Written by Dr. Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin


I often call for Muslims to Islamize their politics and not politicize Islam. One may ask, what is the difference between the two? The difference is, when we strive to Islamize our politics we will ensure that our actions and our political missions do not contradict the teachings of Islam. Also, we will attempt to Islamize any un-Islamic political custom. In other words, we will use Islam as the guiding principle of our actions.

On the other hand, Islam is politicized when used as a political capital to secure power. In doing that, Islam is used not as a guiding principle but as a mere justification or ‘halal certificate’ to persuade the society or their followers to accept their actions.

Consequently, one will execute his political mission without referring it first to the teachings of Islam but when his action is questioned, he will manipulate the view or religious texts of Islam to defend himself. In short, Islamizing politics is done by designating Islam as the guiding principle whereas politicizing Islam is done by manipulating Islam in one’s favor using it as a tool or justification.

Therefore, when one assigns Islam as the foundation or guiding principle, he will willingly retract his opinion or apologize for his action if he discovers that it contradicts the teachings of Islam. As for the one who uses Islam as a justification or tool, he will make use of Islam to legalize his political action even though it is undoubtedly sinful.

He is not keen to listen to the concrete evidence or contention provided by syarak for him to apply but instead, he looks for a back-up from the religious authority that is willing to legalize his action even though he realizes that the opinion given to support him is weak and groundless. This is similar to the fanatical clusters and mazhab (school of thoughts) followers who hold on the views of their faction with no concern on strong reasoning and justifications.

Al-Imam Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah (deceased in 751H) criticized the extremists in mazhab saying:

“Even more peculiar is your attitude o blind followers! When you find a Quranic verse that suits the opinion of your mazhab, you will accept its obvious meaning and hold on to it. Your basis in that sense is the opinion of your mazhab and not the Quranic verse itself. If you find another equivalent verse that contradicts the opinion of your mazhab, you will not accept it. You will try to make various interpretations of it and take it out of its clear context because it does not suit your mazhab. You are also treating the religious texts of al-Sunnah the same way. If you find a sahih (sound) hadith that suits the opinion of your mazhab, you will accept it. You will say, “We have the words from the Prophet s.a.w saying this and that.” However, if you find one hundred sahih hadith that differ from the view of your mazhab, you will not even give it a glance.” (Ibn Qayyim al-Jauziyyah, I’lam al-Muwaqqi’in, 2/195, Beirut: Dar al-Fikr).

More often than not, the endeavor or the inclination to either Islamize politics or politicize Islam is not necessarily tied to the code of a political party or a faction but it is more of a personal attitude. However, if the attitude develops into a mainstream practice in a political party or faction, it represents their actual inclination. These days, it is not easy to hold on to and persevere with the principles of Islam in tackling politics.

Nevertheless, this is a fact that each one of us needs to be conscious of. In the history of Prophet Musa a.s versus the Pharaoh, the Pharaoh even had brought up the misconduct done by Prophet Musa a.s specifically when Musa a.s beat an Egyptian man before fleeing to Madyan. Allah narrated this story in the Quran by saying (translated as):

“So go forth, both of you, to Pharaoh, and say: ‘We have been sent by the Lord and Cherisher of the worlds; “‘Send thou with us the Children of Israel.’” (Pharaoh) said: “Did we not cherish thee as a child among us, and didst thou not stay in our midst many years of thy life? And thou didst a deed of thine which (thou knowest) thou didst, and thou art an ungrateful (wretch)!” Moses said: “I did it then, when I was in error. So I fled from you (all) when I feared you; but my Lord has (since) invested me with judgment (and wisdom) and appointed me as one of the Apostles. “And this is the favor with which thou dost reproach me,- that thou hast enslaved the Children of Israel!” (Surah al-Syu’ara: 16-22)

This is one of the main reasons Allah sent to us His Apostles, to educate us on the matter of principle. Even when he was in the middle of a critical situation, Prophet Musa a.s still admitted that it was wrong for him to hit the Egyptian and that his action was uncalled-for. Prophet Musa a.s did not try to legalize his deed to safeguard his interest, never! Two wrongs do not make a right.

Prophet Musa a.s had to deal with the leading political power in his time and even in the history of human civilization. His struggle was much greater than any struggle that is ever attempted in our time. Be that as it may, he still persevered with his principles. His action reflected the need for humankind to adhere to the divine revelation instead of manipulating the divine revelation to meet the human desire.

In our political environment, it is rare to see an individual admitting the mistake that he or his party has done. Instead, he will look for various justifications to defend himself or his faction even though he is fully aware that the action is wrong. Some are willing to forfeit their principle to avoid having their seat or position forfeited. The outcome of that is as what we’re witnessing now. We are seeing the birth of a culture, mostly involving blasphemy and derision, that sometimes transgresses the boundary of sanity and does not measure up to a civilized discourse.

Islam does not put too much restriction on politics since it is a vast subject that involves the wellbeing of the ummah and the nation. Politics is not a thing of a pastime like playing golf or football. To engage in politics means to stake the wellbeing of humankind. Therefore, all political actions must be executed to bring forth benefits to the ummah and the people, not for the benefit of oneself or one’s party.

