Maldivian journalist and blogger Ismail ‘Hilath’ Rasheed last week spoke at the United Nation’s Palace of Nations during the 21st session of the Human Rights Council (HRC).
In a side event dedicated to the Maldives, Hilath spoke of his fears of rising fundamentalism in his home country and called for the international community to keep a close watch on the Maldives to ensure the protection of human rights and democratic freedoms.
“Maldives may be a small country but it is not insignificant. It lies at a strategic crossroads and the cultural and political invasion of Maldives by Saudi-funded Wahhabi extremism will definitely have regional and global repercussions,” said Hilath.
Hilath was forced to flee the Maldives earlier this year after an assassination attempt left him within millimetres of death when a group of men slashed his throat just yards from his home in Male’.
Hilath later attributed the assassination attempt to Islamic radicals who had threatened his life on numerous previous occasions.
As well as making international headlines, Hilath’s case has been championed by both Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and, more recently, by the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).
Both organisations called for an immediate investigation into the attack, the latter criticising the authorities for failing to adequately investigate the incident.
“Until 2003, for the past 800 years, the Maldives had been a moderate and liberal Islamic country,” said Hilath, whose speech is also available on his blog which has been blocked by the authorities since November.
“However, in the last years of [Maumoon Abdul] Gayoom, due to poverty and oppression, and also as a result of the forced imposition on the Maldivian people of Gayoom’s own version of Islam, extremism took a hold, and though it is still a minority, it is a very vocal and formidable one that both [Mohamed] Nasheed’s and [Mohamed] Waheed’s governments have been unable to tackle,” he continued.
“But a stark difference has been that while Nasheed’s government officially acknowledged there was an extremist problem in Maldives, Waheed is refusing to acknowledge the problem. While Nasheed sought to keep extremism in check by bringing them into his government, in the form of the Adhaalath Party, Waheed came into power on the back of extremism, and therefore is giving free reign to extremists,” said Hilath.
Prior to this year’s transfer of presidential power, Hilath suffered a fractured skull after an attack during a silent protest in support of religious tolerance last December.
He was later arrested in relation to the protest after the religiously conservative Adhaalath Party (AP) wrote a letter to the police.
This prompted Amnesty International to declare him a prisoner of conscience and to demand his immediate release.
The 2008 constitution defines the Maldives as a one hundred percent Sunni Islamic nation and makes observance of the faith a prerequisite of citizenship.
“What is worrying is that while Nasheed allowed extremists to spread their propaganda through private channels, Waheed’s government is directly sanctioning the promotion of the extremist agenda through official religious channels,” said Hilath.
“The Adhaalath Party, under whom extremists operate, and under whose umbrella the Islamic Affairs Ministry has been under both Nasheed and Waheed, is now using Friday prayer sermons, also known as khuthubas, to spew bigotry, mysogyny, homophobia, xenophobia, racism, sexism and other sorts of discrimination, and to issue fatwas or religious rulings proclaiming the arts and humanities, such as photography, art, music, singing, dancing and acting as haram or sinful,” he added.
Two days after Hilath’s speech in Geneva, the Islamic Ministry distributed a circular calling for the banning of mixed gender dancing.
This news put the Maldives in the global media spotlight for the second time this month after the sentencing of a 16 year old girl to 100 lashes for fornication – in accordance with Islamic Sharia – had already made international headlines.
Last Friday also saw a gathering of religious protesters outside of the United Nations (UN) building to register their anger at the anti-Islamic film “Innocence of Muslims”.
Protesters burned the American flag and waved banners, one of which read “Maldives: Future graveyard of Americans and Jews”.
Repeated chants were heard urging President Waheed to return America’s US$20,000 contribution to restore the historical Buddhist artifacts in the museum, which were destroyed by a mob of vandals during February’s political turmoil.
Some protesters stated that if the idols were restored, they would promptly destroy them again.
In response to the issue of dancing, President’s spokesperson Abbas Adil Riza told the Associated Free Press (AFP) this week that the circular was not legally enforceable and that the Maldives would always be “a very tolerant society”.
