Friday sermon: 'Un-Islamic' to step on leaders' pictures

It is un-Islamic and unpatriotic to step on a leader's photograph and to suggest a new flag, Muslims who attended Friday prayers in several mosques today heard.

According to the sermon, prepared by the Islamic Development Department (Jakim) and uploaded on its website, such acts are an affront to the nation's dignity and against Islamic teachings. 

"The big question today is why some... are willing to malign the leaders and the nation by stepping on a leader's photograph and change the national flag?

"We feel they are no longer patriotic nor love the country, and have been influenced by foreign factors who are trying to bring down the nation's standing," the sermon reads. 

The sermon was heard in several mosques in the Federal Terriotory of Kuala Lumpur. The website states that the sermon is for "the use of state and district Islamic departments mosques and the public".

It said that malinging leaders "in any way" and causing chaos and distrupting unity in the country for personal gain "is a sign that the perpetrators have lost their faith (in Allah)."

'Haram to go against leaders'

It also cited 13^th century scholar al-Namawi who, in his book Syarh Sahih Muslim, said that it was "forbidden" to commit treachery or wage war against a leader. 

The sermon added that any wrongdoing by a leader should be addressed through "advice and Islamic ways". 

Loyalty to leaders, among others, means "not trying to topple, betray, show opposition towards the leadership and malign or taint them".

Meanwhile, PAS Youth vice-chief Raja Ahmad Iskandar Yaacop has questioned why police considered the act of stepping on the prime minister's photograph is worse than threats to the lives on opposition leaders. 

"Did police act as swiftly to nab those who splashed painton (Johor) PAS leader Mazlan Aliman's home (right), who threw amolotov cocktail at (PAS deputy president) Mohamad Sabu's home and the attempted arsonagainst (Johor PAS commissioner) Dzulkifli Ahmad's home?" Raja Ahmad asked.

To date, three people have turned themselves in for the alleged stepping on the prime minister's photograph and are being investigated for sedition. 

Another youth is also probed for sedition for allegedly mooning photograph of Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor. 

Meanwhile, police are also investigating two youths for allegedly flying the Sang Saka Malaya flag on the same night.