Surat Terbuka Tokoh Dan Sarjana Islam Berhubung Fitnah Keatas Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim

Surat Terbuka oleh tokoh dan ilmuwan Islam ini diterbitkan pada Julai 2008 oleh Majalah Islamica. Admin blog berhasrat memaparkan semula surat terbuka ini kerana keprihatinan rakyat terhadap kezaliman ke atas Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim. Surat ini menjadi saksi betapa ramai sarjana dan tokoh umat Islam yang khuatir fitnah berterusan ke atas beliau. Moga kita mendapat manfaat dari surat ini.

Letter signed by 45 Islamic scholars concerning Anwar Ibrahim published by the Islamica Magazine.

In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
May Peace and Blessings be upon the Prophet Muhammad and his kin

“ … [M]ake peace between them justly, and act equitably. Lo! Allah loveth the equitable. / The believers are naught else than brothers. Therefore make peace between your brethren and observe your duty to Allah that perhaps ye may obtain mercy.” (The Holy Qur’an,Al-Hujurat, 49:9-10)

OPEN LETTER CONCERNING DATUK SERI DR. ANWAR IBRAHIM

Al-Salaamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

We, the undersigned, believe the honorable brother Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim to be of the highest ethical and moral integrity, a devout Muslim and a devoted father and husband. He is universally recognized as an advocate for justice and fairness, and he has a long history of promoting Islam and championing Islamic ethical and charitable causes.

We are deeply concerned about the physical safety and freedom of our respected brother Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim. We are troubled by the unsubstantiated and clearly scurrilous claims made against him and his character. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

“O ye who believe! Shun much suspicion; for lo! some suspicion is a crime. And spy not, neither backbite one another. Would one of you love to eat the flesh of his dead brother? Ye abhor that (so abhor the other)! And keep your duty (to Allah). Lo! Allah is Relenting, Merciful.” (The Holy Qur’an, Al-Hujurat, 49:12)

Our beloved Malaysia is today one of the leading countries of the Muslim Ummah. It is an example of a successful modern Islamic country, and in many ways a model and example for other Muslim countries. This has been due to the Grace of Allah and then largely to the historical and invaluable efforts and contributions made by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammed and Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi (among others).

Every Muslim who knows anything about Malaysia is proud and appreciative of these efforts. Equally, every Muslim who knows Malaysian politics is appreciative of the formidable political courage in leadership exhibited by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammed during his time as Prime Minister of Malaysia and of the example of personal piety and forbearance that Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi has given the Ummahtoday.

Indeed, perhaps precisely because of Malaysia’s prominence within the Ummah and the world, we would like to point out that the global Muslim community is paying close attention to the way our respected and honorable brother Dr. Anwar Ibrahim is treated. We have no wish to interfere in the internal politics of Malaysia, or in civil and criminal accusations within the country, which we reiterate are ultimately the business only of the Malaysian state and people. However, the spectacle, ten years ago, of our respected brother Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim sitting patiently in court after having been personally and illegally beaten up by then Police Chief of Malaysia is still fresh within our minds as a travesty of justice and impartiality under the law in a leading Muslim country. We are all still ashamed of that image, which will ever be indelibly engraved in our memories. So we remind our bothers in Malaysia that our beloved Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said that justice is the very goal of government in Islam. And Allah Himself says in the Holy Qur’an:

“Say: My Lord enjoineth justice …” (Al-A’raf, 7:29)

Thus we feel that we have a right — and indeed, an obligation under Islam — tostrongly urge the Malaysian authorities to facilitate a swift, transparent and just resolution to this issue and resolutely ensure the safety, freedom and physical well-being of our honorable and respected brother Anwar Ibrahim. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

“The Truth is from thy Lord (O Muhammad), so be not thou of those who waver.” (Al-Baqarah, 2:147)

