Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has voiced concerns that Friday prayers conducted in the Dharumavantha Mosque in the capital city Male’ are conducted by Imams who do not hold state-issued authorisation to preach.
Shaheem emphasised the importance of putting an end to the practice of Dharumavantha Mosque conducting Friday prayers in a manner different from all other mosques in the country. He furthermore said that he had personally received reports that the sermons given in the mosque preached a “stricter, more extreme ideology [of Islam]”.
“In the Maldives, we follow the practices of Sunni communities, especially when it comes to matters concerning religion. And then [they] refuse to pray in other mosques behind authorised Imams and form their own prayer congregations elsewhere. The ‘Imams’ conducting Friday prayers at Dharumavantha Mosque do not have permits to lead Friday prayers, nor are they even well-educated. I’ve also been informed that sometimes very extreme preachings are made by them,” Shaheem said on Sunday, speaking to local media.
The minister added that mosques in the capital are now under the jurisdiction of the Male’ City Council, and that the Islamic Ministry no longer has the mandate to act against any “undesirable activities” being carried out in mosques.
Mosques were transferred from being under the watch of the Islamic Ministry to the councils in late 2011 after the ratification of the Decentralisation Act.
Shaheem stated that he had nevertheless worked to ‘reform’ people who attended these prayers with the help of various religious scholars who provided advice to these individuals.
A Male’ City Council official noted that Councillor Hassan Afeef is in charge of overeeing mosques. Afeef was not responding to calls at the time of press.
Dharumavantha Miskiiy
Dharumavantha Mosque (Miskiiy) is recorded to be the oldest mosque in the country, according to the former National Center for Linguistic and Historical Research.
The mosque, which is exclusively for men, is a one-room structure with an attached veranda, located near Sultan Park.
Dharumavantha Mosque is attributed to Mohamed-Ul-Adil, the first Sultan of the Maldives, who was the first to enforce Islamic law in the country.
On March 6, 2013, the mosque was robbed and vandalised. The matter was reported to police by those attending early morning prayers.
Police have so far not publicised details of the investigation, and the case is believed to remain unsolved.
Dharumavantha Mosque is the only known mosque in the capital which refuses to read out pre-written sermons issued by the Islamic Ministry during Friday prayers, as is the current practice.
Islamic Minister Sheikh Shaheem Ali Saeed was not responding to calls at the time of press.
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LOL. Shaheem is sad that TVM is not showing his sermons. Always has to be in the spotlight right, Mr Rockstar Sheikh?
While it may be true that some Islamist loonies are taking control over the former Buddhist temple, can Shaheem explain what these extremist ideologies are? Truth is this mullah would agree with them as long as it doesn't prevent him from gaining money or power. This is the man who said DNA evidence is not acceptable, idols should be smashed, school girls should wear the veil and the world should be under a global caliphate. Underneath that trimmed beard and designer suit is a crazy fanatic. Now that some offshoot of his cult is saying democracy and voting is haraam, he's trying to shut them up. LOL.
This is the reason why Islam loses is lustre. The original formula may have produced clean water, but the products that come out now are filthy and contaminated.
This has to be taken much more seriously than just a reprimand. These extremists are the reason why the world despises us.
We learn this form of extremism from Pakistan.
Just because Pakistanis have lost their mind, does not mean we have to. As a first step, No one, must be allowed to go to Pakistan. Mordisian government must state in the passport, to be valid in all countries except Pakistan.
As a proponent of free speech I would like free sermons to be given. But sometimes the maturity of the populace is a issue. Ironic
the kaafir folks have quick response for any issue about Islam. Shows how hatred filled they are.
Isn’t this come under the freedom of speech? When it comes with Islam everything seems so messed up. If you don’t want listen to their version of Islam than you don’t attend their prayers. Also in the same breath, let those who criticize Islam also be heard.
According to true Muslims, there is no extreme Islam; it is 07th century Bedouin culture if you deny it you are not Muslim. Mullahs are not very familiar with the blood stained Islamic history. I think If Mullah are taught Islamic history, they will understand, Islam had caused division, wars and troubles in Islamic world and nobody knows what real Islam was . How can anyone be so serious about this troubled religion from its beginning? After the death of Mohamed, people started to leave Islam and there were wars with Murthadies, then the fight between Shies and Sunnis, the dispute about the true Quran all this suggest that Islam was political movement divided with many factions who wanted to dominate on each other. You need education and tolerance to get out from the trouble that Islam creates. Now what These Mullahs are doing is, silence whatever they dislike and do the same thing what Muslims have been doing last 1400 years; whatever you don’t like silence it through violence and force.
Qayoom has dragged Maldives in to this Islamic turbulence and there is no way out from it. If you adopt Islamic style of silencing different views, you are inviting more troubles to Maldives. Now we need a leader like Anni, he was doing right thing to get out of this mess; accommodate everything and learn how to tolerate different views.
History lot of us doesn’t know and we drag us in to such violent political movement.
