Malaysian Govt Forms Committee to Prevent Spread of False Hadith
The committee will be chaired by former Universiti Malaya Islamic Studies Academy (APIUM) dean Dr Abdul Hayei Abdul Sukor, who is also the former APIUM Quran and Hadith Department chief and author of "Tahsif Al-Quran Pedoman Muttaqin".
Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the government is pulling out all the stops to prevent the spread of false hadith in any publications.
"We are committed to controlling the circulation of false hadith in any publication and printed materials. "Therefore, the government has agreed to set up the Hadith Review and Assessment Committee, or also known Lajnah Tahqiq Hadith, under the purview of the Home Ministry.
"This committee was established to curb the spread of invalid hadith in (any form of) publications that can mislead the 'akidah (faith)' and jeopardize social harmony, public order and national unity," he said in his speech at the presentation of appointment letters to the committee members.
Zahid, who is also the home minister, said false hadith can disunite Muslims, threaten their faith and lead to extremism. "I hope this committee will be a reference point for the Muslim community, especially authors and religious publication companies, to check the validity of hadith. "
The committee is expected to come out with guidelines related to hadith writeups to guide the authors in authenticating the hadith before it is published," he said. The appointed members were selected based on their expertise in the Islamic field especially related to hadith knowledge.
The committee is also responsible for protecting the validity of hadith text or statement in publications including the Quran and other printed materials; control any form of abuse against hadith and its interpretation that can affect the peace and security of the country; and uphold the sanctity of hadith as a second form of reference after the Quran.
Source: New Straits Times
