Adhaalath Party condemns president’s ”dangerous warning” on Gayoom

The Adhaalath party, led by State Islamic Minister Sheikh Hussein Rasheed, has condemned the ”dangerous warning issued” by President Mohamed Nasheed against the return of his predecessor, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, to national politics.

The president was this week reported on the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) website as warning that history might return if Gayoom comes back to the Maldives for political campaigning and that his life could be in danger, despite the state’s attempts to protect him.

”Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and other former presidents of the Maldives are persons honoured and secured by the state according to the laws,” said Adhaalah party in a statement. ”The warning president Mohamed Nasheed issued was against Islamic Sharia, the constitution, human rights and democracy.”

Sheikh Rasheed said the action of Nasheed was very ”uncivilized and low graded” and that his party condemned the action in the strongest possible terms.

”We sincerely appeal to the president not to repeat such words and not to encourage actions that might disrupt the peace of the nation or  lead to terrorism,” the party said.

Sheikh Rasheed said he would not like to add any further comments on the issue.

The main opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party [DRP] has also condemned the action in the strongest possible terms following the president’s warning.

Nasheed warned Gayoom to stay out of the Maldives claiming that it was for his own safety, referring to the death incidents of former presidents who were killed after their resignations.

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Adhaalath party welcomes Shaheem’s resignation action

The Adhaalath Party, led by Sheikh Hussein Rasheed, has welcomed the decision of former State Islamic Minister, Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed to resign from his position.

Sheikh Shaheem resigned from his position last Thursday after reportedly accusing the government of being “irresponsible” in trying uphold the religion of Islam and even attempting to erase the religion from the country, according to Miadhu.

”Sheikh Shaheem fulfilled his responsibility with integrity,” a statement issued by Adhaalath Party said. ”He put forth the interest of the nation and religion more than his self-interest in fulfilling the national duty.”

The Adhaalath party stated that ”by divine will, it is sure that although Sheikh Shaheem was not in a senior position of the government, his contribution to the party and the people will be still ongoing.

The party said it was very fond of Sheikh Shaheem and hoped that his work will be written in history.

”All the council members and party members will be with Sheikh Shaheem in whatever danger he would have to face with.”

Minivan News was unable to get any official word from Sheikh Shaheem.

President Mohamed Nasheed has appointed the Adhaalath party’s own president and former State Home Minister, Sheikh Hussein Rasheed in the vacant State Islamic Minister’s role.

Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr Abdul Majeed Abdul Bari is also a member of Adhaalath Party.

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DRP and Adhaalath deny reports of coalition for local election

The opposition Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) will not look to battle upcoming local council elections in a coalition with conservative religious group, the Adhaalath Party (AP), an MP has told local news service Miadhu.

MP Rozaina Adam, the Local Council Committee coordinator of the DRP and representative for the Thulusdhoo constituency, says the country’s main political opposition group has no plans to work alongside the AP to try and enhance its prospects during next year’s local elections.

Miadhu reported that there has been rising speculation that DRP members have been actively campaigning alongside their AP counterparts in some constituencies ahead of the council elections scheduled for early February, 2011.

However, the newspaper cites unnamed representatives for both the AP and DRP parties that deny any collaboration strategy for the election.

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EC disputes blame for lack of public awareness of referendum

The Elections Commission (EC) has issued a statement condemning the remarks made by President of the Adhaalath Party Sheikh Hussein Rasheed, after he criticised it for failing to raise adequate public awareness about the recent referendum.

Sheikh Rasheed said that as a result, the state had spent more than Rf 11 million (US$856,000) holding a referendum on administrative consolidation that most of the country’s eligible citizens had failed to vote in.

“My intention is to make institutions more accountable. It’s not a problem if the commission issues press releases about me, but I would prefer they listen and learn something from what I said,’’ Sheikh Rasheed told Minivan News.

He claimed that most citizens were unaware of what the referendum was about – a proposal for grouping smaller islands to form large population centres – which led to a 30 percent turnout across the country. Of 88,882 eligible voters, less than 27,000 participated in the referendum.

However the EC stated that it would contradict the commission’s independence  if it was required to inform citizens about the benefits and disadvantages of a referendum’s topic, and described attempts by political figures to disgrace the commission by suggesting otherwise as “irresponsible”.

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‘Co-education’ inconsistent with the culture of Islam, says Adhaalath Party

The government’s new co-education policy is a failed Western concept inconsistent with the teachings of Islam, the Adhaalath Party has said.

