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2024-09-15 Southeast Asia
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Explained: Al-Arqam, the Malaysian sect implicated in a child abuse scandal
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[BenarNews] What is this Islamic sect and why is it controversial in the Southeast Asian country?
Al-Arqam, a banned Islamic sect in Malaysia, is in the spotlight again after 402 children – including some as young as 1 – were rescued from welfare homes during police raids on Sept. 11. Many of these minors are believed to have been trafficked as well as physically and sexually abused, authorities said.
At least 159 people have been arrested in connection with the case. The 20 homes where the raids occurred were linked to Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings (GISBH), a company founded by al-Arqam members.
Malaysia banned the sect 30 years ago over allegations that it promoted a deviant form of Islam, the faith practiced by the Malay Muslim majority.
But what exactly is al-Arqam, and why does its shadow linger despite its ban decades ago?
WHAT IS AL-ARQAM?
Al-Arqam was founded in 1968 by Ashaari Muhammad as a spiritual movement focusing on self-sufficiency, discipline, and an Islamic utopia. By the 1980s, it had gained tens of thousands of followers not only in Malaysia but in neighboring Indonesia, Thailand, and Brunei. The sect was banned in 1994.
At its peak, al-Arqam operated a range of businesses, from agriculture to publishing and even restaurants, amassing wealth reportedly worth millions of U.S. dollars.
“We had our own food products, owned schools and ran a few businesses,” Shamsul Mohd Noor, a former al-Arqam member, told BenarNews. “It started as a religious outreach movement, initially focused on addressing issues of Islamic theology.
“It was more centered on education and personal development. Its strength lay in promoting fardhu kifayah – collective responsibilities – within the Muslim community,” said Shamsul, who joined the group in the 1980s.
WHO WAS AL-ARQAM’S FOUNDER?
The late Ashaari Muhammad was a charismatic leader who envisioned creating a self-sufficient Islamic community. In his sermons, he promoted the idea of returning to a “purer” form of Islam.
Ashaari – known among his followers as “Abuya” or “father” – had four wives and reportedly as many as 40 children, before he died of a lung infection in 2010. 
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Posted by trailing wife 2024-09-15 2024-09-15 05:19||
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