The Home Ministry has banned the book The Rough Guide - History of Islam for allegedly containing distortions and inaccuracies of the religion and its adherents.

Distributor Penguin Books (Malaysia) was ordered to retract all the copies which have been available at bookstores here since June. These were later shipped back to the company's warehouse in Singapore.

In a statement today, the ministry also warned that those who defied the ban "could be punished with three years imprisonment, a RM20,000 fine or both."

The matter was first reported in Utusan Malaysia on Aug 17, which quoted reader Mohd Faisal Musa as claiming that the book was riddled with false information.

"The book says Prophet Muhammad drank water throughout the fasting month,," he said, adding that the British author Justin Wintle had also stated about "Allah's jealousy towards other gods".

He said this proved that the author sought to distort the beliefs and image of Muslims in the eyes of other religions.

Not aware

When contacted, Penguin Books sales manager for Malaysia Vijaya Mohan said he was not aware of the inaccuracies but upon notification by the ministry, the copies were immediately recalled.

"We don't want to be selling a book that has been banned, since we don't want anything like that to ruin our reputation," he added.

Wintle's History of Islam spans the religion's journey through 14 centuries, from the time of the prophet Muhammad up to the present 'war against terrorism'.

His writings on Islam have received mixed reviews from both Muslims and non-Muslims, particularly on his account of the religion's reaction to imperialism and injustice.

In History of Islam, he quotes Iran's former leader Ayatollah Khomeini describing Islam as "the religion of militant individuals who are committed to truth and justice. It is the religion of those who desire freedom and independence. It is the school of those who struggle against imperialism."

In his introduction to the Penguin's Rough Guide series, Wintle legitimises the West's fear of Muslim fundamentalists on the grounds that "they have access to vastly more destructive weapons and means of causing havoc than their predecessors."

Secondly, he said, "warring against the non-Muslim 'infidel' was an integral part of their reforming zeal."

Home Ministry officials could not be reached for further comments.