ISKANDAR PUTERI – The unity government has never forced non-Muslims to memorise or study Imam Nawawi’s 40 Hadith, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
He said the Imam Al-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith Appreciation Module is intended only for Muslim teachers and students, and the move is to strengthen their understanding of Islam, especially among the young.
“The initiative is for Muslims, especially young people because it is important for them to master and understand Islam, so non-Muslims should not misunderstand.
“Deepening religious knowledge is based on the Quran, Hadith and the interpretation by authoritative scholars,” he told reporters after a meeting with the unity government machinery here today.
On August 19, the Education Ministry launched the module aimed at fostering hadith appreciation starting at the school level.
For a start, the module will first be introduced in National Religious Secondary Schools (SMKA) and Government-Aided Religious Schools (SABK), before it is implemented in schools under the Education Ministry next year.
The ministry, in a statement today, said the module is aimed at fostering values of courtesy and love, and strengthening religious understanding among Muslim teachers and students.
The implementation of the pilot programme will involve 61 SMKA and 228 SABK nationwide.
Earlier in his speech, Anwar said followers of other religions should not misunderstand the efforts to increase understanding of Islam among Muslims.
He said the understanding of Islam, especially among young Muslims, should be enhanced to prevent them from becoming a generation that is ignorant of knowledge.
The module is expected to be introduced to Muslim students in other schools under the ministry next year.
However, the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Sikhism and Taoism raised concerns that the module’s implementation in school is unconstitutional.
This, it said, is because there is no provision in the Federal Constitution that allows such Islamic studies to be taught in that way in schools. – August 25, 2023
