PUTRAJAYA, Sept 29 (Bernama) -- A culture of shura, or consultation, and adab, or civility, must be strengthened within families, educational institutions, organisations, mosques, the administration and wider society to ensure differences of opinion are managed with knowledge, patience and respect, Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Shah said.
Sultan Nazrin, who chairs the National Council for Islamic Religious Affairs (MKI), said shura allowed diverse views to be heard, while adab ensured differences were handled respectfully, courteously and wisely.
“Shura is the process of discussion and exchanging views before making a decision. In Islam, shura emphasises listening with proper conduct, considering the views of others and seeking decisions that serve the common good.
“Adab is an important foundation in shaping a Muslim’s character. It involves awareness of one’s place, respect for the rights of others and wisdom in controlling one’s words and actions,” he said at the 75th MKI meeting here today.
Present were Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan and Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) director-general Datuk Dr Sirajuddin Suhaimee.
Sultan Nazrin said Muslims engaging in consultation should uphold adab by speaking truthfully based on knowledge and facts, communicating courteously, respecting differing views and giving due consideration to those with experience and expertise.
“The spirit of shura requires us to accept collective decisions with an open mind after every view has been fairly assessed and duly considered,” the Perak ruler said.
His Royal Highness also stressed that shura should be conducted with decorum and must not become a platform for competing for influence.
It should therefore be free from slander, prejudice and hidden agendas driven by personal interests.
“Consultation should be a platform for seeking truth and the common good, not an arena for satisfying egos or favouring particular groups,” he said.
Sultan Nazrin said the true strength of a family, society and the ummah did not come from uniformity of opinion, but from the ability to disagree without hostility, offer criticism without insulting others and reach collective decisions with integrity.
His Royal Highness also warned that the Malays and Muslims were facing a crisis of adab, with discussions and debates increasingly descending into acrimonious disputes.
“This was evident when unverified information was spread without regard for the consequences, people’s private shortcomings were exposed, and differences of opinion turned into hostility.
“A crisis of adab cannot be regarded as a trivial matter because the decline of a society often begins with the erosion of its values and morals,” he said.
Sultan Nazrin therefore called on Malays and Muslims to cultivate the habit of listening before responding, understanding before judging, and verifying before sharing information.
The Sultan said society should be taught that courage was not merely about speaking up, but also about being willing to listen, acknowledge mistakes and accept the truth, even when it came from those with different views or affiliations.
Sultan Nazrin also stressed that freedom of speech did not mean freedom to insult, while differences of opinion were no justification for accusing, belittling or slandering others.
“May MKI serve as an example of an institution that embraces shura as a culture and adab as its character - listening with the heart, speaking with wisdom, and remaining united despite differences of opinion.
“Indeed, shura unites views and adab unites hearts.
“If we want the ummah to be respected, nurture knowledge in our discussions. If we want society to remain united, uphold adab amid differences. And if we want leadership to be blessed, place truth above ego and self-interest,” he said.
-- BERNAMA