Cross-faith Communication

I think it's amazing that a non-Muslim leader can recite verses from the Qur'an to promote fight against injustice and oppression. Perak leader of the Democratic Action Party (DAP), Nga Kor Ming, had been lambasted recently in the run-up to the Bukit Gantang by-election for reciting verses of Qur'an during one of his speeches. Of course, it was UMNO's way to gain cheap political mileage by trying to play up the Islamic issue by accusing Kor Ming of denigrating the sanctity of the holy book. PAS's mursyidul am, Tuan Guru Nik Aziz, came to Kor Ming's defense, which effectively muted down the shrilled vitriol of the self-righteous UMNO people. Al-Qur'an, in case if people forget, is revealed to all humankind until the end of time, regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, etc. While it is the holy book of Islam its proprietorship is with the humankind as a whole. Hence, there is no wrong in non-Muslims wanting to make their points using verses from the holy book as long as they are recited within the appropriate context. Islam is a universal religion, pure and simple.

Above is the an excerpt of a recent speech given by Nga Kor Ming at the PAS's headquarters in Gombak, KL, where he again recited verses from the Qur'an under the gazing approval of Tuan Guru Nik Aziz. I think Malay leaders should also be able to do likewise by reciting verses from the Bible or Bhagavad Gita or Analect (Confucianism) for the sake of interfaith dialogue and religious tolerance, or at the very least, as a symbolic political posturing.