The bill on outlawing places of worship for non-Muslims is a “useless” piece of legislation, Sheikh Hussein Rasheed Ahmed, president of the religious conservative Adhaalath party has said.
Speaking to Minivan News today, Rasheed said there were more important bills proposed by the government, such as the bill on taxation and the revised penal code.
“Some members are just trying to show that they’re doing something by proposing these useless bills to waste the Majlis’ time,” he said.
He added MPs were delaying the passage of legislation submitted by the attorney general that would be beneficial to the public and necessary for the government to function.
Last week, a bill proposed by Independent MP Ibrahim Muttalib on outlawing places of worship for non-Muslims was sent to committee with unanimous consent.
“There hasn’t been a temple built in this country so far even without this bill,” said Rasheed.
Unlike countries such as Lebanon and Nigeria, which had large non-Muslim communities, he said, the Maldives was a 100 per cent Muslim country.
“Since the constitution states all citizens have to be Muslims, there’s no need to build temples here,” he said.
But, he added, foreigners in the country should have the right to pray in the privacy of their homes.
Muttalib was the former treasurer of Adhaalath party, but was dismissed from the post following a dispute with the party.
Rasheed said he criticised the party in public after a proposal he made did not garner support.
“He has now sent a letter and resigned from the party,” he said.
Legal vacuum
Muttalib told Minivan News today he proposed the bill because there was no law to prevent the establishment of places of worship for non-Muslims.
He referred to article 19 of the constitution, which states “No control or restraint may be exercised against any person unless it is expressly authorised by law.”
“So there has to be a law to deal with this,” he said. “I did not propose it because I was pressured by any party.”
Muttalib said foreign elements were keen on establishing churches in the Maldives, as it was among only four countries, including Saudi Arabia, Mauritania and Iran, that did not have any churches.
While he could not name any particular organisation, Muttalib said a British delegation that met with senior members of Adhaalath party recently told them “this is not why we helped you bring democracy”.
“They said we helped you bring democracy so that we can worship here,” he said.
On MPs who had claimed the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) allowed Jews to worship in Medina, Muttalib said he heard Sheikh Hassan Fikry retort on DhiFM that verses were later revealed commanding the Prophet to “throw them out”.
“They are unclean people,” he said. “They will not wish any good for us.”
Further, he continued, the Qur’an cautioned against friendship with Jews and Christians as they would not accept Muslims until they converted to their religions.
On Sheikh Rasheed’s criticism, Muttalib said despite their political differences he did not wish to challenge the Adhaalath Party president.
He called on the party to free itself from the government and speak out on important religious issues.
The party’s failure to speak out was causing public loss of confidence and ruining the reputation of religious scholars, he said.
“This is a very important time for the Adhaalath Party to come out and speak,” he said.
Inquiries
Mohamed Zuhair, president’s office press secretary, told Minivan News today a number of inquiries had been made with the president’s office on the extent of religious freedom in the country.
On Friday, President Mohamed Nasheed asked for the ruling under Islamic sharia on allowing non-Muslims to worship in Islamic communities.
Zuhair said the Fiqh academy of the Islamic ministry will debate the matter and issue a ruling.
“We want to be very clear about this before we give a final answer,” he said.
Muttalib said he believed the president would ratify the bill if parliament passed it.
“I think what he expressed was the pressure that he is facing from the international community, from Jews and Christians,” he said.
National pride
Zuhair said the president’s office had received comments from foreigners who said they cancelled their holidays after learning of women being flogged and the public’s attitude towards corporal punishment.
He further said inquiries were made on the president’s office website about the possibility of tourists getting married in the Maldives.
“Marriage tourism is a growing segment,” he said. “We’ve had tour operators ask us if their clients getting married in the Maldives would be considered a religious ceremony.”
Presenting the legislation, Muttalib said the government’s plans to introduce wedding tourism would “indirectly” establish churches in the country.
“I want to say categorically that the government will not allow building temples or churches in the Maldives,” said Zuhair, adding claims during the presidential election that a Nasheed administration would build temples were completely unfounded.
Kulhudhufushi MP Mohamed Nasheed, an independent, said the bill was proposed after international organisations had discussions with MPs and the government “asking for more complete rights in the name of democracy.”
“It is a matter of national pride for Maldivians rather than a question of religion,” he said.
As other Islamic states allowed places of worship for non-Muslims, he said, the question of banning non-Muslims from worshipping publicly under Islamic sharia was “debatable”.
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