Malaysiakini : "...It was their first time to touch a Bible and read it, so we do exercises that they have to read and compare it with the Quran, so there's no fear or stigma about it."- PKR's Penanti assemblyperson Norlela Ariffin

COMMENT | The “Bible sessions” organised by Norlela Ariffin (above) to foster interfaith dialogue is an admirable attempt at grassroots-level activism that should be built upon by the vast religious bureaucracy of this country.

However, I think Harapan’s religious czar Mujahid Rawa Yusof, who finds preacher Zakir Naik “inspiring,” will instead focus his attention on “disturbing” elements like encouraging “dehijabing” instead of changing the mainstream Islamic narrative of this country.

Speaking of Zakir Naik, he would probably accuse the Penanti representative of spreading pornography behind closed doors. In his 2016 “lecture” held at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) with the crowd reportedly numbered at 20,000, Zakir Naik claimed that the Bible contained pornographic passages.

He further claimed that his religion did not allow him to read “obscene things in front of the audience,” so even for a million dollars, he would refrain from quoting those passages. Zakir Naik reassured the audience that he was not there to “degrade” the Bible. Zakir’s “Peace TV,” which has been banned in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, of course broadcast all this. It is any wonder that the UK is considering a ban.

While Norlela organises small groups of her constituents in what seems like a convivial exchange of ideas, Zakir Naik (above) has access and is enabled by Malay powerbrokers to spread his message of disinformation to the public, all the while enjoying privileges that are denied to other religious personalities.

Of course, what he says about the Bible is rather queer because, as reported in India Today, “he was quoted as saying, 'There are many verses in the Quran which say you can have sex with your wife and with whatever your right hand possesses.' 'Right hand possesses,' he went on, 'which means your slaves.'"

I wonder if any of Noralela’s constituents are Zakir Naik followers. Maybe they have confusions about the Bible because they listen to what preachers like Zakir Naik spew on a daily basis. Can you imagine what would happen if a non-Muslim said something like this about the Quran?

Compare the grassroots-level activism of what Norlela is doing (below) and the kind of state support that Zakir Naik gets. While people may applaud what Norlela is doing, what they fail to understand is that eventually, the state’s Islamic narrative will trump her efforts. Mujahid may go on about his "compassionate Islam" policy, but what he has really done is enable the deep Islamic state, and continues to make false equivalences between "liberalism" and "extremist Islamic" positions.

Norlela says for Umno and PAS, Islam is always under siege. And that Muslims, if they read the Bible, would be converted. The problem is that the reportage of illegal or unilateral conversion to Islam points to how simple it is for non-Muslims to be converted to Islam.

Hence, what Muslims fear is that if it is so simple for non-Muslims to be converted, then it would also mean that Muslims could be easily "tricked" into converting to another religion.

What Zakir Naik does so well is point to the similarities of various religious texts and puts forward the argument that Islam is superior because all other texts are not the word of God. He also propagates conspiracy theories which further validate the fear of Muslims that they are victims of unholy forces out to subvert their religion.

This is why someone like Zakir Naik is an important mouthpiece for mainstream Malay political parties. Non-Muslims mock Umno/PAS as kleptocrats who looted this country. What they fail to understand is that the kind of Islam propagated by the likes of Zakir Naik, and now Umno/PAS, means that kleptocrats are better leaders than honest politicians, but more importantly, neither Islam nor the country needs reform.

While the state security apparatus has since banned him from speaking in public, there are many avenues left for him to spread his propaganda, and audiences are ever eager to hear him speak. You had better believe that with the audience he has, Malay powerbrokers are ever willing to use him as a conduit to a class of people who think that Islam is supreme over all other religions.

The boy minister breaks bread with a preacher who insults Chinese and Indian citizens of this country. Pakatan Harapan’s religious czar holds a preacher who denigrates other religions in high regard. And the Malay power structures who claim the supremacy of the Malay language, bend the knee to an Indian preacher who pontificates in English to crowds of people who most probably have no idea what he is babbling on about.

Another important point to consider is that now that we know Malaysia is a source and transit point for Islamic terror groups, we also have to acknowledge the propaganda behind such groups. Keep in mind Zakir Naik’s comments about Osama Bin Laden, "If you ask my view, if given the truth, if he is fighting the enemies of Islam, I am for him."