Minister says did not foresee rioting over yoga debate
The minister said that he has now requested for a Fatwa Council opinion on the issue of yoga and that it will be shared with the public upon receipt.
By
Shahudha Mohamed
Authorities had not foreseen the religious debate on yoga to heat up and turn into violence when rioting took place at a yoga event held on 21 June to celebrate the International Yoga Day, Islamic minister Dr Ahmed Zahir said on Wednesday.
A group of people stormed into the yoga event held at Galolhu National Stadium amid differences of opinion voiced over yoga among Maldivians. Some claim that yoga started as a Hindu prayer ritual and so it is forbidden in Islam.
Islamic Minister was summoned to Wednesday's meeting of the parliament's government oversight committee.
"We have not foreseen this issue to come up, and so we had not had any discussions regarding such a possibility," said the minister.
The minister said:
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Since yoga activities had been sanctioned by the government in 2015, the debate about yoga in Maldives had sprung up among religious scholars
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The debates continued on various platforms
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No one has yet submitted a request to the Fatwa Committee to address the matter
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Yoga issue had not escalated in the absence or neglect of the Fatwa Council
However, the minister said that he has now requested for a Fatwa Council opinion on the issue of yoga and that it will be shared with the public upon receipt.
The work of the Fatwa Council has not progressed since the term of the members expired. Council chair Dr Mohamed Rasheed Ibrahim is the sole member on the council. According to the government, appointment of new members has been delayed to make way for the establishment of a Fiqh Academy.
Zahir said efforts are underway in collaboration with his ministry, Attorney General's Office and the President's Office to bring necessary changes to the law to establish the Fiqh Academy. He said that there will be a large number of people in the Fiqh Academy compared to the Fatwa Council, and that therefore, the chances of reaching the right decisions after good debates will increase.
"We are in the process of appointing members to the Fatwa Council now, even until the Fiqh Academy is formed," Zahir said.
Ministry policy for religious advice
A letter sent to the police by the Islamic ministry on June 15 urging the cancellation of yoga activities had surfaced.
The ministry later said that the letter was not sent regarding the yoga day celebrations, and that the letter had been issued in violation of established procedures to be followed within the ministry on such matters.
When asked about the steps taken by the ministry to avoid such issues at Wednesday's committee session, Zahir said that a relevant operating procedure has been put in place.
According to the SOP:
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If a case is submitted to the Islamic ministry, the case must be brought to the Minister present at that time.
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The minister will decide whether it is an issue that needs to be obtained through the Fatwa Council or an issue that can be advised and resolved by the scholars at the ministry.
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If a letter containing a religious concern related to the community is issued from the ministry, it must have the minister’s seal and signature on it.
Zahir also noted other measures taken in connection with the letter sent against operating procedures:
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Administrative action taken against some individuals
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Taking statements of relevant staff
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Advising those who need to be advised
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Internal transfers of some employees
