Tag: islamic ministry

Week in review: March 9 – 14

This week’s headlines were largely dedicated to the Supreme Court’s decision to dismiss the senior leadership of the Elections Commission (EC) on charges of contempt of court and disobedience to order.

The decision – which also included a six month sentence for EC Chair Fuwad Thowfeek – brought international condemnation as well as universal praise for the work of the commission.

The EU observer mission, currently in the country for the scheduled March 22 poll, quickly pointed out the considerable “time pressure” on a timely and credible election.

Domestically, both the Maldivian Democratic Party’s Mohamed Nasheed and the People’s Majlis declared the decision unconstitutional.

The Majlis Secretariat relayed this message in writing to Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz and senior government figures, while a Majlis committee stated that it still considered the dismissed members to be elections commissioners.

Alternatively, government supporters quickly backed the decision, with President Yameen saying that the government would abide by the ruling. Yameen also criticised the opposition’s discussion – conducted without a resolution – of boycotting the polls.

The President’s Office rounded on the court’s international naysayers while the chief justice said that the international statements included “falsified claims, and undermine the respect and authority of the Maldivian judiciary”.

Fears that the EC would not be able to conduct the election without its quorum were soon assuaged, however, as Ismail Habeeb – nominated to the commission after the resignation of the fifth EC member last October – was approved by the Majlis.

The PPM has called for the final two places on the commission to be filled before the elections, though Speaker Shahid has prorogued parliament until after the vote.

Other news…

Elsewhere this week, police seized 24kg of what was suspected to be heroin in their biggest haul to date, while repeated confiscation of unusual pets during drugs raids – as well as a python on the streets of Malé – prompted customs to tighten security in order to prevent the import of illegal animals.

The export of legal animals – in the form of Halal certified fish – is a policy the Islamic Ministry this week claimed was generating great enthusiasm.

Leaders at the Chamber of Commerce rounded on the EU’s trade policies with regards to Maldivian fish, suggesting a fisherman’s protest could be on its way.

One protest did arrive this week, at the international airport, as staff demonstrated against bad bonuses and worse food.

The Human Rights Commission was summoned to the Juvenile Court after repeated attempts to discuss a report the court claimed misled the public about the handling of the infamous 15 year old flogging trial.

Maldivian Development Alliance leader Ahmed ‘Sun’ Shiyam was presented to the Criminal Court this after failing to attend previous hearings regarding his alleged attempts to smuggle alcohol into the country in 2012.

Already in custody, Maldivian Democratic Party MP Abdulla Jabir learned this week that he would remain during his appeal case for his recent conviction.

Finally, local NGO Advocating for the Rights of Children (ARC) launched an anti-bullying campaign in Malé as well as a new network to support the rights of disabled children.

Meanwhile, the Maafushi jail inmate – left in a coma with critical head injuries after being attacked by cellmates last month – was flown to Sri Lanka for further treatment.

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“Huge support” for halal certification, says Islamic Ministry

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs’ has claimed that the new halal certification program for local fish products is receiving “huge support” from local fish processing companies, the ministry has said yesterday.

Denying reports published in local news outlet Haveeru of a lack of support for the programme , the ministry said that issuing halal certificates for five different products from ‘Felivaru’ company is in it’s final stages.

The ministry also stated that “famous Maldivian fish processing companies such as MIFCO” are also in the process of submitting necessary documentation in order to acquire the halal certificate

Training of halal assurance officers to inspect factories has begun, and ministry teams have made visits to “successful” halal industry countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.

The Haveeru article in question – published yesterday – quoted Permanent Secretary of the Islamic Ministry Mohamed Didi as saying that Felivaru was the only company to have shown an interest in acquiring the certification.

Didi was reported as saying that the reason for this could be that such a certificate is not important for their export markets.

According to the article, a team from the ministry had travelled to the Felivaru fish processing factory to check if the process and ingredients used are ‘halal’, with Didi saying that certification would open doors to export Maldivian fish products to middle-eastern markets and would increase the value of such products.

