Muslim NGO rues threats for handing out Quran

 The Mask: Multiracial Reverted Muslims (MRM) president Firdaus Wong Wai Hung, are you trying to get the non-Muslims into trouble?

You know very well that non-Muslims are not allowed to use the word “Allah”, as well as a dozen of other words contained in the Quran. So by distributing the holy book, are you trying to entrap them?

Please clarify this point first before you continue your ‘free distribution of Quran’ mission.

Many, including myself, would like to read books, including religious books, so as to further our knowledge, but not under the present circumstance in this country. To put it bluntly, my fear of people like you prevent me from going anywhere near you.

Where is Justice: Yes, there is always an element of ‘fear’ among non-Muslims with anything associated with the Quran.

The government is to be blamed for instilling this fear by not upholding the sanctity and freedom of all religions in this once multiracial country.

Proarte: As long as there is no reciprocity and equality in the treatment of citizens of other faiths and the ridiculous and constitutionally illegal state laws which prohibit the word ‘Allah’ amongst a whole host of other ‘Islamic words’, then distributing the Quran is totally wrong.

Will these Muslims also call for the distribution of books of other faiths amongst the ummah?

Xed: Firdaus Wong said that the MRM office is next door to a church.

There are Muslims who have publicly objected to non-Muslim places of worship being in the vicinity of their homes in apparently Muslim-majority areas (how can such an area be properly defined, by suburb, by district, by state?).

As a Muslim, Wong should have the courage to condemn those of any, yes, any religion which preaches the message of hate and malice against those of other races and religions.

Done: Owning a copy of the Quran doesn’t means he or she has converted to Islam. True. Owning a bible too does not mean that the person has converted to Christianity.

JooGuan: “Obtaining a Quran does not make someone a Muslim,” said MRM.

The same can be said about other religion literature but I don’t remember MRM make a stand when some quarters alleged Islam is under attack when someone was distributing other religious literature.

Hang Tuah: I suggest all religions start distributing their holy books as well so that everyone understands one another’s religions. This is what we call 1Malaysia.

Fairness is all we ask, is this too much?

Myrights: Firdaus Wong, have you not seen Perkasa threatening to burn the bibles? They accuse the Christians for trying to convert Muslims by using Malay-language bibles. So, don’t even say you have no problem with bibles.

Can you guarantee that non-Muslims will not be prosecuted if their children accidentally tore the pages of the Quran? How about pet dogs chewing on the Quran? Can you guarantee there will be no prosecution?

If you can’t, then what you are doing is a form of entrapment, whether it is done maliciously or not.

Hang Babeuf: What if people (politely or cynically) accept the gift of a ‘naskah’ Quran – and then throw it out, dispose of it improperly, in an undignified way?

Once in Jerusalem/Bayt ul-Muqadis I tried to buy a ‘naskah’ Quran at that historic place as a gift for a good, pious Malay-Muslim lady. Without knowing or intending it, I nearly caused a riot – because the book vendor simply would not sell a copy of the Quran to anybody who did not “look right” to him.

He would not do so out of his own profound (and, one must presume, genuine) fear that this odd-looking person (me) was, or might be, buying a copy of the Quran simply to abuse and “menghina” it! So, not so simple, all this…

Odin: Firdaus Wong, one of your placards says “You deserve to know the truth”.

The truth all the holy books contain is elusive. It is so elusive that religious men spend years and years and years reading and rereading and re-rereading and re-re-rereading the books.

If even Muslims who have read the Quran or studied Islam for years and years do not seem to agree among themselves on what the book says, it is the height of stupidity to expect non-Muslims to read it and interpret its passages correctly.

Just one question, Firdaus: Is it alright for other faiths to distribute copies of their holy books to Muslims?

Kawak: The intention of distributing the holy book is to influence people to convert. Period. The same applies the evangelist Christians.

Rick Teo: If Muslims don’t want others to proselytize to Muslims, they should likewise not try to proselytize to non-Malays.

Cinta: If you just want to give the book for free, then the recording of names and particulars are not necessary. If not, you should place those books in your office, only those who think they need the book will approach you.

Recording personal particulars in the name of freebies, but keep the record for ‘future marketing’ purpose is unethical.

Anonymous_408d: It is entirely possible that some people may decide to accept the free copy for fear of “being marked” if they refuse to take it but they may just throw it away after that.

Will they receive death threats or even be arrested for “sedition” if they are seen doing so?

The other worrying thought that comes to mind is that mischief-making elements may use this as an opportunity to create fear and hatred by deliberately trashing the holy book and making it look like it was done by people who were given free copies.

The possibilities are almost endless as to what could go wrong.

Uragt: It is illegal for non-Muslims to use the word ‘Allah’. That means it is illegal to discuss ‘Allah’ with a non-Muslim.

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