The Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) has written to the Islamic Ministry expressing concern that tourism was not among those industry sectors blessed during Friday prayers.
MATATO President Mohamed Khaleel confirmed to Minivan News that a letter had been sent to the Islamic Ministry yesterday (May 29) expressing concern that the country’s farming and fishing industries continued to be blessed following Friday prayers, while tourism sector had not received the same courtesy.
Under the country’s laws, traditional holiday staples such as the sale and consumption of alcohol and pork products, and women publicly sunbathing in bikinis, are outlawed outside designated ‘uninhabited’ islands set aside exclusively for resort development.
A letter sent by MATATO to the Islamic Ministry stated that the biggest gift from God to the Maldives over the past 40 years was the establishment of tourist resorts on uninhabited islands in the Maldives, according to local media.
The letter also argued that profits from the travel industry over the 40 years had been used to build harbours, roads and mosques across the country.
Considering the financial impact of tourism to the country’s revenue, MATATO President Khaleel said a letter had been sent to the Islamic Ministry asking for tourism to be included along with other industries worthy of being blessed in the Friday prayer.
“We are expecting a response [to the letter] by Sunday (June 2) or Monday (June 3) next week. We are expecting positive feedback from the ministry, not for ourselves, but for the sake of the country,” he said.
Given the substantial contribution of tourism to the country’s GDP – thought to indirectly reach over 70 percent – Khaleel questioned the financial impact to the country should the industry cease to exist.
Khaleel added that the government had earned large amounts of additional income from import taxes on goods and services brought into the country to cater for holidaymakers.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Shaheem Ali Saeed and Minister of State for Islamic Affairs Mohamed Didi were not responding to calls from Minivan News at time of press.
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Dhivehistanis have been praying for better fishing and farming but it seems as if the unprayed for tourism sector is the industry that's booming. The mullahs think it's haraam obviously, but will never hesitate to use the industry for their own profit. The head mullah Shaheem was illegally planning to open gold jewellery shops catering to tourists. Their mosques and salaries come from the budget, which includes dividends from tourism. Many have shares in resorts or related businesses. The hypocrisy is sickening but that's Dhivehistan for you.
Boehoehoe..
In Dhivehistan the weekly Friday sermons are just hate speech and Islamist rhetoric. The typical sermon would have mysogyny, homophobia and some form of anti-democratic message. It is one of the tools to brainwash Dhivehistanis against democracy and turn them into revolutionary zombies hell-bent on creating an Islamist state. For added effect, the sermon is delivered in full Arab costume and in a loud undulating tone (an attempt to mimic their Arab masters).
So it's no wonder they'll neglect tourism. The invocation at the end has been there since mulllah Maumoon's time and every one, young and old, has heard it so many times that they can recall it from memory.
"Protect our Islamic fortress from those who wish to put a crack on it, give victory and guidance to our leaders who direct our sacred and secular affairs, bless our farming and fishing and make Dhivehistan prosperous and maintain that prosperity, give us the best of both worlds and save us from the punishment of the Fire"
Most Dhivehistanis can't wait for it end so that they can do the obligatory calisthenics and go home to feed their faces.
MATATO, you do not need the blessings of these foreign priests to do your work. We do not need the idols of the qureysh to rubber-stamp our prayers to Allah either.
Let's both do our best to survive, and prosper.
The industry that gives oxygen to the people of water world is not blessed but still flourishing. What message are you giving here?
I salute Mullarists this time for saving Tourism, because their blessing will get negative result. A real God will never listen to hatemonger; God is the pseudonym for love. God and Mullarism are two enemies. Mullahs…. When will you stop preaching hate and stop praying for destruction of Israel Kuffar, Homosexuals and prostitutes they are also the children of Almighty. Since you have such hate filled hearts your faces look like Gorillas, because hatred stops pumping blood to face.
I knew this guy "homo..." will be very excited to comment on this. He dont like the term "stanis". but let me tell. If he dies in the Maldives, he will most likely be burried in a Qaburustan. In Maldivian language stan comes only in the word cembetery. Qubarustan literally mean the place of the dead.
*cemetery
/facepalm
Why don't you work on marketing and sales generation rather than creating a holiness and blessings department for companies.
This headline is actually the embodiment of how retarded some Maldivians are. The business sector asking for blessings. Truly a wtf moment.
I haven't laughed this hard since muslims killed innocent people over cartoons and claimed that they follow a religion of peace.
Do ppl actually listen to what these wise old crackpots say during the pre-Friday prayer propagan... sorry, sermons. (Bear receives human face palm)
May the Lord shower blessings on MATATO.