On August 27, 2024, President and presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe, along with Member of Parliament A.H.M. Fowzie, former MPs Faiszer Musthapha and Shafeek Rajabdeen, former Western Province Governor Asath Salley, and several other prominent figures, visited the Head office of the All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulama (ACJU) for a meeting. This meeting was scheduled in response to a request made by the concerned parties.
Representing the ACJU were its President, General Secretary, Treasurer, Vice Presidents, Deputy Secretaries, and several Executive Committee members. During the meeting, ACJU President Mufti M.I.M. Rizwe and General Secretary Ash-Sheikh M. Arkam Nooramith provided an introduction to the ACJU and its work. They clarified that the ACJU is a non-partisan religious organization that has always promoted guidance for peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding among all Sri Lankans.
Mufti M.I.M. Rizwe emphasized that all citizens could reach out to them at any time. He also highlighted several publications released by the ACJU, including Islamic Jurisprudence: An International Perspective by C.G. Weeramanthri and The Muslims of Sri Lanka – A Thousand Years of Ethnic Harmony by Lorna Devaraja. He recommended that the President, Parliamentarians, and other religious leaders read these works, as well as the ACJU publications ‘විවෘත දෑසින් ඉස්ලාම්'(Islam with Open Eyes,) Social Dialogue, ‘සමාජ සංවාද’, ‘Don’t Be Extreme, and Manhaj (ACJU’s stance and guidelines on Islamic matters for Sri Lankan Muslims). He also recommended Islam and Politics by Mufti Taqi Usmani, which was presented to the President.
In addition, the president of ACJU pointed out the economic benefits the country gained during the period when the halal certification process was implemented in Sri Lanka. He further emphasized that there is no compulsion in religion, and that Islam prohibits insulting other religions. He stressed the importance of maintaining good relations and peaceful coexistence with other communities, supporting his statements with references from the Quran and Hadith.
ACJU General Secretary Ash-Sheikh M. Arkam Nooramith also reminded the participants that voting is a sacred trust, and both the voter and the candidate must act responsibly and with awareness.
During the meeting, former MP Faiszer Musthapha raised questions about the COVID-19 cremation issue and the Palestinian conflict with the President. The ACJU General Secretary also requested clarifications on these matters. In response, President Wickremesinghe proposed establishing a parliamentary select committee to investigate the recommendations made by those responsible for the forced cremation of Muslim and other religious communities’ deceased during the COVID-19 pandemic. He mentioned that this would be done in consultation with other party leaders.
Regarding the Palestinian issue, the President indicated that he had a clear stance, as highlighted in parliamentary discussions.
The President also elaborated on his political policies and highlighted the country’s recovery from the severe economic crisis. He emphasized the importance of maintaining this progress.
At the end of the event, the ACJU presented the President with a Sinhala translation of the Quran and several other publications.
– ACJU Media –
