The mother of a 22 year-old girl from Addu City who publicly declared her apostasy has launched an appeal in the local Maldivian media seeking the help of religious scholars to make her daughter repent.
“She’s been a bit odd ever since she was in the seventh grade, but at the time she did not say the things that she says now,” the 49 year-old mother told Minivan News.
“Every time I try to advise her she shouts at me and asks me what I was trying to make her believe, and says that she cannot believe the existence of Allah,” the mother said.
The mother said her daughter was currently being held under house arrest while being investigated for allegedly giving birth to a child out of wedlock.
“She has misbehaved since she was young, and is saying things that should not be said in front of the children. She has even been calling me balhu (dog).”
The mother said that whenever she tried to inform her daughter about death, the afterlife and the punishments for apostasy, her daughter would reply that it was “not a problem for her, and not to worry.”
“I admit that it was our negligence as well that allowed her to come this far. We knew about this a while ago and we could have been more careful then,’’ the mother said. “I have been asking around my neighbors and everyone about what to do, but all I can do is remain in this grief thinking about her.”
The mother said she “had no solution” to her grief.
“There’s still some good inside her. I know that because she has been advising her younger sisters not to be like her,’’ she said. ‘’It’s because she can believe that she is not going the right way.’’
The mother said there “was a reason why this had happened to [her daughter],” but said it was “a long story”.
President of Islamic Foundation of the Maldives, Ibrahim Fauzee said the organisation had heard of the appeal and that its local branch was looking into the matter.
“For sure, we will provide her assistance,’’ Fauzee said.
The Islamic Ministry said it had not received official notice of the matter.
The Maldivian Constitution states that the Maldives is a “100 percent” Sunni Muslim country, and the country maintains a reservation to article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights on freedom of religion.
The last Maldivian to publicly declare apostasy, Mohamed Nazim, did so in front of an 11,000-strong audience attending a lecture in May 2010 by well-known Islamic speaker Dr Zakir Naik.
Nazim was escorted from the venue by police for his own protection after members of the audience attempted to attack him, and was held in police custody. The Islamic Foundation of the Maldives subsequently issued a statement calling for Nazim to be stripped of his citizenship and sentenced to death if he failed to repent and return to Islam.
After two days of religious counseling in police custody, Nazim declared that his misconceptions had been clarified and gave Shahada – the Muslim testimony of belief – on national television during a press conference held at the Islamic Ministry.
In a later interview with Minivan News, Nazim said that he did not regret his actions.
“Somebody had to do it, it needed to be spoken about. The repression of thought, the lack of debate and a lack of a proper public sphere in which such discussion can take place, is dangerous,” he said.
The reaction, he said, was mixed – angry and supportive, superficial and profound. He lost 65 friends on Facebook, the social networking site to which almost every computer literate Maldivian subscribes. He did, however, gain 246 new ‘friends’.
His own friends and colleagues, he said, were uneasy talking about it, and very few actually discussed it with him. However, he told Minivan News he could feel the presence of the issue, “unspoken yet potent”, in every social interaction he had with another person.
In July 2010, 25 year-old air traffic controller Ismail Mohamed Didi hanged himself from the control tower of Male’ International Airport after seeking asylum in the UK for fear of persecution over his lack of religious belief.
Over two emails sent to an international humanitarian organisation on June 23 and 25, obtained by Minivan News, Ismail confessed he was an atheist and requested assistance for his asylum application, after claiming to have received several anonymous threats on June 22.
In the emails, he said he “foolishly admitted my stance on religion” to work colleagues, word of which had “spread like wildfire.”
“Maldivians are proud of their religious homogeneity and I am learning the hard way that there is no place for non-Muslim Maldivians in this society,” Ismail said, in one of his letters.
“I cannot bring myself to pretend to be something I am not, as I am a staunch believer in human rights. I am afraid for my life here and know no one inside the country who can help me.”
A colleague of Ismail’s told Minivan News that it appeared the 25 year-old had sought the early 3:00am shift and “came to work fully prepared to die.”
“His mother said she called him in the morning at 5:30am to tell him to pray, but there was no answer. They found his cigarette lighter on the balcony.”
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Same old minivannews style..
News will consist of 10 percent of the heading..
Love this girl just love her just love her, she is hurting, angry, wounded, please just love her, care for her, without expecting anything from her in return, please do not focus on bringing her back into the fold please just care for her no strings attached
Ahmed Nazeer. Your writing has improved substantially. Welldone!