“It is deeply regrettable that both Nasheed and Waheed have done little or nothing to curb extremism as every political party in Maldives seems afraid of extremists,” said Hilath.
“What is really depressing now is that since Waheed’s government is backed by Islamic extremists, who in turn have been backed by rogue police and military officers, extremists are now acting with impunity,” he added.
“The only hope we have in saving the Maldives is by the international community keeping a close watch. I, therefore, welcome UN Human Rights Commissioner Ms. Navi Pillay’s decision to assign a Human Rights Advisor to the Maldives as rising Islamic extremism is causing serious setbacks to human rights, freedom of expression and democracy in the Maldives,” he said.
After visiting the Maldives last November, Pillay called for a moratorium on corporal punishment and criticised the Muslim-only clause in the constitution.
Protesters subsequently gathered outside the UN building, calling for Pillay’s own arrest and flogging.
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The extremists can hit us, slash our throats, and kill us, but that only causes our message to spread even further.
All they have is their swords and AK-47s. We have right, goodness and the whole world on our side.
Bravo, Hilath.
Nasheed is the one who had allowed the this small fraction of people to raise their voice and gave the support.
Nasheed has multi personality disorder , and that is why one side he support them and one side he accuses them.
Maumoon for his own benefit, at least did not allow them to be vocal and they were surprised and was not even know the existence.
99% of the Maldivian are moderate people and only a fraction of the people are now extremist and these extremists need to controlled and they should not be allowed to ruin our nation.
Hilath can go be a homo in UN and Pillaaly can live in her cow dung and baboon worshipping country. They are not welcome amongst civilized Muslims and we dont care what arrogant fools like them say.
Hilath has a good conscience and spunk to stand up and speak his mind in the UN. I wish there were more like him in our country.
If his intentions were moral, i would have sympathized with him. But clearly it isn't. Religious freedom isn't a awful thing to ask for. But is this the right way to do it? By mocking one's own religion? (assuming you are still one)
Its just amazing that the people these days are more concerned with the laws of shariah, and calling it unfair and unjust. You really question the will of Allah, Mr. Hilath?
For god-sake, have your opinion. Just stop trying to turn this once peaceful place into the next Afghanistan or Iraq. We have enough trouble with the politics as it is. We don't need the western society trying to implement their ways among us, more than it already is. We are 'mostly' Muslims. And moreover, we are all family. Why are you trying to spread hate?
Your cause is driven by your need for vengeance! Not a good cause, my friend.
May Allah guide us all.
Hilath
Personally feel very sorry for the brutal attack you suffered - no one deserves such a barbaric fate.
However, you need not have openly advocated homosexuality etc - it was needless, really.
Even in some US / western countries, you get ample hate crime for such extreme liberal stuff.
Maldives is far behind - one should understand its place in history and development.
Many people here drink n do other "sinful" stuff - privately. Why couldn't you/your group do same?
We haven't yet learnt to live and let live. So best is to have a bit of perspective and context.
Stay safe.
Pillath v agree flogging needs to go, so does intolerance n ignorance in the name of Islam.
Nowadays if you grow a beard you r a sheikh in Maldives ready to spew fatawas, doesn't matter if you can read n write properly or just parrot out Arabic phrases without knowing any in-depth meaning...
Maldives need to change or else we will be ruled by talibans very soon.
Shammooon, you firkin baboon, you think slitting peoples throats is civilized ? You my primate relative are the uncivilized one. The fact of the matter is you do care and your scared because without your small group of bearded fanatics wearing those ridiculous clothes you are nothing but a sewer rat !
Once again Mody you are blaming Nasheed for this situation faced by the Maldives. If 99% of the nation are moderate why are they not speaking out and acting against this type of abuse before they lose the chance to put the country back on the path of decent human behaviour. Everyone that stays quiet and fails to stand up to these bully boys is as guilty as those who threaten those who wish to live their life the way god chose for them, with the freedom of choice. The crime being committed here is looking away whilst the minority rule the country by fear.
