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Tuesday, February 24, 2015

‘Rebranded’ Obedient Wives Club now back as polygamy counsellors

Rumah Poligami Indah dari Tuhan in Bertam Jaya, Malacca, offers courses and guidance for those wishing to know more about polygamy in Islam. – The Malaysian Insider pic, February 24, 2015. Rumah Poligami Indah dari Tuhan in Bertam Jaya, Malacca, offers courses and guidance for those wishing to know more about polygamy in Islam. – The Malaysian Insider pic, February 24, 2015. 
The Obedient Wives Club (OWC), which caused a furore four years ago when it pitched sex lessons to help wives “serve their husbands better than a first-class prostitute” to promote harmonious marriages, has been dissolved as part of a rebranding exercise following the group’s renunciation of its past beliefs.
Former OWC committee member Dr Azlina Jamaluddin said the move was part of a rebranding process as the Selangor Islamic Religious Department (Jais) had agreed that they should abandon their past beliefs and start afresh.
Dr Azlina said those days were behind them and the decision to dissolve OWC was their own initiative.
OWC was formed by Global Ikhwan Sdn Bhd, an organisation founded by former members of the banned Al-Arqam Islamic sect. The company has since been renamed GISB Holdings Sdn Bhd.
GISB itself went through several rebranding exercises, as it was first known as Al-Arqam Group of Companies that was banned in 1994, then it changed its name to Rufaqa, Syarikat Global Ikhwan Sdn Bhd, before changing it to GISB Holding Sdn Bhd.
OWC courted controversy in 2011 with its statements on marital relationships and a book on Islamic sex reportedly banned by the government.
Dr Azlina said GISB recently set up a new initiative called “Rumah Poligami Indah Dari Tuhan” (Beautiful Polygamy Home From God) based in Bertam Jaya, Malacca.
She said the initiative was established in December last year in an effort to give a better understanding of polygamous marriages as advocated in Islam.
“There were certain parties who called for outlawing polygamy previously and Jais said it can’t, so we formed the Rumah Poligami Indah Dari Tuhan because we want to support Jais,” she said, adding that it was not intended to replace OWC.
“Some people are against it (polygamy) because they don't understand it. We formed this to give understanding, not to ask people to practise polygamy, but its purpose is to educate.”
Dr Azlina said the setting up of the home did not mean that it encouraged polygamy as its objective was to help society understand the concept of polygamy.
“For us, polygamy is not for all people, but we have to accept (it) because it is God’s law, do not understand never mind, but accept first. Can’t do it, is fine, we don't force everyone to practise polygamy.”
She said at the moment, programmes like courses, counselling and lectures were only for GISB employees, especially women, numbering some 1,000, who came from 300 to 400 families.
She added they have so far conducted two courses and counselling was provided by experienced counsellors who came from polygamous marriages.
“We give courses, lectures, counselling, understanding, to make it easy for them to practise, because people heard negative things about polygamy before this, but Islam is a way of life, not only on a prayer mat, there is a way for family in Islam,” said Dr Azlina, adding that polygamy was one of Prophet Muhammad’s sunnah, but only for those who understood and had knowledge on the matter.
“Among the content is to make people understand that for us, whatever comes from God is beautiful, because God is beautiful, He will not give you something without a reason, but we have to unearth it, (so) we want to show that what comes from Allah is beautiful.”
She also said a website poligami-indah.com has been set up for the purpose of helping Muslims comprehend polygamy.
She said people needed to know that there was no perfect polygamous marriage, but that every problem has its solutions.
“To say that polygamy is perfect, no, it isn’t… in polygamy, there are problems, but problems can be solved.
“To say that it doesn't have problems is a lie, even a house with one wife also has problems, what more when there are four wives.”
In Dr Azlina’s opinion, a successful polygamous marriage involved tolerance from the husband and the wives, compromise and willingness to forgive and to seek forgiveness.
“Polygamy really educates the husband to be a leader. If he can educate all the wives peacefully, he can be a family leader and community leader… it is part of leadership training for men. If they cannot handle one wife, how can they lead the community?”
On the perceptions of polygamy today, she said people have begun to understand the issue, with the help of a positive portrayal of polygamy in the media.
She said families under GISB could be the best examples of good polygamous marriages, claiming that they had few problems like divorce.
“When people say polygamy is negative, just look at us, the proof is us, just come here and see the proof.”
She also said GISB’s economic policy centred on “fardu kifayah” (communal obligations), and the company has built a chain of business activities at their centre, including clinic, hospital, launderette, mini market, eateries and surau.
Businesses have always been one of GISB’s strongest activities, with branches all over Malaysia and in Australia, Brunei, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and France.
“Islam is a way of life, we want entertainment, we have our own concert, school, medical facilities, halal food, that is our way of life, and this is a model to show that Muslims can do it.”
The sect was founded by Ashaari Mohammad, who was once held under the Internal Security Act. His teachings were considered deviant by the religious authorities as they purportedly included the use of supernatural powers and unorthodox ideas about communicating with the Prophet.
Ashaari died in May 2010, and the business empire was continued by his widow, Hatijah Aam, more famously known as the woman who started the OWC.
In May 2013, she was detained together with nine other group members at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport upon their return from Saudi Arabia.
They were accused of trying to revive the banned sect.
Hatijah, better known as Ummu Jah, renounced all past beliefs in a public ceremony with about 300 other followers in October 2013.
The renunciation ceremony also involved her issuing public apologies to Jais, National Fatwa Council and Islamic Development Department Malaysia (Jakim).
- TMI

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