Ever since my tenth grade in lower secondary in 1982, I do not remember being in a room full of only women until Wednesday night. And now I have completed my forty-fourth year of living.
Wednesday night was womens’ night at the Islamic Centre. The occasion was a lecture by a Mrs Zakir Naik hosted by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. Her husband Dr Zakir Naik was invited by the ministry to the country to deliver Islamic lectures. And the couple, their son and three daughters were also involved.
The local media has over the past three weeks made headlines of Dr Naik’s visit to the country. Many locals seems to believe that Dr Naik, who is the founder of the Mumbai based channel, Peace TV is a renowned Islamic Scholar.
While I am under the impression that he is a medical doctor, one of the senior government officials referred to him as a tele-evangelist.
I believe since the nation converted from Buddhism to Islam in 1153, Islam has been fundamental to Maldivians. But lately, I have been aware that the word “Islam” has a special ring to it that it attracts, assembles, arouses and angers my country folk.
I have been long convinced that the power of Islam as the topnotch political power tool to mobilize the Maldivian masses cannot be overlooked. And while the Maldives struggles to move forward nursing its infant democracy and wounded economy, my eyes are fixed on the hands of the evil but the smart who hold Islam as a weapon as we close on 2013.
I find Islam enlightening, progressive and intriguing. Social justice is a passionate concept to me as much as I believe it is central to Islam. So I was at the lecture venue fifteen minutes before it started to learn from Mrs Naik about Islam.
When I arrived at the venue I was not surprised to be told that the main hall was full. The place was swarming with mostly black figures. Rows of chairs lined up on all possible space outside the hall and women were seated on all of them. Some were climbing up the stairs to the mosque above the hall.
I spotted some nervous officials belonging to the host. Obviously, they expected a large turnout and had made careful arrangements with two screens to display Mrs Naik for the people outside. But this response, I was sure, was unexpected.
I looked around. In addition to some officials from the ministry, the only men were some two dozen seated on the low walls in the compound.
I was lucky to get a seat in the main hall filled with nearly three hundred women. The majority was dressed in black. I counted ten wearing no scarf or buruga. The rest showed only their face and hands. Some showed nothing. I noticed three movie cameras operated by young ladies who I assume were journalists from the TV Maldives. The Islamic Ministry estimated 6000 women attended the function.
The evening began. One of the daughters of Mrs Naik recited Quruan. The next daughter, looking close to ten years recited a poem. It praised the hijab while outrightly insulted those who did not wear it.
Next we heard the introduction of our lecturer Mrs Farhat Naik.
We heard Mrs Naik is from Mumbai and has a masters degree in commerce. We were told she is a well known figure in the Islamic community and has traveled all over the world. We were told she lectured on Islam in countries such as the United States, Australia, Canada, etc. We heard she is a principal of one of the Islamic schools and Mr and Mrs Naik has even opened Islamic Schools.
What I do not remember hearing was her qualification in Islam and who gave it to her.
Mrs Naik took the microphone, standing in front of me. She was tall and a pleasant lady. She wore a black gown and a dark buruga and her face and hands were the only visible skin.
Hoping for some stimulating valuable information in Islam, I listened intently.
She started saying her topic for the night is “My purpose of life” and not “roles and responsibilities of women in Islam” as displayed behind her on a board.
The lecture went on for over an hour. My expectations turned to disappointment. And then, to concern.
The “academic lecture” that I expected turned out to be a memorized inconsistent contradicting jumble. It contained information downloaded from internet mixed with outdated and inappropriate examples that was pinched with selected verses from different chapters of Quruan and decorated with rhetoric. The “world famous Islamic Scholar” turned out to be a “performer” very suitable to school kids from primary to secondary. I later checked her quotes from Quruan and found they were used indeed out of context.
Mrs Naik first quote from Quruan was 51:56. She said “We have created man and jinn only for the purpose of Ibadhaa (worship).” She interpreted it saying “worship is what pleases Allah and our salvation and success depends on Allah being pleased.”
I checked a translation of the verse. It has “worship” replaced with “service” and the verse had a very strong yet broad meaning that encompass the diverse activities of all human life. To my dismay, Mrs Naik’s entire interpretation was in a total vaccum where human life, activities and times were concerned.
