Figh Academy to deliberate on allowing non-Muslim’s to worship in Maldives .

Responding to President Mohamed Nasheed’s recent radio address, in which  he said he is i interested in knowing  Islam’s position on allowing non-Muslims to worship and building churches and temples in the country,   in an Islamic community, Ministry of Islamic Affairs is to request the Fiqh Academy ( Muslim Scholar’s Acedemy recently established to comment on religious matters)  to explain the Shariah’s ruling on the matter.

Answering a question put forward by Miadhu Daily   yesterday, State Minister of Islamic Affairs Sheikh Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed said that even if the President said that in a radio address, explaining and clarifying religious matters for the President and the public was among the mandate of the ministry and so the ministry has will go ahead to seek answers from the Fiqh Academy.

The State Minister added that even though the ministry wanted to address this issue as soon as possible, they were facing some problems as a number of Islamic scholars from the Academy are attending the Annual Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca.

The duty of giving religious sermons falls on such sensitive matters is assigned to the Fiqh Academy since it’s establishment early this year.

State Minister Sheikh Shaheem further said that when Eid holidays are over , President Nasheed will be given information of Shariah’s view on allowing non-Muslims to worship in an Islamic community. This would be done after discussing and deliberating with the religious scholars in the Academy.

Since Maldives embraced Islam about 900 years ago, Places to worship like Churches and Temples are not allowed in the country, but residing non-muslims has the right to practice their releigion at their homes or rooms without showing to the public.