Shammooon, the only irrogant fool here is you. What you called civilised is a distorted version of Islam, corrupted by fearful men who want to use violence as a means to control the nation. Religion is a choice not a compulsion, even within the true tennants of Islam across the world respect for other faiths and cultures is paramount to the teachings, well everywhere expect the version preached in the Maldives and Afghanistan.
It's remarkable that no mention is made of Hilath Rasheed's own statements that called for armed violence against people in order to spread his own anti-religious agenda. In English, he wrote: In English, Rasheed writes:
"Nobody will be marginalized. The reason why MMA has to be so secretive is because it operates like a military organization. In fact the point of setting up MMA was to fight if there is a fight against us. You guys can continue the information war which may be more appropriate.
Currently we are recruiting mostly guys who are veterans in fighting, including former gangstas etc. I mean we can’t just recruit anybody for a movement like this. We can only recruit people who are ready to AT LEAST knife an enemy if he comes at our throats. So I hope you guys understand.
As with any political movement, there has to be wings: one dealing in diplomacy and information wars, and the other the military wing to defend and attack when necessary. I know most guys here on facebook are only comfortable with the information wars which is a NECESSARY [sic] and therefore you should continue it and together both our movements can see this important work to a finish. And I’m glad Maldives has no shortage of gangstas and even ex-Habees [sic] who have had military training in Pakistan and I’m glad I’m an ex-Habee because now it is coming in handy".
This message was published on his Facebook page on November 27th, 2011, at 8.56 pm. This was before the attempt on his life, and this was before he was arrested in December.
The man's a self-serving opportunist trying to get on the Islamophobia bandwagon that's really popular among the unemployed these days.
Extremism? or extreme divisions within Muslims? Today in the Maldives we hear about many ways that Islam can be practiced. The conflict is getting bigger every day.Very soon we will see clashes between them...who should be blamed? Is it the politicians or Religious scholars? Who ever is responsible he is not peace loving as a true Muslim should be. Wahhabism or Salafism could be the largest group but Quranism is also catching up.
@ Mody
So you are now a psychologist, and psychiatrist? You can diagnose multi personality disorder?
Can you tell us where you have your clinic/ practice I have some people i can refer to you.
As for Maumoon not knowing or rather your words "was not even know the existence" of extermists , who were those people that Maumoon jailed?
And where do you get the figure 99% of Maldivians are moderates?
Mody, you seem not to have any boundaries with your hate campaign against President Nasheed.
I have only word for your ranting and raving... verbal diarrhoea
@shammooon
It is precisely the kind of racist sexist fascists like you who have destroyed our nation
Haha! Extremists are a minority? Hilath are you being serious here? The wahhabees are becoming the majority in the country, and even if everyone doesn't wear their style of clothing and grow a 2 feet long beard, they are now acting as the supreme authority of islam in the country. Every muslim in the country listens to them. Every muslim in the country supports the barbaric islamic shariah. Perhaps not everyone wants to blow themselves up in the name of a non-existent war, but there are many amongst the maldivians who would do it without hesitation.
Maldives will become the next afghanistan. I have never believed that there are muslim 'moderates' and the silence of the non-wahhaabees and the politicians who use them to gain political advantages will be the reason for this transformation. Our economy will fail, and LeT or Al Qaeda will set up a base here.
The sole intention of those Maldivian who cajoled the Maldives to join the UN HRC is precisely to give a platform to people like Hilath. The long term goal is of course religious freedom in Maldives.
Abduall Adam, Well said .
Hilath and some of his supporter are the extremist. Extremism does not only apply to Muslims and it also apply to other religion too.
People like Hilath is used to create this havoc in our society and want to change this peaceful nation like Afghan.
People like Navara pille who are from our neibiuring country is jellous of what Maldives had achieved in last 20 years .
Anni is jellous since his family could not run this business properly and he tried to take the revenge from the business community thinking that his family failed their businesses due to other businessmen from the county.
He does not realized that he himself could not run " Dhivehi Maesthiry " a small sawmill and carpentry and he failed to manage this place again due to his stubborn attitude and arrogance.
Many people had condemn the attack on Hillath as wrong but many people urge Hillath also not disgrace the entire community like he was doing.
