In Malaysia, last Wednesday Rayappan Anthony died at the Kuala Lumpur Hospital. The Star today reports on the complicated religious battle that ensued. When Rayappan's family went to claim his body on Thursday, Selangor Islamic Affairs Department officers stopped them, claiming Rayappan was a Muslim. On Friday, the Shah Alam Syariah High Court granted an application by the Selangor Islamic Religious Council (Mais) to claim Rayappan’s body but required Mais to get approval from the Federal Territory Syariah High Court. On Monday night, Rayappan's three daughters were subpoenaed to appear at a Syariah High Court hearing to present their contention that Rayappan returned to Christianity seven years ago. But the daughters refuse to appear, claiming that they are not Muslim and so are not subject to the court's jurisdiction. Instead, Rayappan’s 65-year-old widow, Lourdes Mary Maria Soosay, filed an application in the civil High Court in Kuala Lumpur asking for Rayappan's body to be released to her.
UPDATE: On Thursday, the Selangor Islamic Religious Council withdrew its claim to Rayappan's body for burial. Council chairman Mohamed Adzib Mohamad Isa said that after consulting religious experts, they determined that there was "overwhelming" evidence showing Rayappan was not a Muslim. (International Herald Tribune).
