to pass sentences.

Abdul Hadi is seeking to amend Act 355, aiming to raise the ceiling on Shariah punishments from three years’ imprisonment, six strokes of the cane and an RM5,000 fine to 30 years’ imprisonment, 100 strokes, and an RM100,000 fine.

The rally today is organised by several Muslim NGOs and led by PAS.