When the entire world is crying
to protect and respect human rights and the freedom of religion on the global
level, at the same time, it’s ironic to hear that the Angolan Ministry of
Justice and Human Rights couldn’t favour the Muslims legalizing Islam as a
religion in the country. The government of Republic of Angola announced the
banning of Islam and Islamic activities in the country recently.
The Republic of Angola, a Christian dominated country is situated in the
Southern-Central Africa, with a population of 17 million people, bordering
Namibia to the south, Zambia to the east, and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo to the north. Luanda is the capital city. Kikongo is one among six
recognised national languages; whereas Portuguese is the official language which
is commonly written, spoken and understood in the whole country.
From 16th century till October 1975, it was a Portuguese territory known as the
Overseas Province of Angola. With sacrifices and efforts made by the Angolan
people, it achieved its independence on 11th November, 1975. After independence,
civil war broke out and Angola remained the scene of an intense fratricidal
fighting for around 26 years, until it came to an end on 4th April, 2002,
following peace and agreement between civilians and the government.
While on the one hand the news about banning Islam in Angola has spread like
jungle fire within few days in the entire world, there is also news that it is
not true. Now the common Muslims are confused in this regard. It’s shameful that
a Muslim leader of an African or Arab country doesn’t want to break his silence
on such serious issue while the common Muslims want to hear voices raised
against this move.
A verification being circulated on social networking site, Facebook, without any
reliable source, is as follows:
“Upon verification from Angloan scholars it was found that the story of Islam
being banned in Angola is completely fabricated. Sadly, the demolition of all
structures that were built without proper documentation, planning, procedure
etc. was carried out. This happened to include some religious structures too,
amongst them a masjid. Interestingly, the picture doing its rounds is not even
from Angola but the Middle East. This happened quite some time back but is being
carried mischievously by some media houses. It is important that Muslims should
only build masjids after proper approvals to avoid this. It has happened in
other countries before. Please clarify the truth with those who have become
emotional about the so-called banning of Islam in Angola. May Allah Almighty
grant us a lesson and safeguard the Deen. Aameen!”
Speaking about banning of Islam, the Angolan President, Jose Edurado dos Santos
was quoted by several news agencies and Angolan Newspapers as saying: “This is
the final end of Islamic influence in our country.”
The Angolan Minister of
Culture, Rosa Cruz e Silva said, “The process of legalisation of Islam has not
been approved by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, and their mosques
would be closed until further notice,” Silva’s statement was made during her
appearance at the 6th Commission of the National Assembly.
Silva further said, “All sects on the list published by the ministry of Justice
and Human Rights in the Angolan newspaper, ‘Journal De Angola’ are prohibited to
conduct worship. So, they should keep their doors closed,” as quoted by Cameroon
Voice.
It is reported that as part of the ban, the Angolan government has ordered the
demolition of the mosques, Qur’anic Schools and Islamic Centers.
In early October 2013, the minaret of a mosque, in the municipality of Viana
Zango of the capital city Luanda, was dismantled into pieces on the ground
without any prior information in agreement with the decision of the Angolan
authorities. It took place after the announcement made by the governor on 3rd
October, 2013 in the morning in a radio spot that radical Muslims are not
welcome in Angola and the Angola government is not ready for legalisation of
mosques in Angola.
On 28th November, 2013, The Guardian has quoted David Ja, president of Islamic
Community of Angola as saying: “We can say that Islam has been banned in Angola.
You need 100,000 to be recognised as a religion or officially you can’t pray.”
“The mosques in Luanda were supposed to be closed on a particular day but
because of an international furore about reports that Angola has banned Islam,
the government decided not to do so. So, at the moment, mosques in Luanda are
open and people are going for prayer,” Mr. Ja added.
As to me the report published in the Guardian is more authentic and reliable,
because under Angolan law, a religious group needs more than 100,000 members and
to be present in 12 of the 18 provinces to gain legal status, giving them the
right to construct schools and places of worship. There are only about 90-80
thousand Muslims among Angola’s population. So, it is impossible for Islam to be
recongnised in Angola. In other words, Islam is banned in Angola under the
present law and the freedom of religion is being snatched from the people, I
think.
We observe that when some unwanted actions occur at any place, the leaders of
the so-called civilised countries start condemning in the strongest terms within
a moment; but when those are against Islam and Muslims, they keep mum as they
are dumb, deaf and blind. To my utter surprise, the heads of the Muslim
countries show their courage and cruelty against their own people, even if they
want to protest for a right purpose, and when something goes wrong against Islam
and Muslims, they never dare to speak against anti-Islamic elements for the sake
of Islam and Muslims; rather they become cowards and chicken out.
Now banning Islam in Angola is a global issue and the Muslims are disturbed and
pained; but not yet even a single responsible Muslim leader has addressed this
issue.
According to the International Religious Freedom Report 2008 (published on
www.memeorandum.com), “Islam is a minority religion in Angola with 80,000-90,000
adherents, composed largely of migrants from West Africa and the families of
Lebanese origin. The Muslims comprised between 2.5 to 3 percent of Angola’s
overall population of 17 million people, most of them Christians.”
During the last few years, the Muslim community in Angola has grown appreciably
and Islamic activities have become more common in major cities. Mosques have
sprung up in a number of places and the Qur’anic schools have been built to
provide Islamic instruction and teach Arabic language to the followers of Islam.
In brief, it is rightly said that the Republic of Angola has become the first
country in the world to ban a peaceful religion such as Islam. Now about
80,000-90,000 Muslims of Angola are criminal by law, whereas the constitution
guarantees the freedom of religion, but only for 45% pagans and 53% Christians,
not for a small minority of Muslims. Is it democracy or tyranny? At least I
failed to understand the democracy of this so-called civilised world. May Allah
protect Islam and Muslims all over the world! Aameen!
(The author is a Darul Uloom Deoband alumnus and presently a teacher at Moon
Rays Trust School, Zambia, Southern Africa.)