Pemulihan Akidah Bagi Kes-Kes Permohonan Keluar Agama Islam di Mahkamah Syariah
The Syariah Court in Malaysia possesses executive jurisdiction in deciding upon matters related to creed and religious status. The jurisdiction aims to restrain the signs of heresy and renunciation of religion of Islam among Muslims. Nevertheless, the creed restoration practice (istitabah) for the state level renunciation of religion of Islam application cases is still unclear. This study aims to analyse the procedure after the application to renounce religion of Islam is received at Syariah Court and the process of creed restoration that is instructed upon an applicant prior to the Syariah Court decision. This study used document analysis approach by conducting specialized observation on the law provisions and renunciation of religion of Islam cases as well as the restoration modules in the centre of creed restoration. The outcomes of the study found that the creed restoration practice was conducted in the form of creed counselling or detention at the centre of creed restoration depending on the instruction from the Syariah Court Judge after the acceptance of religious status application cases. There were no clear and standardized law provisions regarding repentance order (istitabah) at state level. The study also provides the implications and several recommendations for improvement of the creed restoration practice. ABSTRAK Mahkamah Syariah di Malaysia mempunyai bidang kuasa eksklusif dalam memutuskan perkara-perkara berkaitan persoalan akidah dan status agama. Bidang kuasa ini bertujuan mengekang gejala ajaran sesat dan murtad dalam kalangan orang Islam. Walau bagaimanapun, amalan istitabah bagi kes-kes permohonan keluar agama Islam masih kurang jelas di peringkat negeri. Kajian ini bertujuan menganalisis prosedur selepas penerimaan permohonan keluar agama Islam di Mahkamah Syariah dan proses istitabah yang diperintahkan kepada pemohon sebelum Mahkamah Syariah membuat keputusan. Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan analisis dokumen dengan membuat tinjauan khusus terhadap peruntukan undang-undang dan kes-kes permohonan keluar agama Islam serta modul pemulihan di pusat pemulihan akidah. Hasil kajian mendapati amalan istitabah dibuat dalam bentuk kaunseling akidah atau tahanan di pusat pemulihan akidah bergantung kepada perintah hakim Mahkamah Syariah selepas penerimaan kes-kes permohonan status agama. Tiada peruntukan undang-undang yang jelas dan seragam mengenai perintah taubat (istitabah) di peringkat negeri. Implikasi dan beberapa cadangan untuk penambahbaikan amalan istitabah ini juga diberikan.