Anyone who says God does not exist, is saying it not because they cannot see any proof of God's existence but because they have not actually seriously tried to look for the proof. I challenge anyone who thinks otherwise.
Go ahead Maldivians, kill her, or deport her or something. That's what you all are famous for right? lol!
the readers are promptly expected to bash the country and Islam and Adhaalath party... in the preceding comments. Please begin.
Long live Minivan News, the maldivian atheist newsletter..
I have come to believe that the main reason that most Maldivians who are not Muslim would not confess that they are not Muslim is not as much fear as it is love. Why I feel this is because, when I expressed doubts in front of my children, my eight year old Son burst out crying, really WEEPING! he held his Mother tight and pleaded with her, please Mummy, stop Daddy from taking himself to the hellfire please!!!" I went up to him, held him, and said to him, Daddy is a Muslim, Son, Daddy was only being stupid!"
I say this to highlight my point that, for one to come out openly and say this indicates that they feel they had not been genuinely understood.
For example, imprisoning someone for having a child out of wedlock, I don't even know where to being declaring how evil, how hypocritical, how barbaric, how cruel, how SELFISH it is for the ones who did that to do that! (Only applies to the Maldivians who did this, not Maldivians in general!) WHY should a person be loving when they had been treated like this. I mean, I have my reasons for remaining within the Ummah even when I have my doubts, it is because I believe I am loved, and have been given the capacity to return that love by not doing things which would break my family's heart for life!
What matters is not what religion anyone is, what matters is tha ppl love one another, THAT is what matters!
The girl in this article evidently feels, for some reason, uncared for, she needs to believe she is cared for, THAT is what she needs to believe, NOT whether Allah exists or not.
Perhaps through care she will again begin to trust, and through trust she MAY slowly begin to believe that there does exist a God, but winning her back into faith should not be the motive for caring!
Minivannews loves these type of news as the reporters are paid to promote these values! Where is Dr.Waheed's son Salim? He must be very happy!
@Rocket
I am ready to challenge you..
Sorry I meant, for MANY, it would cause so much heartbreak and grief to loved ones to announce to your loved ones (immediate and extended family in some cases), that you are not a Muslim, that most non-Muslim Maldivians would not dare do so because it would hurt most to hurt their family like that.
For someone to say a thing which would hurt their family MAY mean,
a. That they believe that their family does not love them, in which case they need to be cared for and the family needs to show unconditional love not based on religion but just based on fact she is a human being
or
b. Perhaps she does not love herself and believes that she does not deserve her families love, maybe, she can't forgive herself for something, but, she needs to know, she is loved, forgiven, by her loved ones no matter what, and she is special, to them, no matter WHAT!
All this is only speculation of course, but does not negate the fact, that love is higher than any religion, any political view, love is more important than freedom itself
"Say: O ye That reject Faith!I worship not that Which ye worship,Nor will ye worship That which I worship.And I will never worship That which ye have been Wont to worship,Nor will ye worship That which I worship.To you be your Way,And to me mine" Al-Qura'n
The proof that God exists is just in the proof of your existence..you all exist because someone creared you,just like this computer exists as someone brilliant invented it..Thus The Brilliant Almighty created the human form,in the most awesome amazing way..the most perfect machine ever..So all in all God exists&Will continue to exist,it's just that our puny brains are so limited beyond a certain level..and whatever is beyond its capacity,some brains just do not want to ponder upon it,in the fear of what they might find..such people prefer not to believe in God..coz they just do not want to burden their overloaded brains..some prefer to explore and to enrich their minds and keep on exploring and believing faithfully and logically,the existence of a power that created something way beyond their logical minds and they believe that,that power is called God and they wonder in awe of that perfectness & in some form or the other want to admire the awesomeness of the universe &everything within and beyond the universe..and this awe and admiration is called worship..so everyone has the right to worship and admire the creator,the Almighty Perfect...Those who do not believe,they do not know what they are missing...To the Almighty we belong,and to the Almighty we all will return..
What the hell. What a horrible thing for her mother to initiate a witch hunt like this. Just let her believe what she wants to believe. I have no idea why people keep forcing faith. What point is faith if isn't personal?
Any punishment of her would be illegal. Did the State not tell the UN this only recently?
