GEORGE TOWN: Islamic religious authorities have been urged to take prompt action to curb the spread of the reincarnation concept, namely transmigration of the soul of a dead person to another body, among Muslims in the country.
Penang mufti Wan Salim Wan Mohd Noor made this call after the spread of a video of a religious talk delivered by an independent preacher who mentioned about the transfer of the soul (from a dead person) to the body of another person who is still alive.
“The reincarnation concept is utterly absurd (in Islam). Among the religions that believe in reincarnation are Hinduism, Buddhism, several Shia branches in Lebanon and Syria, as well as certain extreme tadauf tarikat (school of Sufism).
“In this regard, I urge the Islamic religious authorities, including the Malaysian Islamic development department (Jakim) and state religious departments, to view this issue seriously and take prompt action to curb it,” he said in a statement today.
Wan Salim was commenting on a 10-minute video of an independent preacher quoting his teacher as saying that Allah created souls which could be transferred (from one to another living body).
Wan Salim said based on the perspective of Ahli Sunnah Wal Jamaah, reincarnation is a false belief and deviates from the true teachings of Islam as it is against the Quran and Sunnah Nabawiyah (prophetic tradition).
In fact, he said that according to Islamic teaching, a human being has only one life and it is not shared by anyone after his death.
He said Islam teaches that after death, the soul will enter Barzakh (a place separating the living from the hereafter) until the Day of Judgement before subsequently ending in heaven or hell.
According to Wan Salim, anyone who tried to spread the deviant belief to Muslims must be given a stern warning. If he was obstinate, legal action must be taken against him, he added.
“In addition, the person must be barred from delivering talks and lectures at mosques or suraus to preserve the faith of Muslims,” he added.