One thing you should know is
The same Sheiks licked Gayooms a** and helped him to rule for 30 years, helping the dictator rob this country
The same Sheiks licked Gasims a** formed a coalition with Gasims political party to scoop money out of is liquor selling resorts business
The same Sheiks licked Nasheedss a** to get ministers posts and fat salry and positions
The same Sheiks licked Waheeds a** and sided with the Dictator Gayoom to get ministers posts and fat salry and positions
These Sheiks are nothing but money hungry hypocrites, how many of these so called sheick have a job, almost no, so how do they get money to live. Having 2-3 wifes and 6-12 children.
@ Abdullah Adam
If you had survived three attempts on your life you would want vengeance too.
As far as I know, Islam does not forbid to practice any religion in any land. It means that there is room for it even in our country according to our constitution, because in our constitution clearly says that de base line or the bottom line of our constitution is Islam, so what are we believing n what are we practicing. Even in Quran GOD has told to muhammad(mpbuh) not to destroy churches n temples n other places of worship, the reason for it GOD says, if Muhammadh does so, they r going to have a rong image about his GOD "THE TRUE GOD" it would prevent other humans to submit to ONE GOD n there would be chaos in the lands.
Abbas Adil Riza - Who is laughing now. you claimed on the is a gang member hehe and a drug addict, and spin false stories to tarnish the image of president nasheed as well. Do it again and again, discredit this bagee government day in and day out.
If shit happens is it really shit?
Let me give you some advice. Take an example Dr. Munnawar and do a case study and analyze his case and superimpose it on your career. That will be you after 1 year, though you don’t have much of an education like Dr. Munnawar.
These dimwits are brainwashed follower orders and break the law, beat beople and do heinous crimes to get favors from their leader Waheed and co. Maumoon and Waheed has the mean to hide in another country or has enough education to get foreign employment. But what will you do, can you hide from Maldivian public or rule of law. But these brainwashed
The problems we "the Muslims" have is not coming from out side, it's within our selves.. We must have the proper knowledge n understanding of this peace loving religion, our duty is to spread the true knowledge of this sweet religion n invite others to join n embrace them with respect n live as ONE.
Abbas Adil Riza – Who is laughing now. you claimed on the international press that he is a gang member hehe and a drug addict, and spin false stories to tarnish the image of president nasheed as well. Do it again and again, discredit this bagee government day in and day out.
If shit happens is it really shit?
Let me give you some advice. Take an example Dr. Munnawar and do a case study and analyze his case and superimpose it on your career. That will be you after 1 year, though you don’t have much of an education like Dr. Munnawar.
These dimwits are brainwashed followe orders and break the law, beat beople and do heinous crimes to get favors from their leader Waheed and co. Maumoon and Waheed has the means to hide in another country or has enough education to get foreign employment. But what will you do, can you hide from Maldivian public or rule of law. But these brainwashed people do not think about their future....here in the maldivian society they have to live and work.
edited
AMAZING! Surviving a murder attempt with less than one percent chance at living, then speaking at the UN about it!
For the religious, I can't help but see this is Qadar (Power, Destiny) this is the "HAND OF GOD" (to use anthropomorphic language) the Religious better pay attention to what Allah is trying to SAY!
"... the Religious better pay attention to what Allah is trying to SAY!"
Ben, where is the 'HAND OF GOD' in the two scenarios?
In Hillath's survival?
But what about the attack on him?
Don't speak about what you do not know.
Needed tight jeaners to DANCE, DANCE and DANCE with Bon Aqua, Faheri and Kanneli dhoni. The tight jeaners will be rewarded with a good night of drinks and a ticket to paradise for entertaining them in style. DANCE,DANCE,DANCE,DANCE to the tune of Bon aqua.
In Islam, refusal to obey its precepts is not a tolerance but rather a denunciation of the religion depending on whether it is compulsory or optional which differ from school to school in their interpretation of the Koran or the example set by Prophet Muhammad.
Some school of followers of Islam believe wearing the beard sometimes untidily thick and long is compulsory as did the Prophet. Others differ from this view. But with dancing and singing, to music apparently, there is no difference of opinion among the religious scholars except that some tend to limit dancing and music to the ‘bounds of Islam’.