After the EU declined to extend duty-free status on Maldivian fish exports last November, the government has been seeking alternative markets for Maldivian fish products.

Foreign Minister Dunya Maumoon at the time said the decision was connected to Maldives’ reservations towards freedom of religion and other conventions before noting that the Maldives is “not running out of friends in the international community”.

Since then, the government has said it is analysing new markets for such as middle-eastern and Malaysian markets for Maldives fish exports.

Earlier this week, Vice President of the Maldives National Chamber Of Commerce and Industry Ismail Asif said that Maldivian fishermen intended to stage a protest against the EU’s trade policies.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Ministry’s ‘Fiqh Academy’ issued a fatwa this week stating that kosher meals, while halal, are inadvisable in Shariah. The ruling suggested that the import of such goods would “introduce and spread such a religious slogan of the Jews into an Islamic country like the Maldives”.

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Islamic minister visits Saudi Arabia for international conference

Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has today left for Saudi Arabia on an official trip.

According to the Islamic Ministry, Minister Shaheem will be attending the International Conference on Unity of the Islamic Ummah, which is to be held in Mecca on March 2 and 3.

The conference will be attended by several Islamic organisations and the islamic ministers of numerous islamic states. The guest of honour of the event is to be Saudi Arabian King Abdulla Bin Abdul Azeez Al Saud.

The ministry further revealed that Shaheem will be seeking aid and assistance for Islam-related projects planned for the Maldives.

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ACC, Civil Court orders Islamic Ministry to halt bidding process for Hajj groups

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has ordered the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to halt the bidding process for selecting Hajj Groups to accompany Maldivian pilgrims and to revise the criteria for awarding quotas.

Following an investigation into alleged corrupt practices, the ACC revealed in a press statement today that it identified nine issues with the regulations (Dhivehi) formulated by the ministry for evaluating bid proposals, which was published in the government gazette on February 12.

The ACC investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged at the commission alleging that the regulations were being used to unduly benefit certain parties.

The ACC decision came on the heels of a stay order (Dhivehi) issued by the Civil Court this morning ordering the ministry to halt the bidding process pending a ruling on the validity of the regulations.

The stay order or injunction was granted in a lawsuit filed by two Hajj groups – the Abatross and Minaa groups – contending that the bidding process was unfair.

Among the issues identified by the ACC was a new requirement for interested parties to submit bank statements – dating back six months – of the company’s management account and money depositing account.

Companies were also required to submit details of employees who would be accompanying pilgrims as well as documents proving their experience.

While 15 percent of marks were to be awarded for experience, the ACC noted that the regulations did not specify how experience would be measured or graded.

Moreover, while companies were required to submit details of ticket prices along with their proposal, the ACC noted that it would depend on the quota, which was to be decided by the ministry following evaluation of bids.

In addition, the commission found that there were no guidelines to evaluate the proposed price (45 percent of marks) and the quality of service (30 percent), whilst the ministry had not set a ceiling for the quoted price.

Based on its findings, the ACC ordered the ministry to revise the issues identified in its investigation report – shared with the ministry today – before resuming the bidding process.

Of the 800 pilgrim quota afforded to the Maldives by Saudi Arabia, 400 were reserved by the government’s Hajj Corporation while the rest were to be divided amongst companies chosen from the bidding process.

The proposals were to be submitted to the Islamic Ministry at 10:30am today.

The bidding process for Hajj groups was marred by controversy in 2013 as well. In May, the High Court overturned a Civil Court ruling in which the trial court ordered the Islamic Ministry to reevaluate several unsuccessful bids presented by local Hajj groups.

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Government shuts down mosque due to congregation of “extremists”

Malé City Council has shut down the Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu mosque to stop unauthorised Friday prayers by a group described as “extremists” by the Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali.

