Vaikaradhoo Island Council has denied permission to prominent Adhaalath Party scholar Sheikh Ilyas Hussain to conduct a sermon on the island, exclusively for “young girls between the ages of 18-30’’.
The sermon was due to be held on the island today, according to Island Council President Ahmed Waheed.
Speaking to Minivan News, Waheed said that the council’s decision was made “in the best interest of the islanders”. The council had decided that if Sheikh Ilyas was to preach on the island it might “disrupt the island’s peace and create unrest.”
“It is the responsibility of the council to control any unrest as we do not have any police on the island, and we are certain that we could not control the unrest that might be created if Sheikh Ilyas is allowed to preach here,” Waheed said.
“The sermon is to be held as a part of a religious workshop currently going on in the island for females, and is only for young women aged 18-30 – no men are allowed inside,’’ he said.
“The Adhaalath Party Wing on this island requested permission and the council had a meeting regarding the issue,” he explained.
Minivan News spoke to Waheed around 2:00pm this afternoon. Sheikh Ilyas was at that moment waiting in the Vaikaradhoo lagoon as islanders protested against him on the jetty.
“There are lots of citizens at the jetty raising their voice against him,’’ said Waheed. “This island has a population of 1700 people.”
Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Vaikaradhoo Wing Vice President and Vaikaradhoo Council Member Ali Amir told Minivan News that about 50 or 60 MDP supporters had gathered at the harbor to express their opinion on the Sheikh’s arrival.
“Adhaalath Party President Sheikh Imran is on board the same vessel with Sheikh Ilyas, and MDP supporters are shouting ‘traitor’ at them,’’ Amir said. “The police have arrived to the island but they are just waiting at the moment.”
He said that the islanders were not happy with Sheikh Ilyas delivering a sermon to females only, and said it was politicised.
“We still do not know why they are waiting on the vessel, may be they are feeling guilty about something they have done,’’ he suggested.
Speaking from the boat, Sheikh Ilyas told Minivan News that he had attended the island to deliver a sermon organised by the islanders of Vaikaradhoo, but when he arrived MDP activists had gathered at the harbour and used foul language at him. Minivan News heard people shouting “traitor” in the background.
‘’Maybe that is what [former President] Mohamed Nasheed has taught them it,’’ Sheikh Ilyas suggested. “He has said that MDP is an ideology that cannot be wiped out.”
A group of people said to be MDP supporters disrupted a sermon held by Sheikh Ilyas at Masjid-al-Furqan in Male’ last Friday night, after Male’ City Council declared that it the sermon was unauthorised.
Newly-appointed Islamic Minister Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed declared in April that all mosques in the country would be taken away from local councils and brought under the authority of the Ministry,.
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It is my firm belief, as I have repeatedly stated, that to fix the deficiencies of our nation, we must fix the deficiencies of our women.
The officials on the Varikandhoo island council must be given a most severe punishment for their opposition to virtue. Do they not fear Allah (swt)?
Alhamdhulillahi. The Vaikaradhoo Ibn Batutas have scared away that lecherous old Rannamaari.
You don't understand brother Hanguraama. The female mind (like other parts of its anatomy) is most receptive and fresh at the age of 6 to 9. Hence this sex education class should have been for that age group. I believe the Vaikaradhu people knew this and was upset at the age group.mashallah.
Dhivehi Hanguraama, go ***** yourself. We do not need people like you and Ilyas going around and telling women what to do and what to wear. Stay away from peace loving Maldivians.
**** you, damn clown!
Maybe Ilyas wanted to choose a few more wives and mistresses for himself and his party people by preaching to the women only! 😉
Thank god there are some Council members with the guts to do the right thing and deny this opportunist such easy access to the women of the island. What a load of bullshit in the name of Islam. Shame on such men like Ilyas and his followers!
Is this a new form of Islam that Adhaalath wants to teach? Ilyas must get some sort of "satisfaction" by preaching to just 18-30 year old women?
Seriously, this guy ought to be banned from these "sermons" and referred in the first instance to a psychiatrist. We are glad that the Council put a stop to this self gratification by some head cases in the name of Islam.
I've always maintained that Adhaalath poses one of the biggest dangers to our society.
yes damn idiots , this country will never be able to have place for Christian and it will remain as a Islamic state.
Anni and his culprits can do what ever the protest and Ilyas and other Islamic scholar will have thier sermons in all Islands.
Do not under estimate the power of all nightly Allah .
Special speech for(only) virgin girls who has attained puberty. Sounds like Garee Thaufeeq. Now C'mon Illey, you could do better than that ...
this all wrong. It was not exclusively for the women of age between 25 -35 as mentioned and it was for everyone and all were welcomes to join that.
I have checked with one of the member from the Island consul and he confirmed .
kurin ilyahah oi loabi miharu nei. eyna ehery kufuruge thereyah vadhe. allah mifadha ilmuveringe kibain aharemenge ukhthun salamaiy kuravvaashi. aameen.
What does Ilyas want an orgy? isn't it bad even religious wise for a man to be alone with so many women, as a sheikh he sure seems to be making some odd requests.
