KUALA LUMPUR: The Selangor Fatwa Committee will give an official ruling regarding Global Ikhwan Service and Business Holdings' (GISBH) involvement in any alleged deviant Islamic teachings.
Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) chairman Tan Sri Abdul Aziz Mohd Yusof said the council will submit all its findings on GISBH which were gathered since 2020 on alleged practices deviating from Islamic teachings and its links to Al-Arqam.
"The findings in the study involved the issue of GISBH's involvement in the Al-Arqam group and its network's teachings, which have been declared haram based on the fatwa gazetted by Selangor on Feb 4, 1993, Aug 11, 1994 and Dec 21, 2006.
"This action is in accordance with Section 47 of the Administration of Islamic Law (Selangor) Enactment 2003, which empowers Mais to address issues related to faith and deviant teachings.
"Mais has reiterated its commitment to combating the spread of teachings that deviate from Islam and will not compromise with GISBH or any other involved parties," he said in a statement today.
He said the Selangor Fatwa Committee is the rightful party to decide on the group's legitimacy in regards to Islamic teachings.
He said Mais has been investigating the allegation for the past four years and have had multiple discussions on it at a few Mais committee meetings, as well.
"Recently, news of police arresting and investigating residents of charitable homes associated with GISBH have gained widespread attention and Mais has carried out our own investigation on GISBH's involvement with the Al-Arqam group which we intend to share with the fatwa committee."
He said Al-Arqam, a deviant Islamic teaching sect was initially banned in Selangor in 1993, then again in 1994. The last time the fatwa against the deviant teaching group was issued by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department in 2006 via gazetted fatwas to warn Muslims against joining or practicing those teachings.
Aziz also stressed that strict enforcement will be implemented by Mais through cooperation with various Islamic affairs agencies in Selangor in due time.
Last Wednesday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said police rescued 402 minors from alleged exploitation in a major operation across two states.
The victims, aged between one and 17, were allegedly exploited at 20 welfare homes in Selangor and Negri Sembilan. The victims, who were Malaysians, had endured various forms of exploitation and abuse including being sodomised.
The 20 welfare homes are linked to GISBH.