The Mufti and the State Administration of Islam: Some Selected Fatwas in Contemporary Perlis, Malaysia (Mufti dan Pentadbiran Islam Negeri: Beberapa Fatwa Terpilih di Perlis, Malaysia)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31436/jia.v16i3.806Abstract
The paper explores an Islamic institution in contemporary Malaysia. It studies the roles of the Mufti and the State mufti office as actors in issuing and informing religious edicts (fatwas) in Perlis, a northern state of Peninsular Malaysia. As an autonomous state institution coupled with the official state’s subscription to Ahlul Sunna wal Jama’ah as a principle in interpreting Islam, the state has issued fatwas that are perceived to embrace the religious nuances of contemporary realities. The paper examines the fatwas issued by Perlis’s Mufti Office on establishing paternity claim, unilateral conversion and child custody, child vaccination, and woman leaving marital home. The fatwas unveil a meticulous process that involves consulting relevant experts in both the religious scholarly fields and the modern scientific disciplines. The fatwas indicate deep appreciation and use of centuries old Islamic religious body. The fatwas also reflect the state’s religious institution’s commitment to and understanding of protecting the basic rights of individuals as much as serving the public good.
Keywords: fatwa, State Administration of Islam, Perlis, Malaysia, Mufti Office.
Abstrak
Artikel ini meneroka Institusi Keislaman dalam konteks Malaysia masa kini. Artikel ini meneliti peranan Mufti dan Pejabat Mufti sebagai pihak bertanggungjawab penting dalam mengeluarkan dan memaklumkan fatwa di Perlis, sebuah negeri di utara Semenanjung Malaysia. Sebagai institusi yang berautonomi, dan disokong oleh pegangan rasmi kerajaan negeri Perlis dengan fahaman Ahlul Sunna wal Jama’ah, Pejabat Mufti telah mengeluarkan fatwa yang dilihat mencakupi nuansa realiti masyarakat masa kini. Artikel ini meneliti teks fatwa yang dikeluarkan oleh Pajabat Mufti Perlis tentang isu-isu berkaitan dengan penentuan paterniti, pertukaran agama sebelah pihak dan penjagaan anak, pemvaksinan anak, dan isteri yang meninggalkan rumah. Berdasarkan penelitian, fatwa-fatwa telah disepakati melalui proses teliti dan cermat dengan merujuk kepada pakar-pakar dalam bidang agama dan saintifik. Selain itu, fatwa-fatwa ini mendedahkan tentang penghargaan mendalam terhadap legasi keilmuan Islam. Tambahan, fatwa-fatwa ini juga mencerminkan iltizam institusi keIslaman negeri dalam melindungi hak-hak individu serta melindungi kebaikan umum.
Kata Kunci: fatwa, pentadbiran Islam negeri, Perlis, Malaysia, Pejabat Mufti.
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Newspaper articles:
https://www.mstar.com.my/lokal/semasa/2016/12/10/perlis-perlu-selesai-isu
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2016/12/09/perlis-conversion-law-state-fatwa/
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https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2018/01/29/federal-court-unilateral-conversion-of-indira-gandhis-3-children-is-null-and-void/ accessed 1/29/2018
https://edata.perlis.gov.my/portal/detail.php?recid=35&year=2016&mode=category&kategori=P001&tajuk=Penduduk%20Mengikut%20Jantina%20dan%20Mukim (accessed 30/1/2018)
http://www2.esyariah.gov.my/esyariah/mal/portalv1/enakmen/State_Enact_Upd.nsf/f831ccddd195843f48256fc600141e84/88d4ced7db9d4ea14825752b002fc32c?OpenDocument
