Malay
icon P Ramlee understood his people far better than imported radical preachers
like Zakir Naik
Malaysians
are fascinated by Islamic preachers from outside even though these preachers
live in societies plagued with violent radicalism, chaos, corruption,
intellectual shallowness, low rates of literacy, racism and bigotry, not to
mention how these societies view women, people of other religions and even
child marriage.
We
fail to see that the Hindu-Buddhist syncretist Malay cultures that have existed
for centuries have shaped traditional Malay culture into a more sensible and
enriching way of life than the imported cultures from the land of the Bedouins.
Looking
at contemporary colonizing and reshaping of Malay society, we have failed to
appreciate people like the late Teuku Zakaria Teuku Nyak Putih, commonly known
as P. Ramlee, the talented Penang-born film actor, director, singer,
songwriter, composer and producer once considered the iconic Malay
entertainer in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia. We need to
recognize that the teachings of this Malay sage, artist of life and messenger
of peace are better than all the lectures of Mumbai preachers and others
combined.
Distractions from abroad
Who
needs people from the land of the Taliban, Deobandis, Wahabbis or sects strange
to the Malays to tell the people here how to behave like Muslims, when these
are the societies in which the leaders are not good models of progressive Islam
themselves? It is time to get out of this ideological mess
we have imported of teachings that are mainly interested in emphasizing
the length of one’s robe and beard and how to maintain the subservience of
women.
This
has come up now because a controversial Indian-born Islamic preacher named
Zakir Naik, who has been banned in the UK, is now in Malaysia on a lecture
tour, what he calls a global dakwah, or preaching. The people are uneasy over
his presence, to the point where one senior opposition politician in Penang
called him a “Satan” and promptly got his office firebombed. Some want him to
speak. Others want him to pack his bags and go back to India.
Zakir,
who trained as a physician before turning to proselytizing, has been called the
world’s leading Salafi evangelist by some. Although he has publicly
disclaimed sectarianism in Islam, many are suspicious that he is peddling
Wahhabism, the radically conservative faith of Saudi Arabia.
The
question over letting him speak is distracting Malaysians from focusing on the
1MDB money-laundering scandal, the revelations of the Panama Papers and the
question of who is going to take over the country when the time comes for an
inevitable change in leadership.
Go ahead and speak
But
let us put this issue to rest. It is a simple matter. Let him speak. Maybe he
has some good things to say but he has to understand how to speak with
diplomacy in a multicultural and multi-religious society such as Malaysia in
which people shun talk that can further divide different races and faiths.
Let
him talk, as this is good for dialogue but make sure he is ready to talk sense
and not blurt out nonsense, especially in matters of the history of
science anatomy, psychology and the philosophy of major religions. Let
the Malaysian audience judge the credibility of this speaker.
Certainly
the Malaysian government must allow wider intellectual discourse to happen
especially in our public universities – let Islamism, Liberalism, Marxism,
Anarchism, ethical Humanism, Rock Kapak-ism and all kind of non-violent “isms”
be allowed so that our students will not just be interested in more than making
the biggest donuts, umbrellas of love or biggest anything just to get into the
Malaysian Book of Records.
Let
big ideas be the big thing in our biggest universities so that our future
leaders will not grow up just to steal big money.
Honoring our culture
Recently
Ibrahim Iskandar, the Sultan of Johor, called on Malays not to discard their
unique culture, saying he was disturbed that some people want to stop Muslims
from practicing the traditional salam greeting. He was sticking
to “my customs and traditions as a Malay because I’m born Malay.” He said
that if some Malaysians wish to be Arabs and practice Arab culture then “I
welcome you to live in Saudi Arabia. That is your right but I believe there are
Malays who are proud of the Malay culture. At least I am real and not a
hypocrite and the people of Johor know who their ruler is.”
The
sultan said that during his annual trip around Johor state, he shook the hands
of thousands of people including women.
“Why
must I change? You do not have to be fanatic. If they [women] are not sure, I
ask if they want to shake my hands. If they do not want to shake my hands,
there is no problem,” he said.
I
think Malaysians are now very tired of religious bigotry or any talk that
amplifies religious phobia whether it be Islamophobia, Christianophobia,
Hinduphobia or even Paganphobia. We are already as a nation phobic over the
fate of our debt-ridden beloved country run by those we voted into power who
turned into abusers, schemers, troublemakers, robbers and oppressors. We are
tired. Let Zakir Naik speak, he too needs to make his ringgits and rupees
before going back to Mumbai. Many Malay-Muslims adore him, anyway. After P
Ramlee, what an irony.
Dr. Azly Rahman grew up in Johor Bahru and
holds a doctorate in International Education Development from
Columbia University and multiple Masters Degrees. He currently teaches in the
United States
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