Surat Terbuka untuk Prof. Shad Faruqi

oleh: M Kamal Affandi

Saya terdorong untuk memberi sedikit ulasan ke atas rencana Prof. Emeritus Dr. Shad Faruqi dengan caption yang cukup provokatif ke atas sebuah agensi Islam bernama IKSIM atas  berjudul, “Religious radicalism on the rise” yang disiarkan dalam The Star bertarikh 23 November 2017 apabila beliau dipetik sebagai berkata:

“Islam and cultural diversity: A March 28 booklet by the Malaysian Islamic Research Institute (IKSIM) argues that “secularism, liberalism and cultural diversity are elements that will undermine the Islamic agenda and destroy the country’s sovereignty”. The booklet also states that “although Malaysians can embrace other religious faiths, the country is not duty-bound to protect other religions. It is not possible here to discuss the open-endedness of the terms “secularism” and “liberalism”, but I am shocked to read that “cultural diversity” is seen by IKSIM as a threat to Islam and to our nation. IKSIM’s views paint Islam as a despotic and intolerant religion. In fact, Islam is an intellectual and cultural mansion with many rooms. Doctrinal and cultural diversity existed in Muslim societies even in the days of Prophet Muhammad.”

“Supremacy of the Constitution: The IKSIM booklet challenges the supremacy of the Federal Constitution. It asserts that it is a “misperception” that Islam’s status is lower than that of the Constitution. It states, “The Constitution has stated clearly that Islam is the religion of the Federation and is therefore one of the country’s most supreme laws.”

“Most respectfully, this is a revolutionary view of the place of Islam in the constitutional setup of the land. Indeed, Islam has an exalted position under Article 3(1) as the religion of the Federation. However, IKSIM adroitly avoids or evades Article 3(4) which says that “nothing in this Article derogates from any other provision of this Constitution. Islamic principles and laws apply only in 24 areas (mostly of family law) permitted to the states under Schedule 9, List II, Para 1.”


Oleh yang demikian, saya juga ada suatu pesanan untuk disampaikan kepada Prof. Shad:


With all due respect, my learned Professor, and much to my amusement too, I was dumbfounded and shocked to read your comments as published in The Star. I could not believe such a respected Law Professor Emeritus like your goodself could have slipped and attacked IKSIM wrongly without any basis at all. Kindly be informed that, after thorough reading of the said 28th March 2017 IKSIM’s brochure, there wasn’t any mention of “cultural diversity” (kepelbagaian budaya) at all! It was most probable that someone had whispered to you or perhaps you were  coerced by another party (without checking the content of the exact brochure) to view IKSIM as such and against “cultural diversity” in our multi-racial and diverse Malaysia.


It’s true that part of IKSIM’s struggle is against the spread of liberalism, secularism and pluralism in Malaysia (please read here in the exact meaning and context of the terms used) as advertised in their website. This is where the learned professor had erred and my sympathy goes to him. May he realize his mistake and dutifully withdraw his statement. That would suffice unless IKSIM wants to take him for a legal battle.


IKSIM ditubuhkan hujung tahun 2014 dengan perkenan Majlis Raja-Raja (lihat website IKSIM dalam  http://iksim.my/iksim/index.php?r=portal/index&id=aGxLVk9BVlJCZ01OMHpDcjkrdmVqdz09). IKSIM menjalankan aktiviti pengkajian mengenai pelbagai isu berkaitan kedaulatan Islam dalam negara termasuk mempertahan unsur-unsur Islam dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan, khususnya di bawah Perkara 3(1) dan Perkara 37 berkaitan Sumpah Jawatan Yang DiPertuan Agong untuk melindungi dan memelihara Islam dalam negara paada setiap masa.

  Untuk memberi keadilan kepada IKSIM, jika kita merujuk kepada program TRAPI anjuran IKSIM, kita akan dapat membaca dengan jelas bahawa di bawah huruf “A” sebagai abbreviation daripada kata “T-R-A-P-I” dihubung-kaitkan dengan maksud: “Awas, sekularisme, liberalisme dan pluralisme adalah agenda penghakis akidah Islam dalam meruntuhkan kedaulatan negara.”

Oleh yang demikian, kita ingin bertanya: dari mana datangnya “cultural diversity” yang diterjemahkan oleh Prof. Shad tersebut?  Sayang sekali, Prof Shad berlaku silap kali ini dan kesipalan itu membawa impak yang sanagt besar ke atas IKSIM.  Dia menerjah IKSIM di atas maklumat yang salah.  Ini satu kesilapan yang amat memalukan bagi seorang professor undang-undang perlembagaan tersohor sepertinya.

Semoga IKSIM dapat terus bergerak menyebarkan advokasi dan peranannya membangkitkan kesedaran pemimpin dan rakyat mengenai kedudukan Islam dalam perlembagaan.  Program TRAPI dan DIAN (Daulatkan Islam sebagai Agama Negara)  IKSIM amat diperlukan demi mengembalikan hak umat Islam yang terjamin dalam perlembagaan daripada dinodai dan dirobek oleh warga yang bukan sahaja cepat lupa, tetapi juga yang tidak tahu berterima kasih menikmati kesejateraan hidup di bumi pemilik asalnya – warga Melayu-Islam.