Ahmad Fauzi Abdul Hamid, a political science professor at Universiti Sains Malaysia, said repentance could be shown in many forms.
“It would not be right to classify repentance as being only about going to the madrasah to learn Islam or to pray,” he said to FMT.
He was responding to comments by controversial preacher Zamihan Mat Zin, who launched a thinly veiled attack on the PPBM chairman several days ago.
Zamihan, an officer with the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim), said that “an old man who was in power for 22 years” should enrol in a madrasah and spend time in prayer.
Without naming Mahathir, Zamihan said the person should stay out of politics and repent “for all his past mistakes”.
“And do charitable deeds for the hereafter. Stop thinking about politics when you’re old and about to die,” he said in a Facebook Live interview with news portal Watan Online.
Mahathir, who is also Pakatan Harapan chairman, has been named by the coalition as its prime ministerial candidate if it wins the 14th general election.
Fauzi said making a political comeback in his 90s might be a way for Mahathir to make amends for his misdeeds and compensate for the mistakes he committed during his tenure as prime minister.
“He has the will to correct his wrongdoings and that can be considered his way of repentance.
“Repentance can be about how strongly you want to recompense the people that you have wronged. Islam is not only about one’s relationship with God, but also about one’s conduct towards fellow humans and not just Muslims.
“Maybe that is what Mahathir is doing now, he feels like he needs to be responsible.”
Fauzi added that the question of age was irrelevant as anyone could die at any age, whether old or young.
He also said that many preachers seem to focus on religious texts without seeking an understanding of the context.
“In order to become a holistic preacher or scholar, we need to have a combination of many aspects of knowledge.
“Not just knowledge in ‘tawhid’ and ‘fiqh’ but also practical knowledge based on social reality.
“There needs to be a balance between religious sciences and the social sciences. When there is an imbalance, extremism easily takes hold,” Fauzi said.
You’re old and about to die, Zamihan’s thinly veiled attack on Dr M