Credit : Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's X
PUTRAJAYA, October 28 — Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today welcomed prominent Indonesian preacher Ustaz Abdul Somad Batubara as the special guest of the Majlis Ilmu MADANI at Seri Perdana, his official residence in Putrajaya, describing such gatherings of knowledge as vital to nurturing a deeper understanding of religion.
Sharing the occasion on X, Anwar said the session had received “a special guest, Al-Fadhil Ustaz Abdul Somad Batubara, a dakwah figure from Indonesia.” He said that in his own remarks he had touched on the importance of knowledge gatherings with figures such as Ustaz Abdul Somad in enriching religious understanding, “so that the light of knowledge illuminates the mind, purifies the heart and guides our deeds, grounded in an intellectual tradition rooted in the knowledge of faith.”
According to the Prime Minister, Ustaz Abdul Somad’s tausiah, or religious address, centred on the theme of unity amid a diversity of cultures and religions, drawing lessons and examples from the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Anwar wrote that in the preacher’s talk, the classical Islamic heritage known as turath “found the language of everyday life”, bringing religious questions close to the pulse of daily living so that the public could draw meaning from “a deep well of knowledge”.
“May Allah preserve the wisdom of Ustaz Abdul Somad in the field of dakwah, grant him sound judgement and carry his knowledge to the hearts of the people,” Anwar added in the post, which carried the hashtags #MalaysiaMADANI and #YakinMADANI and was accompanied by photographs of the two men in conversation at the event.
Speaking at the gathering, Anwar also cautioned against those who are quick to brand fellow Muslims as unbelievers, apostates or hypocrites over differences of opinion, according to reports by Utusan Malaysia and Sinar Harian. “Learn a little religion, then immediately pass judgement and become takfiri. Immediately declare people apostates and hypocrites,” he was quoted as saying, adding that such attitudes showed the need to strengthen the tradition of knowledge and a comprehensive understanding of Islam.
The Prime Minister said that efforts to strengthen Islamic understanding had also been taken into account in drawing up the national budget, including by seeking the views of religious scholars, teachers and traditional institutions of learning. He said the government had worked to revive madrasah, pondok and pesantren institutions and was planning how to delve more deeply into classical turath texts.
Anwar expressed regret that these efforts had still drawn accusations in Parliament that the leadership and its budget were “hypocritical”, but said he had chosen to be patient rather than respond in kind. He stressed the importance of good character, moderation and tolerance, and of a dakwah approach built on wisdom, good counsel and courteous discussion, noting that this was especially important in Malaysia’s multi-religious society. “In Indonesia perhaps 10 per cent, and in this country 40 per cent, are non-Muslims who are active in many fields. So that is a greater challenge for us than for others,” he was reported as saying.
Sinar Harian reported that the session was also attended by the Prime Minister’s wife, Datuk Seri Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, and the Chief Secretary to the Government, Tan Sri Shamsul Azri Abu Bakar. Anwar said the Majlis Ilmu MADANI was held at the Prime Minister’s official residence to cultivate a culture of knowledge through the involvement of religious scholars and figures from both within and outside the country, and that leaders had a responsibility to set a good example in fostering public awareness of the value of learning.
The Majlis Ilmu MADANI programme is part of efforts to foster a knowledge-loving society that values good manners and morals. Anwar initiated it after taking office as Prime Minister on November 24, 2022, and it is now held nationwide. Earlier this month, on October 12, the programme at Seri Perdana featured Turkish scholar Sheikh Prof Dr Muhammad Fadhil al-Jilani al-Hasani, who lectured on Imam al-Ghazali’s exegesis of Surah Yusuf.
Source: https://x.com/anwaribrahim/status/2115433099970388361
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