Mixed-gender dancing of the common form is considered beyond this limit of Sharia although no real reason could be attributed to this opinion. If the mixed-gender dancing could be a social evil so must be other social activities involving men and women. Islam foresees only one purpose between the opposite sexes, and that is only evil.
@Ben,
I get your point about gadhar, but I do not see discipline with this man. You don't have to swallow the line, pole, sinker and everything to prove your kufr. This man did not only became kufr, he did it all, advocated homosexuality, got carried away with drugs, insulted muslims using many aliases. i know this person, so i am saying this with knowledge.
@Moosa Rasheed: I am deeply greatful to you that you spoke to me with coutesy, even IF it was to disagree with me. You said it respectfully, trying to explain where I went wrong without abusing me, or ordering me around. I wish everyone was as cultured as you are Moosa, I wish I knew a way to thank you. Thank you Moosa. Why can't all disagreements over religious views, political views be debated, discussed without resorting to character denigration and violence?
Moosa, dearest Wise Brother. My feeling is that Hilath was speaking out against Jihadi extremist violence, and, that was what I thought was a good thing for him to be doing, because of the bomb that went off in Male' and Maldivians being radicalised, and, that is dangerous.
@Chicken dunya: Don't tell me what to say and what not to say, I say what the hell I like, whether I KNOW it or NOT! Yes, I know, AllahuAlim (ALLAH KNOWS) and all that, as Muslims we are not supposed to say that, but I was just speculating, not saying it for sure!
Besides, technically, in Islam, everything is said to happen according to Taqdir (DIVINE WILL>>>)
WHAT don't I know? Are you from a loony tunes cartoon, ordering me around like that? I did not even SAY I knew anything, it was just, an expression of awe, I am entitled to that, even if I am totally wrong. Deal with it, or don't, I don't give a rats what you do! But you won't be ordering me around thats for sure.
I was only specualting for crying out LOUD! I wasn't saying it as though I have some direct link to God or something, it was not, oh, I AM SURE this is ALLAH"S Will because I am some sort of a PROPHET or a psychic or something! It is just that it SEEMS AMAZING that he survived even though he was given less than one percent chance, and that he is speaking at the UN, against VIOLENCE, and ALL THAT seems amazing to me and I am allowed to IMAGINE it to be kind of Divinely AMAZING whether you like it or not!
.
Homosexuality is not acceptable in most part of the world and why do we need to accept it.
Islam does tolerate other religion also. But a small community like maldives does not need to have hundreds of religion and our success and peace lies with having one religion and that is why we were so peaceful them.
Since we started to have this freedom of religion is the beginning or the start of the violence and diminishing of the our harmony in the society.
Many of the people here want to promote the violence in this country and many of them are our neighbors who does not want to see to prosper Maldives.
Guys please think deeply before you were taken with this norms of religious freedom.
No matter how many of u hate islam & the rule of islam, be assured that islam will dominate the world Inshaa Allaah. Fornication, homosexuality etc...will bring many worse diseases to the humanity. So Allaah, the only creator of the heavens, the earth, u & me and everything around us, knows the best for us. So He made it haram for the good for us. Just imagine how many people are already used by someone else before they get married for the first time. So in the case if we all rule by the rule of God, the guy who wants to fornicate or go for homosexuality will think a thousand times. Willingly or unwillingly going for fornication leads to rape which causes not only physical abuse but also psychologically. Who wants their children male or female to go for fornication, homosexuality or such degraded things? I myself never ever want such a thing. So to stop such things the law of ISLAM should be implemented. Fornication , homosexuality and such things are against the rights of humanity. Not flogging the person who fornicates.
Ideal
System of
Living to
All of
Mankind.
@Muhammadh
It’s just a repercussion of insanity that extremists resort to, its time for you to get a reality check. You people act as if you are greater than the Prophet and has direct communication with God. Get real man. Just remember before you are a Muslim you are a human being. Humans, animals, good doer and even criminals they all have rights.
