Tag: Sheikh Ilyas

Adhaalath cleric attacks government

Influential cleric Sheikh Ilyas Hussain today denounced the government’s alleged attempts to “create strife and discord” among religious Adhaalath Party members.

The ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives has claimed Adhaalath’s break from the government and subsequent alliance with the opposition was not a popular decision among Adhaalath’s religious scholars and members.

But Ilyas, the president of Adhaalath’s scholar’s council, said he backed the opposition’s anti-government protests, and that the council had met on the matter.

“Dear brothers and sisters, remain vigilant of the rival’s attempt to create strife and discord. I urge everyone to go forward with the party’s president [Sheikh Imran Abdulla],” he said in an audio message from Malaysia.

“We held a meeting on March 7, and discussed the current events in the country. I call upon everyone to refrain from spreading false information regarding the council,” said Ilyas.

Adhaalath has been holding nightly protests alongside the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party urging the government to stop its alleged human rights violations.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Adhaalath Party demands educational certificates of Penal Code Committee MPs

The Adhaalath Party has sent a letter to Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid requesting he clarify the educational qualifications of MPs in Penal Code committee before 10:00am tomorrow (14 May).

The letter was sent following the Penal Code Committee’s decision to summon Chair of Adhaalath Party’s Scholars Council, Sheikh Ilyas Hussain, after alleging he had made misleading comments about provisions of Penal Code bill during a religious sermon.

In a statement issued today, the Adhaalath Party confirmed the letter was sent because the Penal Code Committee had “invited” Sheikh Ilyas before  the committee.

This is the second time the parliament has sent summons to Sheikh Ilyas over his comments, after he failed to show up the first time.

According to local media, on March 22 Sheikh Ilyas held a religious sermon dubbed the ‘Purpose of Islamic Sharia’ at the Furuqan Mosque after Isha Prayers, where he swore to God that the new Penal Code was “made to destroy the religion of Islam”.

Local media reported that during the sermon Ilyas declared the Penal Code did not have penalties for fornication, theft, corruption, forgery or robbery, and that if a person committed a crime while intoxicated, they were not to be subjected to punishment. He also claimed that according to the new penal code, it was not a crime for two people to have consensual sex.

Ilyas declared that the Penal Code was “a trap made by the West” to erase Islam in the name of Muslims, and vowed that he was ready to argue the point even if all the country’s lawyers came out against him.

After being summoned to parliament for the second time, Sheikh Ilyas told local media  the committee continued to summon him only because they were ignorant of the Islamic way regarding the matters he had raised.

Ilyas stated that the parliament members who sat in the committee had insisted that the Penal Code did not have any clauses against Islamic principles, but only because none of them possessed sufficient religious education to understand the reality. He added that he will would explain the matter to the MPs through verses of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet when he attended the committee meeting.

Ilyas further stated that the bill had a number of clauses which contradicted the penalties defined in Islamic Sharia, and that it had many “deceptive clauses”.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Sheikh Ilyas again summoned to Parliament Committee; says MPs “ignorant of Islamic ways”

Parliament’s Penal Code draft committee has once again decided to summon Chair of Adhaalath Party Religious Council and member of Maldives Fiqh Acadamy Sheikh Ilyas Hussain, after he failed to attend the committee’s previous summons.

The committee stated that it has asked Sheikh Ilyas to attend a committee meeting on May 15 regarding a sermon he gave at the Furugan Mosque in March titled “The Purpose of Islamic Shariah”.

In the sermon, Ilyas swore to God that the Penal Code was intended to destroy the religion of Islam. Calling the penal code “a trap made by the West” to eradicate Islam in the name of Muslims, Ilyas alleged that it did not have penalties for fornication, theft, corruption, forgery, or robbery. He further claimed the code stipulated that if a person claimed they were intoxicated when committing a crime, then they would not be subjected to punishment.

After the initial decision to summon Ilyas, Penal Code Committee Chair Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Ahmed Hamza rejected the Sheikh’s claims and stated that “[Sheikh Ilyas] has told the public that there are some provisions in the Penal Code that are not in it. We want to bring him and have a chat and inform him about the provisions that are there in the Penal Code.”