In her speech Mrs Naik preached us to be Allah-centred and said the purpose of a Muslim’s life should be to pleasure Allah. She preached not to have meaningless purposes in life and elaborated it with an example of a dog chasing a car on the highway. She came up with a word for each letter in Islam. She said “I” is for Quruan and Sunnah, “S” is for specific goals, “L” is for lucrative – in this world and afterlife, “M” is to measure how much is achieved and “I” is for intentions – which is to pleasure Allah” and “C” is for consistency. She did not tell us how a Muslim could measure the achievements made toward the goal of pleasing Allah.
She preached the values of having strong desires, having focus, putting consistent efforts, disregarding worldly ambitions and not to let society decide what a Muslim should become. She elaborated it with the story of the 1960 Olympic medalist Wilma Rudolph. But she never mentioned the relationship between Wilma’s success and her worship to Allah.
I wonder whether Mrs Naik, as an Islamic scholar did some research on our 100 percent Muslim country prior to her visit. Obviously, she was not aware that murder and stabbing are nearly a weekly affair which the Maldivians are increasingly getting de-sensitized to. She preached repentance and elaborated it with a story of a man who committed 100 murders and fell dead on the way to repent but went to heaven because his intent to repent preceded his death.
Mrs Naik went on to say “do not judge people on what people think of you”. She said the message given by girls who wear hijab is “We are prohibited” while the message girls who wear skirts give is “You are invited”. Is Mrs Naik reinforcing her audience to harass girls who do not wear hijab? Doesn’t she know that in Maldives there are many women who do not wear hijab? Is Mrs Naik saying that harassment, abuse and rape do not occur in communities where women wear hijab? What data does she have to support her argument? Mrs Naik asked her audience to imagine a world where all women wear hijab saying that there would be no such crimes as harassment, rape, abuse, etc. Does she know that rape and sex abuse often happen within family? As a scholar how did she come up with such an assumption?
Mrs Naik expressed her distaste for western values and said “if we copy the west we have products of the west”. I wonder what she was thinking when she sat watching her two daughters emulate a rap song at her microphone after her talk.
Mrs Naik called the TV an “idiot box”. She urged her audience to throw it and switch on the Islamic TV mentioning Mr Naik’s Peace TV. She said cartoons are made to brainwash the children and spoil generations. She disregarded the positive values put across to children through cartoons and the valuable information received through those such as the National Geographic Channel. Her rhetoric seemed to totally disregard modern technological advances and any child’s basic right to walk the path to wisdom.
She said all TV channels except Islamic ones ‘are designed to stop the (imminent) revolution that Muslim Ummah is going to bring to the world’. I saw this message in the context of her entire lecture that can be summarised as, “Allah created humankind to worship Him and while everyone should have a purpose in life it should be the jihad of converting all human kind into Islam.”
I wonder why Islamic scholars always continue to portray Allah in the image of a human being – a human being who gets pleasure from the praise and deeds of his slaves and rewards in return. I wonder how the audience will perceive the divine when Mrs Naik told a story involving a clash between the Angel of Paradise and the Angel of Curse on who would take out the soul of a dead person. She said to determine who gets the soul, Allah asked them to find out which distance is longer – between where the man was when he decided to repent and the spot where his dead body lay or from that spot to where he was going to repent?
I wonder whether a true Islamic scholar trying to win the hearts and minds of twenty-first century Maldivians should talk in such terms.
The superscript of the Naik’s whole visit was revealed when Mrs Naik answered a question from the audience who asked her where she can provide Islamic education to her children. She answered by telling that if she wanted an Islamic school why doesn’t she get together people who want it and call her husband for it at his lecture following evening.
When I left the hall close to eleven thirty, I saw a state car and two security officers in full gear waiting outside in the drive way.
And my mind struggled to reconcile the cost – benefit ratio of this enchanting evening with Mrs. Naik.
But I know, tonight is an accomplishment for those. They’ve seen the blue print for the transformation they require. And this transformation is the final step to the Rule by the Ulaama.
