Are We So Afraid Of Islam That The Sight Of Free Quran Sparks Fear?
Distributing religious books to promote interfaith understanding should not be a big deal, but in multiracial Malaysia, it is. Mei Mei Chu mulls why a good intention could be so easily misconstrued in this multiracial country.
Cover image via blogspot.com
Over the past week, a Whatsapp message alerting people to be careful of free Qurans being distributed in Klang sparked fears that it is a ploy to convert non-Muslims into Muslims
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Attached with an image of a van belonging to Malaysia Reverted Muslim (MRM), the message warned that once you receive the Quran and provide your information for "record purposes", you will be converted
he picture of a van carrying free copies of the Quran, which accompanied a text message claiming a Muslim group was out to alter non-Muslims' religious records.
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Speaking from a non-Muslim's perspective, it is understandable that the Whatsapp message, though has no proof of its validity, stirred up a considerable amount of anxiety
Though unsure of its validity, this alert quickly went viral with people sighing that things in Malaysia are getting "crazier" again.
Over the past month, the controversial story about a school in Sabah converting a young 16-year-old girl to Islam without her parents' knowledge made headlines
The Malaysian Insider [reports](http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/dad-of-converted-minor-says-religion-his-right-as-parent-not-against-islam) that Jilius Yapoo's underage daughter came home from school one day wearing a tudung and said she had converted to Islam. The Christian father was shocked that the conversion had been hidden from him and that it was done without his consent.
Their lawyer said it was believed that more such conversions were taking place covertly among students without their parents' knowledge, and also among adults in interior parts of the state.
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Adding to the religion's bad reputation are rising extremism in the country, shocking statements from activists like Ridhuan Tee and ISMA, and reports of young Malaysians joining ISIS
Bukit Aman has identified two Malaysians, Mohd Faris Anuar (left) and Muhamd Wanndy Muhamad Jedi who were in a beheading video release by Isis.
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Tun Mahathir says that misleading interpretations of Islam as a cruel religion have sparked a fear of Islam in Malaysia
For instant, the National Fatwa Council blacklisted ISIS last year to stop Malaysians from joining the war. They clearly explained that those killed in the war are not martyrs.
To correct this misconception and fear of Islam amongst non-Muslims, Tun M launched the "One Soul, One Quran" project that aims to distribute one million translated copies of the Quran
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However, skepticism was quick to surface. The interfaith council questioned the actual intention of the project, saying that it seems to be a disguise to propagate Islam.
The council's fear stems from the fact that the Federal Constitution allows Muslims to persuade non-Muslims to convert, but not vice versa
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The distribution of Bibles is seen as an "extreme provocation" and proselytisation of the religion to Muslims
Events including [Halloween](http://bit.ly/ismaonhalloween) and [Oktoberfest](http://bit.ly/oktoberfestban) although do not involve Muslims, have also been seen as a threat to the religion.
There is a discrepancy on who is responsible for the distribution of the Quran to non-Muslims in Klang as both MRM and the Islamic Information and Services Foundation have denied their involvement
One thing's for sure, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) has dispelled myths that merely providing your details on paper will convert you to Islam
Jakim director-general Datuk Othman Mustapha sasy that any non-Muslim who received the Quran and wished to dispose of them could return them to Multiracial Reverted Muslims (MRM) or any nearby mosque, or donate them to Muslims.
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As for the Quran, you can always return it to the distributor, mosque, or pass it on to a Muslim friend
But of course in a country whose law favours one religion over another, fear and anxiety is high, and skepticism will always be rife and severe
In a The Malaysian Insider report titled "[Just filling-up(sic) forms doesn't make you Muslim, says Jakim](http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/just-filling-up-forms-doesnt-make-you-muslim-says-jakim)", readers share their doubts.
"If MRM thinks that giving out free Qurans is not an attempt to convert non muslims (sic), then why is it that giving out a bible to a muslim is deemed to be an attempt to convert a muslim to becoming a Christian?" TunTanSri1 asks.
"If it is truly free, then why do others need to even fill any form. Just give in good faith and no strings attached. Even I feel suspicious as to why we need to provide our details. I may be interested in knowing about Islam… but when you impose conditions – something is not right." Veerasingam Gnanasegaran Nehrm.
"Filling up a form only means that JAKIM & MRM will devise a way to convert the person some time down the road. I'd rather trust a rabbit with a carrot than JAKIM or MRM," Anthony.
Unless all religions are given the same fundamental liberties, the doubt-inducing fear among non-Muslims will never go away
It is this fundamental liberty that would give us an equal playing field to learn about each other's religion without pressure or fear of conversion
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