SINGAPORE: A man who has never been recognised as an Islamic or Quranic teacher went on trial on Monday (Jun 24) for teaching an incorrect doctrine that allowed gambling and “spiritual marriage” for Muslims.
Mohd Razif Radi, a 66-year-old Singaporean, is contesting one count under the Administration of Muslim Law Act for teaching a doctrine that is contrary to Muslim law.
He is accused of doing so from 2004 to 2020 by delivering three false teachings: That gambling can be made permissible, that a male and a female can be validly married by way of a spiritual marriage, and that he was able to summon the spirit of “Mbah”.
“Mbah” is purportedly the “last prophet” or from the prophet’s lineage.
According to a statement of agreed facts shared between the prosecution and the defence, Razif set up an eatery known as Lina’s Cafe at 7 Jalan Pisang in around 2017 with a woman named Marlinah Ahmad.
According to previous reports, Razif allegedly ran an unregistered religious school at the cafe.
THE GAG ORDER APPLICATIONS
Before the trial started on Monday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Hidayat Amir made two applications: First, for three prosecution witnesses to give evidence in camera and not in public view, and second, for all prosecution witnesses to be protected by gag order.
Mr Hidayat said the prosecution witnesses had expressed “feelings of distress” over testifying in public due to the “sensitive nature” of their testimonies, which will “go beyond issues of religion and culture which are already sensitive to begin with”.
This includes the topic of spiritual marriages and the effect of this on their family members.
“They are innocents,” said Mr Hidayat. “Their evidence, if heard in public, will cause re-traumatisation (and) embarrassment.”
Razif’s lawyer, Mr Simon Tan from Attorneys Inc, asked for a similar gag order to be extended to the defence witnesses.
He said these are “very, very sensitive matters” which will “invariably impact on their standing in the Muslim community”.
Mr Tan added that most of the witnesses are women, who might feel a “sense of trepidation and fear” if their evidence is “openly bandied in court” including in front of their former spouses.
Mr Tan said the defence witnesses “have been very much ostracised in the Muslim community”.
The prosecution objected to having a gag order for the defence witnesses.
The judge first allowed the prosecution’s twin applications for gag orders for its witnesses and for some of the evidence to be heard in camera.
He told the defence that he would not be granting the gag order for defence witnesses now, but said the defence could make the appropriate applications at the relevant juncture.
The police said in an earlier statement that they began investigating the case after the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) lodged a report against Razif on Aug 24, 2021.
The trial continues before District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan.
If convicted of teaching a doctrine that is contrary to Muslim law, Razif could be jailed for up to 12 months, fined up to S$2,000, or both.
