On Johnson's Usul al-Fiqh

(1) The use of Maslahah as source of law among the Usulis in 4th century Hijrah was divided into several groups; the Ash'ari theologians, the Hanfis and Malik bin Anas. Ghazali seems to disagree to these groups by stating maslahah is the preservation of what is known as maqasid - p.246

(2) According to the prominent Shafi'i scholars, maslahah remains subordinate to qiyas and must be attached to the text, otherwise it becomes similar to istihsan or masalahah mursalah - p.247

(3) According to western expert in Islamic law, Ibn Taymiyyah did not explicitly advocate the reopening of ijtihad ... but as a consequence of a narrowly formulated idea of consensus - p.250

(4) Shatibi is responsible the turn from traditional text-based literalism to a focus on the meta-legal notion of Sharia aims - p.252

(5) Shafi'i fashioned legal tool of Masalih Mursalah with a consistent all embracing fundamental legal principle rejecting Ghazali anti-rational instinct subsumed under Qiyas - p.252 

Penghakiman Sah Walaupun Pelantikan Tidak Sah

YONG TSHU KHIN & ANOR V. DAHAN CIPTA SDN BHD & ANOR AND OTHER APPLICATIONS [2021] 1 CLJ 63

FEDERAL COURT, PUTRAJAYA30 NOVEMBER 2020
[2020] CLJ JT(15)

The validity of a decision of a court, a judge or a judicial arbiter cannot be collaterally challenged on the ground that the judge's appointment is invalid as, even if his appointment is deemed invalid, his decision is saved by the application of the de facto doctrine which exists to preserve the integrity of judicial decisions. Where therefore the validity of the decision of the apex court and its coram is being challenged on the ground of alleged invalidity or unconstitutionality of the appointment of the Chief Justice who empaneled the court, or for that matter too of the appointment of the President of the Court of Appeal, the argument that the panel is in the circumstances suffering from a coram failure cannot be sustained or assented to; even if the appointment of the CJ or the PCA, as the case may be, were set aside de jure, they were not usurpers in the real sense of the word, as there were some legal basis for their appointments, and therefore, the decisions that they made, whether judicial or administrative, are protected by the aforesaid doctrine, whose primary existence, it bears reemphasis, is to save the integrity of the judgments of the court.

Rejuvinasi Pentadbiran Perundangan Islam di Malaysia

 Rejuvinasi Pentadbiran Perundangan Islam di Malaysia  

Tajuk ini sebenarnya dihantar ke sebuah akhbar untuk penerbitan pada Oktober 2020 yang lalu. Namun dikeluarkan di sini bagi bacaan semua. 

 

Reasons Why Muslim Backwards

Reasons why Muslim backwards? Raphael Patai, a Polish originated scholar in Arabic language and culture, made some observation through his book entitled "The Arab Mind" published by Charles Scribner's Sons, New York in 1973 and later in 1983. The review of this book was published by American Anthropologist volume 76 in 1974 at pp.396-397. Probably some of the observations are outdated. Nonetheless the issues and impact that exist or felt currently must have the origins from some of these factors. It received a laudable but appraised review. More importantly the author had a first hand experience of the problem having lived in Palestine for 15 years, studying and teaching the subject particularly relating to Arabic language and culture. The reasons for Muslim's backwardness as perceived by the author can be summarized as follows:

(1) Arabic culture and language is a predilection for overstated rhetoric. In other words the language tends to emphasize on sounds and resonance more than its true meaning. For a Malay Muslim, the word kafir may be abusive and offensive, for Arab it is used to express condemnation at most of the time. Similarly the word qatl or kill. For further reading on this subject please go to this link.

(2) Inherent quality of Islamic religion which is fanaticism? This is probably has some relation to limitation on the use of rationale and intellect or ijtihad and openness to new idea. It is not necessarily Islamic, but rather tradition or history.

(3) Failure to develop human resources. This is quite clear and still a problem until our current time.

(4) Corruption and internal division of Muslim states. This is obvious, no need explanation. Nonetheless division sadly could be for superficial reason such as different of religious view or affiliation.