“MPs summon me as they are ignorant of the ways of Islam”: Ilyas

Upon being summoned to parliament again, Sheikh Ilyas told local media that the committee continued to summon him only because they were ignorant of the Islamic way regarding the matters he had raised.

Ilyas stated that the parliament members who sat in the committee had insisted that the Penal Code did not have any clauses against Islamic principles, but only because none of them possessed sufficient religious education to understand the reality. He added that he will would explain the matter to the MPs through verses of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet when he attends the committee meeting.

Ilyas further stated that the bill has a number of clauses which contradicted the penalties defined in Islamic Sharia, and that it had many “deceptive clauses”.

“I will strip the MPs naked”: Ilyas

Sheikh Ilyas was also reported in local media as stating that he would “strip the MPs naked” if he is summoned to the Penal Code Committee.

“I am willing to attend the committee. I will not be called Sheikh Ilyas if I fail to strip them naked. What will they prove? Who gave these people the right to take out the penalties defined in the Quran and categorise them into Part 1 and Part 2?” Ilyas stated.

Ilyas also called on all Maldivian media to broadcast the committee meeting which he is to attend live on TV.

Ilyas made the comments at the gathering held by Adhaalath Party and the National Movement at the Artificial Beach on April 30.

The Adhaalath Party has previously alleged that the parliament committee had added a clause to the Penal Code after Sheikh Ilyas gave the sermon in the Furugan Mosque, and accused the committee of orchestrating a cover up.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Parliament’s Penal Code Committee to summon Sheikh Ilyas for “misleading public”

Parliament’s committee responsible for the new Penal Code has decided to summon Chair of Adhaalath Party Religious Council and a member of Maldives Fiqh Academy, Sheikh Ilyas Hussein.

The committee decided to summon Ilyas on the grounds that he had made ‘’misleading’’ comments suggesting that the purpose of the penal code was to “destroy the religion of Islam”.

The decision was made during last Thursday’s meeting. During the meeting, Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP Nazim Rashad proposed that the committee summon Ilyas to clarify doubts he may have regarding the Penal Code and to clarify how much the Penal Code incorporated the principles and penalties in Islam.

According to local media, on March 22, Sheikh Ilyas held a religious sermon dubbed ‘Purpose of Islamic Shariah’ at the Furuqan Mosque after Isha Prayers, and there he swore to God that the Penal Code was made to destroy the religion of Islam.

Speaking to Minivan News today, the Chair of Penal Code Committee MDP MP Ahmed Hamza said the committee had asked the parliament secretariat to send notice to Sheikh Ilyas to produce himself before the committee on Tuesday.

“He has told the public that there are some provisions in the Penal Code that are not in it,” Hamza said. “We want to bring him in and have a chat and inform him about the provisions that are there in the Penal Code.”

Hamza said the Penal Code included provisions stating that theft and fornication were crimes.

“It also has a provision on flogging,” Hamza added.

Local media reported that during the sermon, Ilyas had declared that the Penal Code did not have penalties for fornication, theft, corruption, forgery or robbery, and if a person commits a crime while intoxicated, the person is not subject to punishment. He also claimed that according to the new penal code, it was not a crime for two people to have consensual sex.

Ilyas declared that the Penal Code was “a trap made by the West” to erase Islam in the name of Muslims, and vowed that he was ready to argue the point even if all the country’s lawyers came out against him.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Vaikaradhoo Council blocks Sheikh Ilyas’s ‘young women only’ sermon

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,.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Adhaalath Party condemns MDP for disrupting Sheikh Ilyas’s sermon

The Adhaalath Party, led by Sheikh Imran Mohamed, has condemned the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) after a group of people said to be MDP supporters obstructed a sermon held by prominent religious scholar Sheikh Ilyas Hussain at Masjid-al-Furqan on Friday night.

In a statement, the party said the Maldives was a 100 percent Islamic nation and that no one should be given the opportunity to obstruct religious views, and called on authorities to give harsh penalties to people involved in such un-Islamic activities.