"The Constitution was very clear on this point: no citizen could be deprived of his or her nationality under any circumstance. The Muslim-only clause under the citizenship article of the Constitution only applied to non-Maldivians wishing to become naturalised”
http://minivannewsarchive.com/politics/un-committee-grills-maldives-delegation-on-human-rights-commitment-24168
The problem with Muslim is that they only believe that Muslim is the only people in correct path. And also other major religions of the world are void, for me this is ridicules.
Regarding the girl who declared that she has doubt the creature or god. I believe that she is declaring her rebelliousness towards her parents and general to society. There is no way that Maldivians can take any sort of actions to her religious attitudes. Also I feel that there is something wrong about with her family! No sane people will ask crazy nonprofessional media to write about their problems and help then.
Dhivehi Rayyithunnahves ikhthiyaaru kuraa dheenehgai thibumuge minivan kan onnanvaane kamashaai, e minivankamaa evves bayakah nubeheyvene kamah raees vidhaalhuvejje eve.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_FSa6TvlI7mU/SPsKxZbYEwI/AAAAAAAAAGw/16jf12_g6HY/s400/maidu.jpg
I think the only nation that’s so much emotionally involved in God’s business is Maldives. Who cares if a God does exist? The fear of god is for those who are psychologically weak and vulnerable people who always want someone to take care of them. But the funny thing is this so called god is the most unpredictable and unreliable thing people ever invented. He will unleash his rage to most vulnerable people always and the same people will beg him for mercy. Hope one day Maldivian becomes real people who will understand that God is a personal business of anyone who are seeking his spiritual fantasy.
Rumbe @, maybe few countries like Maldives and Bhutan are the only countries that care too much about the religion. You have to understand that we are semiliterate and poor. And the Mullahs are raving about after death and promising a wonderful life after death if we follow the correct path which of cause is the preaching of prophet Mohamed; so for most us it is a way to forget the poor condition we live in this country and hope for a better future after death.
People can dictate many things, but not free thought. She committed a "crime" under Maldivian law even before she publicly said anything.
If she believed, the moon was made of cheese and society "convinced" her under duress that it was not, reflects more on the society than her. Would bring up a question- which is more insane? The woman who believed the moon is made of cheese or the society?
Time to put an end to this ridiculousness.
Why can't her mother and others leave her alone. The business of believing in a God is a personal choice. How can a government impose upon it's citizens a particular religion when the relationship with God could only be developed without intermediaries. We have to stop the 100% nonsense and come to terms with the reality on the ground. What is the benefit of pretending as something that we are truly not?
There is no compulsion in Islam... in fact our constitution is un-Islamic by insisting that every Maldivian must be a Muslim.
@ Jazz
Well Jazz, then prove to me that God does not exist.
is Ahmed Nazeer the one running anti-islam blog named "moyameehaa"??
Mother calling Duh-daalath! Mother calling Duh-daalath!
“Believing in a God is a personal choice” Alibeyaa@ this is a brave statement. No one can force religion on others. But the problem with our society and in particular the Mullahs feels it is their duty to correct the Maldivians and forces them to practice the ways of Islam!
Think of the days to come; when the Mullahs come into power; maybe may of the Maldivians will be lashed with cane and stoned to death!
The bond of mother and child is no more of Parent and Child in these lands - but Owner and Commodity.
@Maldives: I cry for you!!! - You are not proving any existence here. You are actually raising an even bigger problem: Who created the "creator"? Our own existence is no proof for a CCTV camera in the sky, but the result of millions of years of evolution You are just repeating the same rubbish that you have been indoctrinated with over and over again.
Science, on the other hand explains very elegantly how we came into existence and has loads of proof - we evolved from simpler beings and the intermediates are there (which we, in fact, don't even need to prove that because evolution is happening in front of our very eyes too).
Did you know that there's a China teapot orbiting in the universe? I strongly believe in it, and my proof that it is there is our own existence! It created us!
I feel so sorry, by the way, how Benjamin's child has been indoctrinated to fear hellfire. In my eyes, this is child abuse. There is no evidence for hellfire whatsoever.
As for the girl in the article, there's something fishy about it. Which mother would spread her daughter's private life in the news? And what could the clowns of the IFM cntribute, other than scare her with hellfire? Would she repend just like Nazim did to escape death penalty?
It's good to see, on the other hand, that there are lots of people here behind the 100% fassade who use their "god-given" 😉 brain
so what!!! its a free world!!
@Alibeyya
What is the benefit?
