Man Who Taught Doctrine Contrary To Islamic Laws Jailed

Former massage therapist's teachings were linked to sins in Islam, says judge

- Shaffiq Alkhatib

A former massage therapist was sentenced to four months' jail on July 7 on one count of teaching a doctrine contrary to Islamic laws.

District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan had earlier convicted Mohd Razif Radi, 67, of the offence under the Administration of Muslim Law Act following a trial.

Stressing that Razif's teachings were linked to sins in Islam, the judge said on July 7 that the offender had told his followers he purportedly had supernatural powers.

The judge said Razif's offence involved a high degree of premeditation and had impacted multiple victims.

He added that Razif's actions had triggered unease and significant public outcry.

Razif, who had never been an Islamic teacher under the Asatizah Recognition Scheme, taught his followers that gambling could be made permissible, and that a man and a woman could be validly married through a "spiritual marriage".

The Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) has stated on its website that gambling is prohibited in Islam.

It said a spiritual marriage is one that occurs without several elements, such as witnesses, a formal solemnisation and dowry.

Muis said: "In most cases, there are no limitations on the number of women 'married' to a man through such deviant spiritual marriages.

Such acts occur either between followers of a particular teaching or between the teacher and his students."