The Adhaalath Party said that such people were mentioned in the Quran and cited verse 114;1 ‘’And who is more unjust that he who forbids that in places for the worship of Allah, Allah’s named should be celebrated? –whose zeal is (in fact) to ruin them? It was not fitting that such should themselves enter them except in fear. For them there is nothing but disgrace in this world, and in the world to come, an exceeding torment.’’

The party also said that people “who use their brain” should “realise that MDP is a cult that revolves around former President Mohamed Nasheed.”

The Adhaalath Party called on all citizens of the Maldives “to stop supporting these people who do not love the religion or the citizens even a little bit.”

Last Friday a group of people said to be MDP supporters gathered outside Furqan Mosque while Sheikh Ilyas was delivering a sermon inside, and shouted at him saying he was a traitor.

A group of people came out of the mosque and clashed with the group outside, before riot police arrived in the area and restored order.

According to police, five men were arrested following the unrest and brought before court.

The court released three of them and extended the detention period of the other two.

Police Spokesperson Sub-Inspector Hassan Haneef today told Minivan News that Male’ City Council on Friday night requested police stop a sermon at the Furqan Mosque, just as it was beginning.

‘’We did not think it was appropriate to stop it because it was a religious thing and not a criminal offence, so we decided to solve it through dialogue,’’ Haneef said. ‘’But when police went to the area people were gathered and there was unrest.’’

He confirmed that two of the five men arrested were still under police charge while the other three had been released.

Sheikh Ilyas is a member of Adhaalath Party’s religious council and has been very critical of former President Mohamed Nasheed.

Adhaalath Party is one of the parties aligned with the current government. Current Islamic Minister Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed is also a member of the party.

Tonight there is another sermon by Sheikh Ilyas due to be held at the same mosque, on the topic ‘Death’.

MDP Secretary General Ahmed Shah referred Minivan News to MDP  Spokesperson and MP Imtiyaz Fahmy ‘Inthi’, who did not respond at time of press.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Islam allows use of drugs for medical treatment, says Zuhair

Press Secretary for the President Mohamed Zuhair has said that Islam permits the use of narcotics under exceptional circumstances, such as in the treatment of drug addicts.

Speaking at a ceremony last night marking International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, prominent religious scholar Sheikh Ilyas Hussein said that even a small amount of drugs were not allowed in Islam, and claimed that illegal drugs “are no cure”.

‘’These religious scholars lack information on the topic, they don’t really have adequate information on drug abuse treatment,’’ Zuhair said. ‘’Scholars have to collect more information before they preach.’’

Zuhair explained that opiates were commonly used as pain killers, and questioned why illegal drugs would be disallowed under Islam if it permitted opiates to be injected into the body prior to painful operations.

‘’The government’s aim is to reduce the amount of new drug users, and we have seen progress,’’ he said. ‘’Police statistics show a 50 percent reduction in new drug users last year compared to previous years.’’

Zuhair credited the government’s decision to combine three sessions of school a day into one session with reducing the number of young people on the streets with nothing to do, placing them at risk of drugs and gang involvement.

‘’Formerly when we had three sessions, children studying in the first session would finish school at midday and go home. His mother and father would not be around and he had a lot of free time without anything to do,’’ Zuhair explained. ‘’Then he goes out and join the gangs and starts doing drugs.’’

Zuhair also said penalties and treatments for hard drugs and soft drugs in the Maldives were different in other countries, but said that in the Maldives users of both hard and soft drugs received the same penalties and treatment.

He signaled the government’s intention to seek amendment to these laws, but said this would depend on the level of public awareness and understanding of the issues.

Sheikh Ilyas in his speech last night said that is was impossible to combat the drug issue by administering drugs in increasingly small doses.

He said that the penalty for taking drugs was 40 lashes if it was the first time and more for second time, with harsher penalties also permitted under Islam.

A former drug addict told Minivan News that he agreed with Sheikh Ilyas and that the best method was “stopping it at once”.

‘’I myself tried to recover taking it little by little, and it did not work for me,’’ he said. ‘’There are some others who tried that method and succeeded, but most of the time it is successful only if you try to stop it at once.’’

