After following the Nyonya Tahir case, one cannot help but wonder and speculate how such thing could have happened. As a Muslim, it brings me to shudders everytime I read it and God forbid that anything remotely close to that should ever happen to myself, my family and future generation or just about anyone for that matter.
I'll give you a gist of the story.
Her body had to be put on hold for burial while the Civil and Syariah courts speculated on whether she should be buried as a Muslim or otherwise. After thorough investigations, they finally arrived to a decision that she would be buried as a Buddhist.
According to Kifayatul-Akhyar, "A person who had left the Muslim faith should be asked to repent three times and if he did not, he should be killed, his body cannot be bathed according to Muslim rites, prayers cannot be performed for him and he cannot be buried in a Muslim cemetery."
In the M.Moorthy case which caused a national uproar, an Indian mualaf was given his right as a Muslim and buried as one albeit none of us are really sure whether he was a practicing Muslim. Now this. Nyonya Tahir, born a Muslim yet in the end was finally laid to rest as a Buddhist. I rest my case.
Cases involving religion has caused much brouhaha especially among non-Muslims who claim that their religious rites have been ridden over the Syariah laws. The recent memorandum sent over to the PM by a certain number of ministers requesting for a review of the laws relating Islam is considered unintelligent. I personally think so. I'm not gonna write much on that but one thing I can say for sure is that this will definitely prolong to be a 'wonderfully' long crisis and make headlines nationwide.
This is a court of law, young man, not a court of justice. --Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
I'll give you a gist of the story.
The lady was raised by her Malay grandmother who married a Chinese mualaf of a Hailam descendant. Bred as a Buddhist, she went on to marry a Chinese who never converted to Islam. She later gave birth to 13(some papers stated 8) offsprings who were given Chinese names and lived on and practiced Buddhism. Nyonya Tahir had also declarared that she wanted to be buried according to Buddhist rites indicating that she never intended to practice Islam. Her declaration was certified by a Chinese Commissioner of Oaths.
Her body had to be put on hold for burial while the Civil and Syariah courts speculated on whether she should be buried as a Muslim or otherwise. After thorough investigations, they finally arrived to a decision that she would be buried as a Buddhist.
According to Kifayatul-Akhyar, "A person who had left the Muslim faith should be asked to repent three times and if he did not, he should be killed, his body cannot be bathed according to Muslim rites, prayers cannot be performed for him and he cannot be buried in a Muslim cemetery."
In the M.Moorthy case which caused a national uproar, an Indian mualaf was given his right as a Muslim and buried as one albeit none of us are really sure whether he was a practicing Muslim. Now this. Nyonya Tahir, born a Muslim yet in the end was finally laid to rest as a Buddhist. I rest my case.
Cases involving religion has caused much brouhaha especially among non-Muslims who claim that their religious rites have been ridden over the Syariah laws. The recent memorandum sent over to the PM by a certain number of ministers requesting for a review of the laws relating Islam is considered unintelligent. I personally think so. I'm not gonna write much on that but one thing I can say for sure is that this will definitely prolong to be a 'wonderfully' long crisis and make headlines nationwide.
This is a court of law, young man, not a court of justice. --Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
Courtesy of http://www.blindriver.comWhile the whole world went out and danced and frolicked under the chimes and explosions of the New Year, I was at my humble abode captivating the burst of colours in the sky from my front porch.
Amidst the whole scene, a huge flock of birds flew across the sky of what seemed like hurried flappings, probably alarmed by the sudden attack of their territory. And I just stood, mesmerized by the whole display of contradictions in the upper atmosphere.
It's a new year yet again, just like every other year. A time where new resolutions are made (and broken), new spirits enlightened (and dimmed) and an enthusiasm to start anew and make the year a memorable one.
My new year's resolution is to become Angelina Jolie. What's yours?
Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. --Brooks Atkinson
Amidst the whole scene, a huge flock of birds flew across the sky of what seemed like hurried flappings, probably alarmed by the sudden attack of their territory. And I just stood, mesmerized by the whole display of contradictions in the upper atmosphere.
It's a new year yet again, just like every other year. A time where new resolutions are made (and broken), new spirits enlightened (and dimmed) and an enthusiasm to start anew and make the year a memorable one.
My new year's resolution is to become Angelina Jolie. What's yours?
Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. --Brooks Atkinson
