Islamic Affairs Minister Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed has invited his Palestinian counterpart, Mohammed Musthafa Najm, to visit the Maldives and deliver a Friday prayer sermon.
The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ninth Conference of Ministers of Awqafs and Islamic Affairs, currently underway in Saudi Arabia. Minister Saeed’s gesture comes at a critical juncture, as he faces mounting criticism for his handling of recent events related to Palestine.
The controversy stems from Minister Saeed’s actions in the aftermath of Israel’s assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas’ political wing. While the Arab and Islamic world swiftly condemned Israel for the act, Minister Saeed’s actions drew criticism. The Mohamed Muizzu administration released a statement 24 hours after Haniyeh’s assasination.
Critics highlight that the official statement issued by the Muizzu administration failed to make any mention of Israel’s ongoing “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza. The statement also refrained from mentioning Israel by name, fuelling discontent on social media.
Maldivians expressed dissatisfaction, questioning the government’s stance and demanding a more robust condemnation. Minister Saeed’s lack of decisive action regarding funeral prayers in absentia for Haniyeh intensified the backlash. While many Arab and Muslim countries held such prayers on Friday, Minister Saeed left the decision to individual imams, sparking further controversy.
In response, Minister Saeed defended his approach via social media, engaging with critics and religious scholars. His invitation to Minister Najm is seen by observers as an attempt to cover up the delayed condemnation and the decision to leave funeral prayers in absentia for Haniyeh to individual imams.
