Manipulation of State Laws and Government Policies
Crusade Against ‘Radical Islam’
Excerpts
from ‘’Islam, Terrorism and African Development’’
University of Ibadan, 2006
by Mohamed Said
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| Sheikh Mselem bin Ali Bingwa wa Tafsir ya Qur'an na Mwandishi |
…Tanzania being a ‘secular’
state the government had no legal ground to intervene in matters of religion,
which according to the constitution were outside its jurisdiction. The
anti terrorism legislation was seen by the government as a Godsend piece of
legislation which could be used to resolve what it perceived as ‘radical Islam’
once and for all.[12]But what important was the fact that no one could accuse
the government of partisanship for passing the Act since the legislation was
passed as a general world concern on terrorism. Soon after passing the Act, the
government embarked on plans to make amendments to the constitution because as
it was, the constitution had proved to be giving Islam unlimited freedom of
propagation. This freedom provided a level ground, which favoured Islam but
detriment to Christianity.
Soon after passing the
Prevention of Terrorism Act of 2002 the government made amendments to the
constitution. Before the amendment the constitution of the United Republic of
Tanzania aptly stated that:
Every person has the right to
the freedom of thought or conscience, belief or faith, and choice in matters of
religion, including the freedom to change his religion or faith. Without
prejudice to the relevant laws of the United Republic the profession of
religion, worship and propagation of religion shall be free and private affair
of an individual; and the affairs and management of religious bodies shall not
be part of the activities of the state authority.[13]
The constitution as it were
before the 14thamendment was giving Islam unhindered plane of
propagation and Islam was gaining ground over Christianity. Unless the
constitution was amended there was no law, which could inhibit Islam. The
government had to have a constitution, which could be used to protect the
Church. Without the amendment the government could not effectively apply the
anti-terror legislation in confronting Muslims and in arresting the mass
conversions to Islam.
The gist of the 14th Amendment
of the Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania 2004[14]prohibits the
use of propagation of religion in such a way as to ‘endanger peace and national
unity’ or ‘scorn the teachings, belief or faith of another sect.’ The law
dictates what is to be and what is not to be professed or propagated. The
amendment affects Islam more than Christianity. Doctrinaire Christianity
is far different from that which its adherents practise. It is this philosophy
propagated by Muslims preachers, which managed to attract Christians to Islam.
Christianity does not condone
homosexuality or pedophilia, which has of late become
an embarrassment to the Church. If Muslims were to attack such a trend in
society in comparison to Islamic teachings this could be taken as ‘scorn to the
belief of another faith’ or ‘danger to peace and national unity.’ The amendment
therefore stifles Islam while it provides a new lease of life to Christianity
in Tanzania. Muslims protested against the amendment but the government ignored
their protests. The amended constitution provides the government with full
authority to intervene in matters of religion and Islam was the target. This
should be perceived in the context that in a landmark judgement even before the
amendment of the constitution, in 2000 the High Court of Tanzania ruled out
that it is a criminal offence to hold and to declare the Muslim belief that
Allah (God Almighty) is not Jesus son of Mary.[15]This was tantamount to
banning the Holy Qur’an and its teachings because most of its teaching is
contrary to Christian beliefs.
Following the amendment of
the constitution sheikhs were also quietly ‘advised’ to abstain from using the
word ‘kafir’ in their ‘khutbas’ since the word offends Christians and hence
could jeopardise ‘national unity’ and ‘endanger peace’ and they could be
prosecuted in a court of law for breaching the peace. They were also advised to
go easy on their translations particularly on verses in the Qur’an, which
castigates Christians. There are Muslim radio stations which have abided by the
‘advise’ as they are sheikhs who have abstained from quoting in public passages
from the Qur’an in which the word ‘kafir’ appears, for fear of breaking the
law. Through the Prevention of Terrorism Act of 2002 and the 14th Constitution
Amendment of 2005 the government succeeded in adding yet another armament in
its arsenal to weaken Islam. The Church through its agents in the political
system managed to safely perfect its strategy to undermine the message of
Islam through the force of law.[16]Cardinal Otunga, Emeritus of Nairobi had
once sounded a warning that unless the Church takes drastic action Christianity
was on the verge of dying a natural death on the face of Muslim onslaught.[17]
Having passed the anti terror
legislation and after making amendments to the constitution what was now left
was to abrogate the teaching of Islamic Knowledge in schools. Without warning
the Ministry of Education issued a circular banning Islamic Knowledge and in
its place introduced a new subject to be known as ‘religion’, which was
made compulsory to all students irrespective of faith.[18] Various reasons
were advanced to explain the sudden and dramatic change. The circular
postulated that students find it difficult to relate Islam or Christianity in
today’s setting of globalisation. The government argued that it was therefore
obligated to fill the vacuum by initiating appropriate curriculum, write
textbooks and train qualified teachers to teach the subject. The circular
further argued that, the new subject would help control the spread of HIV Aids
among the young. What was not stated in the circular was the fact that the
government was implementing its last phase of a tier system in confronting
Islam. First it began with anti-terror legislation, then it amended the
constitution, the focus being the tenets on religion and now it was abolishing
the teaching of Islam in schools.
The teaching of Islamic
Knowledge in school had registered a remarkable success as it moulded both
young men and women into responsible citizens. These young men and women are
the ones forming the backbone of the Muslims ‘umma’ in Tanzania spreading the
message of Islam throughout the country. Some are young ‘dais’ and scholars of
very high repute spreading the message attracting Christians to Islam. The
former students of Islamic Knowledge are now members of powerful Muslim
organisations like – Muslim Writers Workshop (WARSHA), Islamic Propagation
Centre (IPC), Jamaatu Answar Sunna, Muslim Students Association of the
University of Dar es Salaam (MSAUD) and Dar es Salaam University Trusteeship
(DUMT). These organisations overtime became the bedrock of Islam in Tanzania
responding to the hostile environment through petitions to the government, mass
rallies and organising Muslims to become independent and self-reliant by
building their own institutions. The government perceived this capacity
building efforts by Muslims as divisive and banking on sectarianism – a danger
and challenge to Christian hegemony.
It is difficult not to
connect the banning of Islamic Knowledge in Tanzanian schools with the war on
‘terrorism.’ About the same time when Islam was being abrogated in schools in
Tanzania, Pakistan, which is an important ally of the US on terrorism, was
reviewing the teachings in its ‘madras’ to prevent what was perceived as the
spread of ‘radical Islam.’ It is again not difficult to see the relationship
between Tanzania and Pakistan on the issue of ‘radical Islam.’ It is obvious
that the government in Tanzania reviewed the teaching of Islamic Knowledge in
schools for the same purpose. What is not very obvious is how deep is the
United States influence in this new development of abrogating the teaching of
Islamic Knowledge in schools. (This should be perceived with the knowledge that
there is an American Qur’an in circulation at the moment, which has distorted
the true teaching of Islam).[19] It was easy for Pakistan to link it’s
‘madrasas’ with terrorism, but it was difficult for the authority to take such
a bold step and publicly assume such a stand taking into consideration of the
hostilities between Muslims and the government simmering under the surface.
Muslims have petitioned the
government against the circular and the government is yet to respond. The power
of the Church in Tanzania lies in its massive influence over the government
directing it to pass irrational decisions, which nourishes Christianity while
at the same time eroding Islam. If the government this time round succeeds in
banning Islam from schools in the pretext of combating ‘terrorism’ this could be
the last straw which broke the camel’s back - laws of the country would have
been manipulated once too often.
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| Sheikh Ponda Akiwa Mahakamani Morogoro |
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