By Danial Dzulkifly
SHAH ALAM, Nov 17 — The Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) has never issued any directive to ban the recital of Qunut Nazilah in schools to pray for the well-being of Muslims in Palestine.
State executive councillor for Islamic affairs, Dr Fahmi Ngah, said Jais has similarly not received any such order from the Education Ministry.
In this regard, he called on all parties, regardless of race and religion, to unite in solidarity for the sake of humanity rather than spreading divisive sentiments.
“We should avoid creating feelings of unrest or division. I urge Muslims and non-Muslims to unite in the name of humanity,’’ Fahmi said in his wind-up speech for the 2024 Selangor Budget in the State Legislative Assembly session today.
Qunut Nazilah refers to a prayer performed by Muslims during times of calamity, disaster, or hardship.
He added the Unity government at the state and Federal levels has always remained consistent in its stance of calling for the liberation of Palestine amidst renewed conflict between the pro-Palestinian group Hamas and Israel.
Over 11,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli attacks since October 7.
Last month, Jais urged all mosques and surau in Selangor to hold solat hajat and recite the Qunut Nazilah for seven consecutive days to pray for the Palestinians’ well-being.
Its director, Datuk Mohd Shahzihan Ahmad, said the call was made to seek Allah’s help so that Palestinians would be given the strength to continue to defend the sovereignty of the holy land of Jerusalem from imperialism.
At the Federal level, three major mosques under the purview of the Malaysian Islamic Development Department have started hosting solat hajat and the recital of Qunut Nazilah after the Isyak prayer each night since November 8.
They are Masjid Negara in Kuala Lumpur, as well as Masjid Putra and Masjid Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin in Putrajaya.
