The Ministry of Islamic Affairs has sent a circular to all government institutions banning the holding of any mixed gender dance events.
The circular, which was sent to all government offices, council offices and media, also calls for adolescent girls to be banned from activities requiring them to dance.
Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed called on the government to cease including activities such as dancing and singing to mark various occasions.
The administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed had included such dancing in official celebrations to promote and preserve traditional Maldivian culture. However Shaheem said such activities contravened the disciplinary guidelines and customs of Islam. It is unclear whether the call in the circular is legally enforceable under existing regulations.
The Ministry said it was acceptable to hold performances which fall within the boundaries of Islamic customs and disciplinary norms. Events such as children’s activities, performances exhibiting military skills, parades, playing the national anthem, boy scouts and girl guides performances, and the folk dance ‘Thaara’ were acceptable forms of entertainment, according to the Ministry.
‘Thaara’, dhivehi for ‘tambourine’ is a folk dance where performers sit in parallel rows, singing and dancing. This is performed specifically by men. The traditional songs sung during ‘Thaara’ are mostly in Arabic and the activity itself is said to have entered Maldivian culture through Arab influence.
The Islamic Ministry stated that its mandate is to provide religious counsel to the government, to plan state-organised initiatives of spreading and strengthening islamic values among Maldivians, and to teach citizens the righteous ways outlined in the religion.
Shaheem told Minivan News today that the directives in the circular were intended for both state bodies and individual citizens. He made no further comment.
The call for gender segregated performances comes after the government held a belated Independence Day celebration on September 9. The event was held at the National Stadium and featured dances and other performances by school children and the security forces.
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tsk tsk, yeah sure, it is all a conspiracy of minivan to please the west. WTF?!! you guys are so pathetic when it comes to defending maumoonism. islamism is not a false idea or propaganda spread by minivan or mdp or anyone else you call laadheenee. it is very real. and it is going from bad to worse. hopefully u'll be trapped here when the taliban takes over. and maybe you will be flogged for shaving and tortured and stoned to death for having sex. i really hope so. fknhypocrite "moderate" extremists!
@ Ben
Thanks 4 your post. May Allah Bless you and may
Allah Guide u and all of us to true Knowledge. Certainly in the Last Prophet of Allah we do have the most perfect example to emulate - to have the best in this world and the next.
Having said that it's no easy task. Muslims do keep trying to emulate what they believe was the prophets way. What is essential is that we understand our own limitations and strive to maintain humility before Allah and have compassion, caring and love for our neighbours.
Whats abundantly clear is that we have major problems in our society. It's our common problem. We cannot afford to be like ostriches. We need to address the issues so that our children have a future. Once again Ben, your time n effort is greatly appreciated. Peace!
@Ah Mad:
Sukrun, Jazakallah Khairan...
Yes, well, my friend said to me just now. "Ben, you have an important and valid point in most of your posts. But the point is usually made fifty thousand paragraphs into your post, and no-one has the time to wade through the crap to get to the point. If you want people to read your point, just state it straight away."
He was right, but in my defense, I try to give as much evidence as possible to back my point up!
I have a plan.
I will, just state my point, short and sharp on here only IF and WHEN I need to make a point. But I will start a blog JUST in case anybody wants further evidence of the points I make, the ideas I have.
Anyway, thanks for being As-Sabirun with me (of the patient ones...)
@ye sheep: I smash these long posts out in no more than five minutes, that's all the time I have to do them. That is why they are so long winded. It is like they say, I wanted to write a short letter to you, but I didn't have time so I wrote a long one instead.
Takes a little time to shorten, refine my ideas. It takes time to distill the essence of what I want to say into a paragraph.
Islamic Ministry encourages same sex dancing !!!!! what??
The Sheikh is trying to lead people in the path to heaven through ISLAM and in an Islamic way!
Waheed in his oath office is supposed to swear to defend ISLAM!
Now, a druid, is saying:
"The President is under no legal obligation to abide by a circular released by the Islamic Ministry and nor is any other citizen of this country."
Where does this poor puppet stand?????????
Crazy lol, these dheenee sheiks should be criminalized. Just by reading few Pakistani books and wielding an beard they think they are men of God like cristian Fathers
Sheik Bon Aqua aah Sheik Imran both are accused of adultry.
just roll back to history and ponder over the incident that led to the "conversion" to islam. and then ask the question why we are so f£$%^d up
@ Ben Plewright - I whole-heartedly agree with your comment above. Social justice is what is lacking in our Muslim societies that make us look hypocritical. Often the masses do not realize the dangerous mix of religion and politics that not only obscures the real problems, but projects a platform on which the ordinary people are paraded to the tunes of the politicians, in simple terms “populism”! And Maldives is no exception to the rule. I sincerely hope that more ordinary people will wake up and realize what is happening around them…but such an awakening should begin with a process of self-reflection. It is best to clear one’s own backyard first before embarking on cleaning the street outside.
MINIVAN sorry, please replace above with...
@badr: Thank you for understanding.
Islam is indeed about equality before the Law.
We have all come to know of the sexual carnage of the rich and powerful of the Maldives. Grieving women, driven insane through the trauma of rejection and abuse, have spoken. The Sex Lords themelves cannot help but boast of their vile conquests of the many innocent young GIRLS they have ravaged. They defy ALLAH himself with such bravado, simply because they know that they are too rich and powerful to be punished for their conquests by Maldivian LAW. LAW comes from ALLAH, and to be above the LAW and proudly so, to show how strong you are, is outrageous SHIRK! It is literally saying, There is NO GOD BUT I, and I AM ABOVE YOU ALLAH!
THIS IS WHY the suffering that the poor endure for being flogged for adultery is a hell damning witness against the heinously unforgivable blasphemy of Maldivian pride at being one hundred percent MUSLIM. Because everyone knows they are only being flogged because they are too poor to be above the law, or else the rich and powerful would be flogged as well, and 100 percent Islam equals one hundred percent equality before the law. Their suffering is a witness against the inequality before the law which is the OPPOSITE of Islam.
Islam is JUSTICE FOR ALL!
I have a hell of a lot more to say about this, but for now, it is sufficient to add that the shocking inequality before the law in the Maldives coupled with pride at being one hundred percent Muslim is the most violent insult and injury to the reputation of Islam and Allah I have ever seen in my whole entire life!
I would drop the 100 percent Muslim label to save myself from being roasted in hell for mocking ALLAH by showing 100 percent Muslim equals inequality before the law, or else I would fight for equality before the LAW for all!