THE Penang Islamic Religious Affairs Department (JHEAIPP) is investigating the involvement of Muslim hotel employees in a corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme that included cleaning a Hindu temple in Jalan Dato Keramat, George Town.
The activity, which involved 20 hotel employees, drew attention after a video of the cleanup went viral on social media on Oct 8.
In a statement today, JHEAIPP said its enforcement division and the police met the hotel’s management on Oct 14 to seek clarification on the programme, the tasks assigned to Muslim employees and whether religious sensitivities had been taken into account.
The department said the hotel management had cooperated during the meeting.
As a follow-up, JHEAIPP will provide guidance to the Muslim employees involved on safeguarding their faith and the limits of participation in activities at non-Muslim places of worship.
It also plans to hold an advocacy programme for the hotel’s management and staff on Oct 20 to improve their understanding of the issue and prevent similar incidents from recurring.
JHEAIPP said the matter was covered by a ruling issued by Penang Mufti Mohd Sukki Othman on Oct 12, which states that it is haram for Muslims to take part in cleaning activities directly involving areas or facilities specifically used for the worship of other religions.
This includes cleaning idols, altars and ritual equipment.
The department cited verse two of Surah al-Ma’idah, which calls on Muslims to cooperate in righteousness and piety, and not in sin or transgression.
Meanwhile, Federal Territories Mufti Ahmad Fauwaz Fadzil also addressed the issue in a Facebook post today, saying that although cleaning a temple was not an act of worship, the activity could still breach the limits set by Islamic law if it amounted to assisting in religious practices prohibited to Muslims.
“Cleaning a temple is indeed not an act of worship, but it amounts to helping towards something prohibited, as it is a place of worship for another religion,” he said.
Ahmad Fauwaz said Muslims should not involve themselves in the religious affairs of other faiths, particularly activities connected to their places of worship.
However, he stressed that Islam did not prohibit Muslims from helping non-Muslims, as long as the assistance was unrelated to the religious practices or symbols of their faith.
“Serving non-Muslims in ways that are not part of their religious symbols or practices is commendable and permissible,” he said, without referring specifically to the incident in Penang.
The Federal Territories Mufti Department had issued a similar explanation in January 2022, stating that Muslims were prohibited from participating in communal cleaning activities at places of worship belonging to other religions.
The guidance also clarified that the restriction should not be interpreted as a ban on helping non-Muslims facing hardship or in need of assistance.
JHEAIPP said it supported CSR initiatives that benefited the community but stressed that organisers must ensure their activities respected religious sensitivities and complied with Islamic law.
“Any doubts should be referred to the relevant religious authorities,” it said, adding that it would continue its education, advocacy and monitoring efforts, as well as enforcement under existing laws.
The department also urged the public not to speculate or pass judgment on those involved before the authorities had completed their assessment of the matter.
It said this was important to safeguard the sanctity of Islam while maintaining harmony in Malaysia’s multireligious society. – October 15, 2026