Hadi, you can’t force everyone to obey your religious rules

Hadi’s open letter: Give Islamic approach a chance

Kim Quek: PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang has released an open letter asking why certain non-Muslims are attempting to impose the ideologies of westerners such as Karl Marx and Adam Smith instead of embracing their own respective religions.

He also asked non-Muslims to give the Islamic approach a chance, and concluded his letter by arguing that only Islamic principles can resolve problems such as corruption and “all other wrongs”.

This statement by Hadi seems so surreal and so detached from reality. To him, anyone against his own personal interpretation and personal pursuit of Islam is considered anti-Islam and anti-constitution.

Whereas, in truth, it is him who is anti-Constitution by trying to bring this country under Islamic rule, which clearly contradicts the letters and spirit of the federal constitution, which has been the rock foundation of this nation ever since Independence six decades ago.

Pardon me for saying this, but a religious bigot and idealist like Hadi should not be in politics, least of all, the leader of a political party. PAS has no future, as long as Hadi continues to lead.

Ian2003: This is a letter full of conflicting statements. When saying that Islam does not compel, yet it does not compromise – this is a conflict in itself.

So, please don’t blame non-Muslims for distrusting your brand of Islam. We non-Muslims have always regarded Islam as a religion which propagates peace and harmony, but the followers of the religion do not necessarily practice those values, in particular those who follow your brand of Islam.

Hang Babeuf: This is the sequence of Hadi’s logic.

First statement: “Do not forget that Muslims accepted a multi-ethnic society without religious coercion and (guaranteed) religious rights in accordance with the Federal Constitution.”

Second statement: “All Malaysians must respect other constitutional provisions such as Islam’s position in Malaysia, the constitutional monarchy, the national language, bumiputera rights and the rights protecting others.”

And yet, here is his third statement: “The requirements in the Quran supersede that of the constitution.”

A friend points out: the doctrine of “toleration/tolerance” evolved out of a principled concern to uphold the rights of religious minorities; in Malaysia. as Hadi and others now argue, it must be redirected, on political grounds, towards strengthening the religious rights of the majority.

The result: the minorities must become more tolerant of, display greater tolerance towards, the religious demands of the majority than the majority is prepared to be of the religious concerns of the minorities.

Doctrinal perversion and philosophical confusion reign here in Bolehland.

Clever Voter: Imposing something so drastic such as cutting off limbs and allowing rapists to marry their victims – these are horror stories.

Yet, these are a glimpse of things to come when Islamic fundamentalists have their way. The rule of law can be subjective and inconsistent.

Hadi is a politician and an opportunist. Kelantan is not a model state. How do you expect support when, fundamentally, there are flaws and inconsistencies even in his speeches and opinions?

Blogsmith: Hadi, you have to understand the concerns of non-Muslims. While it is claimed that Islam does not interfere with the rights of non-Muslims, the problem of unilateral conversions of juveniles in the case of divorce of Muslims and non-Muslims shows that Islamic law does intrude upon the rights of non-Muslims.

Vgeorgemy: Our opposition is only towards a certain brand of politics conducted in the name of religion.

This brand of politics has no issue with name-calling and judging those who are committed to an internationally-accepted value system such as that inspired by Marxist ideology. Anyone who calls for more governance and less government becomes the product of Adam Smith.

Under whatever circumstances, we will not surrender our rights enshrined in our beloved Constitution to a brand of politics based on falseness, hate, and divisiveness.

Democrat: Hadi, don’t tell us that only one religion can curb corruption. All religions abhor corruption. All religions preach tolerance and doing good. It’s human beings who corrupt absolutely. Corruption has no religion, no colour.

You are condoning an alleged kleptocrat and his corrupt leadership. And you want us to give you a chance?

We gave PAS a chance in 2008 and 2013. But you bungled it by dancing with the wolves after that. Goodbye, PAS. We just want to see you walk into the sunset, never to return.

Anonymous 2413381470634342: Hadi, the PM is allegedly involved in money laundering and corruption. Read the international news. A few people are in jail because of 1MDB, yet you say Muslims will prevent corruption.

But PM and the rest are all Muslims and allegedly corrupt. Being a Muslim does not help.

Anonymous 2457571486440266: Hadi, the only problem is that your approach is irrelevant to the world today.

It will not produce anything new and revolutionary that hasn’t already been tried and tested. It doesn’t work to force everybody in this world to follow one set of rules that you subscribe to, due to the simple fact that the world is not homogeneous.

You do not seem to comprehend this one simple fact, and that makes you unfit to be any kind of leader. So, change your approach or give up politics.

Anonymous_1388029052: Hadi, other than Islam, what acknowledgement do you have in other areas? Tell us, what proposals or suggestions does your party have to improve the economic well-being of Malaysians?

How does PAS propose to create more jobs, bring in foreign direct investment, uplift our educational standards? Have you suggested any creative and innovative ideas to Najib to improve the skills of the rakyat?

We would be willing to listen to all these suggestions.

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