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| According to Ahmad Farouk, the perpetrator of the massacre, Omar Mateen, was the one who should be condemned as his act of violence went against the true teachings of Islam. |
Muslims who believe victims of the Orlando massacre got what
they deserved just because of their sexual orientation, are a “sick” group of
people.
Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) Chairman Dr Ahmad Farouk
Musa said this when commenting on the high number of Malaysian Muslims who
condemned the victims, instead of the perpetrator, on the Siakap Keli Facebook
page.
According to Ahmad Farouk, the perpetrator of the massacre,
Omar Mateen, was the one who should be condemned as his act of violence went
against the true teachings of Islam.
“Islamic teachings are based on compassion and mercy.
“We have to accept other people as they are, even if we do
not agree with their beliefs or lifestyle,” he told FMT.
Every individual has the right to live, based on their
beliefs, and Malaysians should learn to accept the alternative and diverse
lifestyle that came with a multiracial and multi-religious society, he said.
Ahmad Farouk added Malaysia, despite being a true example of
a multiracial country, is still a long way from being one that is inclusive and
this may be the result of the country’s system which labelled the lesbian, gay,
bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community as deviant.
“We cannot expect everyone to live in accordance with our
standards. We have to accept that people have their own standards and
definition of morality.
“As Muslims, if we disagree with a certain kind of
lifestyle, we should debate and discuss on the different levels of morality,
not by acting aggressively and imposing our moral values upon others.”
Dr Joseph Goh, a lecturer in gender studies at Monash
University, “reminded” Malaysians that the country was founded on the idea of
plurality and differences.
He said the country needed to have a greater appreciation of
diversity, which included gender and sexual orientations.
“No religion advocates violence and discrimination.
Malaysians are mostly religious, or are people of faith. Even those who do not
profess a religion believe in the message of kindness and justice.
“And while Muslims and Christians may say this (same sex
relationship) is condemned by their religion, they have to remember that the
statement came from a particular interpretation of their holy books.
“But there are also other interpretations that say
otherwise.”
He said the fact that there are still some Malaysians who
approved of the Sunday incident where Omar, armed with an assault rifle, shot
dead 50 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, showed that the religious
community here has become more intolerant than in the past.
This was despite the local activists fighting for human
rights, Goh added.
Source -FMT-
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