KUALA LUMPUR: The term kafir harbi cannot be applied to any non-Muslim citizens in a country that respects its constitution and abides by its laws.
The Federal Territories Muftis office clarified this, stating that the term does not fit the definitions or criteria established by scholars.
It added that labelling a citizen with this term has severe and negative implications, as it implies that they are legitimate targets of conflict, their safety is not guaranteed, and their property is not protected.
In the context of Malaysia, non-Muslim citizens cannot be categorised as kafir harbi. Labeling any part of a country's population with such a term is extreme and excessive, the office said in its official statement, Irsyad Hukum Series No. 864: Issues Related to the Categorisation of Kafir Harbi today.
"If we want to look at kafir harbi in today's context, it could be used to refer to Zionist and Israeli groups who have enmity and fight Islam and "expelling them from their homes and homeland," it said.
The Muftis Office added that the term kafir harbi refers to non-Muslims who are not under the protection of Muslims and who are actively hostile towards Islam and commit crimes against Muslims.
Yesterday, DAP demanded an apology from the individual who labeled the party as 'kafir harbi in Malaysia' during a PAS and Perikatan Nasional (PN) ceramah at the Nenggiri by-election.
In a joint statement, DAP Central Executive Committee (CEC) members Sheikh Umar Bagharib Ali, Syahredzan Johan, and Young Syefura Othman said that the individual in question is believed to have been the chairperson of the event.
They also called on PAS and PN leadership to clarify whether they agree with the extreme statement made by the individual.