A City Council notice posted at the mosque said that on the Ministry of Home Affairs’ request it was to be temporarily shutdown following yesterday’s morning prayers.

Minivan News observed at the time of A’sr prayers that the mosque did not have any group congregation, however the notice posted at the mosque was no longer visible. Only a few individuals worshippers were present.

A copy of the Home Ministry letter signed by Minister Umar Naseer – posted along with the notice –  requested the shutdown “as a first step” against unauthorised Friday prayers performed in the mosque.

The large congregation gathered at the mosque last Friday expressed their opposition through prayers asking Allah to weaken and current government and it’s leaders, CNM reported.

The worshipers at the mosque also prayed against the heads of the government, Islamic ministry and city council, asking for their ill-health and for a calamity to befall upon them.

The congregation asked Allah to destroy the government and to give victory against the “irreligious” government which attempts to obstruct the spreading of Allah’s message and to shut down mosques. Requesting victory, they also asked from Allah to destroy and send his wrath upon military and police officer who implement the government’s orders.

Jurisdiction

Following the Decentralisation Act of 2010, jurisdiction for all mosques falls under the island and city councils.

Malé City Councillor ‘Jambu’ Hassan Afeef who is in charge of managing the city mosques said the council will cooperate with the government, whether it is the police or the Islamic Ministry, in whatever measures needs to be taken to resolve the issue.

He said the Islamic Ministry had earlier sent a letter to the council regarding the mosque.

“We replied saying that the council’s mandate is to provide basic services for the public. If there is some irreligious activity going on, the ministry should get involved. And if something unlawful is going on, the Home Ministry and police should be involved,” said Afeef.

While police would not comment on the issue, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that the length of the mosque’s closure remains up to the city council and that the ministry has not yet decided on any future steps to be taken regarding the issue.

Minister Shaheem has previously stated that the ministry had no mandate to act against “undesirable activities” carried out in mosques. Shaheem and his Adhaalath Party have on various occasions demanded that mosques and Imams function under the Islamic Ministry’s authority.

“Broadening the role of mosques” was among the key eleven policy objectives recently revealed by the ministry.

Religious divisions and moderation

Umar Naseer has earlier acknowledged the existence of religious divisions in the Maldives and pledged to put an end to it. “Creating divisions in Islamic nations is the handiwork of enemies of Islam,” Naseer was quoted as saying in local media

Moderation was at the center of the Islamic Ministry’s recently revealed policies, while it was earlier criticised by members of the ruling coalition.

Minister Shaheem has earlier stated that the preaching at the Dharumavantha mosque can sometimes be “very extreme”.

Praying in congregations separate from the state-approved mosques under state-approved imams has often been described as a sign of Islamic extremism. Despite opposition from repeated governments, the practice has continued with the rise of religious extremism in Maldives.

An Azhar educated Islamic Scholar himself, President Gayoom has been accused of persecuting radicals and Wahhabis, including torturing religious scholars and groups who rejected the then-state approved version of Islam.

Commenting on the situation, a former member of the Dharumavantha mosque congregation told Minivan News that shutting down the mosque or arresting the members of congregation was unlikely to end it.

“You can’t change what people believe using force. Under Gayoom, I was arrested and kept in solitary confinement for weeks and sometimes months for praying in separate congregations and being involved with such groups. If anything, my convictions became even stronger and my thinking more radicalised,” he said.

He explained that many of his friends stopped going to the mosque around 2009 after being convinced it was wrong after dialogue with Islamic scholars.

“We are not one hundred percent happy about the way things are, but we realised we should be part of the community and not creating divisions. Now we are currently working with Islamic NGOs to create awareness – not just in Islamic issues but also social and even health issues,” he said.

“There is concern that things might be returning to how they were. But that will only make things worse. They should be educated and guided. I don’t agree with what they are doing either. But this is not how it should be dealt with,” he said.

Under President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration, regulation of religion was left mainly in the hands of conservative Adhaalath Party. More radical elements that strayed from the state-approved version of Islam were not persecuted at this time, despite their actions still being unlawful.