Moreover, given the political implications of the timing of this latest incident; given the political undertones of the previous incidents of similar accusations made in 1998 — which led to the wrongful incarceration of Dr. Anwar Ibrahim for six years, and that have since been publicly refuted in the highest Malaysian court of law — and given the proven questionable nature of the authorities involved in the investigation, we feel morally obliged to also state our deep concern about the prospects of true justice for Anwar Ibrahim in the current authorities in the police and prosecution departments (whose leadership was personally involved in Dr. Anwar Ibrahim’s previous unjust accusations) without deliberate, careful, impartial and independent political oversight. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

“Lo! Allah enjoineth justice and kindness, and giving to kinsfolk, and forbiddeth lewdness and abomination and wickedness. He exhorteth you in order that ye may take heed.” (Al-Nahl, 16:90)

Finally, we are morally obliged as Muslims to also point out that our religion and our beloved Prophet Muhammad (may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) regard false accusations in these matters to be of extremely grave consequence. In fact, under Islamic Law, accusations of this magnitude that are not substantiated by four eye-witnesses of impeccable character (such as did not occur neither with these accusations nor with the previous ones) incur severe legal punishment only for the accusers themselves. Perhaps what is most insidious and disturbing, however, is the likely malevolent and slanderous intent behind these attacks on the moral character of our brother Dr. Anwar Ibrahim. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

“When ye welcomed it with your tongues, and uttered with your mouths that whereof ye had no knowledge, ye counted it a trifle. In the sight of Allah it is very great. / Wherefor, when ye heard it, said ye not: It is not for us to speak of this. Glory be to Thee (O Allah)! This is awful calumny. / Allah admonisheth you that ye repeat not the like thereof ever, if ye are (in truth) believers.” (The Holy Qur’an, Surat Al-Nur, 24:15-17)

However, we have complete trust in Allah and so remain hopeful that the highest political authorities in Malaysia will, in sha Allah, secure an honest and just outcome to this deeply troubling situation. Allah says in the Holy Qur’an:

“Let there arise from you a band of people who invite to goodness, and enjoin right conduct and forbid wrong. Such are they who are successful.” (Aal-‘Imran, 3:104)

Wal-Salaamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu.

Signed by (in Alphabetical Order of First Names):

Dr. Abubaker Al-Shingieti
President, American Muslims for Constructive Engagement (AMCE)

Prof. Dr. Akbar Ahmed
Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies, American University, Washington DC; Former Pakistani High Commissioner to the UK

Shaykh Al-Habib Ali Zain Al-Abidin Al-Jifri
Founder and Director, Taba Institute, United Arab Emirates

Mr. M. Ali Lakhani
Founder and Editor of Sacred Web: A Journal of Tradition and Modernity, Canada

Dr. Anas Al-Shaikh-Ali
Chair, Association of Muslim Social Scientists UK
Academic Advisor, International Institute of Islamic Thought, London

Ms. Amina Rasul

Lead Convenor, Philippine Council for Islam and Democracy, Mandaluyong City, Philippines

Prof. Dr. Aref Ali Nayed
Muslim Scholar, Libya; Senior Advisor, Cambridge Interfaith Program, Faculty of Divinity, Cambridge University; Former Professor, Institute for Islamic Thought and Civilization (ISTAC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Ms. Asma Mirza

President, MSA National (USA)

Asst. Prof. Dr. Caner Dagli
College of the Holy Cross, Worcester MA, USA

H.E. Shaykh Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ceri?
Grand Mufti and Head of Ulema of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Prof. Dr. Din Syamsuddin

President, Central Board of Muhammadiyah, Indonesia

Mr. Eboo Patel
Founder and Executive Director, Interfaith Youth Core, USA

Ms. Farah El-Sharif
President, Muslim Students Association, Georgetown University, USA

Shaykh Faraz Rabbani

Hanafi Scholar; Instructor, The Razi Institute, Canada

Dr. Faroque Khan
Chairman, Islamic Center of Long Island, NY, USA

Prof. Dr. H.R.H. Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad bin Talal
Chairman of the Board of the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought, Jordan

