Speaking to FMT, she said Perkasa’s statement against her showed that it had failed to appreciate a famous saying of the Prophet to the effect that Islam allows for differences of opinion and another hadith, equally well known, about God’s love for seekers of knowledge.
Perkasa’s criticism came on Thursday in response to a Facebook post in which Nik Elin argued that the Quranic injunction regarding chastity did not mean that women must cover their hair.
Amini Amir Abdullah, who heads Perkasa’s Islamic affairs department, warned her against speaking on matters about which she had no knowledge. He urged religious authorities to prevent her from spreading “deviant” teachings.
Nik Elin said it appeared that Perkasa members believed Muslims were not permitted to think or express their thoughts.
“Who are they to point fingers and say my knowledge of Islam is limited?”
She said it was unfortunate that there were Muslims in the country who sought to allow only a single interpretation of Islam.
“The blessed Prophet is reported to have once remarked, ‘Differences of opinion in my community are a blessing.’ But in Malaysia nowadays, only a certain class of people are permitted to interpret the sacred texts, being given absolute authority in all matters relating to faith and law.
“I may believe the tudung is not compulsory and others may believe it is, but do not impose your beliefs on me. You are merely echoing what your masters tell you, whereas I dare to go against the grain in search of truth as my lord, Allah, has commanded me.
“As a Muslim lawyer, I have made a personal commitment to speak up for truth and justice while committing myself to studying the shariah and to learn more about Islam.
“I have learnt that there has always been differences among religious scholars, even during the early development of Islam, resulting in different schools of thought which still exist today.”