Minister of Home Affairs, Sheikh Imran Abdulla has spoken in defense of Islamic scholar Dr. Mohamed Iyaz, who was dismissed from his position at the Maldives National University (MNU) on Thursday.
He said that differences of opinion on religious matters must be resolved through peaceful dialogue and independent discussions at educational institutions.
MNU dismissed Dr. Iyaz from his position as an Assistant Professor at the university, on Thursday. MNU revealed that he had been repeatedly warned and counseled due to his social media posts, prior to his dismissal. Dr. Iyaz came under fire for one of his recent posts, encouraging Female Genital Mutilation, and MNU revealed that they had advised him thrice round and through two written warnings.
MNU revealed that Dr. Iyaz openly posts in manners that indicates his support for extremist ideologies and he was suspended during March 2021 for expressing himself in ways that create unrest among the public.
Following the Islamic scholar’s dismissal, Minister Imran, also the leader of ruling coalition member Adhaalath Party, asserted that it is unacceptable for the country’s biggest university to raise strict measures over peaceful dialogue to resolve differences.
Imran urged the university to review its decision.
Imran has stressed that he does not believe the measures against Dr. Iyaz are justified.
Imran's Adhaalath Party said that the decision shows undue political influence within the university.
Following his dismissal, Dr. Iyaz took to Twitter on Thursday, highlighting that he would like to respond to the situation, similar to the response black magicians directed to Pharoah.
MNU had received 190 complaints from the public against Dr. Iyaz, at the time the university committee was proposed to probe his case.
A case relating to the Islamic scholar’s Tweet, posted on June 23, is currently being probed by the People’s Majlis Committee on Human Rights and Gender, after being submitted by MP for south-Galolhu constituency MP Meekail Naseem.
Dr. Iyaz came under fire after sharing the tweet with a link attached, sharing medical benefits of female circumcision in Islam. In a reply to the Islamic scholar’s Tweet, Gender Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi wrote that Islamic teachings do not back the act of female circumcision and that it has never been done in the history of Maldives.
Dr. Iyaz was on the receiving end of immense public criticism for the Tweet, to which he responded that it was based on research and that such issues will not be resolved through submitting cases at Majlis and pressuring authorities to dismiss him from his position.
The Islamic scholar had been suspended for a period of 14 days due to a similar incident in the past where he made a post on social media. Following his suspension Dr. Iyaz had filed a case at the Employment Tribunal, against MNU.
The Majlis committee last week decided to seek official documents from the Fiqh Academy, Ministry of Health, HRCM as well as the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in connection to the matter. Further the committee also passed to acquire official statements from the Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath, on work being conducted to ban the practice in the Maldives. In November 2020, Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath had announced efforts to declare Female Genital Mutilation a criminal offense in the Maldives.
Following this Deputy Parliament Speaker Eva Abdulla has sought to review the proposal to seek the opinion of relevant authorities on Female Genital Mutilation, revealing that she finds it unnecessary and uncalled for to seek the opinion and deliberate on the matter.
