Minister of Islamic Affairs, Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has said that the scholars are very concerned regarding the politics of the caliphate announced by the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS).
Minister Dr. Shaheem made this remark in reply to a question asked by Komandoo constituency MP Ahmed Nashid at the Peoples’ Majlis yesterday.
Minister Shaheem pointed out that the government and government-sanctioned preachers had condemned the practice of joining jihadi groups, and decried IS in particular.
“We do not condone their policies. We do not condone their extremism. We have made our stand very clear,” he said.
On the subject of awareness-raising, the Minister informed Parliament that the government would sponsor sermons on current subjects that would be broadcast on television.
“We have always reiterated and urged the youth not to be deluded by these ideologies,” he said.
Dr. Shaheem said that there exists issues related to some of the youth making their own congregation for prayers and having marriage ceremonies on their own. He said that these are onset for the bigger problems.
The Minister said that such issues are spread in other countries with the onset of similar problems.
Dr. Shaheem said that the country is in need of more assistance and efforts from the religious scholars to resolve these issues.