Ulemas urged to abide by koran and sunnah in fulfilling their duties

Moroccan Minister of Habous (endowments) and Islamic affairs, Abdelkbir Alaoui M'daghri, urged Ulemas (theologians) to abide by the Koran and the Sunnah (the prophet's behavior) in fulfilling their duties.

The minister who was holding a meeting ini Rabat Wednesday with chairmen of Ulemas regional councils, stressed "the necessity to back and protect the Ulemas provided that they fulfill their duties in accordance with the Koran and the Sunnah, which are based on wisdom, good advice, tolerance, mutual assistance and coexistence."

He called chairmen of the Ulemas regional councils to clarify to Mosque preachers the methods of Islamic preaching, stressing the necessity for all the preachers to abide by these methods.

"We cannot by any means ban a Alem from fulfilling his dutyÉ on the contrary we must encourage him in his task which consists in recommending the good and advising against evil," he said. Ulemas and preachers are against any action advocating violence and terrorism, he said adding such an action "must be condemned and denounced by all."

M'Daghri who rejected allegations that half the country's mosques are controlled by Islamist groups or are escaping the ministry's control said his department has drafted a short, mid and long term policy to promote mosques and integrate them all in the habous heritage.

Alluding to the arrest early August of members of a grop belonging to what is called Salafya Jihadyia, M'Daghri said these are isolated criminal acts, committed by individuals who have been identified by security services.

He described the Islamic movement in Morocco as positive and beneficial for this peaceful country. This movement is likely to protect society from immoral deviations and social ills, and to foster solidarity among all its members in a spirit of good, benevolence and piety, he said.