President defends traditional Maldivian Islam as parliament endorses Bari as Islamic Minister

The parliament has approved the reappointment of Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari as Minister for Islamic Affairs, in a narrow vote 38 in favour 35 against.

Dr Bari was first appointed to the position under a coalition agreement made between the government and the religious Adhaalath Party, resigned on the party’s request after it made the decision to break the agreement t over the government’s religious policy.

Opposition parties have earlier said their MPs in the parliament would  not vote in favor of Dr Bari and that he would be dismissed. A parliament committee that looked into the issue has meanwhile dismissed his reappointment and will submit a report on the matter.

Adhaalath made a further move today to sever its connection with the government, dismissing its former President and current State Islamic Minister Sheikh Hussein Rasheed. Sheikh Hussein had been also asked to resign by the party following its split with the MDP, but had elected to remain in the government.

Speaking to Minivan News, Sheikh Hussein said that he had received a letter from the Adhaalath Party yesterday informing him that he had been dismissed from the party for acting against the party’s ideas.

”The people will know the work I have done for Adhaalath Party,” he said. “When the party was first established there was no one that had the courage to take the lead so I did. No one had the courage to go and take the party registration form but I went and took it,” Sheikh Rasheed explained. ”That was the time when the former President and scholars were under great influence and threat of being imprisoned.”

Now, he said, the party was under the influence of former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom.

Sheikh Hussein said the VTV television station, owned by opposition-aligned MP and tourism tycoon Gasim Ibrahim, had reported his dismissal from the Adhaalath Party before the decision had even been taken by the disciplinary committee.

He said that when the party asked him to resign from his position, he only told the party his view on the matter.

“Dr Bari and I are working independently in the Ministry, free from influence,” he said. ”If I If I have violated any regulations there will be actions taken, but the party’s Disciplinary Committee needs to be investigated first.”

”We created the party with a very good intention. It was to go forward with the country and citizens and to serve the religion. But that is not the direction in which that party is moving now,” he said.

Sheikh Hussein said he had not yet decided to join another party, and was currently awaiting word from the Elections Commission on the matter.

Dr Bari and President of Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran Abdulla did not respond to Minivan News at time of press.

Government stands up

President Mohamed Nasheed has meanwhile defended Islam and Maldivian culture and traditions, ahead of an opposition-backed religious protest on December 23. The website promoting the protest briefly called for the “slaughter” of “anyone against Islam”, slogans which were subsequently removed and blamed on a “technical mistake”, “hackers” and later, “intelligence officials”.

Nasheed has claimed that religious protesters are trying to implement Islamic Sharia penalties such as stoning, amputation and execution – penalties which have traditionally been pardoned by the Maldivian judicial system.

Speaking at a rally held on Saturday evening, Nasheed defended traditional cultural practices such as playing and listening to music and the role of women in society, noting that “women have been in the Maldivian workforce as long as men.”

He  called on political parties to publicly state which form of Islam they supported: “the Islam we have been practicing in this country for several hundred years, or a new faction of Islam.”

Protest organisers President of the Adhaalath Party Sheikh Imran Abdullah, and Abdullah Mohamed, head of a coalition of religious NGOs organising the protest, were questioned by police on December 13.
Press Secretary of the President’s Office, Mohamed Zuhair, today claimed that “former President Gayoom, the Adhaalath Party and religious extremists are whipping up hatred, intolerance and xenophobia for political purposes. They hope to topple the government from the streets because they can’t defeat it through the ballot box.”
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18 thoughts on “President defends traditional Maldivian Islam as parliament endorses Bari as Islamic Minister”

  1. It's black or white. Not grey.

    Music is haram. Sex with someone else's wife must be punished by stoning to death. Stealing is to be punished by chopping hands off.

    If you don't do that , you are not following as it should be.

    Photography is haram, period.

    If you try to justify someone else you are to be executed on account of shiruku.

    Black OR white. Don't bend the laws to suit you and then preach Islam.