The government’s policy in combating extremism shifted to a rehabilitation model within this period.

Questioning the success of these efforts, the current Islamic Minister Sheikh Shaheem – who had earlier advocated for a similar model – has labelled it a failure.

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Islamic Ministry reveals policies and programmes for the year

The Ministry of Islamic Affairs yesterday revealed the government’s Islamic policies and programmes for the year 2014.

Unveiling the policies, the Minister of Islamic Affairs Mohamed Shaheem Ali said Islam is a religion of moderation, and that the ministry’s main objective is to maintain the methodology of moderation.

He also said the ministry would strive to unite the Maldivian society and inculcate Islamic values.

Eleven targets were give as key objectives of the ministry:

  • Not allowing any religion except Islam in the Maldives
  • Strengthening and maintaining the Islamic creed and unity in the country
  • Establishing and strengthening Islamic Shi’ar (symbols of greatness and glory of Islam)
  • Establishing a strong Zakat (Islamic alms taxation) system in the Maldives.
  • Development of National Hajj Corporation to ease pilgrimage
  • Ensuring all laws and regulations fit Islamic principles
  • Advising state institutions on religious matters, and developing and strengthening the Isamic Fiqh Academy to issue Fatwas
  • Strengthening Islamic education
  • Widening the range of work to spread the Quranic knowledge
  • Building mosques and Islamic centers and broadening the role of mosques
  • Improving the internal administration of the ministry

The ministry has laid out a detailed programme to achieve these objectives, a large part of which comprise of Islamic awareness programs.

These include the publication of books, television, and radio programmes, Friday sermons, nation-wide preaching programs, weekly preaching at mosques, daily readings of ‘Riyadul Saliheen’ (written by 13th century Syrian Scholar Imam al-Nawawi) in all mosques in the country.

According to the ministry, publications and media content produced within the Maldives or brought in from abroad will be monitored to ensure it is not in conflict with the ‘the Islamic creed’.

Special focus on children and youth

The ministry’s programmes focus particularly on children and youth,with plans to pressure relevant authorities to broaden Islamic knowledge in the national curriculum. The ministry’s Fiqh Academy is mandated with advising on curriculum reform to enhance compatibility with Islamic principles.

Preaching at school assemblies, special workshops, and a monthly Islamic public forum targeting women and youth have also been planned.

In addition to this, the ministry also plans to publish Islamic books, CDs, and a monthly magazine which will be distributed to all school and public libraries. Newly introduced awareness methods include Islamic camps for children and a ‘Street Dawah’ program. Islamic higher education opportunities will also be provided for students.

Other awareness programs include Islamic marriage guidance, annual Islamic fairs, and regular sessions at prison and rehabilitation centers. The ministry will be collaborating with ‘Discover Islam’ – a Bahraini religious NGO – to organise several awareness programmes.

Quran and mosques

In terms of Quran recitation, the ministry aims to train 500 Hafiz (people who memorise the complete Arabic text of the Quran) within ten years and 90 Quran teachers within the year. Quran classes will be held for children and adults all around the country and private Quran teaching centers will receive the ministry’s assistance.

The ministry will coordinate the construction of forty mosques within the year. Fourteen of these mosques are already under construction with MVR72.6 million from national budget. MVR65.2 million has been allocated in this year’s budget for the construction of seventeen mosques.

From the Mosque ‘Waqf’ Fund established in 2013, MVR3 million has been allocated for the construction of two mosques. A ten-storey building named ‘Darul Iman’ will be constructed to sustain the fund.

Saudi Arabia has also agreed to donate seven mosques this year, MVR28.8 million has already been allocated for six of these mosques.

Moderation

The concept of moderation in Islam was stressed by minister Shaheem, though calls for ‘moderation’ have already been criticised by prominent members of the ruling coalition.

