Amanat Hadi
The 1981 Abdul Hadi Awang speech commonly called “Amanat Hadi” remains disputed in meaning and became part of UMNO–PAS political debate.
What happened
On 7 April 1981, Abdul Hadi Awang gave a public speech in Banggol Peradong, Kuala Terengganu. A circulated extract later became known as “Amanat Haji Hadi,” although academic work and PAS representatives have said the label came from the later poster rather than from a formal fatwa or the speech’s original title.
The speech is usually discussed in the context of PAS–UMNO competition and arguments about Islam’s place in politics. The commonly circulated text used terms including jihad and criticised separating politics from religion. Its wording, especially its reference to UMNO, is why the speech remains politically and religiously sensitive.
The central disagreement is interpretive. Khalid Samad said the text did not declare UMNO members non-Muslim. The National Fatwa Council ruled the amanat contrary to Islamic teachings, while the Jurnal Usuluddin article identifies former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad with the characterisation “PAS kata UMNO kafir”; it also records PAS secretary-general Hasan Shukri’s proposed reply, “UMNO kata PAS kata UMNO kafir”.
Those named positions do not settle the historical meaning of the speech. Academic work records the allegation and PAS’s denial, so a neutral account should distinguish the text, the posterised version, and later political claims about their effects.
The matter has had federal political consequences mainly by remaining an issue in public UMNO–PAS debate. In 2012–13, Hadi sought a discussion with the National Fatwa Council, while government representatives cited a reported 2002 decision when declining to broadcast a proposed RTM forum unless the amanat was withdrawn. Discussion also takes place within Malaysia’s constitutional and legal framework for religion and sensitive matters.
What the sources say
Abdul Hadi Awang delivered a public speech at Kampung Banggol Peradong, Kuala Terengganu, on 7 April 1981; later accounts commonly refer to an excerpt of it as “Amanat Haji Hadi.”
Jurnal UsuluddinHadi mahu Majlis Fatwa panggil beliau bincang ‘amanat’
The speech was delivered during a period when PAS and UMNO were competing strongly for Malay-Muslim political support, and academic writing identifies takfir—declaring someone outside Islam—as a major issue in that political competition in the late 1970s and 1980s.
A version of the speech was circulated as a poster. The Universiti Malaya article states that Omar Khalid compiled and named it an amanat; PAS politician Khalid Samad likewise said it was an excerpt named and sold as a poster by PAS supporters or members.
The text commonly associated with the speech described PAS’s struggle and speech as jihad, criticised separating politics from religion, and said that death while fighting “these groups (UMNO)” would be a Muslim martyr’s death; the Universiti Malaya article reproduces this passage, while Khalid Samad’s 2012 press conference read what he described as the full excerpt.
The label “Amanat Hadi” is not itself a fatwa issued by a fatwa council, according to the Universiti Malaya article; it distinguishes the later poster text from a formal fatwa.
Jurnal UsuluddinHadi mahu Majlis Fatwa panggil beliau bincang ‘amanat’
Islam is the religion of the Federation under Article 3(1) of the Federal Constitution, while other religions may be practised in peace and harmony.
Public discussion of religion and constitutional “sensitive matters” occurs within legal limits: section 3 of the Sedition Act 1948 defines several “seditious tendencies,” including questioning matters protected by Articles 152, 153 and 181 of the Constitution. This legal provision does not determine the historical meaning of the 1981 speech.
Sedition Act 1948 [Act 15]Sedition under the law of this country
The issue re-entered federal political debate in 2012–13: Hadi asked the National Fatwa Council to call him to discuss it, while government representatives said a public RTM forum could not proceed unless he withdrew the amanat.
