SERI ISKANDAR: The people must avoid being consumed by a narrow understanding of Islam which can be seen in the acts of people spewing racially-biased hatred.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim such behaviour will only destroy values, and this can only be addressed with knowledge, undertstanding and putting that knowledge into practice.
He said differences in opinion are allowed, but Islam outlined that manners must be upheld as quoted by Sheikh Dr Taha Jabir Fayyad al-Alwani in his book titled 'Adab al-Ikhtilaf fi al-Islam' (Manners of Difference of Opinion in Islam).
The Tambun member of parliament said differences in opinion should be managed based on knowledge.
He said people must stop being obsessed with punitive action and hurling abusive words against people who held different beliefs than them.
"In the preaching method, it is not about punishing people. Punishing is the duty of a 'qadi' or judge in court. It is about using wisdom when preaching.
"But if you speak with insults but continue shouting 'Allah Akhbar', then that is not correct," he said when speaking at the Rahmah Mesra Madani Programme in Universiti Teknologi Petronas (UTP) here, today.
He said instilling values was among reasons why the government wanted to adopt Imam An-Nawawi's 40 Hadith into the education module because such lessons were crucial for Muslim teachers and students to address the symptoms of radicalism and extremism in society.
"At the least, we should understand such things, at least a little.
"If not, we would be using Islam as a slogan and shout it out with enthusiasm without any regard for manners. Without considering goals, methods, and fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence), preaching about the religion will never be successful.
"This is the problem which does not only occur in our country, but elsewhere in the Muslim world. There are terrorist groups such as the Islamic State who utilise the religion of Islam. (Their members) are proficient with the Quran and fight in the name of Islam, Allah and Allah's Messanger, but they allow people to commit murder, behead other people and so on.
"How do we deal with it? With knowledge," said Anwar.