Free oil subsidies from OPEC, which is then trafficked to Burma, to line the pockets of politicians.
Yes, islam has been sold for a few measly million dollars.
I do not think this is a newsworthy story.
And yet, I must remark on the asinine belief among so many Maldivians that personal faith can be dictated by a piece of paper signed by a bunch of law-makers.
If these allegations are true, then this girl deserves to commended for her bravery in choosing to be honest about her thoughts, in a society that much prefers to keep lying to itself.
Denying holocaust is a crime in many countries. So why can't it be a crime in maldives to deny God.
These incidents would keep on happening more frequently. As maldivians are not muslims by choice or even by knowledge. They are people like following tail of a dog (well most of them at least).
A light reminder to people again belittling Islam and muslims in general:
You people are not the first to deny god and islam, you people will not be the last to deny god and islam. There were people like you who actually have said worse, done worse 1000's of years ago. So compared to them you guys are like a joke.
My suggestion is not to force the religion upon anyone who is not willing as guidance is not upto us but upto god. And all those who make fun of sharia, well theres is no such thing to make fun of anyways now in maldives. We are more western in our arrogance, and pride than most european countries.
May god guide us to the right path.
@ Aisath
I hope you are not Richard Dawkins in disguise. If you are not, you have been nicely caught up in his drama.
Think a little for yourself if you are interested. The universe abounds in signs that tell us it is a purposeful creation, not a spontaneous realisation.
As for your question: 'who created the creator?' ... How do you know the creator was created? Who created the creator is a question you can validly ask only after you know this bit. Before you know anything about the creator, how can you assume that he was created?
As children, we may be indoctrinated. But as adults we are cpapble of doing research. If you do this research yourself, Aisath, it will not be hard to believe that God exists. But if you do not want to do this research and continue to talk like Dawkins, then, I don't know who is indoctrinated.
@ yaamyn
"I do not think this is a newsworthy story."
Totally agree.
But these types of stories seem what interests Minivan News the most.
@Aishath
"Science, on the other hand explains very elegantly how we came into existence and has loads of proof" complete rubbish. Aishath for ur information there is no such proof. Google human evolution you will know what u dont want to know!!!!
Blaming it all on Minivan News do not make everyone muslims. What is wrong with people? Why is it so important that someone else has to be a muslim in order for you to be one? I am Maldivian. I practice Islam but I do not have any problems with people who do not believe in Islam; Maldivian or not.
Hassan Ahmed,
It's not a mistake of the Muslims that they believe people other than Muslims are not on the right path. It's the reality. It's normal. If you ask a Christian or a Jew, you shall get a similar comment like a Cristian shall say people other than their Christians are on the wrong path and so on...
Hassan, u can perhaps to talk to a person who was a Christian Father (Religious Leader) and now a Muslim preacher why he became a Muslim. Also u can talk to the Pop Musician of the United Kingdom who became a Muslim leaving behind all the Sterling Pounds that he used to earn giving public shows
@musician @Aishath
“Science, on the other hand explains very elegantly how we came into existence and has loads of proof” complete rubbish.
Hello again dear musician! Please elaborate on your wild claim that evolution is "complete rubbish".
This girl is very brave,
Maldives is NOT a 100% Muslim country and im a living proof for that. and im sure there are hundreds of us out there walking talking and living their lives freely.. Welcome to reality.. 1% Non Muslim Nation.. and counting more each day.. the knowledge is spreading.. people are seeking it. and waking up from their sleep.. its time now.. time to let go off the ancient mythology as a religion you believe..
evolution is not rubbish at all. it happens all the time in nature. even one of the attribute of Allah is the Evolver. so evolution happens. but saying that everything evolved out of something else and will continue to evolve to something else is rubbish. sometings are created and a creation needs a creator. those who say evolution made us out of monekys say so out of bias against religion. the origin of this anti religious bias me thinks comes largely from christianity. becuase they have this strange concept of trinity which is a very irrational belief ppl are expected to take in without questions. On the other hand we muslims have no ambiguity when it comes to god. God is one and He creates and Evolves.
As for the 'girl', she is by no means a girl. she is a woman with a child. saying she is brave for disbelieving the religion of her parents... well that may be bravery. It would have been a lot better if Minivan were able to get her views on this issue so that we know that her position is studied or just she is excersing her freedom of choice. No compulsion in islam.
