Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Rufaqa’ claims Ashaari can postpone death, says mufti

IPOH: The Rufaqa' movement portrayed former al-Arqam leader Ashaari Muhammad as orang tuhan (Man of God) who claims to have the ability to postpone the time of death of a dying person, said Perak Fatwa Committee chairman Datuk Seri Harussani Zakaria.

In announcing that the committee has declared the movement as having gone against the teachings of Islam, he said the committee made its decision after studying the contents of the Rufaqa' teachings found in a CD and a book.

Harussani, who is also Perak mufti, said yesterday that the presenter in the CD who calls himself Mejar Abu Zar claimed that Ashaari had the power to transfer the illness of a person to another.

He noted that the Rufaqa' movement had similarities with the al-Arqam movement banned in 1994.

“Rufaqa' used the same terms like Abuya, and its followers were former members of the banned al-Arqam,” he said.
Rufaqa' members were also trying to recruit new members, he added.

“As such, the committee has decided to declare Rufaqa' as having deviated from akidah (teachings) of Islam. The decision will be gazetted and made into a fatwa (decree),” he said.

Harussani said the Rufaqa' movement had surfaced here and in Manjung, where it had started several businesses.

On Sept 12, the National Fatwa Council made a decision to ban the Rufaqa' movement.

Tuesday, 05 December 2006, 08:58
©The Star (Used by permission)

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