All comment pieces are the sole view of the author and do not reflect the editorial policy of Minivan News. If you would like to write an opinion piece, please send proposals to [email protected]
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"...the message given by girls who wear hijab is “We are prohibited” while the message girls who wear skirts give is “You are invited”..."
This is exactly the kind of rhetoric thrown by religious bigots to harass ordinary citizens who do not subscribe to their beliefs.
I believe this is the desert bedouin justification for rape. 'she was wearing a skirt, she was clearly asking for it'
I condemn the Maldivian government in the severest terms for bringing in this televangelist family, and the colossal expenditures made the Ministry of Islamic Affairs from public money to do this.
It is outrageous that a Dhivehi government could promote this salafist wahhabi dogma which is antithetical to dhivehi culture and traditions.
Finally, about the 'idiot box' comment by Mrs. Naik: The most outrageously stupid thing one could watch on TV happens to be her husband's money making, salafist entrepreneurship venture called 'Peace TV'.
The man's clumsy and misguided attempts to 'prove' how scientific the scriptures are only betrays either his utter lack of scientific knowledge, or his minimal grasp over scripture.
The rest of us see wonderful educational channels like Discovery, National Geographic, etc.
There are also plenty of brilliant cartoons with positive messages for children; cartoons such as 'Captain Planet' with an environmental message.
Mrs. Naik is just here to promote her husband's channel.
The cartoons are haram. Education is haram. TV is haram. Music is haram. Everything is haram except Peace TV and whatever her unqualified quack of a husband says is permitted.
Zakir Naik and family are like circus performers going from country to country performing the same tricks. Only the gullible will fall for these acts. No wonder those who believe in this kind of backward ideas fall back and live centuries in the past. Zakir Naik uses modern technology to spread his message of backwardness. His family enjoys all the comforts modern science had brought to us. The double standards of some people are simply amazing.
if anyone read the whole article please say "Poh"!!
Aniya,
Thank you so much for relating to us the contents of Mrs. Naik's lecture.
These people are actively trying to rob us of our cultural identity and heritage by preaching falsehoods as if it were divine revaluation.
They refuse to acknowledge their own fallibility and take what is the beauty and perfection of the Qur'an and distort it to make a trap for those who would not be beaten down, repressed, and abused.
Their Islam is not appropriate to the Maldives, and neither the Hijab nor the the Nigab is mandatory in Islam. The conservative elements of our nation have already created their movement to rob us of our privileges and God given right to freedom.
I beg everyone who goes to these talks to open their mind and not follow blindly. We cannot allow such intolerance to be continually preached. For those who do not act or dress as they want to be harassed and abused. And for our society to become a place of intolerance and hatred.
Stop the growth of hatred.
Stop the degradation of our culture.
And say that Enough is Enough.
Every religion has these kind of beliefs and stories. It is best not to criticize them even if you do not believe them.
the thing is maldivians are not ready for these things i guess ... in 15 years ... may be they will... education can increase the thinking of a person ...now even 50%of maldivians do not pray five times ..what is there to undertsnad ... i think in a lecture it is good to take the good points out and leave for what you think is good ..rules are given by god (almighty) think and undertsand these people make it a lil easy ..if you want to make it comlicate you can .... it does not mean they cant make mistakes ... you are talkiing of this lecture look at maldivians who asked qustions its a shame ... they were even not on point ..and dr naik have to answer out of topic ... its a shame islamic ministry should have made the lecture with a trancelation or with fast subtitiles ..it would have been better ... what else to do ... and about the verse ... all humans are made for worshiping allah .."service" dhoa there is a little mis understanding but .. its kind of telling the same thing ... but it does not mean to worship allah all the time ... i came across some hadheeth i cant pick which one exactly it is.... but as i remmeber when prophet came to some place there will be a person allways praying and neglecting the work to feed his children and wife and his kids infact come to mosque and feed him ... and he looked at the person and said he is not getting the paradies .... for me i think that means its not all about "praying" worship means to strive pray five times ... do what is good and look after each other ..dhoa ehen kaneynge thats what i think may be some one elses point of view can be different its easy to understand when you think of it in a nice way ... and easy ... you can pin point a mistakes allways but when it comes to a debate allways the rite wins dhoa .... mistakes are made....... if you understand its a mistake ... leave it look at the good things she said and be happy about it .....it would be good .. even you can say something good and bad ..its up to me to neglect what bad and take whats good dhoa ....rules are there just read
I'm very concerned that President Nasheed seems to be trying to detroy our society by promoting fundamentalism and disunity among our society. He is not only inviting people like Dr Zakir Naike but also begging foreign countries to send fundamentalists to settle here. He is so desperate that he is even willing to take prisoners from "evangelical islamic sects" or even suspected terrorists, as long as they serve his purpose.
