Prominent religious scholar Sheikh Ali Zaid has expressed concern over the political use of religion, and the accusations made by local parties.

In a post on his Twitter account, Sheikh Zaid said that the highly polarized way in which religion is used to defame one political organization while claiming to exalt one is reprehensible.

“Some people claim that one local party is Islam itself while claiming others to be kuffar. This polarized accusation is made in such a way that applies to everyone. Do those responsible not understand how reprehensible an act this is?”, the tweet says.

The ruling Progressive Party of Maldives and key members of its leadership have expressed their support for President Abdulla Yameen’s bid for re-election to the point of saying that keeping him power ‘will save Islam in the Maldives’.

While making this assertion, the ruling party has accused the Maldivian Democratic Party and its partners in the Joint Opposition of attempting to facilitate religious freedom in the Maldives.