{"id":7718,"date":"2011-10-10T09:35:32","date_gmt":"2011-10-10T13:35:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/community\/deaconsbench\/?p=7718"},"modified":"2016-09-30T17:36:54","modified_gmt":"2016-09-30T21:36:54","slug":"sultan-muslims-who-attended-methodist-supper-will-receive-counseling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2011\/10\/sultan-muslims-who-attended-methodist-supper-will-receive-counseling\/","title":{"rendered":"Sultan: Muslims who attended Methodist supper will receive counseling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Who knew church suppers could be such a threat?<\/p>\n

Details: <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Islamic authorities will provide counseling to a dozen Malaysian Muslims to \u201crestore their belief and faith\u201d after they attended a community dinner at a church hall, a royal sultan said Monday.<\/p>\n

The case has triggered worries among officials in Muslim-majority Malaysia that some non-Muslims were trying to convert Muslims. Proselytizing of Muslims is punishable by prison terms of various lengths in most Malaysian states.<\/p>\n

Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah, the constitutional ruler of Malaysia\u2019s central Selangor state, said Islamic officials who inspected a dinner at a Methodist church hall in early August found \u201cevidence that there were attempts to subvert the faith and belief of Muslims.\u201d<\/p>\n

The sultan did not elaborate on the evidence or mention Christians in his statement, but said the evidence was \u201cinsufficient for further legal actions to be taken.\u201d<\/p>\n

Church officials had repeatedly denied any proselytization occurred at the dinner, which they described as a multiethnic gathering to celebrate the work of a community organization that worked with women, children and HIV patients. Christian leaders had also criticized Islamic state enforcement officials for what they called an unauthorized raid.<\/p>\n

Malaysia\u2019s state sultans command immense moral clout particularly among Malaysia\u2019s ethnic Malay Muslims, who regard them as the top authorities on Islamic issues. Muslims, who comprise nearly two-thirds of the country\u2019s 28 million people, are not legally permitted to change religion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe command that (Islamic officials) provide counseling to Muslims who were involved in the said dinner, to restore their belief and faith in the religion of Islam,\u201d Sultan Sharafuddin said.<\/p>\n

Rev. Hermen Shastri, the general secretary of Malaysia\u2019s Council of Churches, said the sultan\u2019s statement \u201cbrings closure to the case.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo one should speculate or aggravate the situation further,\u201d he told The Associated Press.<\/p>\n

The sultan added Monday he was \u201cgravely concerned and extremely offended by the attempts of certain parties to weaken the faith and belief of Muslims.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hope that after this, any and all activities \u2026 for the purposes of spreading other religions to Muslims in Selangor must be ceased immediately,\u201d he said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Read more. <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Who knew church suppers could be such a threat? Details: Islamic authorities will provide counseling to a dozen Malaysian Muslims to \u201crestore their belief and faith\u201d after they attended a community dinner at a church hall, a royal sultan said Monday. The case has triggered worries among officials in Muslim-majority Malaysia that some non-Muslims were […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7718","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-this-that"],"yoast_head":"\nSultan: Muslims who attended Methodist supper will receive counseling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Who knew church suppers could be such a threat? 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