Malaysia has yet to decide on whether to emulate several Middle Eastern countries in branding Qatar-based religious scholar Yusuf Al-Qaradawi a terrorist.

Deputy Prime Minister Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia was keeping its options open.

"We will wait for a report from various parties and if any individuals are involved we will get detailed information from reliable sources," said Zahid, according to Bernama.

Yusuf was awarded the Tokoh Maal Hijrah award by the Malaysian government in 2009 in conjunction with Awal Muharram.

He is a prominent theologian with ties to the Muslims Brotherhood, a transnational Sunni Islam organisation with political goals and has been accused by some countries of having links with terrorism.

Yusuf, who was born in Egypt, is currently in Doha. He has been accused of being a terrorist by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The four countries have broken diplomatic ties with Qatar.

Won't bring back dead terrorists

Meanwhile, Zahid said Putrajaya will not make arrangements to bring back the body or bodies of Malaysians who are killed in conflicts or combat after joining terrorist groups.

He said families are free to make their own arrangements.

"This is because such individuals who are killed while carrying out illegal activities or doing so at their own risk and if their families want to bring back their bodies they will have to get in touch with their colleagues of the dead," he told reporters after opening the 2017 Perak Young Agropreneur Tour programme at Bagan Datuk today.

Zahid who is also the home minister said the government would not recognise such deaths because they are killed while participating in activities of terrorist groups.

"If there is a religious decree (fatwa) from anyone that such deaths are a form of martyrdom, the government will not recognise such deaths as 'syuhadah'," he said.

Zahid was commenting on reports that a Malaysian, Mohd Nizam Ariffin, 38, otherwise known as Abu Afghan who was involved in the Islamic State militant group was killed in a battle against Iraq's security forces on Friday.

"The Home Ministry has confirmed the death of Mohd Nizam after receiving an intelligence report through the police," he said adding that the death of Mohd Nizam would mean the total number of Malaysians killed in Iraq and Syria has reached 31, while 56 more are still at large.