“Co-education is a concept introduced at the beginning of this century by Western countries, and later spread across the Islamic world by colonial force”, a statement issued by the Adhaalath Party said.

It is a concept that is alien to the emphasis that Islamic teachings place on gender segregation in the education system, the statement read.

Furthermore, Adhaalath said, co-education has been proven more harmful than beneficial “by modern research.”

Citing American writer, anti-feminist and Republican Party activist George Gilder, the Adhaalath Party said co-education has been known to “accelerate puberty in students and increase the testosterone levels of boys by 20 percent.”

“As a result, boys spend their time in a state of heightened sexual turmoil,” the party claimed.

The statement read that girls suffer similar consequences, with increased sexual hormones, and “often suffer from fatigue and depression as a result.”

Students of both sexes, therefore, it said, “spend more time focusing on the opposite sex than on their studies.”

Adhaalath Party also added that it was “astonished” that the Education Ministry was attempting to introduce a system of education that is not only against Islam, “but has also been tried, tested and failed in the West.”

Adhaalath Party also contradicted findings that attribute high academic achievements at Ahmadiyya School to its co-education policy.

“Not only are the boys and girls at Ahmadiyya being taught in separate classrooms – even the entrances used by the two sexes are separate,” Adhaalath said.

Deputy Minister of Education Dr Abdulla Nazeer recently told Minivan News the ministry has not decided to mix female and male students in the secondary grades.

“But we have decided to establish primary grades in all the schools,’’ Nazeer said. ‘’So Majeediyya School, Dharumavantha, Ameeniyya and Hiriya will no longer be solely for Secondary education.’’

Secondary education will be provided in all the primary schools as well.

Currently only male students can join Majeediyya and Dharumavantha while only females can join Ameeniyya and Hiriya school. They teach grade eight, nine and ten, the final three years leading up to GCE O’Levels.

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Adhaalath party urges assistance for flood victims in Pakistan

The Adhaalath Party continues to urge Maldivians to provide assistance for flood victims in Pakistan

In a statement issued today, the party said that Muslims “should provide humanitarian aid when an Islamic country is in trouble.”

“Due the heavy rain to Pakistan, more than 20 million people have become homeless, crops have been damaged, and apart from the starvation caused, diseases such as cholera and flus are now widespread,’’ said the party. “The concerned authorities revealed that there are more than 3.5 million children among the victims.’’

The Adhaalath Party recently launched a fund for the provision of humanitarian aid for flood victims in Pakistan.

“The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah, is as the likeness of a grain (of corn); it grows seven ears, and each ear has a hundred grains. Allah gives manifold increase to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, all-Knower,’’ the statement said, citing to Quran.

Vice President of the Maldives Dr Mohamed Waheed recently visited the Pakistan High Commission in the Maldives and expressed sympathy for the flood victims.

During his visit, Dr Waheed appealed to Maldivian citizens to support assistance to the victims of the flood.

Prohibited militant groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Muhammad and Harkat-ul-Jihad al-Islami, have set up camps in Karachi to raise funds to help flood victims of Pakistan, according to Indan news paper Times of India.

According to the newspaper, other militant groups such as Jamaat-ud-Dawah, blamed by India for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Sipah-e-Sahaba, Harkatul Mujahideen, Hizbut Tahrir and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi are also engaged in the relief operations.

The paper said that the banned groups were working under different names.

The World Bank has recently said it will redirect $US900 million of its existing loans to Pakistan to help in flood recovery.

The European Union (EU) has also said it will offer US$70 million to Pakistan.

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Maldives fasting as month of Ramadan begins

The Maldives has entered its second day of fasting after the holy month of Ramadan began yesterday.

The Islamic Ministry of the Maldives declared that yesterday was the first day of Ramadan and that people should begin fasting, abstaining from eating and drinking between dawn to sundown. Muslims who are ill or travelling are permitted to delay their fast.

Ramadan marks month in which the Quran was revealed to mankind, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

The rituals of month – such as fasting and sexual abstinence – are intended remind those who follow Islam of their duty as a Muslim, by keeping them away from worldly temptations to tame the mind and instill determination.

“Ramadan is an occasion to renew family ties and brotherly relations among Muslims,’’ said President Mohamed Nasheed, requesting that disputes and disagreements people be left behind as people work for the benefit of the country.