(5) Greater access to natural resources. This explains lack of innovation and expansion to the other territories to search resources in contrast to western colonial powers who mastered in sea fearing capability and later on modern technology. This link may give some idea of this reason.

(6) The growth of conservatism and isolationism. In the fifties and sixties during the cold war began the political and religious movement to challenge Muslim secular authority with religious slogan or motto. Current development shown that this challenge has somehow move towards moderation and inclusivity in many of modern Muslim states.

(7) Lack of the ability to exploit natural wealth due to lack of technology and science. This problem is arisen from from the factors related to human resource and intermingled with other factors such as corruption, conservatism and religious fanaticism that rejects modern innovation.

Hak Pendengaran Dalam Perbicaraan

عن علي قال : قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم : إذا تقاضى إليك رجلان فلا تقض للأول حتى تسمع ما يقول الآخر فإنك سوف ترى كيف تقضي ، قال علي : فما زلت بعدها قاضيا

 

Pengajian Pusaka di Malaysia

Tajuk di atas artikel saya di dalam Buletin Lajnah Syariah dan Undang-undang Bil.1, Februari 2003, hh.6-7. Di bawah ini disertakan salinan PDF artikel berkenaan. Terima kasih kepada saudara Mohamad Affendy Junaidi (sekarang peguam Syarie di Brunei Darussalam), Pengerusi Lajnah JSU (sekarang dikenali dengan SALSOC) dan barisan kepimpinan Lajnah sesi 2002/2003 di atas usaha menerbit Buletin ini. Ketika itu masih belum ada media sosial seperti sekarang. Posting ini diharapkan dapat mendigitalkan beberapa usaha generasi pelajar JSU terdahulu.   

Persoalan Amanah Rahsia (Secret Trust)

Bagi orang bukan Islam, kedudukan amanah rahsia telah disahkan oleh Mahkamah Persekutuan melalui keputusan kes rayuan Chin Jhin Thien & Anor v. Chin Huat Yean & Anor [2020] 7 CLJ 137 baru-baru ini. Di dalam kes ini perayu/plaintif membantah keputusan mahkamah rayuan yang membenarkan rayuan responden/defendan mengenai kesahihan wasiat yang dibuat oleh simati. Mahkamah Persekutuan menolak rayuan berkenaan serta turut mengesahkan bahawa amanah rahsia yang dibuat oleh simati terpakai di Malaysia di bawah prinsip ekuti undang-undang Inggeris melalui peruntukan Akta Sivil 1956. Fakta kes ini ialah simati sebelum meninggal dunia membuat wasiat kepada abangnya (defendan/responden pertama) memberi kesemua hartanya kepada defendan. Si mati mempunyai tiga orang isteri. Selepas kematian simati, defendan berjaya mendapat surat tadbir wasiat atau probet. Anak simati daripada isteri pertama membantah pemberian probet ini dan memfailkan permohonan membatalkan wasiat tersebut dengan alasan simati tidak mempunyai kapasiti membuat wasiat dan terdapat keraguan semasa wasiat tersebut dibuat. Dalam pembelaan semasa perbicaraan di Mahkamah Tinggi defendan menyatakan antaranya wasiat tersebut dibuat untuk kebajikan isteri kedua simati dan anak-anak mereka yang masih kecil secara rahsia. Mahkamah Tinggi menerima permohonan plaintif dengan menyatakan simati tidak mempunyai keupayaan membuat wasiat kerana dibuat ketika dia menderita akibat sakit barah buah pinggang sebelum meninggal dunia. Keputusan ini diubah oleh mahkamah rayuan dengan menyatakan tiada bukti yang kukuh dikemukakan bagi menyatakan keadaan mental simati tidak stabil semasa dia membuat wasiat berkenaan. Kes ini dirayu ke Mahkamah Persekutuan untuk menentukan beberapa persoalan antaranya ialah kedudukan amanah rahsia di Malaysia. Mahkamah mengambil peluang menjelaskan latar belakang sejarah dan rasional di sebalik kebenaran amanah rahsia ini iaitu melaksana niat simati yang ia tidak ingin masyarakat ramai mengetahuinya, sebagaimana dalam kes ini kebajikan isteri keduanya dan anak mereka. Isteri kedua simati juga merupakan kakak kepada isteri pertamanya. Mahkamah Rayuan juga menegaskan bahawa amanah rahsia ini tidak boleh dikaitkan dengan wasiat kerana ia adalah persetujuan di antara simati dan pemegang amanah iaitu defendan untuk menjalankan tugas menjaga kebajikan isteri kedua dan anak-anak mereka.

