Press Release
Congratulations JAIS for Your Courage and Quick Action in Arresting Our Sisters!

On 28/07/2019, for the first time the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (JAIS) has begun “playing rough” by arresting two sisters of Hizb ut Tahrir in a raid at a café in PKNS Complex Shah Alam. Previously, they targeted only men with a total of seven members of Hizb ut Tahrir being arrested so far. Also arrested in the raid were two siblings, Nur Afiqah Fatnin Binti Mohd Latif, 25 and Muhammad Arfan Firas Bin Mohd Latif. They are the children of the café owner and were taking care of the café for their parents who are now at the holy land of Makkah for pilgrimage. The raid by about 15 enforcement officers of JAIS took place around 4.20 pm. Two sisters of Hizb ut Tahrir arrested in the raid are Kalsom Binti Abu (Ummu Atiyah), 64, and Nor Hazan Binti Bachok (Ummu Aafia) 40, a mother of 3 who is also 8 months pregnant.

JAIS raided the program Bicara Muslimah (Sister’s Talk) entitled “Let's keep the momentum of Ramadan" which was held at the café and was delivered by Ummu Atiyah, while Ummu Aafia was arrested on accusation of being the organizer. In addition, all those present in the program were summoned to JAIS headquarters to testify as witnesses. Another sister of Hizb ut Tahrir, Norliahani Binti Abdul Basir, 42, who was called to JAIS headquarters yesterday (31/07/2019) as a witness, was then detained during interrogation, bringing the total number of arrests to five. Worse, JAIS has acted beyond their jurisdiction by seizing the handphone of the said mother of five children. Ummu Aafia's handphone was also seized during yesterday’s interrogation when JAIS was not satisfied with her answers. Truly, JAIS has no shame and does not fear Allah (swt) by committing the Haram (forbidden) act of seizing the properties of others!

All those arrested were released by oral bail and will be charged under Section 12 (c) of the Shariah Criminal Offenses (Selangor) Enactment 1995, for acting in contempt of the religious authority given by way of a fatwa. The fatwa in question is a fatwa issued by the Selangor Fatwa Committee against Hizb ut Tahrir on 17/09/2015 which is full of defamation, fabrication, distortion and confusion; the fatwa that has been rebutted by Hizb ut Tahrir through our official Objection Booklet dated 28/06/2016 that had been handed over to the Mufti Department, the Selangor Fatwa Committee and JAIS, which all of them have failed to answer until today!

Failing to intellectually answer the Objection Booklet, they ‘answered’ by arresting our members! This is what JAIS resorted to and they do not care who they are arresting - women, warga emas (elderly citizens), pregnant mothers or even the children of the owner of the premise whose parents are in Hajj...JAIS arrested them all! Apart from that, they arrogantly entered a private premise without permission and without warrant and wanted to seize some of the business goods at the premise even though those goods have no relation whatsoever to Hizb ut Tahrir. Congratulation to JAIS for having the courage to arrest our sisters in such a manner!

This arrest came amidst the anger and protest of Muslims in Malaysia against a caricature insulting the Prophet Muhammad (saw) and insulting Allah (swt) where even the softest voice of JAIS is not at all heard in these issues! JAIS did nothing when the Prophet (saw) is being insulted, but they hurriedly arrest the sisters of Hizb ut Tahrir who were delivering talks calling on the people to revive the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw). JAIS also stood silent when Shareena Sheriff insulted Islam despite numerous complaints being made over the year for JAIS to take action against the said Program Manager of the liberal group Sisters in Islam. However, with only one complaint being made and within only a few days of the Muslimah Hizb ut Tahrir program that calls people to Islam, JAIS acted like a lion pounding its prey without delay! Congratulations once again to JAIS!

JAIS also hides behind the term "public complaint" to pretend that it is the public who made the complaint resulting in their action against programs organized by Hizb ut Tahrir. This is similar to the arrest of the four members of Hizb ut Tahrir on 4/12/2015 where JAIS alleged the same thing, but when the case was heard in court, they had to admit and testify that the person who allegedly made the public complaint was actually their superior officer! What a shame!

JAIS may think that the arrests they made will dishearten the members and supporters of Hizb ut Tahrir and will eventually halt the Da’wah of Hizb ut Tahrir and distance the Ummah from Hizb ut Tahrir. If that is indeed the case, then take notice O JAIS that we do not fear except Allah (swt) and we will never stop this Da’wah until Allah (swt) grants us victory or invites us to Him.

Congratulations to JAIS who apparently does not fear Allah (swt) by arresting the preachers in His way, while neglecting the evildoers! Congratulations to JAIS for courageously arresting those who call to Islam, while ignoring those who call to liberalism and those who insult Islam! Congratulations to JAIS for courageously arresting those who call to Jannah (Paradise) while disregarding those who call to Jahannam (Hell)!

Oh JAIS! With the power that you have, you can at your leisure arrest all members of Hizb ut Tahrir who are doing Da’wah in Selangor, drag us to court and imprison us. If that is your desire, please do so O JAIS since we have long submitted our affairs and your affairs to Allah (swt). Allah (Alone) is Sufficient for us since He is the Best Protector and the Best Helper, and He is the Best Disposer of affairs. We just wish to remind you O JAIS that in addition to the courts of this world in which you may win your cases, there is another court in the Mahshar where Allah (swt) shall be the Most Just Judge to decide over the Zulum (injustice) that you have perpetrated upon us.

We hope this piece of reminder will shed some light on those darkened hearts. If not because of our love and affection to you as our Muslim brothers, we would have not delivered this reminder. We wind up this reminder with the Words of Allah (swt) which is very beneficial for the Believers:

(إِنَّ الَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ الْحَرِيقِ)

“Verily, those who put into trial the believing men and believing women, and then do not turn in repentance, then they will have the torment of Hell, and they will have the punishment of the burning Fire” [Al-Buruj (85):10].

Abdul Hakim Othman
Spokesperson of Hizb ut Tahrir in Malaysia