how should we deal with the problem of religious extremism?

It seems after the terror blast the government of Maldives is tightening the grip on all islamic groups.

a bill is to be submitted to the parliament on making the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs an independent institution,rather than being a toothless tiger (as the president of the council , Sheikh Raseedh puts it)... [read more]

Under the despotic law of 'protecting the islamic unity of maldives' the president have asked the Islamic council to ban face veiling in public, dressing or behaving in a manner which resembles -in any way- religous denominationalism.In other words they trying to find a way to make things hard for all islamic groups in maldives [read more].

This type of reaction from the government is nothing new. this had happened many times, crack down on wahhabis they call it... they would arrest people and shave off their beards, force them to keep their trousers below ankle (which,according to them is like being in hell),and even take off face veils of women (which will be for them as if removing their clothes).This kind of unacceptable acts of the government is doing nothing except for fueling the wild fire of extremism.This will move elements from more moderate islamic groups in to the stricter and therefore more dangerous people.What i am trying to say is , a bearded guy or a preaching bearded guy is not our business, not a threat to our national security. but bearded or not...a terror minded jihadi muslim is a threat to our country and we should keep an eye on them...when necessary punish them.but a crack down on all bearded or faceveiled people is not just...and very stupid.

Extremism is a serious issue which have to be dealt wisely and professionally.it shouldnt be like the old majeedhee magu paving project or nerugovvun projects our government carried out.because this is no ordinary thing we are dealing with.religous ideologies or thinking cannot be killed by force.it should be killed (if needed) by better ideologies.You all know they have read the story of ashaabul uhdhoodh from Bukhari collection of Hadiths.In that story people are burned alive for what they believe but they prefered death to giving in.This (the strong faith in what they believe...what ever they may believe) is what drives a young boy,well educated, loved by every one... changes in to a hated monster that wants to kill people.Strengthening the 'islamic unity' itself is a threat to our future. This kind of 'strengthening' will take the rights of islamic groups and will create a violent reaction. A group of religious extremists Gaafu Alifu atoll Maamendhoo are not praying with the common congregation ... now they are praying in the mosque after the common congregation...should we attack them too?!What ever his intention is...Sheikh Shaheem of Adalat party have showed that these people can be softened down by talking to them or discussing religious issues with them instead of releasing a canonic way of doing everything from the president's office and punishing those who disobey.

It is the hypocrisy of Maldives government when it comes to religion ...that have created a breeding ground for jihadi islamic movements and islamic extremism in maldives.For example; we are told that we should follow Quran and Hadith...but we are lied about them.Lies which are so evident that even the kids will know some thing is wrong in those fatwas.Now when this happens children turns to islamic books or websites originating from saudi arabia or saudi funded groups, looking for answers.These will lay a foundation for the wahhabi islam.Now from this stage a person may develop in to anything...just a salafi,a follower of political islam (hizb-ut-tahrir/ikhwanul muslimeen?) or to a houri seeking jihadi muslim.I am not saying that it is their right to preach terrorism. but we cant define what the limits are ,as long as we try to strengthen the 'islamic unity' by force.Let it come by its own (if there is any such thing as an islamic unity) .

I think what we need to cultivate is not islamic unity and hatred for other religions.what we need is an free society, a free environment in which religious tolerance,humanism, and brotherhood would prosper.For this to happen we need social change as well as political change.To bring about this we need education,awareness,change of policies and a secular state or atleast a state with freedom of religion.A state which wouldn't threaten to kill a person for choosing his or her own way of life or belief or for discussing a religious topic freely.Religion have to become more spiritual rather than being a 'dividing-in-the-name-of-uniting' force.Hate and violence would give nothing but hate and violence.The government should understand that these islamic groups too are maldivian citizens, faceveiled women and bearded men are our people..parents to our children...if you jail them beat them up just for what they believe or how they dress..it would be very unjust.I have known so far that .... two leaders of the dotcom group (the guys behind the bomb plot) have fled Maldives.This is what we need to concentrate on... bringing the violent and the terror breeding to justice and tackling the extremism problem ideologically.

buddha shaped giant flowerpot confiscated and destroyed.

