Perlis Mufti Suggests Renaming Local Bon Fest To Deter Conflict & Distinguish It From Muslim Faith
Earlier today, Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin published a Facebook post expressing his belief that tweaking the name of the Bon Odori festival, on a local scale, could help curb confusion and conflict over the religious nature behind the celebration.
In his post, he clarified that its true origins, as a traditional Japanese form of commemoration towards ancestors, could encourage syirik (polytheism) and khurafat (superstition) among local Muslims.
“The event can simply be rechristened, or given an additional name to explain its background. For example, it could be explicitly branded as a Japanese cultural festival.
“This step will allow the event to proceed while also diminishing critique and worry, ” he explained.
In the same post, Asri also urged festival’s organising committee to guarantee that there will be no religious aspects present at the official event.
