GISBH is accused of being the evolution of Al-Arqam – This is how the deviant religious group, led by its charismatic leader ‘Abuya’, grew

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 23 — The enigmatic business group Global Ikhwan Services and Business Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) is currently in the media spotlight as it is at the centre of a multi-agency investigation into a range of criminal activities, including child sexual exploitation, human trafficking and promoting Islamic deviation.

The group has long been under suspicion for its ties to the banned Al-Arqam movement and remains closely watched for its controversial practices and beliefs. Perlis was the first state to issue a fatwa, or religious ruling, declaring GISBH deviant.

What happened to Al-Arqam and how did the group, including its former members, evolve into GISBH? Malaysian Post explores.

Items seized during the fourth phase of Op Global, conducted by the police and various agencies including the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim), may serve as supporting evidence in determining the religious status of followers of GlSB Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH). — Bernama pic

How did Al-Arqam come into being?

Al-Arqam began in 1968 in a house where the first meetings were held in Keramat, Kuala Lumpur, which was painted white and became known as “White House(White House).

In its first two years, the group faced opposition and accusations of spreading deviant Islamic teachings, but it still attracted a large number of young Malays at the time.

The group was led by Ashaari Mohammad, a former government religious teacher who founded a self-sufficient village in Kampung Sungai Penchala, Kuala Lumpur in 1975.

The village was equipped with a mosque, dormitories, a school, houses and shops, all of which were run according to Islamic principles. The group also began publishing printed materials to spread its teachings.

Three years later, the group changed its name to Al-Arqam, in honor of the Prophet Muhammad’s companion, Arqam ibn Abi Arqam, who had his house in Mecca used as the first meeting place for Muslims.

The group also joined forces with the Islamist group Malaysian Islamic Youth Movement (Abim), and Ashaari was even offered the chance to become president, but he turned it down.

Police have seized several pamphlets suspected of contradicting Islamic teachings and containing superstitious beliefs during a large-scale raid in Peninsular Malaysia. Al-Arqam was deemed deviant in 1994 and the book Aurad was banned by the National Fatwa Council in 1998. — Bernama pic

Why is Al-Arqam banned?

In 1986, controversy arose surrounding Ashaari’s book Aurawhich claimed that the Prophet Muhammad and the four Caliphs could be physically and consciously met in the real world.

Al-Argam also operated unregistered primary and secondary schools that followed a different curriculum than the national curriculum, with an emphasis on religious education.

Ashaari also implied that he was a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad and asked his followers to address him as Syeikh Abuya Iman Ashaari Muhammad At-Tamini, or simply “Abuya” for short.

It was also said about him that he had met the Prophet (peace be upon him).

The movement was labeled as deviant in 1994 and the book Aura was banned in 1998 by the National Fatwa Council.

In September 1994, Ashaari was imprisoned for two years under the Internal Security Act of 1960. He died in 2010.

A general view of the business activities under Global Ikhwan Service & Business (GISB) Holding Sdn Bhd at Subang Impian in Shah Alam, September 15, 2024. — Photo by Yusof Mat Isa

What is the connection between GISBH and Al-Arqam?

After Ashaari founded his village in 1975, the group set up a range of business activities, both locally and internationally.

Arqam Group was originally founded on Islamic business principles, with a focus on the halal economy and the establishment of factories and supermarkets.

The company was later renamed Rufaqa Corp and finally Global Ikhwan Group, before Ashaari’s death.

GISBH bills itself as a Bumiputera Muslim-run company, with assets worth RM325 million and an annual turnover of RM187 million and has operations in 20 countries worldwide, the news site said. The Malaysian Reserve reported last month.

The company operates numerous supermarkets, bakeries, pharmacies, factories and restaurants at home and abroad.

The company also operates restaurants in major cities including London, Paris and Dubai, as well as properties in Turkey, a hotel in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina and a 120-acre estate in Perth, Australia.

According to GISBH, there are now a total of 5,346 employees working at its 25 subsidiaries. The Malaysian Reserve.

In a statement on September 12, the company said it has distanced itself from its former ties with the Al-Arqam Group and is now positioning itself as a multinational.

The recent raids on locations linked to Global Ikhwan Service and Business Holdings Sdn Bhd (GISBH) in several states have unearthed hundreds of books and pamphlets related to the teachings of al-Arqam. — Bernama pic

Raids reveal ongoing ties to Al-Arqam and alleged criminal activities

Despite the name change, GISBH’s ties to Al-Arqam teachings remain, as evidenced by recent raids in Melaka, Kelantan and Penang.

GISBH is at the center of a multi-agency investigation into suspicions of running a criminal organization involved in human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of children in the name of religion.

On September 11, police raided properties linked to the company in Selangor and Negeri Sembilan, rescuing more than 400 children. Razarudin later revealed that some of them had been sodomized and trained to sexually abuse other minors.

The raids, codenamed Op Global, have so far covered the whole of Malaysia and some 200 people, including senior GISBH executives, have been arrested and their assets frozen.

Meanwhile, former members of GISBH have alleged in an interview with Bernama that they have been brainwashed and believe that the group’s leaders were appointed by Prophet Muhammad, Imam Mahadi and guides from the spiritual realm.

On Saturday, police inspector Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said Op Global has entered its fourth phase in Peninsular Malaysia. Raids have been conducted at 82 locations, rescuing 186 victims, including 102 men and 84 women. 155 suspects have been arrested, including 78 men and 77 women.