The daytime pace of life in Male’ has already slowed, with the capital’s usually vibrant cafe culture shifting to the evening, after sunset. Government offices close at 1:30pm during Ramadan, rather than 4:00pm, and the streets are noticeably quieter.

Interestingly, the popularity (and price) of watermelon surges during Ramadan in the Maldives, with the fruit valued as a ‘break fast’ specialty because of its high water content and easily-absorbed sugars.

The Islamic Ministry will meanwhile hold religious sermons every day after Asr prayer. Special functions will be held on every Friday and Monday evening, when religious scholars will preach on different topics. The Islamic Ministry has said those present will be able to querying the scholars who attend.

State Islamic Minister Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed explained that in all Islamic countries it is also prohibited for non-muslims to eat or drink anything on the streets during Ramadan.

”Non-Muslims should respect the month of Ramadan, and our beliefs and culture,” said Shaheem. ”That doesnt mean that they can’t eat in their homes, in their private life.”

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that police would take action against foreigners observed to be eating publicly during the holy month of Ramadan, ”and as for Maldivians, we will send cases to the Prosecutor General’s office and to court. With foreigners also we will take action according to suggestions from the PG.”

President of the Adhaalath Party, Sheikh Hussein Rasheed Ahmed, has posted Ramadan greetings to the president and first lady of the Maldives, as well as the Vice President and his wife, senior state executives, leaders of all the political parties, diplomats from different countries, members of the party and the people of the Maldives.

Vice president of religious NGO Jamiyytahul Salaf, Sheikh Hussein Moosa Fikry has delivered a sermon on how to correctly observe fasting, according to the habits of Prophet Mohamed [PBUH].

Famous religious scholar Sheikh Adam Shameem Bin Ibrahim has also has delivered a sermon related to the holy month of ramdan.

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Adhaalath party congratulates parties for ending Supreme Court deadlocks

The Adhaalath Party has congratulated the parliament and the government for coming to an understanding over the controversial issue of establishing the Supreme Court and appointing a Chief Justice, on conclusion of the interim period of the constitution.

“We praise and thank the speaker of the parliament and the government for the sacrifices they made and for the unity they showed for the first time, to establish the Supreme Court and to appoint the Chief Justice,’’ said the party in a statement.

“We also congratulate the new Chief justice and the Supreme Court judges who have been appointed permanently.’’

The party said they hoped the Supreme Court would bring balance and justice to the country and that the unity parliament had showed would be continued..

Earlier this week a surge in political partisanship, caused by disagreement over the interim period set out in the Constitution and the locking of the Supreme Court by the military, had threatened to derail the appointment process and leave the Maldives without its highest judicial authority.

However on Tuesday morning parliament approved the amended judge’s bill with 71 in favor, out of 73 members present. It was quickly ratified by President Nasheed shortly after lunchtime.

The new Judges Act enshrines judicial independence, governing ethical standards and rules on appointment and dismissal, as well as powers, responsibilities and practicalities such as salaries and allowances. The law also requires serving judges to meet a certain standards within seven years, or face dismissal.

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Sheikh Ilyas delivers sermon to MNDF in lead-up to Ramadan

Famous religious scholar Sheikh Ilyas Hussein delivered a sermon to the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) yesterday entitled ”those who desire compassion.”

The object of the sermon was to spiritually prepare the MNDF officers for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan.

In his sermon, Sheikh Ilyas highlighted the importance of praying, faithfulness and remaining on the rightful path. He also highlighted noble habits in the religion of Islam.

”There is no policy on this land that is profitable and valuable other than the religion of Islam,” said Sheikh Ilyas. ”As Allah (SWT) wants nothing from us, yet has provided us these privilege after announcing to believe in the perfect policy.”

“The holy quran has stated that Satan is our enemy, and Satan’s aim is to appear as our allies and to drop us into the house of punishment from the house of compassion,” Sheikh Ihyas said.

”Nobody has the ability to alter a declaration of God, no one can play with it, it is a must for us to ask from the lord of the universe,” he said. ”Those who desire compassion will accept this principle.”

Sheikh Ihyas preached that the month of Ramadan is a month of piousness and self-restraint, and a month to reinforce faith.

”Today Muslims have become feeble because they isolated the words of God, and moved forward on the path of development according to their selfish desires,” he said. ”As long as we do not change our own situation, Allah will not change it either.”

He claimed that although Muslims around the world had come into great power, they did not have faith.

”If they had faith, Muslims will be powerful and all will stay united,” he added.

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