Mode. You serve a New God? All "nightly Allah"? Take ur mamoon and ur nightly god and go live on some island with imran, Ilyas & shaheem in hell. They have sinned and wronged the true religion of ALLAH ALMIGHTY.
that was typing error , " i apologize for the mistake
Apparently Nasreena's wardrobe has achieved cult status. I knew this day would come.
Unkown, thank u for highlighting the error and apologize from all for my mistake.
I do not want to prey to Anni and neither believes that he has the capacity to run a nation. Anni the dictator had proved himself not be worth to consider for potential candidate for 2013.
You have been infected with Anni virus and that is why you can not see what is happening around us.
I have never liked Maumoon in my life and never was follower of him either.
For you information, i did lot of campaign for the dictator Anni and voted him. But my vote was given him only after he made the coalition with all parties apart from Gayoom.
My vote had gone for a toss when Dictator start to kick the people out from his coalition, and when he had forgotten who infect had help to bring him the presidency.
Anni got on 24% on the first round and second round he marginally won the election because of otehrw parties not because of his vision and capacity.
Many of us wanted a changed and people voted for a change not for Anni. that is the reality and you need to face it and the dictator and the traitor will never be able to rule this country ever.
Haterism is a disease. One may catch haterism by just hatin to much. Learn to spread love, not hate.
too much hatred in our small community now.
Why do we as humans have to repeat the same mistakes, never learning from history? Puritanical religious dogma never successfully served as a tool for governance. Religious text in all holy books are ambiguous and susceptible to be interpreted by "scholars" serving their narrow goals.
The Islamic Golden Age was a period when the Caliphate excelled over all civilizations of the day. The secret to their success is the same secret which unleashed the European rise after the renaissance. The Golden Age was a period of learning. Muslim scholars, scientists, doctors worked closely with learned men regardless of their religion (mostly Jews who were persecuted by Christians then). Greek texts were translated to Arabic, greatly influencing the works of Muslim mathematicians. The Algorithms which constitute the basic principles of modern computing has an "al" for a reason.
Europeans experienced a traumatic period lasting hundreds of years for their xenophobic bigotry. The Church was all powerful unleashing countless wars and pogroms against minorities. That was until their societies came to their senses and exposed the Church for what they were.
Secular government is the only solution. In fact true religious revival (where the focus is on prayer, forgiveness, honesty, generosity and respect) can only happen when people are not compelled. The most religious western country (USA) is also the country which most fervently enforces religious freedom and the separation of religion and state.
Secular govt would eliminate the power of the devious "scholar" (or Ministry) to control the people. Thus the only scholars left would be the truly God fearing ones. It would make no economic sense for the bandits to masquerade as "sheikhs".
Unholy men armed with Holy books are truly an apocalyptic force. Especially when people are compelled by the law of the land to follow them.
@Mode
Why is Anni being blamed for the breakdown of those relationships? It takes both hands to clap. In my view no relationship can survive without trust and partnership.
I believe that there was no intention ever to work with Anni. The plan was to roll Anni over in the first 100 days. We are not blind. We know what was going on.
What I have seen these last three years is a bunch of men whose egos are bigger than agreements they signed, who came into the government as Trojan horses to kill off Anni . There was no partnership.
Look at the outrageous vote of no confidence motions passed against Nasheed’s cabinet ministers at a drop of a hat!
Self absorbed, self important egoistical narcissists who couldn’t think beyond their noses.
Look at them bickering now about who got what post.
Had a grand old day didn’t they complaining about the political positions Anni created... how MANY they were blah blah blah . Didn’t take them too long did it, to fill them up?
Hypocrites, ALL of them
Not one of them thinking of the people.
Only about themselves.
@Mode
Yes Mode, people voted for a change, not for Gasim or Hassan Saeed , if they did one or the other would have come second, not Anni.
The sad thing, Mode, is that Hassan Saeed, Gasim and Waheed forgot that.
They did everything they could in the last three years to STOP President Nasheed from bringing those changes. They opposed his policies and wanted him to change the policies on which he campaigned.
He refused to compromise on his promises to the people. Thats where the relationships unravelled. Mode.
Anni worked hard to deliver what he promised. Unfortunately for him and for all of us, Gayooms political machinery and the culture of selfishness and corruption he nurtured while he was President was just too deeply embedded in the top management of the civil service, the fat cat business community the judiciary and the uniformed forces.
Yes, there were mistakes made by Anni. But there were many mistakes made by Gayoom.
Why did the unformed men and women not remove Gayoom?
Why did they remove President Nasheed?
Seek the truth Mode. Don't lose this opportunity to seek the truth.
That is if you care.
Peasant: you ought to be lashed and bottom-skinned for even entertaining such thoughts.
Mode (who loves the Prophet so much that he butchers his name),
We all know Anni is evil and paving the way for the Dajjal and Yajuj Majuj, but how does that make ilsy any better? Are you saying his orgy shouldn't have been c**k blockd?