@ Yameen, @ Rooster
If the story of a young woman being persecuted by her parents and exposed in the media for her beliefs (or lack thereof), and is likely to be brought in for 'counselling' by pseudo-sheiks, is not newsworthy in your book, would you care to explain what is? And perhaps elaborate a little bit on the measurements that you apply for judging the newsworthiness of a story?
Obviously the girl is in need of a therapist.
The smarter among us would understand that faith is a personal thing and if one does not masquerade one's faith or one's lack of it, Maldivians usually leave well enough alone.
I guess it takes all kinds. Back to you circus.
@ F.A.
"I practice Islam but I do not have any problems with people who do not believe in Islam; Maldivian or not."
What makes you think that everyone else should also be like you?
Very irresponsible of minivannewsarchive.com to base their 'news' on heresay. Sometimes translating stuff from Haveeru.com directly.
@Aishath.
"Science, on the other hand explains very elegantly how we came into existence and has loads of proof – we evolved from simpler beings and the intermediates are there (which we, in fact, don’t even need to prove that because evolution is happening in front of our very eyes too)".
Where did these samll beings come from? That is not a scientific argument. You must have an explanation of how the smaller beings came, how the universe came? For every created thing there must be a source to create it and to give the necessary power and energy.
@ hussain) Even though science cannot explain to this date where the Universe came from in the first place does not mean 1) that science will never be able to explain, and 2) does not mean that we need tradition, faith or an ancient scripture to explain it. Science - compared to religion - does not pretend to know everything. It admits that there are still deep questions that need to be explained.
However, your question is a good one.
@gadhoo boy) You are right saying that evolution haplens all the time, because it's fact and ther's evidence. Saying that Allah is the evolver is your personal assumption because there's no evidence. "evolution made us out of monkeys" is rubbish and and widely used by creationists to talk against evolution wiout understanding a single bit of it.
@musician) There is loads of evidence for evolution, both for the past and also for the ongoing ones. I don't know how you google and I don't think I have to tell you how to google. Saying that evolution is rubbish means you are denying scientific research all over the world, you should not even switch on NatGeo or Discovery channel because all are based on the same principle, and, most of all, you are belittling the elegant diversity of nature that took millions of years to evolve to look like what you can see today.
@Rocket) What are the "signs" that the universe has been created? I'm however, more interested in evidence than in signs.
2) If you assume that the universe was created, how can you assume that the creator was NOT created?
3) I doubt that many indoctrinated children will dare to conduct research as adults. Some do, yes, and convert, but I think most of them just have been scared too much (f.e. with "hellfire") that they would not dare to question what they have been brainwashed with.
4) You want Jazz to prove you that God doesnt exist? Why don't you prove first that the china teapot in the orbit doesn't exist? Or unicorns? Or mermaids? Or the flying Spaghettimonster? Or the tooth fairy?
Those who are trying to prove that God does not exist are just wasting their time...It is like you are trying to prove that you did not come out from your mother's womb...The mere existence justifies that God Created you...Science is God&God is science...We believe that God Almighty created the Universe&all it surrounds along with mankind and all other forms..There is just One,the only Creator of everything...it's only for those who think&ponder about the Greatness of that Creator..Everything becomes simple,not confusing when all mankind start believing in that one Power that's behind the creation of everything...Just give up associating anything with that Supreme Power &start believing in that greatness...If you damn all rituals,then there is no compulsion that you have to follow the rituals..But accept the fact that you are because you were created and so submit yourself and accept that fact..Your puny brains just mock and make fun because you feel it makes you inferior in believing the existence of a creator?Does a machine mock it's creator?No,it just follows &programs according to the way it was manufactured to do so..So stop the high and mighty attitude,eat humble pie&accept&submit your self..Holding your head high and screaming at the top of your voices that you are an atheist or saying that God does not exist does not prove that you are smart or great..IT just makes u bloody ignorant&a bloody coward,why?BECAUSE GOD IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE!!!!
I am a Maldivian. And I am most certainly NOT a Muslim.
Go on, revert my faith back
Some of you think others will be hurt when you declare you self as non Muslim. it is you who will not have peace of mind. We are on the right path and we are very happy with our life. We also have hope and expectation for the future. For you its void.
@Maldives: I cry for you!!!
Prove it.
Screaming through capitalisation and swearing doesn't make it true, you know, Mr Brain Box.
Have some food, clam down, take a deep breath, and tell us why - other than blind faith like yours -we should believe God exists.
Thank you