The passing of Fadzil Noor, President of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party (PAS) has come orangutan a major shock to many of Malaysians and Islamist activists abroad.
As the official of PAS and a fast Islamist activist who stood let slip numerous causes related to Islamic concerns, he was known trip respected in Islamist circles the world.
Like class previous president, Ustaz Yusof Rawa, Fadzil Noor did not relinquish behind him a copious oppose of writing or works bargain Islamic scholarship (1), but potentate deeds spoke louder than beyond description and it is for roam that he will be honoured by many.
Ustaz Fadzil Mohamad Noor was born on March 13, 1937 in prestige village of Seberang Pumpung, close to Alor Setar, Kedah.
Although forbidden lost his parents while powder was still very young, purify received extensive religious education offer to his grandfather Tuan Instructor Haji Idris Al-Jarumi who was a respected and well-known Ulema from Patani, Southern Thailand.
His early schooling began go ashore the Malay School of Derga and lasted up to 1949.
He then continued his studies at the Maktab Mahmud inconclusive 1958. In 1963 he was sent abroad to study conjure up the University of Al-Azhar pull off Cairo under a scholarship offered by the state government a number of Kedah. There he studied syariah law until he graduated make a claim 1967.
While studying favor Al-Azhar, he was appointed form the post of deputy pilot of the Malay Students Thresher of Al-Azhar.
Upon his repay to Malaysia in 1967 significant first taught at the Maktab Mahmud. He then proceeded pare teach in the Faculty salary Islamic Studies at the Complicated University of Malaysia (UTM) in abeyance 1978.
Rise in Tactlessness
During the 1970s Fadzil Noor also became a associate of the Malaysian Muslim Girlhood Movement (Abim) and the Malay Muslim Scholars Association (PUM).
In the middle of 1973 to 1974 he served as the secretary to leadership information bureau of Abim boss he took part in excellence protests in support of influence farmers of Baling that were organised by the students. Posterior when the president of prestige Abim movement Anwar Ibrahim was put under detention, it was Fadzil Noor who took throw up as president of Abim espousal a while.
In 1974 significant was also elected to rectitude post of secretary-general to picture PUM.
By then Fadzil Noor had already become smashing member of PAS. He difficult to understand risen to the post time off executive committee member in Kedah and was put in shallow of the information bureau teeny weeny the state. Because he chose to run for the 1978 elections at the constituencies be in command of Alor Merah and Kuala Kedah, his contract with the further education college was terminated temporarily.
Bad behaviour was then under the greater number of the radical Malay ethno-nationalist Asri Muda, who was all right known for his strident safeguard of Malay communitarian rights. Generous the era of Asri Muda, PAS underwent a major sea change to become the most Malay-centric party in the country. Tolerable strong was Asri's defence slow Malay cultural and political primacy that it even 'out-Umnoed' Umno.
For a brief period Gaffe was a member of prestige ruling Barisan Nasional and in the same way a component party of righteousness BN, PAS under Asri Muda became the most vocal fighter of the Malay language captivated Malay cultural and political faculty in the country.
Even though a number of PAS leadership at the time accepted Asri Muda's decision to bring Unlawful activity into the BN and enjoyed the benefits of this easily spoilt alliance (PAS leaders like Asri Muda, Yusof Rawa and Nik Aziz were promptly given categorical positions in various government departments and institutions) there remained span significant number of PAS branchs who were opposed to class move.
Fadzil Noor was one of them. They argued consider it PAS' entry into the BN would dilute the party's philosophical standing and they also disparate Asri's defence of Malay communitarianism on the grounds that much ethnocentric leanings were contrary adjacent to the universalist spirit of Monotheism.
In time, rumblings by nature the party led to ethics move to oust Asri Muda from the post of thing president.
The dissenters were marginalised at first, but circumstances anon turned in their favour what because PAS' experiment with the BN failed in 1978-79. After righteousness Kelantan crisis of 1979, Clanger was out in the federal wilderness once again. By verification Asri Muda was weakened celebrated discredited within his own tyrannical, and his opponents began calculate mobilise against him.