Shaykh Salih bin Sultan Ghalib Al-Quaiti
Hadramaut, Yemen

Mr. Hasan (Charles) Le Gai Eaton
Writer on Islam, UK

Dr. Ibrahim Kalin
Director, SETA Foundation, Ankara, Turkey; Asst. Prof. Georgetown University, USA

Prof. Dr. Ingrid Mattson
President, The Islamic Society of North America (ISNA)

Intisar Rabb, Esq.
Princeton University

Dr. Jamal Barzinji
Vice-President, International Institute of Islamic Thought, USA

Dr. Jonathan Brown
Assistant Professor, University of Washington, USA

Dr. Marve Kavakci
George Washington University

Dr. Mohammad Fadel
Assistant Professor of Law, University of Toronto, Canada

Dr. Mohamed Bechari
President of the National Federation of Muslims of France (FNMF); Secretary-General of The Islamic European conference (EIC/CIE); Vice-President of the Foundation of Islamic Works of France (FOI); President-Rector de of the Avicenna Institute (IASH), France

Mohamed H. Marei
Founder and Director, Qasid Institute, Jordan

Hafiz Moez Masoud
Host of Al-Tariq Al-Sah television show, Cairo, Egypt

H.E. Amb. Dr. Murad Hofmann
Author and Muslim Intellectual, Germany

Mr. Musa Saket
Chairman of the Board, Al-Salam Audio Media (Hayat Fm), Jordan

Prof. Dr. Mustapha Cherif
Muslims Intellectual; Former Minister of Higher Education and Former Ambassador, Algeria

Prof. Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqui
Islamic Scholar and Theologian; Chairman of the Fiqh Council of North America, USA

Dr. Nabil El-Sharif
Editor- in-Chief, Al-Dustour Daily Newspaper, Jordan

Mr. Nihad Awad
National Executive Director, Co-Founder
Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), USA

Shaykh Nuh Ha Mim Keller
Author and Educator, Jordan

Dr. Seyyed Reza Shah-Kazemi
Author and Muslim Scholar, UK

H.E. Prof. Dr. Rusmir Mahmutcehajic
Professor, Sarajevo University; President of the International Forum Bosnia; Former Vice President of the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Prof. S. Abdallah Schleifer
Distinguished Professor, The American University of Cairo; Founder and former Director of the Adham Center for Journalism (AUC); former Washington DC bureau chief Al Arabiya News Channel

Dr. Sayyid Syeed
ISNA Secretary-General, USA

Dr. Sherman A. Jackson
Arthur H. Thurnau Professor of Near Eastern Studies, University of Michigan; Co-Founder The American Learning Institute for Muslims, USA

Mr. Sohail Nakhooda
Editor-in-Chief, Islamica Magazine

Prof. Dr. Sulayman S. Nyang
Howard University, USA

Dr. Tawfik Awji
Beirut Islamic University, Lebanon

Dr. Yusuf Islam
Composer and Philanthropist, Islamia Schools Trust, London, UK

Dr. Yousuf Zia Kavakci
Director Islamic Association of Northern Texas and Member Fiqh Council of North America

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Terjemahan

Dengan Nama Allah, Yang Maha Penyayang, Yang Maha Pemurah, Selawat dan Salam ke atas Junjungan Besar Nabi Muhammad dan keluarganya.

“…Dan apabila dua golongan orang mukmin berperang, maka damaikanlah antara keduanya.Sungguh Allah mencintai orang-orang yang berlaku adil. /Sesungguhnya orang-orang mukmin itu bersaudara, kerana itu damaikanlah antara kedua saudaramu (yang berselisih) dan bertakwalah kepada Allah agar kemau mendapat rahmat. (Al Quran al Karim, Al- Hujurat, 49:9-10)

SURAT TERBUKA BERHUBUNG DATUK SERI DR. ANWAR IBRAHIM

Al-Salaamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu,

Kami yang menandatangani surat ini, percaya saudara kami yang terhormat Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim merupakan seorang yang beretika dan tinggi integriti moralnya, Muslim yang patuh serta ayah dan suami yang setia. Beliau dikenali dunia sebagai pemimpin yang memperjuangkan keadilan dan kesaksamaan, beliau mempunyai sejarah panjang dalam memartabatkan Islam serta mengangkat etika Islam dan usaha amal.