Hadi mahu Majlis Fatwa panggil beliau bincang ‘amanat’K’jaan tak jadi siar penjelasan ‘amanat Hadi’
No court judgment and no commission report has been located establishing a causal connection between the speech and any particular later incident. Claims of causation, in either direction, are therefore attributed positions rather than adjudicated findings.
searched: Malaysian judiciary judgment portals, Parliament of Malaysia records
No complete contemporaneous recording, transcript or archival publication of the 7 April 1981 speech has been located, in either English or Malay. Text circulating as the speech should not be treated as an authoritative transcript.
searched: National Archives of Malaysia finding aids, indexed audio and transcript material
No current JAKIM or state religious-authority record has been located setting out the operative status and territorial effect of any ruling connected to the speech. Any such ruling would have to be identified by its issuing authority, its date and its jurisdiction before its status and effect could be determined.
searched: JAKIM and state religious-authority publications, in Malay and English
Where accounts differ
Whether the speech declared UMNO members to be non-Muslims is disputed. PAS politician Khalid Samad said in 2012 that the text did not declare any UMNO member kafir. On the other side, the National Fatwa Council ruled in 2002 that the amanat was contrary to Islamic teachings; in its account of the earlier public controversy, the Jurnal Usuluddin article identifies former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad as proposing a televised debate titled “PAS kata UMNO kafir” (“PAS says UMNO is non-Muslim”), to which PAS secretary-general Hasan Shukri proposed the title “UMNO kata PAS kata UMNO kafir” (“UMNO says PAS says UMNO is non-Muslim”). These are competing attributed characterisations.
Khalid Samad’s statementNational Fatwa Council decision reported by MalaysiakiniJurnal Usuluddin’s account of the allegation and PAS response
Abdul Hadi Awang said in 2013 that he had not been formally called or sent a letter by the National Fatwa Council before its decision; reports at the time said the council had declared the amanat contrary to Islamic teachings on 24 July 2002. The available sources do not establish the current legal or administrative status of every related state-level religious ruling.
Hadi’s statement and report of the 2002 decisionGovernment position reported in 2013
The Universiti Malaya article says the speech was “not an amanat” because Hadi denied that description, whereas the term remains widely used by journalists, politicians and the public to identify the posterised extract.
Jurnal UsuluddinHadi mahu Majlis Fatwa panggil beliau bincang ‘amanat’
The extent to which the speech caused local social divisions, or influenced the 1985 Memali incident, is disputed. The Universiti Malaya article records that the speech was accused of contributing to division and was linked to Memali, while also recording PAS denials; these claims should not be treated as a settled causal finding.
Common questions
What was the Amanat Hadi speech of 1981?
Abdul Hadi Awang delivered a public speech at Kampung Banggol Peradong, Kuala Terengganu, on 7 April 1981. A circulated extract was later commonly called “Amanat Haji Hadi”; the Universiti Malaya article says Omar Khalid compiled and named it an amanat, while Khalid Samad said it was an excerpt named and sold as a poster by PAS supporters or members.
Was Amanat Hadi a fatwa?
Not according to the Universiti Malaya article on the subject, which distinguishes the later poster text known as “Amanat Hadi” from a formal fatwa issued by a fatwa council. The term is nevertheless widely used by journalists, politicians and the public for the posterised extract, while the article says Hadi denied that the speech was an amanat in that sense.
Jurnal UsuluddinHadi mahu Majlis Fatwa panggil beliau bincang ‘amanat’
Did Amanat Hadi declare UMNO members non-Muslim?
The record gives differing attributed accounts rather than a single reading. Khalid Samad said in 2012 that the text did not declare any UMNO member kafir. Reports said the National Fatwa Council ruled in 2002 that the amanat was contrary to Islamic teachings; the Universiti Malaya article records former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad’s characterisation, “PAS kata UMNO kafir”, and PAS secretary-general Hasan Shukri’s proposed reply, “UMNO kata PAS kata UMNO kafir”.
Khalid Samad’s statementNational Fatwa Council decision reported by MalaysiakiniJurnal Usuluddin’s account of the allegation and PAS response
Is there an authoritative transcript of the 1981 speech?
No complete contemporaneous recording, transcript or archival publication of the 7 April 1981 speech has been located in either English or Malay. Text circulating as the speech should not be treated as an authoritative transcript.
Did Amanat Hadi cause the Memali incident of 1985?
No court judgment and no commission report has been located establishing a causal connection between the speech and any particular later incident. The Universiti Malaya article records that the speech was accused of contributing to social division and was linked to Memali, and it also records PAS denials. Those are attributed positions, not adjudicated findings.