Poh!
cartoon are haraam ...tv is haraaam come on one tv you know whats haraam and not find it for yourself people if you do not want to go to places like this dont go why go there and talk about it hehehe ....if you have prblem i dont think there is any reson to go there ... tv is haraam when it comes to porn and other things which is not good that we all know ..even you to think of it ... and cartoon is haraam ..there are cartoon not apropriate dhoa ... hehe discovery is good ...national geaography is good ... peace tv is good ... but the show that show some bad things i dont think its good eaither ... haahha seriously people have different point of view ...
mini you are 100%right... its up to you to belive ..and i think people without ageedha have this problem in discriminating ...
Maldivians did it atlast! Why u brought them to preach u?? Ur emaan is ur ting, no1 needs to tel u how and wot. Read for urslf and learn. Stop listenin to stupids who talk rubbish.
Was she aware that 'buruga' wearing girls in Maldives and in other countries have been raped and molested also?
I wear skirts, its definetly not an invitation to men to have their ways with me. So those long dresses they wear, which is similar to skirts, the ease with which it can be lifted, isn't that also an invitation for men?
Dear Aniya,
Thank you very much for your detailed article.
I am not an Islamic scholar but there is enough stuff on the internet to educate oneself on Islam if one wishes to.
The verse from Qur’an that you have given here (051:056) is translated by 17 different individuals and their translations are given on the following web page.
http://www.islamawakened.com/Quran/51/56/default.htm
On this page:
10 scholars used the word ‘worship.’
6 scholars used the word ‘serve.’
1 scholar used none of these words.
So I don’t think Mrs Naik using the word ‘worship’ in the translation of that verse is wrong at all.
“I wonder why Islamic scholars always continue to portray Allah in the image of a human being …”
I presume there is something seriously wrong in how you have interpreted what Islamic scholars say. I do not think Islamic scholars will portray Allah in the image of a human being.
My apologies if I am wrong.
I am not in Male' and I know very little about that lecture. But, reading your article, I got the feeling that you went there with preconceived ideas and views because of which the gist of some of the things Mrs Naik said was lost for you.
You Christian mongers, Islamic extremists and atheists, stop disturbing our peace and the status quo.
And sensitive people do keep your shit to urselves.
By watching the speeches of Mr. Zakir Naik, doesn't one get the impression that they are simply trying to market their business: ie, peace TV and the infamous islamic school? Its very convenient how the answers to a large amount of questions posed by the public inevitably leads to either one of these topics.
I also realised that he skips a large number of controversial questions, claiming that they are irrelevant to the topic, while they actually relate strongly to the topic.
I am not very surprise by the writer and her way of writing this article.I know her for sometime when she was working for MoE.
I also understand that she belongs to 'Yellow' and there are a handful of western educated feminists behind her working within the government.These feminists are working to 'revive' our way of life and culture for the 21st century.I wonder how can these feminist like the writer change our culture who dont have a clue about our people and its culture.unfortunately all these feminist advocates are single mothers who take refuge from Black Coffee and Cigarettes.Those who advocate in the name of women rights etc simply have a mean in life.Interestingly the write throws amount of public funding wastage on light.What the writer dont know was that the trip was sponsored by sponsors.
Aniya is definitely angry because she could not attract such an audience.
Where is our Governement who we fought for to bring in freedom... Where is Anni, Ziyattey, Aina, Kuda Sappey, ... Why are you all silent on this...
Are they thinking we dug our own grave by getting Adaalath in?...