Do you believe that slashing the throat of this man with box cutters was the solution for his gay tendency or silencing his criticism of Islam? I guess not.
@Barbarian
Do u believe there is non worthy of worship except Allaah alone with no partners and that Muhammadh (Peace be upon him) is His final messenger?
Do u believe under human rights he has the right to criticize Islam and its laws? I am sure slashing his throat is not the solution.
Islam gives everything its rights but the rights should be used in the correct way as Allaah's prophet (peace be upon him) showed us. Hillath is speaking against the law of Islam. He is trying to make things that are forbidden in islam lawful. From his speech given its very clear. I don't know who attacked hillath but i have heard that he mocks the prophet and i don't know if he did it or not coz its something i hear but i myself havent found yet. People says that its in his blog but the blog is banned. He is alive today maybe Allaah want him to be good muslim.Why does he or some people stands against only Islam?
*This day, We shall save your body, so that you may become a sign for those after you And many of the people are heedless of Our signs. ( Soorah yunus (jonah) verse 92)....
Thats a verse regarding the pharaoh who lived at the time of Moses (peace be upon him)...We all can see very clearly that body even today. Allaah has saved pharaoh's dead body for the generations that come after him to bear witness and to learn a lesson of someone who criticize & tried to wash away Islam. So it is my advice to the rulers & to everyone who read this comment to stop the wars u have started and to think for Yourselves where will u end ....either to abide in heaven or to abide in Hell.
@Dear Moosa Rasheed: I had some more thoughts since our comments here, I hope its not too late to share them with you.
I myself used to feel like you, that a gay person was an evil Kafirun and that sort of thing.
But, Hilath has always been so extremely kind to me, during a few times I needed some kindness he was kind and understanding to me when nobody else was, and, for me, the good he has done far outweighs any ill discipline or drug stuff he has done, and I personally really think he is a wonderful person. Hilath's understanding towards me changed my opinion about gay ppl, brother, I have to say.
I respect that others may know Hilath better than me and all that, maybe they know a side to him I don't, but to me, harping on about how bad he is is hypocritcal, none of us can enter Jannah without Allah's Mercy.
I recall a Hadith.
One says that if people did not sin and depend on Allah's Mercy, Allah would have wiped them out and Created a people who did sin as, He Loves to Show His Mercy.
What Hilath is doing, speaking out against violence is a beautiful, a powerful thing, it is AMAZING.
It is really tough for me this issue, because I believe that Prophet Mohammed was the Last Messenger, I love our Prophet dearly, yet, for all that, I have come to believe that certain rulings must have been socially constructed.
Coming from a fundamentalist religious background, I also used to believe adamantly, and militantly, that homo sexuality was a sin.
But then, in uni, I learnt that most scientists that study these things believe it is a biological thing, where there is something different about the hypothalalmus.
That in itself was not enough to convince me.
Yet, I came across some stories of some deeply Religious people, who tried with all of their might to be straight, yet could not contain their hunger for members of the same sex. Guilt became frustration, anger, they either came to hate God completely and become militant atheists, or else they ended up comitting suicide.
Now, I have never recalled experiencing sexual cravings for another man myself, I am straight, but, I tried to imagine what I would feel like if I felt forced by the God I love so deeply to give up my need for my Wife, and I thought, it would kill ME!
Please try and imagine, what if it was sinful to love your loved one, your Husband, Wife or...
Please, try and imagine it. Could you just stop your longings for your loved one so simply in order to please ALLAH?
This is a ludicrous analogy actually, but, believe it or not, that is what we are expecting of gay people.
Do you think Hilath, or any gay person, would choose to be gay, would choose to experience longing which is only going to cause them greater grief and torture than what you could ever imagine?
Would they CHOOSE that!
If they could help it, they would be straight, and believe me, they have begged Allah to make them straight through more earnest prayers than what most ppl would do in a million life times!
The grief of being rejected by your society, your religion, your God whose Acceptance you crave dearly, your Loved Ones, country men, friends, whose acceptance you crave dearly? Would you choose to be tortured by rejection, grief, for being gay!