Why is it that public protesting has become such a fashionable thing lately ? It only gives room for the loudest and not the wisest to express their idea. I guess its no wonder that our elected offficials set such good example.
i know many of the reader of MINIVAN NEWs and the NEWs itself are strong Anni supporter and many of them dos not see what anything wrong happening with the country.
Many of those people will agree what ever Anni says and they are seen the Dictator as much more superior human being than rest of the Maldivian.
Ilyas will continue and he has the rights to educate the people on Islam as Anni has the right to preach in all Maldives Island.
If Anni can go and visit all Island and do carry his campaign , why Ilyas cannot ?
Ilsy can. As long as he has an audience. Maybe 6 to 9 year old girls next tine. As kulheybeybe armed with rubber balloons and cucumbers.
Sheikh Imran is an infidel and he modifies religion for his political needs. These people of Adalath party are extremists and like Pakistanis modify Islamic rules to what they want (modifying the meaning)and they mislead the people. May Allah's wrath be upon them.
Ilsy can. As long as he has an audience. Which in this case he doesn't. Maybe next time he could arrange one for little girls...
I can count from only my personal experience. I've never met a so-called religious "scholar" who was really a scholar in the sense that we commonly know.
I agree with @peasant that the sooner we cut the power of these Sheikhs the better off we will all be. Religion only serves to divide people and as a tool for that purpose and that purpose only.
We are compelled by God to learn. Learn about Him and His religion. You don't need some self-righteous "scholar" to teach you what God would like from you. It's all infront of you. Read! Read the Holy Quran! Are you illiterate? Then, go and learn to read first! And then read the Quran and understand it. You don't need me or Anni or Waheed or some Sheikh or a scholar or whatever scum on earth to teach YOU! It's YOUR responsibility.
im wondering why minivan news put "female only" here in the article refering to the lecture, unless it was to demean or as a sarcastic way. its not the first time lectures have been targeted for women. the truth is in these lectures its the women who benefit because certainly there are some women who do want attend a lecture where male audience is not dominated and women can get seats comfortably, and also there are topics that are particularly related to women. what is wrong with that? ok when looking at conventional tradition, i have seen some scholarships given to women only. if i want i can make that also with negative connotations. there are countries that ruled by a woman only (i mean only one president and the woman is the president)...so what...i visited minivannews website after many months and i was really disappointed to read and feel that the purpose of that was to give a negative connotation. There are women's only demonstrations done for the sake of ex president Anni. Why, what benefit they get? they leave out their family and go to streets for the sake of getting presidency to one man, and majority of the women who go demonstrating for Nasheed are women wearing head scarf. Nevertheless it is a fact that since Maldives became independent there has never been even one single women who wear head scarf in the cabinet while majority of women do wear in the Maldives. It was no different during Nasheed time or Maumoon time or now also.. So next time please write as a headline "women only" (unfair) demonstration for the sake of nasheed also. I have never seen Nasheed's wife participating in any of the demonstrations...so whats they big deal all these women sacrifice their precious time..the only comparable thing i can relate is pied piper's story.
@Ahmed bin Addu bin Suvadheeb and Peasant.
Completely in agreement with you. Thank you for bringing some reason into the discussion about the politicisation of Islam in the Maldives.
A Figh Academy is all we need. The Figh Academy should be accountable to the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Ministry of Home Affairs should also take over the functions of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
Zakath should be managed by MIRA.
Let the National University of Maldives take the lead to promote Islamic thought and philosophy in the country.
@ Mode
One of the biggest mistakes of President Nasheed's administration was listening to Gasim and agreeing to the demands of the Jumhooree party to create the Ministry of Islamic Affairs.
The Jumhooree Party brought the Adhalath Party with whom they had formed an alliance into government when they signed the agreement with President Nasheed to support him in the second round of the Presidential Election.
Gasim has a lot to answer for the conflict and fragmentation in our society.
The irony of the whole thing is that the Adhalath Party which has been raising its voice against alcohol, pork and semi clad women on tourist resorts would enter an agreement with Gasim who owns one of the biggest chain of resorts in the country, is it 15 resorts? I lost count.
Perhaps not that much of an irony, I understand that Imran Ilyaas and Shaheem studied with Gasims money, earned from selling alcohol and pork!!!
Gasim is delusional if he does not want to believe the frightening reality that these guys may have used him to study but they have moved on from him to masters with deeper pockets than Gasim, and they will sell him to the devil when it so suits them.
These people are part of an International Political Movement. They seek to dominate the world , in many ways very simiiar to what Hitler did.
( perhaps this is the Fourth Reich??).
These are fascists, not Islamists. We should not insult Islam by calling these people Islamists.
Gasim has no idea does he, what monster he has created?
i totally agree with Mohamed.
What ever Anni the dictator does, will have to be taken in good spirit and who ever is not in agreement with what ever the doctor says, will be a traitor.
This country in big mess and both Anni and Gayyoom need to get out of the politics to bring the peace and harmony to the nation.
These two are the culprits and they both are responsible for the damaging our values and they need to be punished for their power hunger and robbing the country.