Religious minister: Observe proper etiquette, respect burial grounds
In a Facebook post tonight, Mohd Na'im said Muslims are encouraged to visit the graves to remind them about the reality of death, deepen spiritual reflection and pray for the deceased soul, not for purposes that could lead to acts of shirk (associating partners with God) or superstition.
"I have followed news reports about certain individuals allegedly taking soil from the grave of Nurly Shahirah Azman in the belief that it brings blessings. Such action is deplorable and goes against the principles of Islamic faith,' he said.
He reminded Muslims to be cautious in their practices and not to follow actions that have no basis in Islamic law, especially those that could lead to beliefs or behaviours that contradict tenets of the Islamic faith.
Mohd Na'im stressed that the act of taking soil from a grave and applying it to one's face with the belief that it brings blessings or possesses certain powers violates the boundaries of Islamic law.
"I support the firm yet respectful approach taken by Nurly Shahirah's family in handling this issue, as well as the efforts of the religious authorities in monitoring burial grounds. This is in line with the government's ongoing efforts to combat superstitious practices and strengthen the Islamic faith among Muslims in the country,' he said.
He called on Muslims to pray for Nurly Shahirah's soul to be blessed with mercy and that her family be granted strength and patience in facing this trial.
According to media reports, Nurly Shahirah's family was forced to put up a barrier around her grave at the Kampung Gong Pasir Muslim Cemetery in Kerandang, Terengganu, following actions by certain individuals who engaged in acts of shirk and superstition at the site.
Nurly Shahirah, 23, a hafizah (Quran memoriser), was one of the 15 Universiti Perguruan Sultan Idris (UPSI) students who perished in a tragic bus accident in Gerik early this month. — Bernama
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
28 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Cabinet agrees to act against ‘irresponsible politicians', says minister
Science, technology and innovation minister Chang Lih Kang criticised an 'irresponsible politician' for stoking tensions during the Merdeka month and for bullying. PETALING JAYA : The Cabinet decided yesterday to have firm action taken against 'irresponsible politicians' inciting sentiments over the recent Jalur Gemilang controversy, according to federal minister Chang Lih Kang. Chang, who is minister for science, technology and innovation, said Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and other ministers were 'very concerned' that the issue would dampen public enthusiasm for National Day. Referring to reports of a police investigation regarding the controversy, he said: 'We shall wait and see whether anyone will eventually be charged in court,' Malaysiakini reported him as saying in a speech in Klang today. In a video on social media, Chang took further shots at an 'irresponsible politician' for stoking tensions during the Merdeka month. 'It's not only irresponsible, it is an act of bullying. Everyone knows who I am talking about.' His remarks appeared to be about Umno Youth chief Dr Akmal Saleh, who led a group to a hardware shop in Penang after its owner was reported to have accidentally hung the national flag upside down. 'We are a nation and society governed by the rule of law. If there is a problem, lodge a police report and let the authorities take action. 'You are not an enforcement agency. You cannot just bring a group of people to someone's shop, disrupt their business and bully them,' Chang said.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
We have become overly sensitive as a nation
Fewer flags are flying in front of homes this year although this is August – Merdeka month. And we have to thank some of our politicians and social media activists for it. People are saying that it is better to not fly the flag than for someone to find fault and lodge a police report against them. I was at a function recently and a couple of elderly gentlemen shook their heads in response to the posturing and arguments over a recent case of a shopkeeper mistakenly flying the national flag upside down. 'What's wrong with these guys? We should be celebrating the flag. We should be encouraging people to fly the flag, not put fear into them so that they prefer not to fly the flag,' one of them said. Another said: 'It's a voluntary act to show our loyalty to the nation and to celebrate Malaya's independence from Britain but if this is going to cause me a problem, I'd rather not fly the flag. I will show my loyalty in other ways.' I can understand why many Malaysians are upset when a flag is flown upside down. They see it as disrespecting the nation. They rightly argue that after 68 years every Malaysian should know how to fly the flag. If it is intentional, the law must take its course; but we must remember that people do make mistakes. And we have to make allowances for that. In the 1960s and 1970s, if such a mistake had been made, people would just point it out and then move on. I have personally seen, sometime in the early-seventies, a man telling a shopkeeper that the national flag outside his shop was upside down. The shopkeeper looked surprised and quickly went to set it right, thanking the man in the process. The passer-by smiled and cycled off. There was no acrimony, no accusation of disloyalty, no police report. Then again, we were not as divided as we are today and politicians were generally more responsible. And we had no social media. Today, if someone has a flag that is flying upside down, he is accused of being disloyal, even a traitor to the nation, and a police report is lodged against him. And the police, who should spend their time fighting crime and keeping the streets safe, have to expend manpower and resources just to investigate this report. Today, even simple, innocuous remarks can be misunderstood and given a racial or religious tint; even statements of fact can be seen as an affront to this or that group. We tend to see almost everything with racially or religiously tinted lenses. We tend to view almost every act or remark with suspicion. As someone who has experienced life in the 1960s and 1970s, I feel that people today are overly sensitive, especially in matters related to race and religion. In those days, Malaysians were interested in resolving issues. If a flag was upside down, they would inform the person who had put up the flag to rectify the mistake. If someone had inadvertently made a remark or done something that hurt the feeling of some community or other, he would be forgiven if he sincerely apologised. But then again, people were not as hurt by remarks in those days. Today, it appears, many are more interested in looking like champions than in seeking solutions. In the process, Malaysians are growing further apart. I feel especially sad because this is Merdeka month – a period when we should focus on building bridges and coming closer together as a nation. The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.
Barnama
3 hours ago
- Barnama
Yayasan Taqwa-MAIWP Channels RM50,000 To Upgrade Surau At-Taqwa In Janda Baik
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 16 (Bernama) -- Yayasan Taqwa of the Federal Territories Islamic Religious Council (MAIWP) has channelled RM50,000 to upgrade Surau At-Taqwa in Kampung Chemperoh, Janda Baik, Pahang. Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Dr Mohd Na'im Mokhtar said the assistance would be used for repair works at the surau for the villagers' benefit. 'I personally inspected the surau and took note of the needs that will be addressed with this fund. 'Hopefully, the upgrades will make the surau more comfortable and conducive, while upholding the syiar of Islam in this village,' he said in a statement today. Earlier, he presented a mock cheque to the surau management. Mohd Naim also visited Ma'ahad An-Noer, a centre for higher Islamic and Al-Quran studies founded by Syeikh Muhammad Nuruddin Marbu Al-Banjari Al-Makki. He said the ma'ahad played a key role in producing Islamic scholars and huffaz (Quran memorisers), who are valuable assets to the ummah. In support of this noble effort, Mohd Naim also approved immediate assistance of RM20,000 to help implement the educational programmes and activities planned by the ma'ahad. 'It is hoped that this contribution will strengthen the role of Ma'ahad An-Noer in educating the younger generation in religious knowledge, fostering appreciation of the Quran, and developing leadership based on Islamic values.