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  2. Bari is practicing Islamic divorce; he has divorced the government twice. What will happen when he divorces the 3rd time? This moron, a doctor of Quran, is he only a person in the banana republic who can hold portfolio of Islamic ministry. I can dissect Quran and can diagnose the serious illness it is suffering. Bari is just con-doctor in this field, Anni should find a better doctor to dissect Quran, probably all the suffering will be cured.

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  3. Oh so Bari is a traditionalist?

    Now that's not what the Minivan of yore and the MDP of ages gone past used to call him.

    Pointless arguing semantics though isn't it?

    I'm sure Bari can pull off something in the end. He is one of the most clever politicians in the Maldives at the moment. However that poor boy Inaz. I weep for him.

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  4. Ahmed Nazeer and minivan news usual distortions.
    Its not "religious" NGOs. These are NGOs which have been registered for different purposes like teachers association, medical associations, island development clubs, etc..

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  5. Music also means Raag. If music was haram, they why do they use Raag to read out verses?? This type of nonsense wont wash with anyone blessed with intelligence.

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  6. University Wanted Ad: Applicants for short-course on be-headings, cutting hands, and flogging. Business will be brisk for the Thodduans, as successful candidates have to practice. Those who can sever a melon in half with one chop would be chosen for the course on be-headings and hand-cutting. Meanwhile flogging can be practiced with two melons in a gunny sack. Only those who can get melon juice to seep out with the third flog may apply...The national stadium will stage these shows..together with stonings..the right size of stones will be provided by the state for the faithful who turn up after Friday prayers for a family outing at Galolhu stadium. Blood ..Gore and Guts Guaranteed ..!! Come One Come All..May Allah be pleased.

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  7. "Photography is haram, period?"

    Oh yeah? What kind? Black & White or Colour? What's the punishment by the way? Care to pull out the reference from the Holy Quraan?

    This is as moronic as it gets. Not surprising, since this kind of stuff originates from Tora Bora and not from anything or anyone related to the religion of Islam.

    Contrary to your ignorance, there are billions of shades of gray in Islam! Do you know why? I'll give you a hint: Allah, didn't write down the entire "manual" of the Universe in the Quraan...

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  8. A Lion can't shave. Because the creator did not enable it with the necessary cleverness and agility to fashion out razors. A mule can't answer the mobile phone. Also for the same reason. A monkey can bang down on any number of keys on a key-board, but it cannot intelligently use a computer. Ditto...

    A Lion can't shave. Because there aren't other Bangladeshi Lions setting up barber-shops to shave other Lions. Why ? ...Because animals weren't enabled by the Creator. That is why Human's are above animals, And why they shouldn't be expected to disable themselves to the level of animals.

    A Lion can't shave. But humans were enabled to do so by the Creator. Now are you telling us that the Creator enabled us to be better than animals...but asks us to lower themselves to the level of the Lion?

    A Lion can't shave. Whether it wanted to or not. A Human can do it on the basis of simple personal choice. Tks.

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  9. Where is Jeffrey Salim, Aniya & Yaamyn? I am sure they must be pissed off with the president.

    I am happy our president is listening to the majority.

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  10. @dheenee Ageedha
    what are you trying to say? A human can not roar like a Lion, can not hunt like a lion, does that mean anything other than, every species has distinctive features that set them apart. otherwise we wouldnt be able to categorize them now can we?
    there is no absolute superiority of one animal over the other. its delusional thinking. although human are capable of composing music, write, read, shave their beard, human can be as barbaric as any other animal and to see this you do not have to look any further. right here we have people with latest iPhone but not a clue on how we have arrived here.

    As for president and bari, i think if president is serious about his respect for traditional islam (moderate) in this country, he would not appoint Bari as his islamic minister and also not spend millions on a ministry for religion. He would also not leave everything related to religion to so called Scholars, while everything in this country is religious (because thank god, our constitution makes sure that is the case)....

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  11. To all you so called dheeni illogical hypocrites

    (1) mannequins - isn't that a budhu? Why haven't you been bothered about them on display in every other shop in majeedhee magu

    (2) fire- u burnt and stole the saarc monuments coz they contain images of worship in other religions. Fire itself is an element of worship in some hindhu ceremonies celebrating their gods and deities. So why are u using fire, stop using it.