Subsequently, we have to bear in mind that not everyone who participates in the holy battlefield will enter Paradise. Though at times the deed is beneficial to the Muslim society, the individual performing the deed may not receive any reward from Allah if his intention or his approach, or both, is wrong even if his struggle is proclaimed to be under the banner of Islam. Moreover, there is a hadith that relates the story of an individual who seemed to have fought bravely in the battle but would become the dweller of Hell.

Abu Huraira r.a narrated:

“We were in the company of Allah’s Apostle in a Ghazwa (battle), and he remarked about a man who claimed to be a Muslim, saying, “This (man) is from the people of the (Hell) Fire.” When the battle started, the man fought violently till he got wounded. Somebody said, “O Allah’s Apostle! The man whom you described as being from the people of the (Hell) Fire fought violently today and died.” The Prophet said, “He will go to the (Hell) Fire.” Some people were on the point of doubting (the truth of what the Prophet had said) and while they were in this state, suddenly someone said that he was still alive but severely wounded. When night fell, he lost patience and committed suicide. The Prophet was informed of that, and he said, “Allah is Greater! I testify that I am Allah’s Slave and His Apostle.” Then he ordered Bilal to announce amongst the people: ‘None will enter Paradise but a Muslim, and Allah may support this religion (i.e. Islam) even with a disobedient man.’”

In our community, religion truly is the pull factor for many people. Therefore, every person who wishes to struggle for the religion or wishes to focus his talks and actions on the religion has to ask himself whether he really yearns for the religion or yearns for power. After he straighten out his intention, he must then ensure that his actions are aligned with Islam’s requirement and not interpret Islam in such a way that it gives the impression as if Islam’s requirement is aligned with his actions. Thus, Islamize our politics and do not politicize our Islam.

By: Dr. Mahathir Mohamad


I feel sorry for Malaysian manufacturers. They find it difficult and sometimes impossible to market their products in the country because somehow Malaysians, including the Government and its agencies cannot believe that Malaysian products are as good, if not better than imported goods.


When Malaysian products cannot be sold at home, it becomes almost impossible to convince foreign buyers to buy them. The question that foreigners often ask is whether Malaysians especially the Government have bought them.

Despite this failure to market Malaysian products locally, some have still managed to be marketed abroad. And some have been very successful.

These Malaysians are not asking for protection or even favours. All they want is to be properly evaluated against foreign competitors when they make bids. But somehow they seem to fail always.

There are excuses of course. The foreign suppliers have been supplying for years and years. They just cannot be dropped.

Even when the products have been well accepted abroad, the Government and its agencies cannot be convinced.

The Government wants to be transparent. Perhaps if awards of contracts are published just as offers of contracts are, then the public and the local businessmen would know who gets what, how many times and for how long. The contract process should also be made known. If contracts are to be for five years then we should know why contracts are given for longer periods.

Then Malaysians would know why they have been failing all these while. They would then be able to take necessary steps to become competitive. In fact other foreign suppliers too can take corrective action.

At the moment we can read the advertisements on new projects up for tender. But who wins the tender is not publicised.

An open Government keen to be transparent should do this. That it was never done before is no reason it cannot be done now. Previously no one promised to be transparent. But now we all hear about transparency.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is not coming in as much as before. We cannot compete with China or Vietnam, not even with Thailand and Indonesia. While we should continue to promote FDI, we should also help the local investors. We should remember that their earnings stay in the country, much more than the earnings of foreign owned industries.

If we help them our industries can become world players. At the moment we do not have our Sony or Hitachi or Samsung or Hyundai. We have the technical capacities for truly Malaysian products and companies to be as well-known as those of Japan and Korea.

We merely need a little boost from Malaysians, particularly from the Government and its numerous agencies and companies.

I hesitate to write this article because I fear that those in charge would make life even more difficult for Malaysian companies, presuming that they had complained to me.

But what I say here is public knowledge. We should really be helping ourselves.

By: Dr. Mahathir MohamadI am glad to read the report that the new Prime Minister of Japan, Yukio Hatoyama intends to pursue the proposal for an East Asian Economic Community.





I had always felt that the countries of East Asia should speak with one voice when negotiating with the European Union and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). If we don't then the Europeans and the Americans would dominate such negotiations. Obviously they would want to favour themselves to our detriment.


This is not about hating the West as someone suggested when I drew attention to a UN Agency proposal to have a special currency to replace the US Dollar for the purpose of trade settlements and reserves. It is simply because unlike other countries the US Dollar is not backed by anything.


They used to hold huge quantities of gold in Fort Knox to support their dollar. Today they have neither gold nor foreign exchange reserve to back their dollar. As a result the dollar value has been fluctuating. The only thing that is holding it up is the demand for it for trade payments. Other than that the dollar is nothing but just printed paper.


The US has twin deficits and no savings . Where then did the United States get the three trillion dollars to bail out the banks, industrial corporations and insurance companies? The obvious answer is that it got it from thin air. Just print the money.


Why is it that the US can print money to bail out companies while others may not do so? Malaysia did not print money when we bailed out our companies. The money came from revenues collected by the Government and loans raised by it.


It is not about hating people. It is about not condoning abuses of the monetary system that the proposal is made not to use the US Dollar.


Now the Chinese have come out with the same idea about a special currency to replace the dollar. If we think of the huge sums of dollars held by the Chinese, this suggestion would cause them to lose a lot of money. But they must have realised that the money they are holding is pretty useless.