Maumoon Responds to Sheikh Sameer: Do Not Use Terms Like Sunni, Shia, or Salafi; These Are Labels Used by Enemies to Create Division
Following remarks by Sheikh Ahmed Sameer implying that Iranian leaders are not Muslims, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has urged against the use of labels that incite division within the Islamic community. Maumoon emphasized that categorizing and dividing Muslims as Sunni, Shia, or Salafi is a tactic employed by the enemies of Islam, asserting that all followers of the faith should be recognized simply as Muslims.
Former spiritual leader of the United States, Khamenei (C), former President Maumoon (R), and Sheikh Sameer (L). | RaajjeMV | Raajje MV
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has responded to remarks made by Sheikh Ahmed Sameer, which implied that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was not a Muslim.
Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom issued this rebuttal amid a surge of social media discourse surrounding Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei. Sameer, a prominent member of the Salaf organization, stated that based on the explicit writings found in the books of Iranian religious leaders Khomeini and Khamenei, it is evident that both figures have attributed deceit, treachery, and betrayal to the Mothers of the Believers, Aisha and Hafsa, as well as to Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and other companions of the Prophet. He further alleged that these writings portray the companions as manipulative individuals who only professed Islam out of a lust for power from the very day they first declared their faith.
Furthermore, these two individuals adhere to the false doctrines of the Shia sect, which disparage the Companions of the Prophet. This includes the belief that the Companions distorted the true meaning of Quranic verses to suit their own whims and were so driven by self-interest that they would not have hesitated to alter the Quran itself. These views are expressed in their writings with such clarity that they leave no room for alternative interpretation. Therefore, while one may hope for the destruction of the Zionist state through Iranian attacks, there is no justification for glorifying such individuals under the guise of defending Islam or the Muslim Ummah.
Amidst growing debates on social media regarding these remarks, former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom stated in a post on X that people should refrain from using labels such as Sunni, Shia, or Salafi. He emphasized that we are all simply Muslims and that such classifications are merely tools used by enemies to create division among us.
Following President Maumoon's post, many have come forward to criticize Sameer's remarks.
