Ismail ibn Musa Menk
Ismail Menk (Ismail ibn Musa Menk) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title | Mufti |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 27 June 1975[1] |
| Nationality | Zimbabwean |
| Alma mater | Islamic University of Madinah |
| Senior posting | |
| Awards | KSBEA 2015 Awards for Social Guidance, 2015 |
| Parent | Sheikh Musa Menk |
| Website | Official website |
Ismail ibn Musa Menk, also known as Mufti Menk (born on 27 June 1975), is a Muslim cleric and Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe.[1][2] The Today newspaper in Singapore identifies him as a Salafi.[3]
Biography
Early life
Menk was born in Harare, where he undertook his initial studies. He obtained a degree in Shariah Law from the Islamic University of Madinah. Following this, he went on to specialize in Islamic jurisprudence in Gujarat, India.[4]
Work
He works for the Zimbabwe Council of Islamic Scholars (Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe), which caters to the educational needs of the Muslim population of Zimbabwe. Menk is known especially in eastern Africa and also teaches internationally.[5] He has pledged his aid in curbing religious extremism in the Maldives.[6]
Anti Terrorism
He is known to be against all form of terrorism warning all humans against all types of extremism. he says in one of his talks , ' [7]' [8]
Motivational Moments
He says that Islam is a religion of humanity and every human being comes under it even if he is belonging to Islam or following any other religion the basic and overall purpose of Islam is to spread love, peace, humanity and sacrifice upon things it is not the religion of extremism and terrorism. One must not modify the teachings of Islam in the wrong way just to gain benefits of the world.(Bar, 2004)
Controversy concerning views on homosexuality
The Huffington Post has described Menk as an "openly homophobic Islamic preacher" who has denounced gay people as "filthy".[9] In 2013, he was due to visit six British universities – Oxford, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Cardiff and Glasgow – but the speaking tour was cancelled after student unions and university officials expressed concern about his views.[10] Menk's controversial statement included these words: "How can you engage in acts of immorality with the same sex?... The Qur'an clearly says it is wrong what you are doing... Allah speaks about how filthy this is... With all due respect to the animals, [homosexuals] are worse than animals."[11] In a retraction, Menk has subsequently stated that he based these comments on a "misguided notion" and that he is not at all homophobic.[12][13]
Ban from Singapore
On 31 October 2017, Singapore banned Menk from its borders because it believes he expresses views incompatible with its multicultural laws and policies. According to the Straits Times, he has asserted that "it is blasphemous for Muslims to greet believers of other faiths during festivals such as Christmas or Deepavali". Singapore's Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement that its decision to reject Menk's application for a short-term work pass stemmed from his "segregationist and divisive teachings".[14] [15]
The Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe, Menk’s own institution, released a statement to express "regret and dismay" regarding the ban. It said that Menk was an "asset to multi‐cultural, multi‐religious Zimbabwe" and that viewers should "listen to his sermons in full" and not "edited clips of a few minutes" to see the moderate path he has chosen. [16]
Awards and recognition
- Menk was honoured with an Honorary Doctorate of Social Guidance by Aldersgate College, Philippines and its collaborative partner Aldersgate College – Dublin, Ireland on 16 April 2016.[17]
- KSBEA 2015 Awards - Global Leadership Award in Social Guidance was awarded by the Cochin Herald.[18] [19]
References
- ^ a b "Peace comes calling a look into the Life of Mufti Menk, Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe". Cochin Herald. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
- ^ Stack, Liam (4 June 2016). "The World Reacts on Social Media to Muhammad Ali's Death". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 August 2017.
Ismail Menk, the Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe, the African country's highest Islamic religious authority
- ^ Exclusionary preachers: Cause or symptom?. Today. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
- ^ "About Mufti Menk". Mufti Menk.com. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
- ^ "Mufti Ismail Menk". themuslim 500.com. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ "Menk pledges aid in curbing religious extremism in Maldives". Mihaaru. Retrieved 20 November 2016.
- ^ Islam does not teach the killing of innocent people, it does not teach the killing of children and women
- ^ Kind, Kind. "Islam Condemns Terrorism - Mufti Ismail Menk". MercifulServant. Retrieved 8 March 2018.
- ^ "Liverpool University Agreed To Host Islamic Preacher Ismail Menk, Who Says Gays Are 'Filthy' (POLL)". The Huffington Post UK. 11 November 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
- ^ "Universities cancel Muslim cleric's speaking tour over concerns about his anti-gay views". The Independent. 8 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
- ^ "Liverpool University Agreed To Host Islamic Preacher Ismail Menk, Who Says Gays Are 'Filthy'". The Huffington Post, 11 November 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
- ^ "Mufti Menk: On the issue of LGBT'". [Cochin Herald], 24 January 2017. Retrieved 24 Jan 2017.
- ^ "Retraction on the issue of LGBT'". Mufti Menk Official Website, 24 January 2017. Retrieved 24 Jan 2017.
- ^ "Singapore bans Mufti Menk from entering country". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
- ^ Tham Yuen-C, Assistant Political Editor. "2 foreign Islamic preachers barred from entering Singapore for religious cruise". Straights Times. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ "STATEMENT BY Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe MUZ (Council of Islamic Scholars) on the Mufti Menk issue" (PDF). Mufti Menk. 31 October 2017. Retrieved 31 October 2017.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|dead-url=(help) - ^ "MUFTI ISMAIL MENK HONORED". Aldersgate College. 16 April 2016. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
- ^ "4th KSBEA 2015 Global Leadership Award 2015 Winners" (PDF). The Times of India. 10 June 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
- ^ "4th KSBEA 2015 Global Leadership Award 2015 Winners". Cochin Herald. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
External links
