SINGAPORE: A man who has never been recognised as a teacher of Islam or the Quran went on trial on Monday (June 24) for teaching false doctrines that allow Muslims gambling and “spiritual marriage”.
Mohamed Razif Radhi, a 66-year-old Singaporean, is contesting one charge under the Sharia Law Implementation Act of teaching doctrines contrary to Islamic law.
He is accused of doing so between 2004 and 2020 by imparting three false teachings: that gambling could be permitted, that a man and a woman could be validly married through a spiritual marriage, and that he could summon the spirit of “Mba.”
“Mubah” is said to be “the last prophet” or a member of the prophetic lineage.
According to an agreed statement of facts shared between the prosecution and defence, around 2017, Rajiv opened an eatery known as “Rina’s Cafe” at Jalan Pisang 7 with a woman named Marlina Ahmad.
Previous reports said Rajiv was allegedly running an unregistered religious school from the cafe.
Applying for a gag order
Before the trial began on Monday, Deputy Public Prosecutor Hidayat Amir filed two applications: first, to allow three prosecution witnesses to testify in public behind closed doors, and second, to protect all prosecution witnesses with a gag order.
Hidayat said prosecution witnesses had expressed “discomfort” in giving evidence in public because of the “sensitive nature” of their testimony, which would “go beyond already sensitive religious and cultural issues.”
This includes the theme of spiritual marriage and its impact on the family.
Hidayat described the witnesses as victims of the defendants’ teachings and said they would be “re-traumatized and re-embarrassed if their testimonies are heard publicly.”
Rajiv’s lawyer, Simon Tan of Attorneys Inc, asked for a similar gag order to be applied to defence witnesses.
He said these were “very sensitive issues” that “will inevitably affect their standing in Muslim society.”
Tan added that the majority of witnesses are women, whose testimonies will be “presented openly in court” and who may feel “anxious and scared” in front of their ex-spouses.
Tan said the defence witnesses “have been very marginalised in the Muslim community”.
The prosecution challenged the gag order against defense witnesses.
The judge first granted two motions by the prosecution, seeking a gag order on witnesses and to hear some evidence in closed session.
The judge told the defence that he would not issue a gag order against defence witnesses at this stage, but that the defence could make an appropriate application at the appropriate time.
In an earlier statement, police said they began investigating the incident after the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) filed a report against Rajiv on Aug 24, 2021.
The trial continues before District Judge Shaikhuddin Salwan.
If convicted of teaching against Islamic law, Rajiv faces up to 12 months in prison, a fine of up to S$2,000, or both.
