Minister urges review after Melaka mosque calligraphy's spelling error of ‘Allah' goes unnoticed for years
After a furore over a mosque in Melaka, Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Religious Affairs) Datuk Mohd Na'im Mokhtar reportedly said it was crucial to verify the source and accuracy of any calligraphy to avoid future issues.
'Mosque and surau committees must take the initiative to verify any calligraphy before displaying it at these premises,' he was quoted saying by Harian Metro.
'There must be an effort to thoroughly check any calligraphy to be displayed, ensuring that it aligns with the Quran and Hadith.'
A mosque in Melaka had reportedly displayed a wrong spelling of the word 'Allah' for the past few years in its interior decoration, but it had gone unnoticed after a Facebook account highlighted the matter.
The calligraphy had spelt the word 'Allah' using three lam characters in the Arabic spelling rather than two.
Mohd Na'im said Melaka's State Executive Councillor for Education, Higher Education and Religious Affairs, Datuk Rahmad Mariman, had also instructed all mosques and suraus in the state to reassess their calligraphy.
He also thanked members of the public for highlighting the mistake but urged that feedback be given respectfully.
'Thank you to those in the community who spoke up to correct the mistake. If the khat is wrong, we correct it,' he said.
'I only ask that we pay attention to how we deliver our feedback. If we see a mistake, there's no need to use insulting or belittling language.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Turun Anwar rally was not a people's movement, says Maria
Former Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah said she did not attend the July 26 protest because it did not appear to represent the wider Malaysian public or any concrete issues. PETALING JAYA : Former Bersih chairman Maria Chin Abdullah has questioned the intent and makeup of the recent Turun Anwar rally, saying it did not reflect the voice of the people and lacked clear demands. While acknowledging the people's right to assemble, Maria said she did not attend the July 26 protest because it did not appear to represent the wider Malaysian public or any concrete issues. 'So my question is: if you want Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to step down, the next step should be to table a vote of no confidence in Parliament but that hasn't been done. 'Anwar just presented the 13th Malaysia Plan but there was no mention of a vote of no confidence. So to be honest, I'm not sure what Turun Anwar was really about,' Maria said at youth-based NGO Mandiri's 10th year celebration of the Tangkap Najib rally. The Tangkap Najib rally, held in Kuala Lumpur, was to urge the resignation of then Prime Minister Najib Razak due to his involvement in the 1MDB scandal. Police presence was heavy, and after about 200 protesters gathered, the police moved in to arrest those refusing to disperse, with around 20 to 29 youths arrested. Maria, a former Petaling Jaya MP, said many of those involved in Turun Anwar were politicians and elected representatives and the rally lacked a unifying cause that should resonate with the majority of Malaysians. 'Of course, they have every right to be on the streets but if we want to build a real movement, it has to come from the rakyat. It has to be based on what they're feeling. What are their issues? 'I didn't go (to the Turun Anwar Rally). And if I were to go, I would want to be clear on what the rally is about. And I would want to see it as a representative of Malaysia. 'I'm not saying we did everything perfectly, but the Bersih movement was reflective not only of Malaysia's diverse, multicultural makeup, it also presented the government at the time with very critical issues,' she added. Mandeep Singh, also a former Bersih chairman, said the effectiveness and messaging of the Turun Anwar rally left much to be desired. 'It's the job of the opposition to bring down your opponent. But what is your demand, actually? What are you asking for? Economic reform?,' he said. 'What are your demands? What are you trying to show? At Tangkap Najib there were activists, students, different civil societies and there were people who had no political interests. It was a people's movement. This one is a political movement, just anti-Anwar,' Mandeep said. Police estimated that around 18,000 people attended the Turun Anwar rally last Saturday, though organisers claimed that more than 200,000 rally-goers were present.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Give addendum same respect as unity govt order, says Najib's son
Nizar Najib said failure to implement the royal order could damage public trust in the government and respect for royal directives. KUALA LUMPUR : The government has been urged by Nizar Najib, son of former prime minister Najib Razak, to accord the same respect and urgency to a royal order on his father's house arrest request as it did to the call that led to the formation of the unity government. 'This issue (of the addendum) has been going on forever. How much longer are we going to drag this out when the decree already exists?' he said at a press conference here today. Nizar, who is Najib's eldest son, said failure to carry out the order could damage public trust and respect for royal directives. 'It's the same as when we honoured the royal decree to form the unity government. No one questioned it and, in fact, everyone supported it. So what's the difference between the decree to form the unity government and the one to implement the addendum?' he said. Last week, Umno president Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government will follow-up on the royal order as soon as possible following legal procedures 'but it depends heavily on the powers of the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, which we must all respect'. The addendum was made to a Pardons Board decision to reduce Najib's sentence of a jail term and fine, and purportedly orders Najib's jail sentence to be served under house arrest. Najib had been convicted of corruption and abuse of power in the SRC International case. The Federal Court was told on July 9 that Attorney-General Dusuki Mokhtar had on July 2 acknowledged the existence of the addendum but was disputing whether it was genuine or valid. At the press conference, Rosmadi Ismail, chairman of the NKB1Msia Club, called on the prime minister to take full responsibility in ensuring the addendum is implemented. He said Najib deserved fair and just treatment under the law as a statesman who had contributed significantly to national development.
Free Malaysia Today
4 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Govt to review UN joint declaration on Hamas, Palestine
Malaysia was asked to sign a joint declaration on Hamas and Palestine following a recent high-level conference at the United Nations, coordinated by Saudi Arabia and France. (AP pic) PETALING JAYA : Malaysia is currently reviewing a United Nations joint declaration to urge Hamas to disarm and relinquish its governance over Gaza, says government spokesman Fahmi Fadzil. Fahmi said the Cabinet had been briefed by foreign minister Mohamad Hasan on the matter following a recent UN high-level conference coordinated by Saudi Arabia and France, Bernama reported. 'Our permanent representative to the UN was asked to review and sign a joint declaration, but the government decided that more time is needed to study it. 'At this point, Malaysia's stance on Palestine has not changed. Our stance is clear. Palestine has the right to exist as a state. We are not looking at any other matters beyond that,' Fahmi told a post-Cabinet press conference. Fahmi Fadzil. On Wednesday, Canada became the third G7 developed nation to announce recognition of Palestine as an independent state as part of a negotiated two-state solution. Britain and France have also announced they would recognise Palestine in September at the UN General Assembly. Fahmi said that Wisma Putra has been given time to review the declaration in full, and the Cabinet has also requested Mohamad to brief the Dewan Rakyat early next week to provide further clarity on the matter. 'That will likely take place between Monday and Wednesday. I believe the minister will provide a more detailed explanation then, but the government's stance remains unchanged,' he said. The UN joint declaration, urging Hamas to disarm and relinquish its governance over Gaza, was signed by 17 countries, including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada. The joint declaration, issued after a UN high-level conference, condemned the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. It also urged Hamas to hand over its weapons to the Palestinian authority as part of a two-state solution framework.
