Self-styled ‘Islamologist’ Farouk A. Peru does not believe that Islam can ever be a religion which advances a “culture of abuse”.
Writing in Facebook, Farouk quotes an authentic hadith classed as sahih by al-Albaani in al-Irwa’ (247).
Following the English translation used by Farouk, Muslims are instructed to “smack” their children (lightly) if they do not perform prayer by the time they reach 10 years of age.
Since Farouk is a Quranist who feels he does not need hadith to understand Islam his way, it stands to reason that his personal version of Islam does not warrant elders to lightly smack in order to make youngsters pray.
However there is wisdom in this hadith that Farouk fails to appreciate.
The ‘lightly’ proviso mentioned does not allow Muslims to smack ‘hard’. On the other hand, it would be troubling if – without this limit enjoined by the said hadith – parents were instead to smack as much as they want.
Nor would Muslim parents smack children younger than ten years old for the purpose of encouraging diligent prayer. What Prophet Muhammad teaches us is that we may familiarize our young ones to pray.
But there is another hadith where Prophet Muhammad pbuh reminds Muslims to be compassionate to the teenagers because God has created them with a sensitive heart.
Additionally, Farouk labels administrators of those for-profit-tahfiz schools as “penjaja agama”.
In his Apr 28 article published by Mariam, he writes:
“Ini [kematian Thaqif] bukan takdir Tuhan, ini kebodohan ulamak-ulamak pentadbir sekolah yang tidak faham bagaimana menguruskan institusi.”
Although the last thing I wish is to diminish the tragedy, nonetheless may I remind Farouk that it was a one-off.
If he must compare, then he should contrast sekolah tahfiz with Sunday schools where systemic sexual abuse has long been conducted by clergymen, and then covered up when threatened with exposure.
These Christian ‘wardens’ scandalously take advantage of young children placed in their charge for the purpose of religious education.
And by the way, it is rude and offensive of Farouk – see his Facebook below –to characterize the recitation of our Holy Quran (in the kind of school Thaqif attended) as a daily, memorized singing.
Abuse happens in Chinese school too
Post time 4-5-2017 03:49 PM
Malaysian @twitmsian
变色卡
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