Jazeera Daily have reported that a Buddha shaped giant flower pot imported by Four Seasons Resorts Maldives (yeah,the same guys who were in the limelight for Buddhas and topless dancers at a Birthday celebration ) have been confiscated by the Maldives Customs Service.The flower pot which was imported to Maldives on 13th of this month have been confiscated after the Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs gave a verdict confirming that it is indeed an idol, the newspaper reported, citing a senior customs official.Jazeera reported that this 2 feet flower pot was made of a cement like material.

"Even if it was a flower pot it looked like an idol(used for worhip),so we queried the Council (the Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs).They decreed that it must be treated as an idol.And that is why we refused to release it from the customs service."Jazeera quoted the official as saying.According to Jazeeraa,the official also confirmed that the pot will be demolished in the same manner they demolish all other confiscated objects, and the people who imported it have also been notified about this.Further more, Jazeeraa reported that after the newspaper published some pictures of this pot,The Ministry of Tourism have said that they will attend to this matter very soon.

[a picture of the flowerpot published on jazeera daily.]

Halal Earnings from West for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Dhivehistan

This is about the recent controversy over a giant Buddha statue built on a Maldives Island (BBC , D.O ) for Sir Philip Green's birthday party(Guardian).

This time the Giant Buddha on Baa atoll Landaa giraavaru island was 'legal'.but some years back Fareesha O'Shea of the famous Maldivesculture.com website (An Australian lady of Maldive descent) was arrested for arriving from Bali (Indonesia) with a "Buddha used for Christian worship".And a police officer who did some kinda training in India got a trophy with an image of a hindu deity...it was confiscated from airport (most probably...the customs officers handed it over to the army and they burnt it safely...in a way that qaumee ebbai vanthakan and zamaanussure dhivehinge medhugai onna ukhuvvaiy therikan will not be harmed.haha.)




what kind of 'islamic fiqh' is this?Maybe this is 'gayoomee fiqh'.

there was a similar fatwa given by uttama (Maldives’ Chief Justice and President of the Supreme Council on Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim). It was on a religous radio programme aired by VOM (i think the name of it is Olhigandu..it was aired every Friday night) .there was a Q&A session,and one Maldivian guy questioned about Christian tourists visiting the Islamic center and Mosque in Male'.Apparently the guy was not happy with some of them wearing crosses and crucifixes on their neck.And uttama gave the fatawa.

"It is haraam to carry a Cross into mosques which are the houses of God on earth.If any one goes into a Mosque carrying a big cross...we must not allow him to do so,we must send him out immediately.but, as for tourists wearing small crosses on their neck,that is ok.there is nothing wrong in it."



So thats it!Small cross is halaal.Big cross is haraam.Small Buddha is haraam and big Buddha is halaal.Size Matters! and i dunno if it is a big or a small krishna or ganesh that is haraam...i will have to ask uttama.

maybe it is not the size....it is the "Halal Earnings from West for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Dhivehistan"

yeah.thats it.These doublestandards are there for some reason.Sir Phillip Green paid big money.the tourists paid.but normal maldivian citizens dont.thats why they dont have the right to worship or even carry or even talk about any other deity. and ...who the hell will carry a cross on his shoulder into the islamic centre.ehehe.

So it is all about our economy?not really...it is about pumping money in from the west and pumping em out to the swiss accounts of big fat businessmen and big bad politicians.Alcohol is also banned for Maldivians but Legal for tourists...and yeah...also topless dancers.but i DOOO think maldivians have a right to enjoy freedom of religion.It was Gayom who took away this freedom,and i want him to give it back!He have tortured Maldivian Christian converts and anyone who goes against 'Golhaa Islam' for almost 3 decades.its time we talk about these rights and question the crazy fatawaas given by uttama and gayom.And it is time we start thinking freely about EVERYTHINHG.what do you think?does maldives need freedom of religion?Is it just, to force all maldivians to be muslims when they are all not willing to?do we need to go for a referendum in deciding this?or should all the maldivians be barred from the right to freedom of religion.....and these rights be 'sold' only to those who can pay enough money?