    The best life for you all nit pickets will be to find a large sized uninhabited island and create your own little colony representative of the 600s and I bet sooner than later all of you will moderate yourselves and wake up to today's reality and return back to civilization as more sane people.

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  12. Anni is just doing a text book fear tactic political talk to people thinking he can fool them. He is trying to bring in women issue and claiming that he is here to protect the current Islamic tradition in the Maldives.

    If so, ask yourselves why for the first time in our country's history under Anni's government:

    1) We have big huge idols brought into the country from foreign countries? Is this not against our constitution?

    2) For the first time, Maldives Government is dealing openly with Israel and recognizes Israel while Israel still on a regular basis kills Muslims in Palestine.

    3) Trying to bring non-Muslim Human Rights people into "our" parliament and insulting "our" constitution. Than when the people got angry, Anni blamed the people for not having an open mind.

    4) Allowing Gay Rights activists to hold free demonstration and actually supporting them verbally. No President in the history of the Maldives has been this disgusting to support Gay Rights movements.

    5) Not punishing apostates that are openly challenging our constitution which protect Islam as the national religion of the country. You yourself should be punished for this as we see you supporting freedom of religion in the country.

    No other President in its history has ever done as much as you to go against the Maldivian constitution and the people when it comes to Islam. I am not talking about any new law. I am talking about the current constitution. The constitution of the people of Maldives which currently already protects Islam. You, Mr.President are attacking this constitution and trying to bring in filthy ideas into our children's head.

    So I do not know why you are now saying you support our Islamic culture in the Maldives when obviously your actions and words have been 100% against our "current" way of life in the Maldives.

    But now you are trying to twist things around in order to trick as many people as you can. There are some that tends to believe every word you say even if it is a lie. These are your targeted audience. I have studied politics more than you Mr.President, so do not try to twist things to hide your actions which are openly known in the society now.

    The protest on 23 is mainly to tell you to reverse every un-islamic thing your government has done and stop trying to bring freedom of religion, gay rights and also dealing with Israel. All these ideas are from people close to you. So fire them and choose honest people who fear Allah (swt) and has no love for Israel. Also tell the UN that our current constitution is perfect the way it is and we do not need a non-muslim coming to tell us how to live when they cannot solve their own problems in the UN. From what I last recall, United Nation is still not a democracy.

    http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10150535575841613

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  13. @ ahmed deeds - I guess you havent thinked it through out of the box.

    This video should answer your question:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aufe7s20mmk

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  14. @ Muaz MZ. You are a stupid, extremist freak and you and your father should be ashamed by your behaviour.

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  15. @Muaz...and to add to that, you Mr President feigns to be Mr Goody-Two-Shoes by openly claiming to have disassociated yourself with songs sung by characters like 'Haaburi' targeted at the events and people involved in November 3rd, saying in a your rule you do not want such horrible things done to other people, while you gather your party greats and laugh and enjoy anything and everything your court jester Riko Moosa says in belittling and scorning the previous President in public, by which you have ripped asunder the long traditional social values of respect, teaching our children that this is perfectly all right. You have played a major, major role in teaching Maldivians respect is not important. You have shown 'respect' has no place in your realm. You have done more damage to society than any other President in the history of the country by being seen in mdp rallies rocking in glee to the dirty puns of your loyalistic entertainers. I have never seen such appalling behaviour by any previous president. And so what tradition are you talking about now?

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  16. This "Baaree" character is a traitor to our Islamic cause! He has sold his soul to Mohamed Nasheed, a mere human, for worldly pleasures! We have adviced Baaree more than once, not to be involved in any activities which help sell alcohol and pork to tourists in Maldivian resorts, but he hasn't stopped, and has given in to Shaitan's evil vasvaas! Sheikh Shaheem will become president of this country in 2013, inshallah, and then, our country will finally be free of jews and other evils lurking in every corner of the country! We shall also establish full Islamic Shariah in this country, which will include amputating limbs, stoning to death etc.

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  17. Mr Ilham, Muad Mz is a very honest and a straight forward person whom i associated on an official level.
    Nobody should have doubts about his integrity.

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