When I think of it, if I went through that, I would be even a zillion times more of a heroin addict, a gangster, an atheist, than what Hilath could ever be, and, to judge his ill discipline if we have not felt the pain of being gay is rather shallow of us.
I have judged and condemned gay ppl too, I am sorry for it, but have come to see things differently.
I have come to the opinion that, it is wrong to reject a person for feelings they cannot help, it is cruelty beyond belief. Yes, it took me years of overcoming my own prejudice to realize this, and it was damned hard.
But I can no longer believe that OUR MERCIFUL Creator could be so cruel so as to reject someone for feelings they cannot help, that would be contrary to what i have been taught about the Mercy of our Lord.
And I also believe Hilath is a genuine Muslim and is Loved by Allah.
I believe that we do not have thr right to say who is a believer or not, it is up to Allah.
@ Ben
"Don’t tell me what to say and what not to say, I say what the hell I like, whether I KNOW it or NOT!"
Its called freedom of speech, Ben and I applaud you for telling me that. 🙂
But I still have one question.
When do you think was the 'HAND OF GOD' used?
1. When Hillath was attacked?
OR
2. When Hillath was saved?
PS. Never intended to 'order' you around. My bad if what I said came across as such.
@Chicken Dunya:
My aggressive expression of my will to freedom of speech was misdirected. In a Religiously controlled country, it is not the disbelievers who need to be rebuked for repressing freedom of speech, so I apologize. If anything your assertive defiance, almost aggressive defiance of ridicilous religious assertions is what you have to do to win your own mind, heart, soul and tongue over from repressive, aggressive mind control. Aggressive power requires aggressive resistance if we want to be free! So I applaud you for your resistance!
It MAY BE absolutely insane to see the Hand of God in one incident where a person survives such an attack, when billions of other ppl are just left to die in such tragic circumstances. It seems insane to attribute the one off case as anything more than chance. IF there was a Creator in Control, surely there would be more than the one off chance survival, why would a Merciful God choose to save one life and ignore every zillion other? What the hell is so Divine about a person nearly dying through brutal murder?
You are correct, and I thankyou for pointing out to me how insane I must have read!
But, on the other hand, belief in some overall goodness which has ultimate power over nature in the end seems to me, the only ultimate hope. Something inside me refuses to yield to the ultimate victory of death, suffering, and injustice in this Universe. Yet the only logical outcome is that, there must be some form of justice, in some after life form of some sort, although I do not claim to know or understand the form that may take.
Anyway, I thought that it was the Hand of God that Hilath survived. That is the short answer to your question. I think it was the Hand of the Shaitan, or the evil Jinni, that he was stabbed.
Maybe, when Allah wants some important lessons about humanity, justice, and compassion taught to the world, he Chooses a person for spreading this message. The evil forces try to destroy that goodness, and God intervenes so that his humane message survives!
Chicken Dunya, I was trying to appeal to the religious sensitivity of the Religious readers, I was trying to create the point that maybe Allah is trying to say through this that he is more Compassionate and Merciful than what we think he IS.
@Ben.
Thanks for your well studied comments.
I am in a hurry so:
Lets categorize kaafiroon in to two categories. Those who don't accept islam but those who are willing to let muslims be. Then there are others who couldn't even tolerate the mention of islam. This later type is the type of people we have a problem with. Same with sexual deviation. The admonition in islam is to do as much one can to abstain from sin. The red line is advocating for sin.
in other words commit sins and repent.. because humans cannot live without commiting sins. but the point is not to advocate for sin. not to promote sins. thats why fitna is worse than killing.
Why would Hillath represent maldives in the lgbt conference except to promote that? Ppl have a responsibility not to offend their neighbours and community no?
As for god loving this man or that man.. that's easy. god loves everybody that's why it rains everywhere. but god has promised justice for everyone.
anyways thanks for the nice comments and well thoughtout responses. we need more level headed people to keep this minivan going
Now in maldives muslim obliged to kill Hillath Rasheed in official manner for humanity and implement the sharia of islam. He made himself out of islam so kufur and homosexuality is biggest sins. Homosexuality is out of human discipline. Lets kill him officially