Islamic Ministry initiates probe against Makthaba Salafiyya

Islamic Ministry has begun an inquiry into the news conference held by an organization of religious scholars named Makthaba Salafiyya last Saturday.

Scholars of the organization some whose licenses have been suspended for promoting extremism by the Ministry shifted the blame at other religious scholars during the conference. The conference resulted in a tit for tat angry response from religious scholars across the country.

Islamic Ministry media official Ismail Afrah stated to “Sun” that the Ministry had advised the alleged senior member of Maktaba Salafiyya, Sheikh Mohamed Hassan, who was one of the scholars whose license was suspended by the Ministry, not to repeat such activities. Afrah also said that the Ministry would not accept divisions between religious scholars that result in barbed responses.

“We advised Mohamed Hassan not to respond to other scholars, especially in cases of religious differences. He had signed a document (agreeing) to this,” said Afrah.

The Ministry stated that it discouraged conflict between scholars and that Minister Mohamed Zahir was working hard to resolve the matter.

Sheikh Hussain Mohamed of Maktaba Salafiyya denied the accusations by the Ministry that he promoted extremism and named other scholars who he alleged were supporters of extremism.

When questioned regarding the steps that will be taken against the scholar for disobeying the Ministry's advise, Afrah said that the matter was currently being reviewed, and action would be taken if it was warranted.

The news conference of the organization is not the only matter that the Islamic Ministry is investigating. The Ministry is also investigating a case of the organization running an unregistered school. Allegations that the organization denies.