Last Friday, while on a lunch date with my wife, she reminded me to hurry for Friday prayers. I smiled and said not to worry. I never expect anything good for Malaysia from most Friday prayer sermons.

Usually, I sit at a pillar of the mosque and tune out much of the sermon that is the hundredth repeat of traditional morality devoid of any modern contextual references. Corruption of leaders and threats to other faiths are never addressed. Usually, there is a reminder that Islam is under siege by those out to destroy the purity and sanctity of the religion.

But that day, as I was getting ready to tune out the shrill and disquieting voice of the khatib, I suddenly caught the words “Islam dan Perpaduan Kaum”. This was a rare treat after weeks of threats thrown at LGBT, Shia Muslims and of course Muslim liberals and moderates.

I decided to listen intently to every word and message of the sermon.

The sermon talked about the importance of living in a “masyarakat majmuk” or mixed society. It defined “mixed” as a society of people with different “cultures and ways of life”.

I tried very hard to listen for the two key words I was most interested in: “berlainan agama” or people of different religions. But these two words never came out! What came out was “berbeza bangsa, kaum dan gaya kehidupan”.

There were only two lessons to deal with differences in culture and way of life. First, to concentrate on common values such as helping one another in times of need. Second, to smile to people of different cultures as that was what the Prophet recommended.

I sat there shocked.

Why didn’t the sermon writers use the phrase “masyarakat berbilang agama” which means “multi-religious society”? Didn’t the writers understand “Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan” in the Rukunegara, which means to believe in any faith or religion that the citizen chooses to follow?

The sermon could have been addressing only Muslims of different cultures. Perhaps it was about Chinese Muslims, Indian Muslims or Kadazan Muslims. But the issue was about national unity. How can there be national unity when the existence of a multi-religious society is not acknowledged?

Was it because the writers feared giving the idea that other religions were also valid and thus could confuse congregants who were mostly educated at universities and from the middle class?

The mosque I attended was at a national religious boarding school, said to be the top in Selangor. How can we expect Muslims to respect other religions when we refuse to even mention the phrase “berbilang agama”?

Does the religious department not support the Rukunegara?

I have heard many sermons that would lead me to conclude that our religious officers disagree with the Rukunegara and the constitution. It seems these officers have no nation-building knowledge, only that of traditional Islam.

No wonder some Muslims are suspicious of lights on a building resembling a cross, cannot stand the sight of a pig during Chinese New Year celebrations, and claim that dancing by non-Muslim lawyers and judges is immoral.

On the other hand, corruption by Muslim leaders and civil servants is not sinful. Uttering racist words is not sinful.

How are we to progress over the next 50 years? Religious departments seem to know very little about living in a democracy, with respect to peoples from other faiths and lifestyles.

The sermon talked about “helping one another” in developing social harmony. Is that all? Other religions do not value their elders and children and help the poor and homeless? Other religions do not care about morality or teach their followers to shun corrupt leaders, gambling and adultery? Is that all the sermon writers can think of?

Of course, they urged Muslims to smile. But there was nothing about compassion to others. The sermon failed to mention that even Muslims do not know their fate in the hereafter, whether they are destined for heaven or hell. It never reminded Muslims not to look down on others.

If sermons of all religions could talk about common values, we would live in a more peaceful country. I do not attend other religious sermons, so I cannot judge them. But I think Muslims can do a lot to help realise unity that is so elusive.

I recommend that our religious departments take a look at the sermons of countries like Singapore or Australia where Muslims are in the minority. But they would not take my advice, thanks to the notion that “Islam is under threat in Muslim-minority countries”.

Malaysia will go nowhere in advancing harmony if our Friday sermons are not changed. Change must first come with the right idea of Islam within a nation-building construct, and not an Islam that is above the ideals of the constitution or the Rukunegara, unless we rename Malaysia as Muslimysia.

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.