"Why should we ask people to spy and then reward them?"
-- Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, quoted in Malaysia Says No To "Love Spies" - The Daily Telegraph, Australia
On the other hand, the state government of Terengganu has given the green light for an anti-vice squad.
The Terengganu state government plans to enlist the part-time spies to look out for un-Islamic behavior, such as unmarried couples kissing or holding hands, the Star daily said.
"Some of these 'spies' could be waitresses or even janitors at hotels acting as auxiliary undercover agents for our religious department," the head of the state government's Islamic and welfare committee, Rosol Wahid, was quoted as saying.
Source: ZeeNews.com
People always wonder where the Mat Skoding came from. The anti-vice squad developed as a response to the perceived social ills in Malay society. The origins of it lie in a hadith of the Holy Prophet of Islam, where He said: "If you see something wrong, try to correct it with your hand; if you cannot, then correct it with your tongue; if you cannot then correct it in your heart." Another hadith of the Holy Prophet has been the injunction to "Enjoin good and forbid evil" (امر معروف و نهي عن منكر -- Refer to discussion here).
The offence of "khalwat" has been prosecuted time and time again in the past whereby amorous couples caught in "close proximity" and "suspicious circumstances" have been accused of attempting to commit adultery. This zeal for spying is of course not commendable when the country is faced with many other problems. The nation's budget could be better directed to forming task forces to deal with more immediate needs, including overseeing the development of the "Southern Corridor" (a Shenzen-styled plan which has recently been hit with a bountiful rainfall) and poverty eradication (which admittedly would take the wind out of Barisan's sails that poverty continues to exist amongst the rural Bumiputra).
Anti-vice squads which have been formed by various state religious authorities also give the participants a chance to play "holier than thou" while at the same time not really resolving the issue of why anti-vice squads are required.
At the same time, I always wonder (usually by sharing with some of my close friends) why it is that spying has become sanctioned by state religious authorities in Malaysia while it has been prohibited? Here is a quote from islamqa.com about spying in Islam:
It is also narrated in al-Saheehayn from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: ‘Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the falsest of speech. Do not eavesdrop; do not spy on one another; do not envy one another; do not forsake one another; do not hate one another. Be, O slaves of Allaah, brothers.”
Al-Bukhaari, 5144; Muslim, 2563.
Al-Nawawi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: “Some of the scholars said that tahassus [‘eavesdropping’] means listening to other people’s conversations, and tajassus [‘spying’] means seeking out their faults. Or it was suggested that tajassus means looking for secrets. The word is mostly used in the sense of evil. The jaasoos (spy) is the one who seeks out secrets for evil purposes and the naamoos is the one who seeks out secrets for good purposes. And it was said that tajassus means looking for information for someone else, and tahassus means looking for information for oneself. This was the view of Tha’lab. And it was said that they mean one and the same, which is seeking out information about people’s circumstances.”
Source: IslamQA.com
I am also mindful of the fact that private residences are off-limits from spying individuals who would often be enforcers of the laws of purity. It is true that in Islam the believers are called to enjoin good and forbid evil but such a mission must be weighed against the rights of individuals. Here is another quote from the writings of a cleric in the UK called "Imam Shirazi":
13 - The Inviolability of Abodes
In the laws of the world today one can find a stipulation on the inviolability of houses where it is not permissible to enter them and search them without the permission of their occupants except in an emergency situation. Islam preceded these laws in making this so and we find in the Qur'an: "You who believe, do not enter houses that are not yours until you have asked permission and greeted those within: that is best for you, so that you may take heed. If you find no one in them, enter not until permission has been given to you. And if you are asked to go back, then go back. That makes for greater purity for yourselves and Allah knows well all that you do." (Al-Qur'an, 24:27-28)
The story of 'Omar and his spying during the night and his entering a person's house by the wall is famous. He found in a house a group of people drinking wine so he scaled the wall and entered the house and reproached them for their deed. So they said to him: ‘If we have committed a single error then you have committed three. You erred when you spied and Allah says: "Do not spy." (Al-Qur'an, 49:12) You erred when you climbed into the house for Allah says: " . . . and approach the houses by their doors." (Al-Qur'an, 2:189) And you erred when you did not give a greeting as Allah says: " . . . until you ask permission and greet their occupants." (Al-Qur'an, 49:12)
Source: Freedom in Islam
In the end of the day, the final transaction is between the individual and God (Allah) himself. Could it be that the authorities are more mindful of the external, outward appearance of holiness while disregarding the actual state of affairs in a person's soul? If a man sins, and he is forced to accept punishment, he may not repent, because he finds that repentance is not required: he has already paid his dues. In Christianity, we are reminded that we should not judge lest we ourselves be judged. In my personal opinion, it is better for people to find their own piousness. If people are forced to conform to certain norms against their wishes, it is only a matter of time before they begin to rebel against it. The Malays have a saying: "Hendak seribu daya, tak hendak seribu dalih", meaning if you want (hendak) something, you will find a thousand means (seribu daya) to achieve it, but if you do not want it (tak hendak), you will find a thousand excuses (seribu dalih) to avoid it!
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