He said the most important thing for addicts seeking to stop taking drugs was the support from people around him or her, “especially friends and family.”

‘’He has to understand that he is suffering the consequences of his own actions and has to go through the pain [or withdrawal], understanding that it does not last forever and that taking drugs again as a temporary cure is not a permanent solution,’’ he said.

He described the rehabilitation facilities in the Maldives as “useless places.”

“Firstly, the government needs to bring major amendments to the laws, categorising drugs and bringing in other changes to overcome the drug issue,’’ he said.

Society needed to be more aware of illegal drugs and how to cure addiction, he suggested.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

Adhaalath Party condemns ”false allegations” made by government officials to Indian magazine

The Adhaalath Party, led by State Islamic Minister Sheikh Hussein Rasheed, has hit back at unnamed government officials who described Sheikh Illyas and Sheikh Fareed as “hate preachers” in an interview with India’s magazine ‘The Week’‘.

The party claimed that senior officials of the current government, including former Foreign Minister Dr Ahmed Shaheed and Home Minister Hassan Afeef, made false allegations against a number of the country’s religious leaders, including the vice leader of the Adhaalath Party’s religious council, Sheikh Ilyas Hussein.

Afeef is not acknowledged as a source in the current version of the  article, and Shaheed’s comments to The Week concern the potential involvement of Maldivians in the attacks of Mumbai by Pakistani terrorist group Laskar-el-Taiba (LeT).

In the article Ahmed Muneer, Deputy Commissioner of the Maldives Police, acknowledges that “our radical preachers are enjoying street credibility and radicalisation is visible at the street level. It’s a problem for us, but things would aggravate if the radicals get integrated into Maldivian politics.”

The Adhaalath party claimed that during the interview, “Dr Shaheed said that scholars were delivering lectures with the intention of earning money, and that only a few people attended religious protests because they wanted to go to heaven.”

The Adhaalath Party contends that is is moderate rather than extremist. It is in coalition with the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), and fills most of the ranks of the Islamic Ministry.

”As a result of this [article], religious scholars in the Maldives will face many obstacles locally, and it will also affect Maldivian families living in India,” said the Adhaalath Party.

”Sheikh Ilyas is one of the best scholars in the Maldives of recent ages, and many citizens enjoy attending his sermons.”

In retaliation, the Adhaalath Party accused the government of establishing and spreading extremism in the Maldives, and misleading the West in its desperation for money.

”Due to irresponsible comments by senior officials of the government, tourism in the country will also be affected,” warned the Adhaalath Party, accusing the President of “fabricating” earlier statements concerning scholarly freedom in the Maldives.

‘The Week magazine article reports that the LeT has been eyeing the Maldives since early 2000, when its headhunters travelled to Male’. India’s Intelligence Bureau estimated that there were more than 3,000 LeT facilitators and instigators in the Maldives, it reported.

In the article, Mohamed Hameed, head of the internal intelligence department of the Maldivian police, claimed that several hundred Maldivian youth had left the island nation “and their families have never heard from them since.”

”Hameed said ‘recruitment is taking place all the while.’ Radicals like Yoosuf Izadhy — a militant jihadi who is said to have ties with al Qaeda, according to leaked diplomatic cables prepared by then US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice—are roaming free. Izadhy was planning to create a terrorist base in the Maldives with support from a Waziristan-based group. He and Hasnain Hameedh had operational aspirations,” the magazine reported.

“The spread of an extremist belief system is fueled by hate preachers like Sheikh Fareed and Sheikh Ilyas. Both are [under surveillance],” the magazine reported a “Maldivian intelligence official” as saying.

Speaking of the 2007 Sultan Park bombing in Male’, in which 12 tourists were injured, Dr Shaheed told The Week that “the ringmaster [prime accused] of the Sultan Park bombing was allowed to leave the country. The incident wasn’t fully investigated. The ringmaster was a young boy. We need to find out who was behind the ringmaster. I think there are unanswered questions.”

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)

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.

Likes(0)Dislikes(0)