In 930, he led the Qarmatians' most notorious attack when he pillaged Mecca and desecrated Islam's most sacred sites. Unable to gain entry to the city initially, Abu Tahir called upon the right of all Muslims to enter the city and gave his oath that he came in peace. Once inside the city walls the Qarmatian army set about massacring the pilgrims, taunting them with verses of the Koran as they did so. The bodies of the pilgrims were left to rot in the streets or thrown down the Well of Zamzam. The Kaaba was looted, with Abu Tahir taking personal possession of the Black Stone and bringing it back to Al-Hasa.
The attack on Mecca symbolized the Qarmatians' break with the Islamic world -- it was believed to have been aimed to prompt the appearance of the Mahdi who would bring about the final cycle of the world and end the era of Islam.
On the first day of Hajj they led a charge on pilgrims, riding their horses into the Haram killing pilgrims praying around the kaaba, their victims numbered around some thirty thousand (30,000). the Zamzam well despoiled houses plundered and slaves rounded up Abu Tahir and his army removed the black stone, broke it and took it away with him.
According to Al-Juwayni, the Stone was returned twenty-three years later, in 952. The Qarmatians held the Black Stone for ransom, and forced the Abbasids to pay a huge sum for its return. It was wrapped in a sack and thrown into the Friday Mosque of Kufa, accompanied by a note saying "By command we took it, and by command we have brought it back." Its abduction and removal caused further damage, breaking the stone into seven pieces. The damage from that robbery in 930 is the reason why, first a golden, and later a silver cover was placed to hold the different parts together
The Hajar al-Aswad was originally a complete stone but due to various historical incidents now consists of eight pieces of varying sizes affixed to a large stone and encased in a silver frame. The silver frame was first made by Abdullah bin Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) and replaced by later Khalifas as the need arose.
Six (additional) pieces are claimed to be in Istanbul, Turkey. One is displayed in the mihrab of the Blue Mosque, one above the entrance of the tomb of Sulaiman the Magnificent and four in the Sokullu Sehit Mehmet Pasa Camii masjid (one over the mihrab, one below the lower pulpit, another is above the upper pulpit and the last is over the entrance door). The authenticity of these additional pieces has been questioned, although the Turks did rule over what is now Saudi Arabia for many years and hold many historical Islamic relics. And Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) knows best.
“stricter, more extreme ideology [of Islam]”
We have seen how this so called Sheikhs of Adhaalath party, along with his sidekicks, in the name of Islam, preaching nothing other than hatred, which to what I believe is something that does not exist in Islam!
Now this guy is telling us that there is a more extreme ideology [of Islam] than that they were projecting and that it is wrong!
These same people have been accusing President Nasheed of telling us and the world that there existed extreme ideology of Islam being preached here! Amazing!
Where's the "Sheikh"'s pink shirt? He looked really gay wearing a deep pink one.
Oh, what was the topic again. Extremism and Islam, right. Surely, those two are like oil and water; cannot mix however hard you try. Hmm, wonder what the Sheikh was smoking...
I wonder if pre-printed sermons were distributed on Fridays during the time of the Prophet (PBUH). That's the beauty of Islam. Each one of us have a direct link to Allah, and we don't need a mediator Sheikh, let alone a pre-printed sermon, which often times is politicized and almost always read out by an authorized sheikh in a zombie fashion!
I can't for the life of me think why these kuffar hate Islamists so much. After all, all they want is to simply practice their fascist religion in peace. Is it too much to ask for the right to kill tourists, destroy national heritage, bodybag women, indocrinate children, own child sex slaves, mutilate girls, stone adulterers and behead homosexuals? I mean, what is your problem, kuffar? If anything, you kuffar should be glad that Allah's Law is being enforced on you. Ingrates. Sadly, these kuffaar are like cattle and will not understand. It's best to just send them quickly to Hell so that they can't sin any more than they already have. #doublespeak #stockholmsyndrome
Funny how 'human being' just labeled 'Modey' Shaheem as a kaafir. How wonderful it is to see our enemies killing each other.
In other news, Hitler is concerned about racism. Later, Pastor Phelps speaks out against funeral protesting and homosexuality.
All fanatics extremists and Adhaalath community should not be given place in our country send to them Pakistan.
@wives, there are degrees of crazy
Isn't 'extreme ideologies' being preached in every islamic country in the world today.....so why are you surprised?.....aren't you a 100% muslim country where no other faith is permitted?.....aren't you still flogging women in this day and age?
I know of no other major faith where a bunch of illiterate clerics are given free reign to preach what they will.
It does not happen in Christianity
It does not happen in Hinduism
It does not happen in Judaism
Maybe that's why we 'kuffars' are the progressive people of the world.....and you 'true believers' are still stuck in the seventh century.
whoever this clown called missindia is, he/she is giving me a very bad impression about Indians. me thinks this is just one of Minivan admins hiding under a fake name to keep the comment threads alive...
whoever this 'human being' is, it's a disgrace to all human beings.