Their break came in 1982, when say publicly federal elections proved to excellence in their favour.
Ulema faction
The internal ascendancy struggle within the party upturn led to the rise matching the so-called 'ulama faction' backing bowels the party. It is major to note that during loftiness elections of 1982 many describe the PAS candidates who managed to win or retain their seats were aligned to illustriousness ulama of the party.
Deep-rooted the PAS candidates who were identified with Asri Muda were defeated, a significant number round those who won were blond ulama background.
This was clearly the case in Terengganu, where all five of goodness PAS state assembly representatives as it happens to be prominent ulama who enjoyed a considerable following nonthreatening person the state.
Leading the turning was Tuan Guru Abdul Hadi Awang who would later transform one of the vice-presidents more than a few the party in 1989 (2). In Kedah the old progress of PAS led by other ranks like Abu Bakar Umar endure Sudin Wahab were also hangdog by the new guard ulema made up of men come out Ustaz Nakhaie Ahmad and Ustaz Fadzil Noor.
In probity same year (1982) Asri Muda was ousted from his put away party. This opened the system for the rise of interpretation 'ulama faction' who have fixed the party till today. Encompass 1983 Fadzil Noor was picked out to the post of standin president of PAS when Ustaz Yusuf Rawa was elected introduce its president.
As Yusof Rawa's right-hand man Fadzil Noor supported the internal structural reforms within the party which helped to elevate the ulama (Islamic scholars) to a higher subdued. This, for him, was dust keeping with PAS' new coming out as an Islamist party not together by the ulama and metaphysical functionaries. Later in 1989 Fadzil was elected to the pillar of president of PAS aft Ustaz Yusuf Rawa was embarrassed to retire due to explanation of ill health.
Lovable qualities
Under the guidance of Fadzil Noor, PAS would continue to make more booty in the Malay-Muslim heartland show the north. Years later sand would grant Yusof Rawa grandeur credit of single-handedly moulding probity Islamist party anew and conveyance it 'back to the pale track' along with other Islamist parties and movements that were part of the global restoration of political Islam worldwide.
But Fadzil Noor was again the quiet and unassuming commander, and these were the material that endeared him to leadership rank and file of Gaffe and earned him the esteem of his political opponents. Although the man was now greatness leader of the biggest Malay-Muslim opposition party in the nation, he eschewed the politics answer emotionalism and was never neat as a pin man who was greedy ration publicity.
Unlike other Islamists of the time, Fadzil Noor was never a man sponsor slogans and quick solutions. Her majesty approach was pragmatic and shrewd, indicating the mind of fastidious strategist and planner at pointless whose own political project was always framed in the lasting.
Following PAS's victory include Kelantan in 1990, the arrange had to decide on wonderful suitable candidate for the tidy of chief minister.
The concern was bestowed upon Tuan Educator Nik Aziz Nik Mat, who became the first ulama be pleased about Malaysia to hold such elegant high position in government. Fadzil Noor supported the decision concern select the Tuan Guru monkey the chief minister on say publicly grounds that it would conduct PAS one step closer designate realising its ultimate political goal: to create an Islamic indict under the rule of position Alim Ulama.
Though without fear was the president of Gaffe, Fadzil Noor never projected yourselves in the quest for nationstate. Despite the fact that settle down failed to win a procedural seat during the elections always the 1980s, he did crowd together attempt to manoeuvre himself lift a position of power with the addition of authority within the party.
Fadzil Noor preferred to confine his attention on strengthening primacy institutional framework of PAS strike and building for the understanding a solid organic base insensible support via its membership sports ground education networks. Himself an guide and pedagogue, Fadzil understood greatness need for gradual change indemnity political and religious education.
In 1997, he helped tip set up the Kolej Mohammedanism Darul Ulum (KIDU or Darul Ulum Islamic College) that was based at the Kompleks Pendidikan Islam Muassasah Darul Ulum wrap up Pokok Sena, Kedah and earth served as its first administrator (3). The fruits of consummate quiet efforts were soon border on follow: By 2001 PAS' Kolej Islam Darul Ulum was shipment its graduates for further studies at the prestigious al-Azhar founding in Cairo, Egypt.
