Mujahid: Breaking fast at non-Muslim houses of worship not wrong

There is no issue with Muslims breaking their Ramadan fast at a non-Muslim house of worship, said de facto Islamic affairs minister Mujahid Yusof Rawa.

Bernama quoted him today as saying that Johor Bahru MP Akmal Nasir attending a breaking fast event at a gurdwara (Sikh temple) was only to foster better ties between the races.

"This is not an issue that should be played up [...] only certain people want to sensationalise religious issues, close-mindedness and racism.

"I worry this could lead to Islamophobia," Mujahid said at a press conference in Parit Buntar earlier today.

The minister also pointed out that the event attended by the PKR lawmaker was held in a hall and not at the Sikh prayer area.

The minister's remarks were made prior to Johor Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar's issued rebuke against Akmal.

Sultan Ibrahim said allowing Islamic practises to be held at non-Muslim houses of worship would open Muslims to proselytisation. 

The monarch said the interfaith buka puasa event Akmal attended also ignored Muslim sensitivities.

The breaking fast event on Tuesday was the second time the Johor Bahru MP had attended such an event at the Gurdwara Sahib in his constituency.

In a Facebook posting defending the event, he said he only decided to attend last year after discovering the food consumed by the Sikh community at the gurdwara was 100 percent vegan - which meant it was free of any animal product including milk, eggs and honey.

He said the gurdwara had also prepared an empty hall for visiting Muslims to perform their maghrib prayers which was separate from the Sikh prayer area.