After the Chairman of the National Fatwa Council (NFC) announced that practicing, Yoga is haram I wrote an article under the heading “Babi haram, Arak haram, Yoga haram…. Rokok ?” The article was apparently went around the world that reaches my friends in Australia and in the UK. There were some comments in the posting that appears to be out of line but I take it, as they are ignorant. There were some comments that indicate that smoking is Haram since 1994/5 in Malaysia. In trying to understand this matter further, I called up Jakim and visited the e-fatwa website, which is not as well known as chedet.com or Malaysia Today.
As it turns out that whatever statements the NFC released, it is not a Fatwa but “keputusan fatwa” (fatwa results) which is something that is released after the meetings or discussions (Muzakarah) among Islamic scholars. This essentially is not “Fatwa” but merely the conclusion of a discussion between scholars. An enforceable Fatwa is an edict that has been approved by state religious authorities, approved by the Head of State and gazetted under the state religious publication. I assume many readers would be confused between “Fatwa” and “Keputusan Fatwa”. Well not to worry as whoever comes out with the terminology obviously intended to confuse the masses. Up to today, I must say that I ashamed of my ignorance and the felt that I had been misled by NFC.
My discussions with some officers at Jakim and on the e-fatwa website, it was shocking to finds out that smoking is indeed Haram among Muslims. It is Haram in the state of Penang, Selangor, Kedah, Perlis and Sarawak. It is Haram and is as Haram as eating Babi! The NFC had trough its 37th Muzakarah had made a very quiet announcement that Smoking is Haram. There was no fun fare. There was no media blast. In fact, it appears the Yoga issue receives more public attention than the smoking but smoking is more prevalent in Malaysia. Even Malaysiakini made fun of the NFC by the today headlines “Fatwa on karate next?’”
In Malaysia, cigarette smoking is the number one cause of “suicide” in Malaysia. It does not make sense that cigarette smoking gets so little attention than Yoga from the religious perspective. It is a total irony when people perceive Yoga as a healthy exercise and not as a religious ritual and yet NFC announces it to be Haram but smoking which is harmful appears receives no attention by religious authorities. In Yoga, it is said to be spiritually harmful and it smoking it is physically harmful.
What is even worst is that cigarette smoking is not Haram in those states other the 5 that I had mention before. It appears that smoking can be OK in one state and not OK in another state. Hmmm.. so ironic! Can you imagine living in one country called Malaysia and we call our self a leading Islamic Nation but yet cannot streamline the implementation of Fatwa’s nationwide. Can you imagine that even in Terengganu and the Islamic State of Kelantan, smoking cigarette is not Haram. What is going on? It appears that the implementation of Fatwa is at the whims and fancies of each state religious authority. If the authority do not agree, it does not reach the sultan and as such it is not publish or gazetted. Has it got anything to do with the fact that the decision makers themselves are smokers?To me this is a joke.
As for the smokers, I know many out there are going to be angry with me for saying this aloud. If it can reach your thick skull that eating Babi is Haram, why is it you do not have the same perception when smoking. In fact I would like to say that “Hisap rokok sama macam makan Babi … ianya Haram” May be it would be a good point for MOH to consider in promoting people to stop smoking. Rather than putting gory medical pictures on cigarette packs, just put the picture of slaughtered “kepala Babi” and put a sentence that “merokok sama haramnya macam makan daging Babi”. I am sure once the public gets this message loud and clear; the people who smoke will feel the peer pressure and will consider stop smoking.
The only option they have is to cross the border and go to smoke in Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Wilayah, Sabah, Melaka and Negeri Sembilan… there it is not Haram! So, the next time you want to light a cigarette make sure you are standing in the right state in Malaysia
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Well the fatwa body cowtow to the cigeratte industry lobby I reckon. Some of them may be a smoker but it won’t be much to tone down the fatwa rulling me think.
Regarding the streamline the Fatwa’s nationwide, it’s ’cause of the state’s law and religion come under state jurisdiction. So anything need to go to each and every state body,nothing to be shock, even in the States, the rulling for religious(christian) also differ between the state. But it good to make it uniform and streamline the fatwa among the negeris. we are just a thiny state after all.
