T&T: Security risk and practising terrorist tells ASJA shove it

Muslim scholar Maulana Imran Nasir Hosein,  on Thursday defied a ban against his lectures by the Anjuman Sunnat Jamaat Association (ASJA) which charged that he was a security risk and practising terrorist activities. Hosein continued his series of lectures at the Mucurapo Street, San Fernando mosque before a packed hall of fellow Muslims including former House Speaker Nizam Mohammed and retired High Court Judge Shafeyei Shah Hosein told the gathering that he received calls from many people, some of them weeping as they expressed support for him.

Hosein told his audience that following ASJA’s charges he approached the police on Wednesday and asked for an investigation. “I came out of the meeting with profound respect for the police of this country,” he said.  “I would not speak in any Masjid in this country without the permission of the Imam of that Masjid. I respect the authority of the Imam.” Hosein forecast bleak times ahead for the local Muslim faithful because of the divide within the country’s largest Muslim organisation, the ASJA. “The Muslim community worldwide is now going through one of its most difficult moments in history and we can anticipate bad things in the future and tearing of hearts,” Hosein warned.

Two weeks ago, ASJA president-general Yacoob Ali banned Hosein from lecturing at any ASJA institution after Hosein was described as a security risk. Other high-ranking ASJA officials even described the Maulana as “anti-American” and practising “terrorist type activities.” However, in an apparent about face yesterday, ASJA president-general Yacoob Ali told Newsday that no one could be banned from speaking at the ASJA institutions. “Nobody can ban anyone from speaking, but we had to protect our organisation and so we gave cautionary advice to the Maulana regarding his utterances,” Ali said. He also promised full disclosure at an ASJA press-conference in Longdenville on Monday.

“I would like to reach to the Muslims whose hearts are tearing out at the moment,” Maulana Hosein said. He called on Muslims to “conform to the guidance of Islam,” and added, “I would like to see people adhere to the teachings of Islam and act with dignity and respect so damage being done could be minimised”. The Maulana preached that when the Anti-Christ comes, it would do so with fire and the river.” He went on to say, “whoever falls in the fire would have their sins removed.

Oh dag, I guess that means that T&Tians can expect homicide bombers soon as the adherents of the IoP try to cleanse the society of its sinfulness.