Government to Tighten Oversight of Religious Publications Following Quranic Citation Error
PUTRAJAYA: The government plans to strengthen oversight of religious publications to ensure greater accuracy and authenticity of Islamic content, particularly Quranic quotations, following public concern over an error found in a recently published religious book.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Religious Affairs) Dr. Zulkifli Hasan said the government remains supportive of producing new Islamic publications but stressed that every work must uphold the highest standards of scholarly accuracy before reaching readers.
Speaking after officiating the 2026 Syarie Lawyers Convention, Zulkifli said the recent incident involving an incorrect Quranic citation highlighted the importance of improving quality control throughout the publishing process.
“We encourage writers and publishers to continue producing more religious literature because it contributes to public understanding of Islam. However, every publication must prioritise authenticity and accuracy to avoid creating confusion among readers.
“This is an important matter, and we intend to strengthen our monitoring mechanisms so that similar issues can be prevented in the future,” he said.
His comments came in response to controversy surrounding the book Wanita Syurga, written by Islamic content creator Aisyah Hijanah, which drew criticism after readers identified errors in excerpts from Quranic verses.
According to Zulkifli, the government is currently establishing the Malaysia Religious Books Publishing Council, which will bring together religious publishers under a common platform to discuss industry standards and improve publication practices.
He explained that the council is expected to become a collaborative body capable of addressing emerging issues related to religious publishing while identifying areas requiring stronger editorial review and quality assurance.
The initiative is also intended to encourage closer cooperation between publishers, religious authorities, scholars and government agencies in safeguarding the accuracy of Islamic publications distributed to the public.
Zulkifli said the government is particularly interested in strengthening preventive measures rather than reacting only after mistakes have been published.
He added that a more structured review process could help minimise the risk of inaccurate Quranic quotations or other religious references appearing in future publications.
Commenting on the author involved in the recent controversy, the minister acknowledged that Aisyah Hijanah had publicly apologised for the mistake.
While welcoming the apology, he emphasised that the government’s primary concern is ensuring similar incidents do not recur rather than focusing solely on the individual responsible.
When asked whether the author would be called to provide an explanation, Zulkifli said the ministry would first obtain a comprehensive report from the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (Jakim) before considering any further action.
Earlier, Aisyah Hijanah issued a public apology through her social media platform, acknowledging the oversight and accepting responsibility for the publication error.
The government believes that stronger collaboration between regulators, religious institutions, publishers and authors will improve editorial standards while ensuring Islamic publications remain accurate, credible and beneficial to readers.
The proposed measures are expected to reinforce public confidence in religious publications by promoting greater accountability, more rigorous content verification and higher publishing standards across Malaysia’s Islamic literary sector.