This is beyong stupid and pathetic, and really sad that women are trying to portray women as just sexual objects that men have a right to take advantage of based on how they are dressed!!! Where is the islamic faith of such men then? Where in the Quran does it say that it is justified for a man to abuse or rape a woman if she isn't covered in black from head to toe, or if she's wearing a skirt, or if she's not wearing a buruqa at all? So I guess according to the thinking of Mrs Naik men who wear sarongs are also asking to be raped?
Islam is a way of life and these preachers who so like to sell themselves as an example of the perfect muslim, are the biggest hypocrites of all! They say one thing and do another! As previously pointed out in other articles, why the hell are they even staying in a resort that sells and serves alcohol and pork, and where unmarried men and women are having sex? And why are their children making fun of other religions and cultures and encouraging violence against women who do not wear Buruqa? Do they think people are more likely to listen to them and see the beauty of islam when they behave like that? If I were not a muslim, I for one would definetly be turned against Islam for good, if what these people are trying to sell is called Islam!
Why don't they have the patience to live a more tolerant life and lead by example? They may not have an audience of millions but for sure, in the long run it would be more effective.
I am a muslim woman, I don't wear Buruqa and I love wearing skirts. But you know something Mrs Naik, neither you nor anyone else has the right to judge how strong or weak a Muslim I am! Its between Allah and me only, as I pray only to Allah, I believe only in Allah and it is to Allah that one day I will return. And I am very sure that I will be questioned only for my actions, and not that of anyone else's. So Mrs Naik, let me live my life and be accountable for it, while you make sure that you are living the life of a true muslim, instead of putting on a show to your audience of millions and inciting violence against women! Shame on you for trying to ruin what Islam stands for!
first of all Aniya..... how do u interpret the quran.
Second Can you give us a such speeach and gether 6000 pople? in Any kind.
Third will accept an offer to study Islam from Mufthi and still ur thinking will be the same?
Have u ever red the translation of Holy Quran.
How many Hadith Have u ever red....
What scholars teling is that Try to get as much as possible about islam. So as a muslim are you ready to learn islam.
I hope u will reply the comment on this wall
I am disappointed Aniya failed to specify here her own qualification and experience in Islam, when she claimed Mrs. Naik quoted verses from Quran out of context.
Before we could agree with Aniya, we should ask the rest of the audience what they felt about Mrs. Naik's speech.
Three years ago Aniya gave her own "Fatwa" in Minivan newspaper about Hejab. Maybe Aniya is angry because Ms. Naik spoke apparently against Aniya's this Fathwa.
why don't everyone just keep to themselves? why try to impose your belief onto others? even the atheists, they wont admit it but that's exactly what they're doing. if this nation is restricting your lifestyle, just know that it is a by-product of democracy. you'll have to accept and live by what majority want.
Why Haven't Minivan News published my earlier comment when it has published comments that are made after my comment.
Spam filter got you. It should be up now.
what the hell! its a shame that pathetic ladies like you have so tiny UNmatured brains. dont try to act smart by giving your back and insulting the religion and our history. shame on people like you!
hehe.. i bet you (the author) have not even been to that lecture.. lol.. minivan news is realy gud at this eh?? hehe
What nonsense ANIYA?
You just sat there and expected to be enlightened without having to ask any questions, and later you come on minivan news and blabber?
So you expect the commenters to ENLIGHTEN you?
My dear 44 year old Aniya.
Wearing Hijab is for women what about the man's requirement to lower their gaze and what about the Islamic verdict to STONE the adulterators?
You said that Hijab is irrelevant because even in the family incest and rape take place? Well! But with Islamic education will that happen in the family.
You expect only the Hijab to take away all the sin from our society? Applying part of a system does not make sure that it's objective is achieved. Yes, people in Hijab will also be raped if the youth are not taught Islamic values from the very beginning. THAT DOES NOT INVALIDATE THE HIJAB, OKAY?
You are are deliberately trying to mislead the masses. If you wanted to be enlightened you would have asked questions from the source, not the public.
While i admit i havent read this boring long article..(except for first few paragraphs) Two point to note.
Aniya wrote this article...or comment..so im sure it will be unbiased and neutral which every maldivian knows..(!)
