PUTRAJAYA, Aug 28 – The Syariah index to gauge a country’s achievements in the implementation of Islamic law requirements will be applied beginning January next year, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.
He said a comprehensive index was being developed through an effort spearheaded by the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) in collaboration with the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM) and the Islamic Missionary Foundation Malaysia (Yadim).
“It is highly polemical; some say our country is Islamic and some say it is not. How are we attempting to fulfill the requirements of Islamic law? There must be some scientific gauge for Islamic law.
“When there is such an index, we will be able to gauge and make comparisons with other countries as to where we have achieved success and where there are shortcomings that we should rectify together,” he said when addressing an assembly of ‘ulama’ (Islamic scholars) here.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Jamil Khir Baharom and Jakim director-general Datuk Othman Mustapa were also present at the assembly, attended by more than 3,000 ulama.
– BERNAMA
