The Maldives is a small island nation located in the Indian Ocean. The approximately 400,000 people who live on it's 26 atolls are 100% Muslim. They have to be. Their constitution says you can't be a citizen if you're not a Muslim. That's why, when a Maldivian man declared his atheist status during a religious talk in the capitol city of Malé, it caused a near-riot.Well, that and the fact that many Muslims believe apostasy merits the death penalty.
It was during the Q & A period following a talk by internationally-known Islamic preacher Zakir Naik, that a 37-year old Maldivian named Mohamed Nazim got up and asked, “Dr Zakir Naik. I am a Maldivian. I am still struggling to believe in religion. That is why I just came to the front of this row. I was born a Maldivian. My parents taught me the religion of Islam. They are good practitioners, actually. I read a lot of books. I have read the translation of Quran. Yet, I still do not believe in a religion. So what do you say about my verdict in Islam (for apostasy)? Because Maldives is definitely a Muslim state."
According to the May 29 report by the Maldivian news source Haveeru Online:
Nazim’s question sparked comments of hatred from an angry crowd of around 11,000 with many calling to kill him and attack him, while Naik was answering the question.
Several people rushed towards Nazim, who was sitting at a back row after moving away from the microphone, as an official of the Islamic Ministry tried to escort him out. Police, however, came between Nazim and the crowd and escorted him into custody.
“I held his hand and escorted him away from the ground, when people came towards him. When a person came jumping at him, I held him by the waist. At that moment, I lost the grip. Police intervened and took him into custody,” the official said...
When Police took Nazim to the second block of nearby police building Iskandharu Koshi, the crowd gathered outside the place and demanded his handover. They shouted anti-atheism slogans and called for Nazim’s beheading.
Police officials say that Nazeem received several minor injuries in the scuffle. He is now in custody at an undisclosed location though the report does not say if he's being held for his own protection or for apostasy... or both.
More on Nazeem's Q & A with Dr. Naik here.
Photo Credit:
1) Mohamed Nazim (left/standing), who declared his atheist status to the public, questions Dr Zakir Naik during the Q&A session (source: Haveeru Online).
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Comments
Belief is like a ring in the nose. You can be lead anywhere with it.
Those of us who have worked on our sense of perception are far better off than those who are at the mercy of what they've been taught to believe.
Unfortunately, we live in a world very much like this story.
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That man was intelligent enough to realize that religion doesn't make sense but not intelligent enough to stay out of trouble. He knew in what kind of society he lives. If he's not killed by their justice department, I guess he'll be killed by the people sooner or later. I hope this doesn't happen and he remains intact.
Well, hopefully global warming is true & the Maldives will disappear below the surface of the Indian Ocean.
When someone suggests you may be in error / It's fashionable for the insecure to respond with terror
It's a shame that some Muslims have regressed into such utter degradation. The Qur'an makes explicitly clear that there is no compulsion in religion. There is no punishment for apostacy what so ever. If you want the evidences and proofs from history, look up "Murder in the Name of Allah" - excellent book that proves the point I've made in this post.
I beg to differ - but there are portions of the Qur'an that explicitly spell out the need for the death penalty for apostasy. The spirit that spoke through Mohammad became more severe as his life progressed. But I am glad to know there are Muslims who repudiate that tendency (of murder for apostasy.) . It goes against the higher nature of humans.
sometimes you need a ring in the nose for the misguided.
I'm not surprised by any of this. Islam is pan-Arab nationalism in religious dress. Mohammed set it up that way.
I quote: "Fight and slay the infidels wheresoever ye find them; seize them, besiege them, ambush them with every ambush." Surah 9:5.
@ Terry - Please quote the verse in context and stop with the misdirection.
Preceding verse: Excepting those of the idolaters with whom you have entered into a treaty and who have not subsequently failed you in anything nor aided anyone against you. So fulfil to these the treaty you have made with them till their term. Surely, Allah loves those who are righteous.
Verse after: And if anyone of the idolaters ask protection of thee, grant him protection so that he may hear the word of Allah; then convey him to his place of security....
Verse after: ...So, as long as they stand true to you, stand true to them....
The Qur'an is advising Muslims on how to behave to those that are trying to aggresively kill them. These verses are talking about doing whatever you can to form a treaty, and if they refuse and are not true, thus trying to harm you - then yes, fight them so you yourself don't get killed.
It's called self defense - and it's in every American penal code.
It doesn't surprise me that this Island country is on the fringes of the Gulf oil spewing disaster as the oil rig that used to be on the surface of the ocean was registered in the Maldives, apparently this radical Island nation cares more about personal religious beliefs than oil platform safety.
Although the Maldives might be excused for being exploited for their lack of safety concerns for a "vessel" registered in their territory, but one might not be excused for assuming that convoluted religious beliefs and getting paid money to look the other way when it comes to registering a seemingly unknown vessel under the name of your remote Island territory and caring not about the deliberate safety cost-cutting done in the name of obscene profit for the cost of 11 seemingly "worthless" human lives.
Oh yeah, safety is so overblown, religious obedience is far more important than selling the name of a remote territory for the sake of a few oil-soaked dirty dollars.
The true shame of things is that, no matter what organized religion you look at (and some of the others as well) there are bigots and haters. People who think that if you profess to have a different opinion, then you are wrong and must be destroyed.
If those idiots had stayed in their seats and been respectful, the Iman may have been able to answer the questions that this man had. Now thanks to the actions of bigots, this man will probably never come to Islam...Or any other organized religion. I am not saying this is right or wrong, but these people do a lot more harm than good for their own cause....Let alone the opinions of the world at large....
that is just so sad.I hope the brave young man will be okay
Qasim,
I dare you to tell that group of muslims that they are not "Real Muslims" in person.
You would be lucky to escape with your life!
What he did was like shouting at Maldini in an Italian pub... MK
In the latest news, some religious psychos in his community are asking for the death penalty. Without that, his life is probably over there. Are there any atheist groups that can help him out of the country?
I'm meant, "Even" without the death penalty, his life is over.
that is just the tip of the ice burg. they are now digging up every atheist or ppl they can find(depending on what they state on their Facebook profile's religion or status.) and posting their info, pictures on websites and Facebook groups.
atheists are just the start, they will go for the christians, buddists(they've already found one), hindus also not to mention even homosexuals.
@ Palmpete - How true your words are. Look at my latest articles for verification of your statement, i.e. the largest genocide in the history of Pakistan took place yesterday, and the victims were members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, my community. And - you'll notice that it still doesn't stop us from proclaiming truth and peace.
Religion in the wrong hands can be dangerous. Of course, most hands it is found in are the wrong hands.
Where expressions of doubt are not permitted expressions of belief are dubious. Unfortunately the non-cosmopolitan majority of US counties differ from the Maldives only in degree of conformity and coercion. The only parts of this country in which I feel comfortable are culturally sophisticated walkable cities with decent public transportation and real downtowns, college towns, and a few northeast rural enclaves of free thought such as Vermont.
David Cooper, don't go out in the rain, you'll drown.
It is important for everyone to know about these beliefs and laws. tourists should not go and spend their money or their time in countries with such appalling beliefs.
It must be fun to try to legislate belief.
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