Salvation in the Hereafter Cannot Be Linked to Political Support, Says Zulkifli Hasan

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 6 — Differences in political affiliation should never lead to punitive attitudes or linking salvation in the hereafter to supporting a specific political organization, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr Zulkifli Hasan said today.

In a statement published on his official Facebook page, Zulkifli emphasized that determining heaven and hell remains the absolute prerogative of Allah SWT and cannot be guaranteed by any individual, leader, or political entity.

He stressed that political membership is not a measure of attaining divine grace, as faith, piety, and righteous deeds rooted in the Quran and Sunnah serve as the sole foundational requirements.

“The attitude of claiming one’s group is definitively pure while others are excluded from the mercy of Allah SWT is a form of self-praise and ghuluw (extremism), which is strictly prohibited in Islam,” Zulkifli stated.

The minister clarified that political parties are merely wasilah (intermediaries) in human endeavors, which remain inherently fallible and subject to ijtihad (independent reasoning). Consequently, political platforms cannot be equated with religion itself or used as an absolute gauge of a person’s spiritual standing.

Zulkifli urged political actors across all divides to cultivate a mature political culture centered on justice, public well-being, and moral integrity, rather than exploiting religious sentiments for political gain. He called on society to clearly distinguish between religion as an unalterable guide for life and political parties as temporal vehicles for human effort.

His statement comes in response to media reports quoting PAS Secretary-General Datuk Seri Takiyuddin Hassan, who claimed during an event in Kota Bharu that joining PAS and supporting its Islamic-based struggles offered an avenue to earn the rewards of heaven.

–NMT