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) and it’s coalition members campaigned for the presidential elections on a religious platform, vowing to ‘protect Islam’ from ‘irreligious’ former President Mohamed Nasheed.

The opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) – Nasheed in particular – accused the PPM and its coalition members of abusing Islam as a political weapon.

During the campaign minister Shaheem said that he prayed for “Allah to curse Nasheed by setting dogs on him”.

Last year Nasheed was criticised and labeled irreligious for supporting Islamic moderation and his criticism of Wahhabism, while the violent protests that lead to the Nasheed’s resignation – in what he describes as a coup d’etat – were also fueled by similar accusations.

Just two months prior to the transfer, a huge gathering calling to ‘defend Islam’ was held by the coalition aligned parties, while opposition MDP held a rally calling for ‘moderation’.

“We don’t know there is a moderate, higher or lower Islam. We only know Islam,” coalition member Jumhoree Party’s leader Gasim Ibrahim, while Nasheed asked his supporters,“should we ban music? Should we circumcise girls? Because we won’t allow these things, we are being accused of moving away from religion.”

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Malé City Council urges local hotel owners to beware of bikinis

Malé City Council has urged hoteliers and guest house owners in the capital to inform tourists of the importance of dressing modestly in the country’s inhabited islands.

Responding to a letter of complaint from the Islamic Ministry, city Mayor ‘Maizan’ Ali Manik has made a public announcement calling upon patrons to be more aware of the issue.

“Please look carefully at these kind of things that happen in Malé’s streets, and Hulhumalé’s streets,” said Manik.

“People have to be careful on this, because this is an islamic country. In inhabited islands, people should not walk in bikinis.”

“The ministry has to take that kind of action. If it prolongs it may be something beyond control.”

When asked about the letter today, State Minister for Islamic Affairs Mohamed Ali denied any such message had been sent.

While the resorts islands have thrived on so-called ‘bikini and booze’ tourism for decades, Islamic Shariah is practiced among the local populace of the 100 percent Sunni Islamic country.

Despite the country’s billion dollar tourism industry being founded on high-end luxury resorts – located on individual ‘uninhabited’ islands – mid-market tourism has risen rapidly over the past five years.

The number of guest houses has grown rapidly after the rise to power of the Maldivian Democratic Party in 2008, tripling in number in the past five years – although the most recent government figures show guest houses to comprise just over 4 percent of the industry’s registered bed capacity.

While promoted as by the MDP as a way for communities and smaller businesses to tap into the country’s largest source of income, the rise in tourists staying on inhabited islands has caused concern amongst some Islamic groups who suggest tourists and locals ought to be kept apart.

“If the hippy-type of travellers come, along will come drugs and narcotics which even now our society is suffering from. Things like nudity are not acceptable in a place where people are living. The people complain that they are praying in the mosque and just outside there are tourists in bikinis,” Vice President Mauroof Hussain of the Adhaalath Party recently told the AFP.

One Malé guesthouse owner –  who wished to remain anonymous – stated that moderation should be shown by tourists when walking the streets of the capital.

“Bikinis in public I think it’s unethical considering our traditions and culture.”

The owner,went on to say that he did not feel the issue to be a serious one, however, noting that most tourists were “very disciplined”.

Mayor Manik also expressed his belief that this was not a growing problem, saying that he had received no complaints from members of the public.

The current government – having been elected on a protection of Islam platform – is planning to experiment with ‘guest islands’, which aim to utilise uninhabited islands while still giving smaller entrepreneurs the opportunity to enter into the industry.

Speaking with Minivan News last month, Tourism Minister Ahmed Adeeb said that while the current government was not against the guest house concept, he felt that publicising this small area of the industry could hurt the brand’s overall image.

“The thing is, from a marketing perspective, we have positioned the Maldives as a high-end destination. A-category guests will continue coming for as long as we market the country as an A-category destination,” he said.

Adeeb also noted that local concerns played a role in his reluctance to promote the guest house sector.

