Quran schools not involved in spreading Isis ideology, says association – Bernama

The Selangor Association of Quran Memorising Institutions (Pitas) rejects the perception that such educational institutions (tahfiz schools) in Selangor were involved in spreading the Isis militant group's ideology in the country.

Its chairman Ashri Lateh Al-Muqril said the 160 registered tahfiz schools in the state had never encouraged their students to join any militant group, including the Isis.

"The militant group not only contravenes the tahfiz education philosophy but has also deviated far from the true teachings of Islam," he told Bernama today.

He said there were about 10,000 students in 130 tahfiz schools affiliated to Pitas, while another 30 were not part of the association.

Those affiliated to Pitas followed the syllabus provided by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) and Pitas was constantly monitoring their developments, he said.

"Jihad in tahfiz studies is not about taking up arms and going to war, but seeking knowledge like memorising and understanding the Quran which is a bigger jihad," Ashri said.

He added that tahfiz schools were to produce a generation of Quran students who were knowledgeable and well-rounded individuals, and were not training grounds for militants.

On a 14-year-old female tahfiz student who was arrested at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport for allegedly trying to join the Isis group in Syria, Ashri said this was individual in nature and an isolated case.

The girl from Muar, Johor was reportedly a student of a tahfiz school in Shah Alam.

However, Ashri said, the girl's case would be discussed at the Pitas annual general meeting next month while it would also discuss and seek ways to prevent the Isis ideology from influencing and poisoning the minds of tahfiz students. – Bernama, February 22, 2015.