Qadria Muslims in Zomba have proposed a gathering where among other things they want to highlight some controversial issues in the religion such as praying zuhhor after Jumuah.
The call comes as result of a feud that ensued between members of Chinamwali Ijtihaad Fi-Sabeel-llah Group and Sh. Saleem Mulosola, a teacher at Zomba Islamic High School on Saturday on the meaning of a certain Quranic verse during a congregation organised by the group at Mdelemani under the theme “Unity in Islam”.
Sheikh Mulosola accused the group of misinterpreting Quran 4 verse 8 which talks about Justice, alms giving and kindness.
The grouping led by Sheikh Hamza and Sh Arab Byson told the gathering that the alms giving mentioned in verse meant the Sadaqa offered after 40 days upon the death of a relative.
This did not go well with Sheikh Mulosola who attended the gathering .With no hesitation, he stood up to clarify on the true meaning of the verse.
“The Qur’anic verse means the laws governing the disbursement of deceased estates,” said the sheikh.
Sheikh Byson reacted angrily to Saleem Mulosola reaching the extent of describing him as a non-believer.
“This man is a Kafir (Non-believer), we need to eliminate him in our community”, sheikh Byson said .
Meanwhile the group has approached, Muslim Association of Malawi Treasurer for Zomba, Bro. Kalingo to convene a gathering aimed at finding the solution to the misunderstanding. .
Sheikh Mulosola has since said he is ready to have a discussion with the group.
“I have welcomed the challenge. I believe that the truth shall come out”, he said.
Several scholars in Zomba have pledged to take part in the discussion. Among them are Majilis Ulama Chairman, Dr. Imraan Sharif, MAM executive member, Sh. Abdul Rahman Kalako, Director of Al-Nidau Islamic foundation, Sh. Mussa Ayami, Zomba IIB coordinator, Sh. Ali William Bamusi and ZODEC program officer, Sh. Aboobakar Burhaan.
Last month, organising committee of the Ziyara Parade accused Sheikh Mulosola of telling Muslims to stay away from the event calling it an innovation during when he hosted a Thumba la Kasakaniza programme on Radio Islam.
i think its time to know the truth. please the sheikhs who knows the truth enlighten us we are being mislead by other sheikhs who never like to respond to the truth because they like always to be in a winning side
while i support debate as one way of reaching out to people and disseminating the facts o the opponent, am of the opinion that, if its about sheikhs discusing on issues they differ, wisdom must be used, respect observed, ikhlas be born in mind and ofcourse submission to the truth be obliged to the parties involved. however, in many cases, such type of debates have not yielded the intended purpose and has inadvently devided muslims or rather increased the gap that was there between the sheikhs and their followers. best examples can be searched in the archives of similar debates in Katuli and other Mangochi areas, where fighting has been the end result of these debates. i think this will be the first time to have the similar debate in Zomba which has always enjoyed cordial relationship between Qadriyas and Sukutis or whatever. now, i appeal to all sheikhs involved this time around to tread carefully on issues of debate and spare Zomba from infighting turmoil. in my opinion, i feel having such a debate in the way it has been organised, might not yield anything apart from maginalising the gap between the two parties. each party never wanting to submit to the truth coz they are shy to lose in front of their followers. moreover, as i understand from the article, the one standing to be a judge I understand is not a sheikh. why cant sucha debate be handled by sheikhs themselves. the best way i think would have been a man to man approach, where one sheikh who feels the truth is with him, contact the other party and discuss with open mindedness with the intention of seeking the truth and following it. sometimes, it happens that, you may think you have the truth, but later to realise that the other party his actually the one that had it. Imam Shafi, used to say this when he has an opinion differrent from his opponent's. " my opinion is right, but my opponent's opinion is likely to be true". in this case he meant to accept that the truth can be with the opponent sometimes.
coming to the point where, a sheikh accused a fellow sheikh on the podium, might be good in the opinion of the accuser, but i personally feel it wasnt the best way. the best thing to do would have been to convene a secret meeting with the sheikh who erred in interprating the ayah and discuss it. one thing most of us dont know is that, every sheikh in Malawi be him wa Qadriya or the other, when they teach any message, they do so according to how they understood it and they believe they are doing amanah by preaching what they lernt. the fact that we are all malawians whose mother tongue is some yao and others chichewa or…., we strugle to understand the language of Quran and no Malawian or no Arab can claim to grasp everything in Arabic as of today. even the arabs themselves they too struggle to understand issues you and me may call them simple. otherwise today, we wouldnt have been having some sects like Shia, Sufi, Tijan etc. but mind you,our Nnabi SAW said: those whom Allah wishes them good, they give them right understanding to Deen). May Allah save us from being strayed. Ameen
Please use Hikimah as per advised by Quran and emulate Sunah.
The thruth will prevail and win
Oooh/ Allah save us from being astray, plse tread carefully and mantain respect during the debate ishaAllah