I feel for you: Nik Aziz to DAP leader

Amid police reports and stinging criticism for reciting verses from the Quran, Perak DAP leader Nga Kor Ming's action receives the blessing of PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat.

MCPX

In a letter to the DAP leader dated April 9, the venerated Islamic figure and Kelantan menteri besar praised Nga for reciting the Quranic verses and sympathised with him over the backlash.

Nga had courted controversy when he uttered the holy verses during a ceramah in the run-up to the April 7 Bukit Gantang parliamentary by-election.

Several groups later condemned him for belittling the religion by virtue of reciting the verses as a non-Muslim.

Nga shot back at his critics, saying that Umno was preventing non-Muslims, especially the Chinese, from learning about Islam.

Commenting on this, Nik Aziz penned: "I can understand the feeling of disappointment in your heart, particularly with 'Umno's unfriendly attitude' towards this healthy inclination (to learn about Islam) of the Chinese and Indian communities."

"This (Nga's action) will only heighten the awareness among non-Muslims to research, study and hold forums on Islam in a widespread manner," he added.

'I have a dream'

Citing the famous line from Dr Martin Luther King Jr, which was recently echoed by Barrack Obama, Nik Aziz said that he too 'has a dream'.

"I have a dream. That in the not so distant future, there will be more individuals from the Chinese, Indian, Siamese, Bajau and Kadazan communities who will step forward to become Qari, Ustaz, Khatib and Imam (Islamic figureheads)," he said.

Delving into history, the spiritual leader said Genghis Khan had led the Moghul army to attack and destroy almost the entire Islamic civilization in Baghdad, but his grandson Aurangzeb had later created an Islamic empire in India.

"Therefore, I have strong faith that Islam's glory will be restored in this nation through such methods and similar incidents (the controversy surrounding Nga).

"Maybe YB (Nga) is the person who will lay the foundation stone (to achieve this end)," he added.

In view of this, Nik Aziz said steps must be undertaken to hold seminars and dialogues that dwell on topics such as 'Where has Islam gone wrong?' or 'What is the message of the al-Quran for non-Muslims'.

He said the panelists could be from PAS, Umno DAP, PKR, NGO leaders, lecturers and independent preachers.

The spiritual leader ended his letter by saying, "I thank Allah for your (Nga) strength and courage. Remain steadfast in facing these tests."

"God willing, I am witnessing the flicker of a candle in the distance. Let us proceed there together."