Kami sesungguhnya mengambil berat akan keselamatan fizikal dan kebebasan rakan kami yang dihormati Datuk Seri Dr. Anwar Ibrahim. Kami terganggu dengan tuduhan tidak berasas yang dilemparkan ke atas beliau yang jelas cuba menghina keperibadian beliau. Allah berfirman dalam Al Quran al Karim:

“Wahai orang-orang yang beriman! Jauhilah banyak dari prasangka, sesungguhnya sebahagian dari prasangka itu dosa, dan janganlah kamu mencri-cari kesalahan orang lain, dan janganlah ada di antara kamu yang menggunjing sebahagian yang lain. Apakah ada di antara kamu yang suka memakan daging saudaranya yang sudah mati? Tentu kamu merasa jijik. Dan bertakwalah kepada Allah, sungguh Allah Maha Penerima taubat, Maha Penyayang.” ( Al Quran, Al Hujurat, 49: 12)

Negara Malaysia yang tercinta hari ini merupakan salah satu negara terkemuka buat umat Islam. Ia merupakan salah satu negara Islam moden, dan dalam banyak hal ia merupakan model dan contoh kepada negara Islam lainnya. Ini oleh kerana Rahmat Allah dan juga usaha serta sumbangan Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammed dan Perdana Menteri Datuk Seri Abdullah Badawi. Setiap Muslim yang mengetahui Malaysia pasti akan berbangga dan menghargai usaha tersebut. Begitu juga setiap Muslim yang mengetahui mengenai politik Malaysia, pastinya menghargai kekuatan kepimpinan politik Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohammed yang ditunjukkan sepanjang beliau menjadi Perdana Menteri Malaysia, dan contoh ketakwaan serta kesederhanaan yang tampilkan oleh Perdana Menteri Abdullah Badawi kepada ummah masa kini.

Oleh kerana Malaysia tersohor di kalangan umat Islam dan dunia, kami ingin menyatakan komuniti umat Islam seluruh dunia memerhatikan dengan dekat layanan terhadap saudara kami yang dihormati Anwar Ibrahim. Kami tidak berniat untuk mencampuri urusan politik dalaman Malaysia, mahupun pertuduhan sivil dan jenayah di dalam negara ini, yang kami ingin ulangi merupakan urusan rakyat dan negara Malaysia. Akan tetapi, gambaran, sepuluh tahun dahulu, bila saudara kami yang dihormati Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim duduk dengan sabar di dalam mahkamah selepas dicederakan secara salah dan di luar batas perundangan oleh Ketua Polis Negara pada waktu itu, masih segar dalam ingatan, betapa tindakan itu merupakan pencabulan ke atas konsep keadilan dan kebebasan di bawah undang-undang, terutamanya di sebuah negara Islam yang tersohor. Kami masih merasa malu akan imej tersebut, yang akan sentiasa tersemat di dalam ingatan kami.

Kami mengambil peluang ini untuk mengingatkan saudara kami di Malaysia, Nabi Muhammad yang kita dikasihi( rahmat Allah ke atasnya) berkata sesungguhnya keadilan merupakan matlamat utama sesebuah negara dalam Islam. Allah sendiri berfirman dalam Al Quran Yang Mulia:

“Katakanlah: Tuhanku menyuruhku berlaku adil….” (Al- A’raf, 7:29)

Oleh itu kami merasa kami mempunyai hak — atau sebenarnya satu tanggungjawab di atas nama Islam — untuk menyeru dengan tegas pihak berkuasa Malaysia agar memastikan satu penyelesaian yang adil, terbuka dan cepat ke atas masalah ini dan mestilah memastikan keselamatan, kebebasan dan kesihatan fizikal saudara kami yang dihormati Anwar Ibrahim. Allah berfirman dalam Al Quran Yang Mulia:

“Kebenaran itu dari Tuhanmu, maka janganlah sekali-sekali engkau( Muhammad) termasuk orang yang ragu-ragu.” ( Al – Baqarah, 2: 147)

Tambahan lagi, waktu berlakunya insiden terbaru ini dan implikasi politiknya, serta menyedari motif politik ke atas insiden lepas dengan tuduhan yang sama yang dilemparkan pada tahun 1998 — mengakibatkan saudara Anwar Ibrahim dipenjarakan secara salah selama enam tahun, yang kemudiannya tuduhan itu ditolak oleh mahkamah undang-undang tertinggi di Malaysia — kami terpanggil atas dasar moral untuk menyatakan kebimbangan kami bila menyedari hakikat penglibatan pihak berkuasa di dalam siasatan, yang mana kedudukannya amat meragukan sekarang serta kemungkinan saudara kami Anwar Ibrahim, dinafikan keadilan yang sebenarnya, terutamanya dibawah kendalian pihak polis dan pihak pendakwaan( pimpinan jabatan itu secara peribadi terlibat dalam pertuduhan yang terbukti tidak adil ke atas Anwar Ibrahim) tanpa seliaan politik yang bebas serta pertimbangan yang berhati-hati, cermat, dan secara tidak memihak.

Allah berfirman di dalam Al Quran:

“Sesungguhnya Allah menyuruh (kamu) berlaku adil dan berbuat kebajikan, memberi bantuan kepada kerabat, dan Dia melarang (melakukan) perbuatan keji, kemungkaran dan permusuhan. Dia memberi pengajaran kepadamu agar kamu dapat mengambil pelajaran.” (Al-Nahl, 16:90)

Terakhir sekali, kami sesungguhnya bertanggungjawab sebagai saudara Muslim untuk juga mengingatkan bahawa agama Islam dan Nabi Muhammad yang kami kasihi (rahmat Allah ke atasnya) menganggap tuduhan palsu seperti ini amat besar dosanya. Malah, di bawah undang-undang Islam, sekiranya dakwaan-dakwaan sebesar ini tidak disahkan melalui empat orang saksi yang berkeperibadian murni (pembuktian cara ini tidak pernah diberi pertimbangan kepada dakwaan-dakwaan di sini termasuk juga dakwaan yang terdahulu) dapat menyebabkan pihak penuduh dikenakan hukuman undang-undang yang berat. Namun apa yang amat merbahaya dan mengganggu, adanya kebarangkalian serta niat jahat dan unsur fitnah disebalik tohmahan dan tuduhan terhadap karakter moral saudara kami Anwar Ibrahim.

Allah berfirman di dalam Al Quran:

“(Ingatlah) ketika kamu menerima (berita bohong)itu dari mulut ke mulut dan kamu katakan dengan mulutmu apa yang tidak kamu ketahui sedikitpun, dan kamu menganggapnya remeh, padahal dalam pandangan Allah itu soal besar. / Dan mengapa kamu tidak berkata ketika kamu mendengarnya, “Tidak patas bagi kita membicarakan ini. Mahasuci Engkau, ini adalah kebohongan yang besar.”/ Allah memperingatkan kamu agar (jangan)kembali mengulangi seperti itu selama-selamanya, jika kamu orang yang beriman.( Surat Al-Nur, 24:15-17)

Sesungguhnya kami meletakkan seluruh kepercayaan kami kepada Allah dan sentiasa berharap, dengan izin Allah, agar kepimpinan tertinggi politik Malaysia memastikan penyelesaian yang telus dan adil kepada situasi yang amat menyulitkan ini. Allah berfirman dalam Al Quran yang Mulia:

“Dan hendaklah di antara kamu ada segolongan orang yang menyeru kepada kebajikan, menyuruh (berbuat) yang makruf, dan mencegah dari yang mungkar. Dan mereka itulah orang-orang yang beruntung.” (Ali Imran, 3:104)

Wal-Salaamu ‘Alaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu.