In the wake of the Home Ministry’s observations about waz mahfils, Islamic scholars say they want harmony among the preachers and for the sermons to be refined, instead of controlled.
Scholars have recommended that preachers who charge money should be brought under the income tax bracket, and must be brought to book if their sermons contain seditious elements.
In a report late last month, the Home Ministry named 15 speakers, whose sermons encourage: communalism, militancy, intolerance against women’s emancipation, plus anti-democratic and anti-state propaganda.
The ministry wrote to the Bangladesh Islamic Foundation, National Board of Revenue (NBR) and all divisional commissioners to take steps against them; it also provided six recommendations.
The call has significantly rattled the scholars, and preachers have already engaged in discussions about the matter.
“It is important to form a board in collaboration with the scholars to put a stop to the disorder in the waz mahfils,” Islamic Andolan Amir Mufti Syed Rezaul Karim said.
He claimed that if the board is formed only under government supervision, without any involvement of the Islamic scholars, the situation might be erratic.
Mufti Faizullah, secretary general of majlish-e-sura—a faction of Islami Oikya Jote—said scholars are supposed to preach the importance of: humanity, righteousness, women’s rights, and equality; among many other subjects during these mahfils.
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Meanwhile, Hefazat-e-Islam Organizing Secretary Azizul Hoque said: “The government’s attempt to control waz mahfils and the speakers go against the Constitution and undermines the religious values of the country.”
He said that if the government finds a preacher’s sermons inappropriate, they can warn them and ask for explanations.
“Not doing so and blaming the entire waz sector hints at a deep-rooted conspiracy,” he added.
Azizul said the Constitution has provisions for religious freedom thus hindering or interfering in any waz mahfil—meant to spread the word of Islam—equates to going against the religion.
Saying that it is not the scholars’ fault if the rules of the Quran go against the government, he added that: hanging photographs, making sculptures, bribery, corruption, terrorism, and murder—among many other things—are forbidden in Islam.
“The scholars are bound by a duty to speak against these issues,” he said.
He added that some government officials take these personally and try to stop the sermons and the speakers.
On April 5, the Jatiya Ulema Mesheikh Aimma Parishad said, in a press release, that the Home Ministry’s recommendations equate to the government trying to control Islam as a religion.
It is part of a deep-rooted conspiracy to turn people away from Islam and if the government does not step out of this, the scholars of the country will wage massive movements, the statement read.
Denying these allegations, Islamic Foundation Research Department Director Mohammad Nur Alam said: “Those who are saying the government is trying to control the waz mahfils are wrong.”
He said the government has no intention of controlling religious affairs and those who are saying these things are creating unnecessary panic.
He added that they would review the ministry’s recommendations once their director general returns from abroad.