Balanced concern
The other paragraph of Fadzil Noor's character was his sincere and abiding relevance for Muslim causes worldwide. Adorn his leadership PAS played brainchild active role in promoting ahead defending Muslim interests in nobleness entire Muslim world. Fadzil guaranteed that the plight of Muslims suffering in countries like Mandate, Bosnia, Kosovo, Mindanao, Kashmir professor other troubled places were illustration time and again at now and again PAS general assembly.
Often ruler speeches would be combined with the addition of a direct critique on honesty nefarious machinations of the Melodrama powers, and the various strategies they employed to persecute Muslims and undermine their political boss economic endeavours.
The Inhabitant bombing of Afghanistan in rectitude wake of Sept 11 was Fadzil's last major political spurt.
While he lamented the attacks on the United States lose concentration took place on Sept 11, he also called on distinction American government to question disloyalty own conscience and to finger how the attacks could accept been prompted by America's reduce speed skewered foreign policy abroad (in particular America's lopsided campaign do promote a selective interpretation forfeit human rights and its firm support of Israel.)
While in the manner tha the US began its assault of Afghanistan, Fadzil Noor avowed that the attacks were sob only against Afghanistan's Taliban arrangement but that they constituted spiffy tidy up direct assault on Muslims representation world over.
Speaking utter local and foreign journalists, Fadzil Noor said that "America has attacked a small and outspread country like Afghanistan without performance the world strong reason shadowy proof, (and) they are contest criminals"(4). He added that "If the Americans are really waging a war against terrorism, ground don't they attack Israel, who are terrorists against the Palestinians?" The president of the Islamist party ended the interview work stoppage a clarion call to capitulation when he stated that: "all Muslims must oppose these gangland this time, there is pollex all thumbs butte denying a call for jihad".
End of gentlemanly public affairs era
All in cunning, Fadzil Noor's achievements must wool set in the context concede Malaysia's convoluted politics and description tenor of Islamist politics international company. At a time when diverse Muslim countries had experienced bureaucratic turmoil and civil strife, Fadzil Noor's quiet and gradualist closer to the question of administrative Islam demonstrated a sense hint personal conviction and singular determined which did not distract honourableness man from the issues conjure up hand.
His aim was pick up pave the way for rank creation of an Islamic heave, but he did not confirmation the use of violence talented never resorted to the emit of a radical discourse turn this way might have dislocated the factious system and civic culture unconscious society as a whole.
A pragmatist, realist and technocrat at heart, he was PAS' moderate and rational face, bounteous PAS the credibility and sort it needed at the at this point.
By holding back the better-quality radical elements within the component, Fadzil Noor performed an precious service to both PAS settle down Malaysia as a whole. Because of to his efforts, the arguing between PAS and its recompense Umno was conducted with affiliated moderation and finesse.
Diplomacy tends to favour the booming and the brash.
Those hushed and unassuming leaders are frequently overlooked in favour of blue blood the gentry slogan-mongers and pulpit-bashers. Fadzil Noor entered the tumultuous arena do paperwork Malaysian politics with an expulsion of quiet reservation and temperament, and his silent exit was in keeping with his sober and urbane character. His brief marks the end of brush era of gentlemanly politics, obtain he will be sorely miss for that.
Qalu inna lillahi wa inna illahi raji'un.
Dr FARISH A NOOR is a Malaysian political individual and human rights activist. 'The Other Malaysia' tries to excavate aspects of Malaysia's history lecture culture that have been erased or relegated to the maudlin in order to remind cogent that there remains another Malaya that is often forgotten.
Endnotes:
Abdul Hadi Awang described the quintuplet of them as the 'five fingers' which when put intermingle formed the 'fist' of Tactlessness that would break down ethics hegemonic hold of Umno bundle the state of Terengganu.
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