Graft and abuse of power for personal gain blatantly violates the principles of Islam, says prominent scholar Sheikh Ilyas Hussein.

Sheikh Ilyas, who is also the chief of the religiously conservative Adhaalath Party’s scholar’s committee, said this through a post on his Twitter account early Tuesday morning.

His tweet says, ‘the abuse of power for personal gain is strictly forbidden in Islam and is a grave transgression’. The sheikh’s tweet also refers to the Quranic verse from Surat al-Baqarah, ‘Allah (does) not like transgressors’.

In a tweet on Monday, the sheikh had also said that current violations of religious principles should be aptly called ‘sacrilegious’.

Sheikh Ilyas’ tweet comes at a time when incumbent President Abdulla Yameen’s bid for presidency has faced accusation of abuse of power.

The government has been accused of coercing civil service employees to participate in campaign events held by the government.

Earlier in July, two employees at the state utilities company FENAKA claimed that management has attempted to ‘bully’ them into guaranteeing their support for President Yameen in the upcoming elections.

Government officials, including ministers and management of state companies, are routinely seen organizing and participating in campaign and support events held by the ruling party.

Employees of the civil service have previously reported being coerced and even bribed into attending and supporting such events, who claim they are threatened with dismissal and salary reductions if they fail to comply.