KANGAR: Perlis Mufti has questioned the Home Ministry for retaining the service of a controversial preacher to rehabilitate militants in detention.
Datuk Dr Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin said he was concerned if it was suitable for the preacher who held extreme religious views to be assigned the duty to rehabilitate extremists.
He said it was unbecoming of the preacher to question the recent move by a surau committee to provide shelter for non-Muslims affected by floods in Penang.
"We should instead be grateful to the committee for providing shelters to the flood victims
"They have sent a clear message about Islam being a 'rahmatan lil 'alamin' (a blessing to all in the world) which includes Muslims, non-Muslins, animals and plants.
"It is baffling when someone who is carrying an Islamic title fails to understand the wisdom of Islam as a religion of blessings," he said on his Facebook.
It was reported earlier today that the Home Ministry would retain the service of outspoken preacher Zamihan Mat Zin to rehabilitate and de-radicalise Islamic State militants held in prisons.
Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said this was because Zamihan had the expertise in the de-radicalisation programme.
Although Asri did not identify anyone in his post, it was apparent that he was referring to Zamihan.
Recently, Zamihan has come under fire for his statement that Islam disallowed non-Muslims to enter mosques and surau.
Zamihan had criticised the move by Taman Free School surau committee in Penang to provide shelter for about 70 non-Muslim flood victims.
By citing several religious scholars, Zamihan had said the Penang flood situation should not be categorised as an “emergency” in order to give shelter for non-Muslims.
Zamihan has earlier become the subject of royal ire after supporting the segregation of Muslims from non-Muslims in a self-service laundrette in Johor.
Asri said Zamihan's statement on the Penang surau was not the latter's first extreme line of thinking.
"The question is, can an 'extremist' rehabilitate other extremists?
"Not only had he been labelling other Muslims as 'kafir' (infidel), now he is dragging non-Muslims in his extremist thinking.
"The authorities should review this matter seriously," he said.
