Shia Followers Apprehended in Kedah Malaysia

It will be interesting to see whether there will be a formal charge in Kedah Syariah Court to these suspects. In the past, followers of religious sects or cults considered as deviant form of Islam would claim as non Muslim to avoid prosecution since Shariah Court has no jurisdiction over non Muslim in Malaysia. They will also potentially seeking declaration from the Civil Court that the action taken for their arrest as unconstitutional on the ground of constitutional guarantee on freedom of religion. Of course theologically Shia is accepted as part of Muslim community albeit misguided, nonetheless there are some fatwa in Malaysia which declare them other wise, similar to Ahmadiyyah which was declared by Fatwa as not part of Muslim ummah.