Former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad:

“We cannot call Shi’ah ‘unbelievers’”

Rasa – In an interview with the newspaper Utusan Malaysia, former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad explained that Takfiri jihdist movements have convinced Sunni Muslims that it was okay to even kill fellow Muslims from a different school of thought, including Shi’ites.

News ID: 1137

Date: 14 September 2014 - 16:46

RNA (Malaysia) – In an interview with the newspaper Utusan Malaysia, former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad explained that Takfiri jihdist movements have convinced Sunni Muslims that it was okay to even kill fellow Muslims from a different school of thought, including Shi’ites. These Takfiris classify Shi’ah Muslims as infidels who can be killed. Mohamad added that in the Quran there is only one Islam and it was mankind who created variants.

He said the involvement of Muslim Malays in jihad activities began with misguided religious teachings: “Islam is a way of life and there are numerous prohibitions and requirements. This form of jihad is not taught. It is stated in the Quran that Muslims cannot kill, especially a fellow Muslim. We cannot question Islam or how Islamic a certain person is merely because they are a little different from other Muslims.”

Mohamad added: “Yes, we do not like the Shi’ah coming here and we reject their religion, but we cannot say they are unbelievers. It has reached a level where we believe the Shi’ah are unbelievers and we kill them. He recites the Muslim declaration of faith, he prays, he accepts the Prophet and God.”

The former Malaysian Prime Minister said killing other Muslims is a sin and one will enter hell for it, and stated: “That is why I say people go to jihad because they do not truly follow the Islamic teachings. In turn, they teach us Muslims to be enemies with one another. Look at how they are killed. They are lined up and shot with a pistol. Is this fair? There is no trial or anything. Islam prioritises justice. When one is sentenced, make sure it is done fairly. It has been repeatedly said in the Quran.”

“Islam is a religion of justice. When you punish, you punish justly. This was said many times in the Quran. Is it just that you kill them just because they’re allegedly non-Muslim, without any trial?” Mohamad added.

Malaysia has strict policies against Islamic sects other than the official Sunni sect. Most Malaysians are adherents of the Shafi’i school of thought. The Malaysian government's discrimination and persecution against its small Shi’ah minority are the result of a 1996 fatwah, or religious edict banning, outlawing and declaring Shi’ism as ‘a deviant teaching.’

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