Najib brushes off FT imam's claim
Malaysiakini.com
Aug 25, 2008 
Rahmah Ghazali

Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak today brushed aside the Federal Territory Mosque imam Ramlang Porigi’s claim that the taking of oath in the mosque was not in accordance to Islam.
MCPX

najib and saiful bukhari azlan“That was his personal view. He is not the principal officer as you know. He was only an attendant. The main person is the mufti. Let the mufti comment on that,” he said after the closing ceremony of Latest Technology of Scanner Machine Seminar in Putrajaya.

He told reporters to ask the Federal Territory mufti about his views on the matter.

“He is actually the person to decide, or should decide, on whether the swearing is in line with Islam or not, not this fellow,” said Najib before leaving for Permatang Pauh for the last day of the by-election campaign.

Ramlang dropped a bombshell last night when he told a press conference in Permatang Pauh that he was instructed to witness the swearing ceremony by Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, who had accused  opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim of sodomising him.

FT Mufti: Saiful's swearing valid

Meanwhile, Federal Territory Mufti Wan Zahidi Wan Teh issued a statement today, saying the ceremony was valid as an outside-the-court oath.

“This type of oath is possible to do if there is a need to it, particularly if they want to strengthen their confession or statement,” said Wan Zahidi in a statement issued today.
           
He however clarified that the swearing should not be considered mubahalah – where both parties should be involved.

On Aug 15, Saiful had sworn on the Quran that he was sodomised by his former boss, Anwar. The oath-taking ceremony was witnessed by Ramlang, Saiful's father and his lawyer.

Wan Zahidi further explained that swearing on the Quran in the name of Allah is valid according to many Muslim scholars including a former Mufti of Egypt in his book, Fatwa Syariyyah.

“If someone swears with a mushaf (a Holy book), or puts it in his hand and says, 'By this Quran' – then the swearing is valid,” as quoted in the book.

Wan Zahidi later concluded that Saiful's swearing had to be done as it did not contradict Islamic law.

On Aug 23, Najib swore his innocence in a similar ceremony at a mosque in Permatang Pauh and denied links with the Altantuya Shaariibuu murder case.                    

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