Malaysia’s Terengganu state has implemented a very strict law for those who skip Friday prayers. Under the new rules, if a man is found absent from Friday prayers without any valid reason, he can be jailed for up to two years.Not only this, but you may have to pay a fine along with jail. International criticism of this decision has intensified, and it is being said to be against human rights. This step has presented an image of Malaysia being more strict than Islamic systems like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
What do the new rules say?
A first-time offender can be jailed for two years or fined 3,000 ringgits (about Rs 60,000) or both. Under the earlier rule, a maximum of six months’ imprisonment or a fine of 1,000 ringgits (about Rs 20,000) was imposed for skipping Friday prayers three times in a row. Now the law has been made more stringent. Signboards will be installed in mosques to inform about this rule. Action will be taken on the basis of complaints from religious patrol teams and the public. The Terengganu Islamic Affairs Department will also be involved in these campaigns.
The law is being criticized
Human rights organizations have called this move shocking and a violation of human rights. Phil Robertson, director of Asia Human Rights and Labor Advocates (AHRLA), said that freedom of religion also means that a person has the right not to believe or not to participate. He appealed to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim to immediately withdraw these punitive rules. At the same time, the government says that this punishment will be implemented only as a last resort.
The law was implemented for the first time in 2001
This law was first implemented in 2001 and was amended in 2016 to make it more stringent. Malaysia has a dual legal system, with civil law on one hand and Sharia law on the other, which applies to the Muslim population (about 66%). Neighboring state Kelantan tried to further expand the Sharia crime law in 2021, but the Federal Court of Malaysia declared it unconstitutional in 2024.
What is the law in Pakistan and Saudi?
According to data from World Population Review, about 96-97% of Pakistan’s total population is Muslim, about 24 crores, of which 85 to 90% are Sunni and about 10 to 15% are Shia. Constitutionally it is an Islamic republic. Although there is no specific punishment for Friday prayers, there are very strict Sharia-based punishments for cases like blasphemy. For example, insulting Prophet Sahib or insulting the Quran can result in death, life imprisonment, or up to 10 years of imprisonment.
If we talk about Saudi Arabia, almost 100% of its citizens are Muslims. It is an Islamic theocracy, where Sharia law is considered supreme and there is no freedom of religion. Non-Muslims are not allowed to worship in public. They are barred from entering holy places like Mecca and Medina. Conversion can legally lead to the death penalty.