Government official comment mentioned in the post...( we all know how islamic and religion loving many government officials are) *wink!!
Aniya doesnt spread hate. everybody knows its a fact!!
It seems whoever wrote this article did not know the definition of 'worship' in Islam. The impression that the author seems to have is that worship in Islam is merely rituals. The concept of worship in Islam is far wider than that. Did anyone care to look it up?
And YES, Zakir naik is trying to promote his Peace TV and his school. Anything wrong with that?? It's a non-profit endowment, operated with top quality and high class technology. Promoting religion is a positive thing, not negative as portrayed here.
Mrs. Naik is an apologist for rapists? what kind of crazy family concert was that? didn't like the get up either.. the hajj cap and coat and trousers.
Aniya,
what do YOU know about Islam when you are saying others are wrong?? Are you a scholar?
If you dont believe, keep your opinions to yourself. Dont try to confuse others. And i see that you are actually trying to challenge the person, but you end up challenging Islam. So i suggest you also learn what islam is and after wards try to write to inform others presenting your article with facts to relate and NOT YOUR OWN OPINION!
I prayer to god this does not lead to further fragmentation of our little society.....we need moderate voices preaching islam, i am worried that a person with no formal islamic education is lecturing women on islam. I hope maldives does not become a failed state.
No Questions - Anni is on honeymoon with Adhaalath and other Islamic fundamentalists, foreign ones too. If he utters a word he will get kicked out. MDP that we fought hard for is no more. Even Umar Nasser seems more decent than Anni now.
anni is making a adhaaltah did a whole in the ground for all progressive and librals to be burried. the gov. is actively promoting whahabism. i hope the writer is not arrested or killed on the road.
People do different business. Naik and family are doing good business. The family will became billionaire in few years
i think Zahir Naik is trying to be a god or a prophet like figure for the Maldivians. i just feel sad for those who will be deceived by this family performers.
It looks like everyone is against what this Islamic family was teaching in Male’. The fact is they are very true Islamic preachers who interpret islam how Islam was found. The purpose of life in Islam is worship Allah that’s all. It is obvious Islam needs to be reviewed and reformed to be suitable religion with modernity. If this is not done, Islam will be a forgotten religion in a near future
Your war fought using proxies unassuming people will be the victims.We will call it collateral. Its not about conserving our way of life now. What we believe is Islam it is not the version that comes with extremist ideology yet even we cant change things because it interferes with our way of life. Either you believe in it or don't. It hurts when someone claims that wearing a hijab will protect against rape these adds weight to those who argue Islam is backward way of life . You cannot justify a rape or someone crimes against a women buy saying her dress was not Islamic enough. Yet as comments above I agree that the author went there with her mind made up and forgets to mention any good points Mrs.Naik made during her speech. You were hung out to dry once and this battle that you are about to start will end in further alienating the public and giving power to those you work against as no politician in this country is willing to commit political suicide.
I find you very stupid in this occasion Aniya. This women wasted an hour or two of your precious time and you didn't even force your self to question her. Why??? If you are as convinced as you say about your observation it wouldn't have been difficult to corner her down and question.. You are barking at the wrong tree now.
Mr. Naik is not a very handsome man. probably was not a good doctor. so he had to do what what he was good at to earn a living. in Mr. Naik's case it's spewing practiced nonsense that is easily eaten up by the gullible and ignorant masses. Mr. Naik is an imposter and a fraud. May Allah expose this criminal fiend (the man in the ill-fitting suit and cheap Hajju cap: Mr. Naik) for what he is.
All those who questioned Aniya's credentials, well if Zakir Naik's son who is not yet even 18 can give religious sermons, Aniya sure as hell is more than qualified to write a comment piece like this.
And if Zakir Naik who is a doctor by profession can give religious sermons,then anyone who is a muslim sure is more than qualified to comment on it, or anything his wife says also.
