IPOH: The ulama, umara, faith and practice go hand-in-glove and cannot be separated from each other.
This, said Perak mufti Tan Sri Dr Harussani Zakaria, was the backbone and strength of Islam.
He said, as such, the brotherhood of the ummah must be strengthened through good relationships with leaders, both spiritual and secular.
“The spirit of brotherhood within Islam is still there, like a flame that can never be snuffed out, but it is not easy to fan this flame if the ulama and umara are at odds.
“That is why this muzakarah is important, to underline the importance of the ummah finding a way to arrest the decline of Muslim civilisation,” he said.
Harussani said this in his speech at the Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah muzakarah at the Aman Jaya Convention Centre.
The muzakarah was launched by the Perak Sultan, who was accompanied by Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim and Raja Muda Raja Jaafar Raja Muda Musa.
Also present were Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and wife, Datin Seri Saripah Zulkifli, as well as State Secretary Datuk Seri Abdul Puhat Mat Nayan.
Harussani said muzakarah on leadership in Islam was held often, but issues still persisted.
“When the ulama-umara combination is no longer working, the ummah will be like an orphan, without mother or father.”
Harussani, who is the chairman of the muzakarah working committee, said the ummah needed to work together to build an Islamic civilisation which was prosperous and capable of producing Muslims who placed importance on faith.
In his speech, the mufti also recorded his thanks to Sultan Nazrin for holding and gracing the annual muzakarah and Zambry for lifting it to a regional level.