File picture shows atheist professor Richard Dawkins posing beside a London bus displaying his advertising campaign. A local Muslim missionary group has accused atheists of being Freemasons. — AFP file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 7 — A representative from local Muslim missionary group Yayasan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia (Yadim) accused atheists today of being Freemasons who wish for freedom, but would end up forsaking laws.

Mahadi Awang, the director of the eastern chapter of the group, said Muslims who turn atheists only do so because they wish to break away from the chains of the Islamic way of life in order to experience pleasure.

“We believe, there are among them who got trapped with the belief because they seek entertainment and wish to escape from being bound by the life system mandated by Islam,” he said, as quoted by Malay portal Sinar Online .

“Atheists are part of the Freemason movement who want a free life. This is dangerous when living without religion or faith, in the end will bring human to live a lawless life,” he claimed.

Freemasonry is a collection of diverse worldwide fraternities that started out as local groups for stonemasons, steeped in rituals and symbolisms.

Some Muslims oppose Freemasonry, claiming that it is linked to the Illuminati, Jews, Zionists, Satan worship, and even linking it to Dajjal, the purported anti-Christ in Islamic tradition.

A photo of the gathering by the Kuala Lumpur chapter, or “consulate”, of Atheist Republic has caused uproar from some in the Muslim community recently after it was highlighted by pro-Islamist blogs, leading to violent and death threats on social media.

Deputy minister in charge of Islamic affairs Datuk Dr Asyraf Wajdi Dusuki said yesterday Putrajaya will investigate the local group, even roping in the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission, as it allegedly involved the faith of Muslims in the country.