Double standards anyone
I donot know that people like this are still on earth, a person that do not know the meaning of arabic context 0f a verse in the quran using another persons translation that we donot know the source to condemn another person that was reading arabic and translating
Anni is a geniusssss.
aniya: your government is responsible for all these stabbing and violence in male .. the president anni is responsible he has absolute authority in police and MNDF to stop these hoologans in this country .. don't you feel a bit ashamed ..
and also president decree can do the work he can isolate these hooligans from the society but who care's they are in power now they are using these gangs .. you should know that in male woman aren't stabbing the target audience was women .. this is the government's work to make this country a peaceful place .. or else close the police station and MNDF
aniya get your self a life, find someone to marry you, so that you can overcome that miserable and lonely life your living
Ms Aniya,
I presume you are educated and eager to flaunt your worldly wisdom and make your mark in 21st century Maldives. I too am very modern in my outlook. I listen to death metal, wear short skirts and go out for coffees and headbang at concerts etc. And i too happen to have a degree from an eminent western university. Point being, i am a 21st century chick, as popular culture would typecast. And despite my modern upbringing and unconventional ways, i respect Islam. It is inherent to our society and just makes a lot ofsense.I just read your article and i couldn't help but think that you were terribly biased. it doesn't take a genius to figure out your agenda. This whole article is a very narrow-minded perspective about Mrs Naik's talks.I got rave reviews and very positive feedback from at least 3 girls who went to that talk. All of them young and well-educated. So instead of channeling your negativity towards the missus be a bit more forthcoming in what your real intentions are - in short, your hatred towards our religion. what we hold true to our hearts, despite life's ups and downs. So go set up a church service already and hand out flyers on Christianity, because that's what you really imply through your one-sided reporting.And pls don't think that ridiculing our age-old customs make you some kind of a hotshot. Go back to your dreary godforsaken lifevdrinking stale black coffee, and snarfing down cigarette butts because that's what embittered, middle-aged women like you are only capable of. and keep your bigoted crap to yourself.
Aniya - You dont need to rely on an individual to enlighten yourself, specially if you are that sceptic about orthodox Islamic practices. The knowledge is out there and it is your duty to get enough reasoning.
With regard to your exagerration on spending costs for this event, you dont seem to understand how things are happening around the world. Did you know that the seculiarist UK even spend millions of pounds from the tax payers money every time pope visit to UK albeit some aetheist are opposed to it.
It is gullible Maldivian like you who don't understand the order of life across different parts of the world. Religion is a core identity of Maldives a pride for its citizen and although you and other few aetheistic Maldivian find it hard to digest the very fact.
"She preached not to have meaningless purposes in life and elaborated it with an example of a dog chasing a car on the highway."
hmm.. this sounds familiar.i think ive heard it somewhere. oh yes! a kaafir laadheenee movie>>>
"Do I really look like a guy with a plan? You know what I am? I'm a dog chasing cars. I wouldn't know what to do with one if I caught it. You know, I just... do things. The mob has plans, the cops have plans, Gordon's got plans. You know, they're schemers. Schemers trying to control their little worlds. I'm not a schemer." - The Dark Knight (2008),The Joker .
@Aniya
well said sister. i like the article
whats wrong with these people??? Aniya is criticizing Ms. Naik and aniya's argument is about Ms. Naik islamic qualification. Now i ask aniya what qualification does she have to say those things about islam in your article. Can u justify it please. If you know and fully understood islam then you will not find any flaws or anything to argue or criticize islam. Your arcticle only shows how poor your information is about islam.I will ask one simple question. How well educated is prophet mohamed?? did he have a Phd or masters in islam or which school did he go??? But the quran was delivered to him. And there wasn't any witnesses to bear that wahee came to him. did anyone hear the wahee??? shouldn't u ask yourself that question first. why you should believe quran when an illitrate man has preached quran shown as the way to practice islam. should you believe that???
my dear aniya, open your eyes and see. if you are really educated then you should know that qualification can only be judged by the work performance, by what one speaks and and what one does. I never thought aniya as so narrow minded. anyways anyone who criticize quran and its laws will be narrow minded and humiliated. I feel that you have humiliated yourself once again. Just try to know more about quran and islam and try to read some of the hadith before you criticize islam so that your article will carry some weight instead of nonsense
soldier with a gun mean he will shoot you unless he intended to shoot. One wearing a niqab can open her legs wide open with an invitation so others wearing skirts. Its not about what you wear.