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Just who is barbaric?
By Ummi Nasuha

6/8/2000 8:30 pm Sun


a#salamu'alaikum,

I am referring to an article by Radhakrishnan Muthiah "Do we need a moral code?" in the malaysiakini website.

He has every right to question about morality. What I do not agree and object strongly is that he is not in the place to question certain rules that ALLAH SWT imposes on His subjects.

I quote: "For instance, in Terengganu, the women who espouse Islam are required to cover their heads. What is the reason behind it? Probably the law makers a#sumed that Muslim men has a higher dosage of testosterone than normal human beings, that in order to keep their carnal desires in check, they should cover up their women folk.

Does that sound ridiculous to some? It does to me. Such inane - no, tribal - laws are being pa#sed because the law makers have forgotten the purpose for which laws are pa#sed. They are under the impression that there is a set of moral laws that are transcendent, that would always remain relevant to any society or situation, and never become outmoded." unquote

He questioned the reason why PAS Terengganu imposes a ruling on women to cover their heads. It is not a ruling PAS has made according to PAS's own 'whims'. PAS is just enforcing what is in the Holy Book Of Al-Quran. It is ALLAH's Order. Radhakrisnan should not ask the reasons or explanations on any of PAS's actions unless he is willing to study the Quran himself.

It was a mighty biased view of him that Muslim men have a higher dosage of testosterone. This is, I stress, not the case of any hormonal imbalance! And to give the term 'tribal' laws is highly unfair. Just what is 'tribal' and what is 'civilised'? He pointed out that it is a ridiculous 'law'.

If Mr. Radhakrishnan is a 'civilised' soul himself, then he should condemn the practice of Hindu devotees who prick and bleed themselves in the name of cleansing one's soul during Thaipusam. Or, it is not peculiar for us to think just why Hindus do not eat beef but then drink the cow's milk? Now, isn't that a 'tribal' practice? Does it hurt you, Mr. Radhakrishnan, when some one who is not a Hindu but then has the gall to question some religious beliefs of the Hindus?

He asks us to choose. And I choose PAS to govern in the Islamic way anyday, anytime. I would like to consider myself a devout muslim, and the Islamic way of life is CERTAINLY not the way to "wallow ourselves in the barbaric past" as Mr. Radhakrishan has ineptly put.


Sometimes I just cannot comprehend why malaysiakini can sometimes be so incredibly insensitive to such issues about ugama. It always shouts itself hoarse as being 'impartial', bla bla bla, but does not the editors have any common sense or even a sense of restraint when publishing such letters that can hurt one particular group of faith??

It is enough that some muslim writers like FarishNoor and Hishamudin Rais have written some articles which are making us muslims look silly, frivulous, shallow, and laughable!! And now non-muslims writers are openly and blatantly ridiculing us in our faces. It is enough that we hear non-muslim 'leaders' making statements outrightly condemning Islam, and now the common people are following their footsteps, without fear and without any respect at all. Just how far can our patience be stretched, kengkawan semua? Just how low can we let our ugama to be stepped on and trodden and treated this way?? Until we feel the knife's sharp edge at our throats?