Muslim leaders to invite Dr. Bilal Phillips
The chairman of Jamia Mosque Committee Muhammad Osman Warfa said the mindset of many government officials viewed Muslim
negatively and it was high time that this culture came to an end. "We should demand the sacking of the director of immigration. He is living on our taxes and Muslims are among the biggest tax payers in the country," he said.
Other political leaders who were present included the assistant minister
for energy Muhammad Muhamud and nominated MP Muhammad
Affey.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), National Muslim Leaders Forum (NAMLEF),
Jamia mosque among others.
Last week, MPs led by Sheikh Dor and Dujis legislator Adan Duale demanded answers from the Immigration minister on the reason for denying Dr. Bilal Phillips to enter the country. Otieno Kajwang is expected to make his submission to the house next week.
The deportation of the Canadian scholar Dr. Bilal Phillips elicited strong condemnation from Muslim leaders who read mischief in the move stressing that there was no justification whatsoever for his expulsion as the reasons given were contrary to his stand as a strong advocate for speaking out against violence and encouraging dialogue and tolerance.
The Imam of Jamia mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Swalihu said the government needs to be seen as a model of fairness and justice to all Kenyans of diverse religious backgrounds adding that the deportation
sent out a message that the state was discriminatory towards Muslims. "Christian missionaries are allowed unrestricted access into the country but it is sad to note that when it comes to Muslim scholars, they are denied access into the country," he said during the Friday sermon last week.
He said it was painful to note what he described as an " honourable
guests for Kenya Muslims" being subjected to such degrading treatment and urged the government to exercise its sovereignty and stop being influenced by foreign countries which did not have the interests of Kenya at heart.
While government officials claimed that he was a security threat to the country, this was strongly denounced by Muslim leaders who instead said it was part of the measures deliberately made to victimize
Muslims in the country. "Other faiths do not go through this, why is it that they have to do this to us (Muslims)?" Dujis member of Parliament Aden Duale asked.
Sheikh Muhammad Dor said Dr. Bilal Phillips's record as a scholar who emphasizes on mutual relations between Muslims and people of other faiths spoke for itself and the reasons provided by the authorities
were "myopic and baseless."
The same sentiments were echoed by Kisauni MP Ali Hassan Joho who said that he would have been an asset to the government as his lectures also condemned violence and terrorism. “Kenya is a sovereign country and we fail to understand why a peaceful preacher
would be ejected from the country yet he is the right person to educate the Muslims against terrorism,” he said.
The chairman of the Sharrif Nassir Foundation Abdulswamad Shariff
Nassir said the Sheikh was not a security threat to Kenya and he was recognized globally for his positive influence on Muslims and non-Muslims.
Farouk Machanje of the Muslim Human Rights Forum described it as "shocking for the Muslim Community" that the Sheikh was denied
entry into the country. "Is it the government's policy that no foreign Muslim scholar is allowed passage to Kenya?" he asked.
negatively and it was high time that this culture came to an end. "We should demand the sacking of the director of immigration. He is living on our taxes and Muslims are among the biggest tax payers in the country," he said.
Other political leaders who were present included the assistant minister
for energy Muhammad Muhamud and nominated MP Muhammad
Affey.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), National Muslim Leaders Forum (NAMLEF),
Jamia mosque among others.
Last week, MPs led by Sheikh Dor and Dujis legislator Adan Duale demanded answers from the Immigration minister on the reason for denying Dr. Bilal Phillips to enter the country. Otieno Kajwang is expected to make his submission to the house next week.
The deportation of the Canadian scholar Dr. Bilal Phillips elicited strong condemnation from Muslim leaders who read mischief in the move stressing that there was no justification whatsoever for his expulsion as the reasons given were contrary to his stand as a strong advocate for speaking out against violence and encouraging dialogue and tolerance.
The Imam of Jamia mosque, Sheikh Muhammad Swalihu said the government needs to be seen as a model of fairness and justice to all Kenyans of diverse religious backgrounds adding that the deportation
sent out a message that the state was discriminatory towards Muslims. "Christian missionaries are allowed unrestricted access into the country but it is sad to note that when it comes to Muslim scholars, they are denied access into the country," he said during the Friday sermon last week.
He said it was painful to note what he described as an " honourable
guests for Kenya Muslims" being subjected to such degrading treatment and urged the government to exercise its sovereignty and stop being influenced by foreign countries which did not have the interests of Kenya at heart.
While government officials claimed that he was a security threat to the country, this was strongly denounced by Muslim leaders who instead said it was part of the measures deliberately made to victimize
Muslims in the country. "Other faiths do not go through this, why is it that they have to do this to us (Muslims)?" Dujis member of Parliament Aden Duale asked.
Sheikh Muhammad Dor said Dr. Bilal Phillips's record as a scholar who emphasizes on mutual relations between Muslims and people of other faiths spoke for itself and the reasons provided by the authorities
were "myopic and baseless."
The same sentiments were echoed by Kisauni MP Ali Hassan Joho who said that he would have been an asset to the government as his lectures also condemned violence and terrorism. “Kenya is a sovereign country and we fail to understand why a peaceful preacher
would be ejected from the country yet he is the right person to educate the Muslims against terrorism,” he said.
The chairman of the Sharrif Nassir Foundation Abdulswamad Shariff
Nassir said the Sheikh was not a security threat to Kenya and he was recognized globally for his positive influence on Muslims and non-Muslims.
Farouk Machanje of the Muslim Human Rights Forum described it as "shocking for the Muslim Community" that the Sheikh was denied
entry into the country. "Is it the government's policy that no foreign Muslim scholar is allowed passage to Kenya?" he asked.
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