Tag: jamiyyathul salaf

“Hold down the poison pen” of Haama News journalist, demands Salaf

Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf has demanded the editor of local news paper ‘Haama’ take action against one of the publication’s journalists, accusing him of “insulting the ‘Kaaba’”.

The Kaaba is the most sacred site in Islam, a cube-shaped building in Mecca which all Muslims around the world must face during prayers.

Salaf has sent a letter to the newspaper claiming that the article by Mohamed Naseer violated the Sunnah of Prophet Mohamed (PBUH), “and that the article was against the consensus of the scholars of Islam.”

“Although he has written many articles critisicing the religion, those articles were not read by the scholars, and therefore he was not exposed,’’ the letter said. “The constitution of the Maldives does not allow anybody freely criticise the religion.’’

“Before the poison of his pen reaches your news agency and people who looks after Naseer, we call on you to stop his pen,’’ the NGO threatened.

Salaf also recommended Naseer “to fear God and repent.”

Editor of Haama, Saif Azhar, told Minivan News today that the author of the concerned articles “was not a staff at Haama but a freelance columnist.”

“It was mistakenly published without being approved by the editor,” said Azhar. ”We removed the article as soon as people brought it to our attention.”

Azhar said the article was on the author’s view of eating and sleeping inside the mosque, something the writer noted that Maldivians had never supported.

”We advised him not to write articles like that,” Azhar said. ”We have never supported anti-Islamic articles or anything against religion, and it was just a mistake.”

State Minister for Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed could not be reached for comment, and Ministry Spokesperson Sheikh Ahmadulla Jameel declined to comment stating that he was not a religious scholar or political appointee.

Likes(0)Dislikes(1)

Salaf sends letter to police requesting information on alleged missionaries

Religious NGO Jamiyyathul Salaf yesterday sent a letter to the police, requesting Commissioner of Police Ahmed Faseeh to disclose information regarding alleged missionaries in the Maldives.

Salaf’s letter requested the commissioner disclose information on an alleged missionary couple who were caught by the Maldives Customs Services and deported.

‘’Two weeks after the couple was deported, another missionary was arrested in Baa Atoll, with Christian books written in Dhivehi, and you have said you were investigating the case,’’ the letter said. “Therefore, this NGO — which researches these people – has sent a letter requesting you share information about these cases from last year, October 29.’’

Salaf’s letter claimed the police did not replied to a earlier letter, in which they noted the arrest of another alleged missionary, named David Balk. Balk was previously living in Thaa Atoll Kinbidhoo last year, and left the Maldives on December 12.

“The aforementioned person mysteriously managed to flee the country. Jamiyyathul Salaf is very seriously concerned that adequate measurements are not taken against such crimes, and therefore, [police] are not providing the protection to the religion of Islam as stated under the constitution of the Maldives.’’

“We request you to reply to our recent letter and now that we have alleged that no lawful action was taken against people like David, and others who have violated the religious unity of the country and the constitution, and we request you investigate and reveal who was responsible for this.’’

‘’Furthermore,” wrote Salaf, “the above mentioned David was reportedly found recently in the Maldives, after the Immigration Department claimed he was deported. Therefore, we would like to inform you that this is also a case we are eager to investigate. Pictures of people who commit such unlawful crimes should be revealed to the media to alert the citizens of the Maldives.’’

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said that police will not disclose information of an investigation to any party “unless it is a party to which police should disclose information.”

“Police always investigate and deport missionaries as soon as possible if they are expats,’’ said Shiyam. “If they are a Maldivian we will take necessary actions against them as well.’’

He said that all the missionary cases [mentioned] were investigated and that police took lawful action against the individuals concerned.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

PA claims senior government officials “are not very religious”

People’s Alliance (PA) Leader and MP Abdulla Yameen has claimed that the senior officials of the government are “not very religious”, during a rally to celebrate the day the Maldives embraced Islam.

Secretary General of the PA, Ahmed Shareef, also claimed the government was not interested in religion and had done “many things to weaken Islam in the country.”

”Last year during Ramadan the government allowed non-muslims to eat in day time,” Shareef said,”and they disbanded women’s mosques.”

He said the government had also dismissed many Imams from their position, “and gave away the land belonging to the Kulliyathu Dhiraasathul Islamiyya school,” he added, when it was brought under the Maldives College of Higher Education.

”They also discussed the building of temples in the country and selling alcohol on inhabited islands,” he said.

Press Secretary for the President’s Office Mohamed Zuhair said the claims were untrue.

”The government has done many things to strengthen and protect Islam in the country,” Zuhair said.

He said the government’s policy was to leave all the religious issues to Islamic scholars.

”As we are not religious scholars we always leave religious issues to the religious scholars,” he said, pointing to new freedoms given to scholars.

“Yameen is not a religious scholar,” he added.

Spokesperson for Maldivian Democratic Party MDP Ahmed Haleem said the government had always tried to protect Islam in the Maldives.

”It’s a fact that the government has never arrested a religious scholar, unlike the former government,” Haleem said.

Haleem claimed the former government arrested more than 20 religious scholars after their sermons.

”I never knew that Abdulla Yameen was so religious,” Haleem said. “Maybe in the future we will see him at the mosque with a long beard and short trousers.”

Sheikh Abdulla Jameel said in his view Islam in the Maldives “has become very strong”, particularly among young people “who are now very interested in Islam.”

”I have noted that the number of people going to the mosques has also raised,” he said.

He said he believed this had happening because the government’s efforts to promote the role of religion in people’s hearts.

”The new government allows scholars to give sermons as they wish,” he said.

President of Islamic NGO Jamiyyath-al-Salaf, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohamed Ibrahim, said the group did not wish to comment on issue.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)