Smoking will kill anyone of any religion. Eating pork on the other hand will only kill you if the meat or animal is tainted or diseased. That’s the problem with a religion like Islam. While pork by way of modern husbandry has become hygienic smoking will never be hygienic. Question is why are Muslims so afraid of pork but smoke like chimneys. This kind of anomalies exist because Muslims refuse to think for themselves but accept the contents of a document written for a time and place more than 1,000 years ago. Have Muslims given any thought to the archaic pronouncements contained in the Koran. Tsuitability of these pronouncements in our fast changing world is something Muslims should give serious thought to.
smoking is bad period , though it took me 27 years non stop , the few years was two packs of B&H a day, to make me realise that. It’s been 6 years since.. ;-)
Yeh , let’s see if the media and NGOs will promote the anti smoking campaign along religious line.
I bet you NO because they are more interested with finding faults on the NFC , mere critics and giving bad publicity to Islam.
Many of us think we are clever , arguing an issue based on our limited knowledge on the subject and inadvertently our reasonings are to our heart desire i.e. human rationale.
Thought provoking as it may be , there is a limit to freedom; so many free this and free that which may lead ultimately to being a free thinker or freemason , one who does not believe in God. For Muslims , we believed in Rukun Iman and this preserved our aqidah.
I would rather see positive discourse on the subject !
Dear AK
The only common thing between “Makan Babi” and “merokok” is that it is haram. This is especially in 5 states in Malaysia. This is a fact. No paranoia here.
It is not meant to insult any religion but to provoke the readers thought that smoking is dirty and should be stopped. If I manage to change the smoking habit of 1 reader, I think I have contributed to mankind and to any religion.
The NFC is really in no position to produce any fatwa as far as Malaysian law is concern. This is clear from legal aspect.
hehehehe
well actually from my point of view, your post one serious yet funny post i ever read b4…
i’m quite a heavy smoker and i won’t be angry with you b’coz you are right…
some many thing to be cross check of their HALAL issues, yet the YOGA that they find to be HARAM…
HARAM jadah to them all…
the HARAM issue on cigarette, well they all used to be heavy smoker also (i cannot the name, but he is one of the panel in Majlis Fatwa)…
Only after something happen to his live and health, suddenly he decided to put a HARAM fatwa on cigarette…
The question is, weather the decisions is made according to their studies on Fiqh or personal experience…
Dr…
As A Malay and Muslim,
i found that this issues are very annoying…
Some how i feel ashamed of my own Majlis Fatwa…
Is like they playing a role of making diversion over something that we as MALAYSIAN should see…
Like altantuya Case, using Hidraf Case as a diversion on Eurocopter suicidal mission to kill Malaysian Army, Anwar Case, Anti-ISA case….
Come on… do they ever heard that any people that practice YOGA became MURTAD…???
Yes maybe the practice making people mind off the own origin and religion but it not that bad…
feewh…
enough comment for now…
I’m at Perak… So i can smoke… sorry dr…. hehehehehe…
btw… i am ex chulanian… now moderate one of the SRC Alumni blog….
what year was Fauziah Nawi in SRC???
Doc ,
You are really paranoid on “makan babi” so much so that you simply equate “merokok” as “makan babi”. This is a ridiculous statement and your suggestion to advertise “kepala babi” on cigarette packs or “merokok sama haramnya macam makan daging babi ” is out of line. Don’t you have sensitivity for others of different religions ?
Your cynical writings on this subject is skewed towards negative connotation, it seems. Accepted that ’smoking” , “pengkid” and “yoga” are “haram”. The fatwa or keputusan fatwa on these 3 issues by the NFC is clear for Muslims . Who is making the fun fare ? Are they not the media , the NGOs and simply critics ???
As Muslims, we should learn and research more on the religious aspect of the edicts. It is easy to look at the negative side but to appreciate the reasonings behind the keputusan fatwa , accept beyond doubt and more so to adhere to the prescribed practices are test on our “iman”.
Taking bribes should be made haram. Illegal logging should be made haram. Mat Rempits should be haram-ed.