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

How did Al-Arqam come into being?

Al-Arqam began in 1968 in a house where its first meetings were held in Keramat, Kuala Lumpur, which was painted white and became known as “Rumah Putih” (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.

Why is Al-Arqam banned?

In 1986, controversy arose over Ashaari’s book Aurad, in which he claimed that the Prophet Muhammad and the four caliphs could be physically and consciously encountered 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).

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

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

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. The company has operations in 20 countries worldwide, news site 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 The Malaysian Reserve, GISBH now has a total of 5,346 employees spread across 25 subsidiaries.

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.

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, codename On Globalhave so far covered the whole of Malaysia and about 200 people, including senior GISBH executives, have been arrested and their assets frozen.

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

On Saturday, Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Razarudin Husain said said that Op Global has entered its fourth phase in Peninsular Malaysia, with raids at 82 locations, rescuing 186 victims, including 102 men and 84 women, while 155 suspects, including 78 men and 77 women, have been arrested.

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