“Even locally, culturally, people get disheartened when we talk about guesthouses. So although I don’t much talk about it, guesthouse owners are aware that they have my full cooperation.”

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Fiqh Academy reveals opinion on abortion

The Fiqh Academy of Maldives has today issued its opinion on abortion, stating that the situations in which they believe abortion is allowed under Islam.

According to the academy, if a woman gets raped – regardless of whether marriage to the man is allowed under Islam – abortion is allowed if it is carried out within the first 120 days.

The academy further stated that if a woman whose medical conditions is not good enough to hold a baby in her womb gets raped by a man then abortion is allowed if it is carried out in the first 120 days.

The academy was first established in 2009 under President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration, and was dissolved and then re-established by President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan.

The current nine-member academy is composed of two councils – the Shariah Council and an Advisory Council. Members are appointed by the president and the academy’s main function is to act as an advisory body on issues of Islamic jurisprudence and Shariah law.

The fourth situation stated in which they viewed abortion as being allowed was if the doctors are sure that the baby might have serious health conditions such as thalassemia, sickle cell, or any other serious medical condition that cannot be cured by medicine.

The only situation where abortion is allowed after the first 120 days was if the mother’s health condition was critical and doctors were forced to save either the baby or the mother.

The Fiqh Academy also said that abortion is allowed in the first four situations, if carried out within 120 days of pregnancy because the fetus would not have soul inside but after 120 days the soul will enter the fetus and thereafter it should be considered as living.

The Academy has issued eight rulings since it’s establishment and also suggested amendments to the draft Penal Code while it was open for public comments.  People’s Majlis’  Penal Code drafting committee rejected all but one of the proposed amendments.

Since 2011 there have been an increase in the amount of abandoned babies reported by the media.

On May 5, 2011, a dead infant was found in a plastic bag in the swimming track area of Male’. A medical examination later concluded that the baby had sustained cuts, bruises and other wounds.

On May 21, 2011, the corpse of a premature baby boy was discovered inside a Coast Milk tin on the island of Villingli.

Police Sub-Inspector Shiyam at the time told told Minivan News that the dead child, believed by forensic examiners to have been born three months premature, was discovered in a discarded container near the power house area of the island.

On May 22, 2011, the body of a newborn baby boy discovered in a park in Hulhumale’ was found with underwear tied tightly around his neck.

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State produces evidence and witnesses against Maleesha Hajj Group owner

The Prosecutor General has produced witness and evidence obtained through police investigation against Ismail Abdul Latheef, the owner of the ‘Maleesha Hajj Group’.

Latheef is accused of fraudulently obtaining funds from Maldivians who paid his company to go to Mecca last year to perform the obligatory Hajj pilgrimage.

According to the local media, the prosecution produced the evidence of 87 persons who were defrauded, two persons who worked for Maleesha who collected the funds from people, and bank statements belonging to Latheef.

Latheef’s lawyer told the court that the Maleesha Hajj Group was not on the list of local Hajj Groups selected by the Islamic Ministry to send people to Mecca, and said it had not up to date explained why the Maleesha Hajj Group was not permitted this time while it had been the previous two years.

The lawyer told the judge that the Maleesha Hajj Group did try to take the people through Sri Lanka because the Maldives did not allow it, and said Latheef and his family was still trying to find a way to send those people who had paid the company.

Latheef’s lawyer also said he would explain how the funds collected from the people were used.

Police began searching for the 42 year-old in late September after it was alleged that he had defrauded 175 people of MVR 12 million (US$778,000), after they made payments to the company.

Latheef was reported to police after people who had made payments realised that the group’s office had been closed for days without any response or notification.

On October 2, Interpol issued a red notice to locate and apprehend Latheef. He was arrested by Sri Lankan police while he was in the Mount Lavinia Hotel in Colombo.

Attending the Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. Clients of the company were not able to go to Mecca this year to perform the religious obligation.

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