Do not allow Islam to be exploited, abused – Shafie

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SEMPORNA: Muslims must make an effort to ensure that Islam is not exploited and abused by others to kill or kidnap people purportedly in the name of Islam.

Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Haji Apdal, who made the call, said Muslims must uphold the principles of Islam and ensure that they benefit from real Islamic teachings which promote understanding and good virtues to the community and the world and not to be used by others.

“We do not want others to exploit and make use of Islam to justify or ‘halal’ their actions by killing and kidnapping such as what had happened in Sabah in recent times, where they kidnapped people in the name of Islam,”he said yesterday after the Aidiladha prayers at Ar-Rahman mosque here.

Shafie said what was worrying was that the Muslim themselves appeared to be allowing these forms of action when they should not do so as it would tarnish the religion and put it in a bad light.

“There must be a responsibility for our own religion and Muslims must take pride and honour the religion itself. Do not allow Islam to be exploited, to be used by others for their own purpose, their own agenda,”he said.

Shafie added what had given Islam a bad name was the violence that was perpetrated, and the kidnapping all purportedly in name of Islam.

“In actual fact, Islam does not condone kidnapping. If Muslims were to allow for these vile actions to happen, then it could be interpreted that this religion is a religion of violence and evil,”he said.