The National Organizer of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) and Member of Parliament, Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, together with Hon. D.V. Chanaka, Member of Parliament, and several senior party officials, paid a courtesy visit to the headquarters of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU). The delegation held discussions with members of the ACJU Executive Committee. This meeting took place in response to a request made by the visiting dignitaries.
Representing the ACJU at the meeting were the President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Presidents, and several Executive Committee members.
Welcoming the delegation, ACJU General Secretary Ash-Sheikh M. Arkam Nooramith introduced the Executive Committee members present and provided an overview of the ACJU’s nationwide activities. In his address, he highlighted the various challenges faced by the Muslim community in recent years, including the difficulties encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic regarding Muslim burials, and the growing global and local issue of Islamophobia.
He also noted that a street in Palestine bears the name of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and urged the visiting Parliamentarians to continue to voice opposition to the injustices faced by the Palestinian people.
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Namal Rajapaksa MP outlined his political policies, party positions, and future plans. He reflected on the cordial relationship between former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Muslim community, as well as the contributions and services rendered by the former President during his tenure. He also commended the ACJU’s coexistence initiatives and peace centers, stressing the importance of creating an environment free from ethnic, religious, and linguistic divisions.
In his speech, ACJU President Mufti M.I.M. Rizwe reiterated that the ACJU is a non-political institution dedicated to promoting coexistence, unity, and harmony. He pointed out that members of the ACJU have conducted numerous outreach visits to the places of worship of other faiths as part of this mission.
Recalling the significant contributions of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, including bringing an end to the protracted civil conflict in Sri Lanka, the ACJU President also addressed the injustices experienced by the Muslim community in subsequent years. He cited the enforced cremation of COVID-19 victims in defiance of World Health Organization guidelines, despite the ACJU’s repeated discussions with the Government; the ban on Halal certification; amendments to the Muslim Marriage and Divorce Act; failure to prevent orchestrated riots targeting Muslims; and the granting of high positions and honors to individuals who had publicly insulted Islam, without condemnation. He urged that responsible leaders come forward to apologize to the global Muslim community for these actions. He further appealed to the young parliamentarian to draw lessons from these events and to pursue a political path that transcends racial and religious divisions, thereby restoring peace and trust in the hearts of Muslims.
Mufti Rizwe also drew attention to the Islamic principles, as outlined in the Qur’an, that there is no compulsion in religion, that the deities of other faiths must not be reviled, and that each individual has the right to follow their own religious path. He explained the ACJU’s ongoing efforts to promote these values across the Nation.
The ACJU President then introduced several of the organization’s key publications, including the Sinhala translation of the Qur’an, ‘විවෘත දෑසින් ඉස්ලාම්’ (Islam with Open Perspective), ‘සමාජ සංවාද’ (Social Dialogue), ‘Don’t be Extreme’, and ‘Manhaj’ (the ACJU’s positions and guidance for Sri Lankan Muslims on religious matters). He encouraged that these works be read and widely shared among the public.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the ACJU presented the visiting dignitaries with copies of the Sinhala translation of the Qur’an and other selected publications.
– ACJU Media –
