A religious group deemed deviant by the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) is seeking a ‘muzakarah’, or dialogue, in reaction to the state agency’s dogged campaign against the sect.

Jemaat Ahmadiyah Muslim Malaysia (Jamm) is upset over the religious department’s alleged defamatory comments in an Oct 20 programme on AlHijrah TV, a station operated by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim).

In a 43-page memorandum to Jais, noting that it is labelled as a separate religion despite adhering to the Al-Quran, the movement wants a open discussion entitled ‘Ahmadiyah: Islamic or not?’.

"(The discussion) will allow the government, security forces, media and society to get accurate and factual information from both Jamm and Jais," the memorandum reads.

This, the memo adds, was better that having Jais raid their premises.

Memo sent to Hasan Ali

The memorandum details Jais' campaign against the group, including erecting signboards declaring them as non-Muslims, ordering them to cease Friday sermons and a media blitz which painted the group in a bad light.

The group has also submitted a copy of the memorandum to both the Selangor Menteri Besar's Office and the Selangor exco member in charge of Islamic affairs, Hasan Ali.

Ahmadiyah is a branch of Islam which believes Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (1835-1908) was a prophet after Muhammad.

The group is believed to comprise of 500 members in Selangor, and it has been subjected to an aggressive clampdown by Jais.

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