BANGI, Feb 16 — A representative from Islamist think tank Malaysian Islamic Strategic Research Institute (Iksim) has reminded Muslim scholars, or ulama, against revisiting or reviewing any previously issued fatwas on transgenders.
At an anti-LGBT forum organised by Muslim students’ coalition Gamis last night, Iksim senior fellow Engku Ahmad Fadzil Engku Ali accused some in the LGBT community and supporters of trying to identify scholars who are seeking popularity by amending fatwas against the transgenders.
“I am giving a general statement that Islamic laws cannot be changed just to please certain groups of people. Religious laws cannot be changed just to cheer some people up, as this will damage the religion. This is my general advice.
“Religious authorities must remain united when it comes to Islamic laws and fatwas issued in the past in order to overcome certain groups,” he said in the forum titled “LGBT: A Chronic Cancer on the Nation”.
Engku Ahmad Fadzil raised his concern at the forum in response to a meeting between civil society Pertubuhan Kesihatan dan Kebajikan Umum Malaysia and Federal Territories mufti Datuk Zulkifli Mohamad yesterday.
During the meeting, Zulkifli had reportedly said religious authorities should revisit a fatwa declaring transgenderism as un-Islamic, adding that there is a difference between “men impersonating women”, and those who were assigned male at birth but identify with the female gender identity.
Despite that, Engku Ahmad Fadzil later stressed that his remark was made generally, and was not directing it specifically to Zulkifli.
“I only read the [news] report. I do not know what transpired in the meeting and what the mufti said.
“I’m merely voicing my worry that there are efforts to change fatwas to suit [LGBT] agenda. This should not happen,” said Engku Ahmad Fadzil, but he did not provide any proof to back his claim.
In Muslim-majority Malaysia, the transgender community continues to face stigma and persecution, with Shariah laws making cross-dressing a religious offence.