Sebagaimana yang dinyatakan di atas keputusan ini tidak menimbulkan persoalan kepada orang bukan Islam kerana mereka ditadbir oleh undang-undang statut dan perkara wasiat dan juga prinsip undang-undang Inggeris dalam perkara-perkara yang tidak dinyatakan dalam statut seperti kes di atas. Namun begitu bagi orang Islam apakah konsep amanah rahsia ini boleh terpakai kepada mereka. Dalam hukum wasiat, antara syarat utama yang perlu dijaga ialah larangan wasiat kepada waris dan tidak boleh melebihi satu pertiga harta dan tujuan wasiat itu bukan sesuatu yang dilarang syarak. Oleh demikian nampaknya tidak ada sebarang masalah jika seorang Muslim membuat suatu wasiat kepada seseorang supaya hartanya diagihkan kepada seseorang yang lain secara rahsia jika tidak melanggar syarat-syarat di atas. Persoalannya apakah pemberian seseorang Muslim kepada anak luar nikahnya secara rahsia melalui wasiat selepas kematiannya boleh dianggap sebagai maksiat dan oleh itu wasiat berkenaan tidak sah? Saya rasa tidak, kerana tiada bezanya pemberian tersebut kepada anak orang lain yang tidak sah taraf, bahkan terlebih afdal dia membantu anak luar nikahnya. Tambahan pula agama Islam menyeru supaya keaiban seseorang itu ditutup.

CHIN JHIN THIEN & ANOR v. CHIN HUAT YEAN & ANOR [2020] 7 CLJ 137
FEDERAL COURT, PUTRAJAYA
MOHD ZAWAWI SALLEH FCJ; IDRUS HARUN FCJ; NALLINI PATHMANATHAN FCJ;
ZALEHA YUSOF FCJ; HASNAH MOHAMMED HASHIM FCJ
[CIVIL APPEAL NO: 02(f)-29-04-2019(P)]
07 JULY 2020
[2020] CLJ (JT4)

The doctrine of secret trust which enables a testator to direct vide his will the disposition of his property upon his death to a 'legatee' to hold it on trust for an unnamed or a secret beneficiary is statutorily applicable in Malaysia, bearing in mind the purport of s. 3(1) of the Civil Law Act 1956, the Wills Act 1959 and the fact that the concept has never been explicitly abrogated by any of our statutes or Acts of Parliament. The doctrine does not offend public policy and is consistent with the fundamental human right of privacy, and the Wills Act, it ought to be noted, protects the testamentary freedom of testators. Another justification for its enforcement is that it is made outside and independently of the will, having arisen from the independent obligation as so accepted by the trustee. It follows therefore that if the testator is of sound mind, memory and understanding, and has not been shown to have been suffering from any testamentary incapacity, such as the testator in this case, it would not be right to deny him his agreement with his trustee and with it his right and desire to make dispositions to his sons through his marriage to his second wife, and nor would it be realistic for the court to uphold a strict reading of the statutes so as to allow the trust to fail.

SUCCESSION
Probate - Will - Validity - Allegation that will made was secret trust - Whether testator had testamentary capacity to make will before death - Whether requirements for formality of valid will satisfied - Whether will a secret trust - Whether will contradictory to Wills Act 1959 and/or against public policy - Whether will valid and ought to be given effect

TRUSTS
Secret trust - Will - Allegation that will made was secret trust - Whether requirements for formality of valid will satisfied - Whether will a secret trust - Whether concept of secret trust applicable to Malaysia - Whether secret trust abrogated in Malaysia - Whether secret trust applicable in cases involving issue of testamentary capacity of testator - Whether secret trust contradictory to Wills Act 1959 and/or against public policy

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