இஸ்லாமிலிருந்து மதம் மாற மலேசிய பள்ளி ஆசிரியைக்கு அனுமதி மறுப்பு

கமரையா அலி என்ற மலேசிய பள்ளி ஆசிரியை இஸ்ளாமை விட்டு விலகி ஆயா பின் என்ற மதத்தில் இணைவதாக கோரியிருந்தார்.

அதனை கோர்ட் நிராகரித்து, இஸ்லாமிலிருந்து யாரும் வெளியேற முடியாது என்று அறிவித்துள்ளது.

Ex-teacher still a Muslim, rules court
By : Sean Augustin

Kamariah Ali, who declared herself an apostate to avoid action, leaving the Syariah High Court in Kuala Terengganu yesterday following the ruling.


KUALA TERENGGANU: A former religious teacher was yesterday found guilty of having proclaimed herself an apostate to avoid action being taken against her under syariah.

In finding 57-year-old Kamariah Ali guilty, the Syariah High Court here ruled that she was still a Muslim.

This was because her earlier application at the Syariah High Court in Kelantan to leave the religion had been rejected.

Kamariah is a follower of Kamal Ariffin a.k.a Ayah Pin, whose teachings were considered to be deviant.

In passing judgment, judge Mohamad Abdullah said based on fiq (Islamic practices), a person is a Muslim until proven that he or she had left the religion but in Kamariah's case, there was no solid evidence to cast doubts on the prosecution's case.

Kamariah was charged under Section 7 of the Syariah Criminal Offence Enactment (Takzir) (Terengganu 2001) with declaring herself an apostate to avoid action being taken against her at the Syariah lower court in Besut.

She had been arrested together with 58 other followers of the Ayah Pin sect on July 21, 2005.

They were all charged under Section 10 of the Syariah Criminal Offence Enactment (Takzir) (Terengganu 2001) with not adhering to the state fatwa which had ruled Ayah Pin's teachings as deviant.

Mohamad said although Kamariah claimed she had left the religion in 1998, she was still teaching at an Islamic institution in 2000.

Furthermore, her declaration of leaving Islam was done in front of a commissioner of oaths instead of at the Syariah court.

Mohamad said he did not want to punish her as he would rather see her return to Islam.

"I want to give you a chance and hope you will have a change of heart and the sentence will then be based on the progress that you have made. I have seen some changes, but I still have some doubts."

Prosecutor Mustafar Hamzah, however, pressed for a deterrent sentence in view of the seriousness of the offence which could affect public order and the faith of Malaysian Muslims.

He said the defence could not argue that Kamariah had been influenced by others when declaring herself an apostate.

Mustafar said as an Al-Azhar University graduate, she was knowledgeable in religious matters and should not have committed such an act, adding that Kamariah had not shown any sign of remorse or repentance.

Later, after a stand down for about 30 minutes, Mohamad allowed Kamariah, who was represented by Sa'adiah Din, to plead for leniency.

At this point, Kamariah said she wished to repent.

Mohamad advised her that apart from repenting, she should never again follow the teachings of Ayah Pin or that of other deviant groups.

"I hope you not only realise your mistake but promise never to repeat it. Although, as you said earlier, your faith is between you and God, this particular case affects society. It is up to you to prove your sincerity."

Earlier, Kamariah had put up a defiant front, arguing with the judge on the concept of freedom of religion. She had also refused to utter the syahadah (proclamation of faith).

Muhamad fixed March 3 for sentencing.