KLANG: Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah wants all imam and mosque officials in the state to steer clear of extremist and liberal ideologies.

The Selangor Ruler said certain groups among Muslims had deviated from the true teachings of Islam and considered killing others as jihad.

“Such belief and understanding are dangerous if allowed to fester among Muslims and could lead to killing and conflict among Mus­lims, as seen in several Gulf states recently.

“I implore imams and religious officials to monitor extremist activities so that they will not gain a foothold in Selangor,” he said at a ceremony to present letters of appointment to Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) members for the 2018-2020 term at Istana Alam Shah here yesterday.

Sultan Sharafuddin, who also held a luncheon with 423 imams, urged mosque officials to ensure that speakers and religious scholars who gave ceramah at mosques and surau in Selangor had proper accreditation and credentials.

He said their ceramah should also be monitored to ensure that they did not deviate from the teachings of Islam and confuse Muslims.

“I have emphasised this many times before, but there are still imam and nazir who refuse to comply with my decree.

“Mais and the Selangor Islamic Religious Department, as the two highest bodies in the state, must be stern in acting against those who go against my decree and rules that have been set,” the Ruler added.

Touching on the management of Jais and other departments under its purview, the Sultan said they must give undivided loyalty to him as the head of Islam for as long as they serve in the state although they receive allowances and salaries from the Federal Government.

He said every policy set by Jakim (Malaysian Islamic Development Department) related to Islam, such as issues on halal certification, zakat (tithes), fatwa (edicts) and wakaf (endowment) to be implemented in Selangor must first be referred to Mais, which advises him on Islamic affairs, before the matter is brought before him for consent and implementation.

Earlier at the ceremony, the Sultan consented to the appointment of former Selangor State Secretary Datuk Mohammed Khusrin Munawi as chairman of Mais effective Jan 1 next year. — Bernama