Rufaqa

November 30th, 2006, in News, by Patung

The governments of Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, and Indonesia are cooperating to stop the spread of a heretical movement, Rufaqa.

Rufaqa’ Corporation [1] is the product of the fertile mind and keen business sense of one Abuya Ashaari Muhammed, a Malaysian who was once the leader of the Al-Arqam sect, which was banned in 1994 by the Malaysian government for preaching false Islamic teachings, including, it is said, by projecting its leader, Mr Ashaari Mohammed, as a messiah who had the authority to forgive the sins of Muslims, which may be many, or otherwise.

Rufaqa Corporation
Rufaqa’ Corporation’s Abuya Ashaari Muhammed, miraculous entrepreneur.

On the 30th officials from the governments of Malaysia, Indonesia Singapore, and Brunei are believed to have discussed possible attempts by Rufaqa to spread its devilish teachings, and its business empire, further. Said Abdullah Mohammed Zin, Malaysia’s minister for religious affairs:

Such false teachings can create a chaotic situation in the Muslim community.

In a joint statement after the meeting, which had primarily been convened to discuss ways of boosting cooperation in the religious area, the four countries also called for vigilance generally against efforts by heretical groups to put Muslims on a false path with deviant teachings.

Rufaqa Potion
Rufaqa potion, wash your sins away.

According to the joint statement the governments of the four countries, in a typically paternal South East Asian manner:

…are very concerned by the emergence of false beliefs that can erode the faith of Muslims in this region. Swift action needs to be taken in all countries to prevent these teachings from spreading.

Although Rufaqa was not directly referred to in the statement the group has come under increasing government and media scrutiny in recent weeks in Malaysia.

Rufaqa runs businesses which sell Islamic books, CD’s, herbal remedies, and various services in several Southeast Asian countries. Media reports in recent days have indicated that Rufaqa is trying to increase its membership and activity at its headquarters is said to have become feverish.

The size of Rufaqa’s membership, and the extent of its reach outside Malaysia, is not clear but Malaysia’s neighbours are aware of concerns that it might be trying to lead the sheep of south-east Asia astray with heretical teachings, Abdullah said, more or less. The other three countries “are monitoring the situation”, Abdullah went on, adding that there are no plans yet by any of the countries to ban Rufaqa.

The Al-Arqam sect, which like Rufaqa also operated as a business concern, flourished in rural Malaysia in the early 1990’s before the government arrested Ashaari and other top members in 1994. It claimed to have 100,000 members. Ashaari and the others were released after about two months when they appeared on national television and dutifully renounced their sect. [2]

  1. ↑1 rufaqa
  2. ↑2 iht

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11 Comments on “Rufaqa”

  1. Retarders Says:
    December 1st, 2006 at 12:30 am

    Ki Gendeng Pamungkas and Rhoma need like a whole bathtub of rufaqa potion…. Do they sell it online?

  2. Tomaculum Says:
    December 1st, 2006 at 1:04 am

    Retarders:
    to call the name of those two in a breath is, I think, an affront against Ki Gendeng Pamungkas. :)
    Ki Gendeng Pamungkas is maybe not blessed with enough brain celles (like Rhoma too) and he is maybe naive, but he isn’t bigoted. And he (K G P) is surely not so untalented like Rhoma in his performances.
    Be aware of his vengeance, do you already feel pain in your stomach? Or is there already a hard rain falling down in your location?

  3. O. Bule Says:
    December 1st, 2006 at 8:05 am

    Alleged heresey is not the business of governments. Governments are secular, and should leave religious problems to the religions.

    O. Bule

  4. Malaysian Says:
    December 4th, 2006 at 8:47 am

    RUFAQA STINKS, BIG TIME!

  5. Retarders Says:
    December 5th, 2006 at 11:40 pm

    LOlz ^ will feel the wrath of KGP also :P

  6. faithfull Says:
    December 31st, 2006 at 1:48 pm

    rufaqa is a joke its plain stupid to make up things about the religion…..
    how dare go against the one and only ALLAH SWA

  7. Nadia Osmond Says:
    January 17th, 2007 at 10:19 am

    There work hard and independence. There have their own market strategy. I meet few people and interview them, and I don’t see any misunderstood on Islam. There pray same like us. Anyway there are great!

    nadiaosmond.
    France.

  8. Mohd Noor Says:
    July 15th, 2007 at 12:06 pm

    Those who banned rufaqa as if the same as they are banning rasullah. For your information, Nadia Osmond you are absolutely correct.

  9. funlogic Says:
    September 4th, 2007 at 8:35 pm

    As far as I read on the net, googling… Then in a simple logic, I can have the conclusion that rufaqa is just fine. Nothing’s wrong, maybe the wahabians (which is the goverment side) just jelous with the succed of rufaqa. I can read from their webs that they are struggling to revive Islam as the complete way of life, even the economic are completely done in islamic way, from the beginning to the end… So, maybe we should think, considering, before we judging something we dont know. Salut for rufaqa..

  10. achan Says:
    September 25th, 2007 at 10:45 am

    The NU of Indonesia and the late Mufti of Brunei have release a fatwa about Rufaqa (formerly was Al Arqam)! Those of you who find fault with Rufaqa should read the rulings first. If you say Rufaqa is deviant, the NU and the late Mufti of Brunei says otherwise, i.e they are NOT deviant. Let’s all repent.

  11. Aini Says:
    December 14th, 2007 at 3:09 pm

    Assalamualaikum warahmatullah..
    Just sharing my 2 cents …

    From what I know…rufaqa’ as an Islamic organization is fine…
    They started out as a good group with good intention ( as far as I know..)
    However, from my readings..and the informations that I have gathered such as watching video clip and reading what is written in the book written by the leader’s wife ( Ashaari aka Abuya)…it really surprised me how ‘ridiculous’ the deviation can be…
    Why was Al-Arqam banned…?
    Allow me to share ONLY 2 most important deviations(on their aqeedah) from the true Islamic teachings..

    1) They claimed that Abuya ( the leader) can negotiate with God ( nauzubillah ) about the time of death …(this was on video)..for instance, the son of Abuya has done enough good deeds and sort of prepared or fine to be dead compared with the other follower whose time is up ( for death)….so they say Abuya can negotiate with Allah to postpone his ajal..and replace him with somebody who is ready. Therefore, the followers of Rufaqa’ will always be ’saved’ by Ashaari from dying in a bad state of iman.

    2) Ashari a.k.a Abuya claimed that he ‘met’ (face to face alright…)Rasulullah s.a.w occasionally who teach him stuffs…

    SOURCE : The above book ( in green )

    Well if this does not sound ridiculous and FALSE, I don’t know what you call it then…such OBSSESSION to the leader might have mislead them although they started out as a fine group. Actually there’s more but this is all I can share with all of you today.
    I seek for Allah’s forgiveness and I pray that Allah will guide me to always be in the right path…..

    Malaysia

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