Islamic scholars for harmony in Waaz Mehfil preachers
DOT Desk: In the wake of the home ministry’s observations about waaz mehfils, Islamic scholars want harmony among the preachers and refinement of the sermons instead of controlling them, reports The Dhaka Tribune.
Following the recommendations that preachers who charge money should be brought under income tax and must be brought under the law if their sermons contain seditious elements, scholars have accused the government of attempting to control these religious gatherings. In a report late last month, the home ministry named 15 speakers, whose sermons encourage communalism, militancy, intolerance against women’s emancipation, anti-democratic and anti-state propagandas. The ministry wrote to the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation, National Revenue Board and all divisional commissioners to take steps against them along with six recommendations. The call has significantly rattled the scholars and preachers have already engaged in discussions about the matter. “It’s important to form a board in collaboration with the scholars to put a stop to the disorders in the waaz mehfils,” said Islamic Andolan Amir Mowlana Syed Rezaul Karim.
He added that if the board is formed only under government supervision without any involvement of the Islamic scholars things might go haywire.
Islami Oikya Jote Secretary General Mufti Faizullah says that the scholars are supposed to preach the importance of humanity, righteousness, women’s rights, equality amongst many other things during these mehfils.
Meanwhile, Hefazat-e-Islam Organizational Secretary Mowlana Azizul Hoque says, “The government’s attempt to control waaz mehfils and the speakers go against the Constitution and undermines the religious values of the country.”
He said that if the government finds a preacher’s sermons inappropriate, they can warn them and ask for explanations.
“Not doing so and blaming the entire waaz sector hints at some deep-rooted conspiracy,” he added.
Hoque said that the Constitution provisions religious freedom and hindering or interfering in any waaz mehfil meant for spreading the word of Islam is the equivalent of going against the religion.
Saying that it’s not the scholars’ fault if the rules of Quran go against the government, he added that hanging photographs, making sculptures, bribery, corruption, terrorism, murder amongst many other things are forbidden in Islam.
“The scholars are duty bound to speak against these issues,” he said.
He added that some government officials take these personally and try to knock down waaz mehfils and the preachers.
On Friday (Apr 5), the Jatiya Ulema Mesheikh Aimma Parishad said in a media statement that the home ministry’s recommendations are the equivalent of trying to control Islam as a religion.
It’s part of a deep-rooted conspiracy to turn people away from Islam and if the government doesn’t step out of this, the scholars of the country would wage massive movements, the statement said.
Denying the allegations of the scholars, Islamic Foundation Research Department Director Mohammad Nur Alam said “Those who are saying that the government is trying to control the waaz mehfils are wrong.”
He told Bangla Tribune that they have no intention of controlling these religious affairs and those who are saying these things are creating unnecessary panic.
He added that they would review the ministry’s recommendations once their director general returns from abroad.