Maldives President warns Maldivian families living abroad that offers of free medical care and education may be a lure to indoctrination in the Christian religion
The Last Resort
education may be a lure to indoctrination in the Christian religion
from Haveeru
25 May 2002
translation from Maldives Culture contributors
The President of Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom, declared that in
order to force the Christian doctrine upon Maldivians, foreign
organizations are giving free medical care and education to Maldivian
families living abroad.
On Thursday, at a ceremony held at the Islamic Centre in Malé on the
occasion of the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet Muhammad, the
President of the Maldives made a speech saying that some foreign
organizations are helping families who are living away from the
Maldives as part of a well-calculated strategy. The President claimed
to know that foreign organizations have a lot of money at their
disposal in order to force the Christian doctrine upon Maldivians.
'I have been informed that among the activities being done in order to
force the Christian religion, ideas and doctrine upon Maldivian
families living abroad, the main one is to establish relationships
through giving various sorts of help,' the President commented.
'The facts of offering free education to children, giving free medical
care and any other kinds of help are just part of a very calculated
grand strategy. We have to be very alert. We have to decide whether we
want the blessings, progress and benefits of this world or the
happiness of both worlds. Whether we really want to receive the
fortune of salvation on the Day of Judgement by pleasing almighty
Allah or whether we just want to meet a few needs in this transient
world,' declared the President. 'Even though there is a strong
relationship between the Maldive Islands and the holy Islamic
religion, it is a sad fact that owing to the influence of ways of
thinking coming from abroad, a few anti-religious opinions are
beginning to be heard in the Maldives,' the President lamented.
The President went into great detail in his speech on the topic of the
relationship between the Maldive Islands and the holy Islamic
religion. He affirmed that there is a very strong relationship between
the Maldives and the holy Islamic religion. Ever since the islands
were converted to the religion of Islam, the Maldivians have been
living in a 100% Muslim country, which is something that is not only
in the hearts of the subjects, but which is also expressed in the laws
and rules of the state.
The President observed that due to the fact that some foreign ways of
thinking have made inroads into the Maldives, a few people are raising
their voices claiming that it is not indispensable that Islam be
enshrined in the constitution as the religion of the Maldive Islands.
This is a very disgraceful activity and something that has to be given
full attention, he warned.
In the constitution of every Islamic country, it is stated that the
official religion of that state is the religion of Islam. In a similar
manner, in countries that are not Islamic, statements based on the
religion that those people believe are written in their constitution.
Therefore, what some people demand concerning a secular state or a
government where no particular religion should be enforced, is a
deceitful opinion not based on reality, the President affirmed.
The President emphasized in his speech that there is a very close
relationship between Maldivian nationalism and the Islamic doctrine.
The self-rule, freedom and protection of the Maldive Islands have
endured owing to this relationship, he said.
He warned that if any place is given to any other religion in the
Maldives, the harmony, peace and tranquillity enjoyed by the country
would disappear. The freedom, self-rule and independence of the
Maldive Islands would definitely end, he said.
In his speech the President mentioned that the purpose of expressing
joy on the occasion of the birth anniversary of the Holy Prophet
Muhammad should be to show the strongest determination to strive
steadfastly in the religion revealed by the Holy Messenger of Islam,
and to remain firmly in the faith without the slightest hesitation.
The President said that the Holy Prophet Muhammad was the highest
example of modesty, humility and kindness to people.