• H.E the Mufti
• By: Ashiraf Zziwa

His Eminence Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubaje, the Mufti of Uganda has called upon all those involved in propagating Islam-Dawah to be exemplary in their words and deeds as they execute their divine call in guiding the Muslim faithful towards the path of righteousness. This was part of the Mufti’s speech while meeting a team of preachers comprising Sheikh Abdul-Rahman Ibrahim Mukisa Kakooza, Sheikh Abdul-Karim Dawud Mugendera, and Sheikh Nuhu Othuman Abu Najiba in his office at the UMSC headquarters at Old Kampala on June 15th, 2023.  Present at the meeting were Hon. Prof.Dr  Muhammadi Lubega, the UMSC National Chairperson, Hon. Muhammad Ali Aluma, the UMSC Secretary General, Dr. Sheikh Ziyad Swaleh Lubanga, the Director of Sharia, his Deputy Sheikh Ssalim Bbosa and Sheikh Imran Ssali, the Secretary for Religious Affairs.

The Mufti noted that of recent many Muslim preachers have emerged on various social media platforms while expressing Islamic exegesis in un appropriate manner with the aim of attracting big followings  devoid of sublime divine Islamic content. He said some of the preachers are seen hurling insults, stirring hate speech, disunity and discord, or twisting information more especially against the person of the Mufti or UMSC as an Institution.”This kind of behavior, which isn’t befitting a preacher has greatly tainted the image of Islam while exposing it ridiculously in the circles of anti-Islamic forces,” Sheikh Mubaje remarked. He cited several instances whose facts  were deliberately twisted  including the Mbarara Muslim  Cemetery land saga and the proposed development of the Muslim Martyrs Mosque at Namugongo among many others.

The Mufti noted that it is mandatory according to Islamic teachings based on the Glorious Quran for trained Islamic theologians to consult and exchange religious knowledge before sharing it with the public to minimize confusion among the faithful.  In the same speech, Sheikh Mubaje recounted the developments at UMSC for instance, the recent  constitutional amendment, which has paved way for qualified Islamic theologians to take up positions in the UMSC structure and the recent signing of the Cooperation agreement between UMSC and the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that aims at streamlining the activities of Islamic Propagation and welfare of the Officers. He urged all trained Islamic theologians to come on board and get involved in UMSC activities.

On their part, the Mufti’s guests agreed that there is an urgent need to regulate Islamic propagation activities as some preachers have gone off track. They thanked the Mufti for sparing time to have an audience with them and pledged to reach out to their colleagues who didn’t turn up for the  meeting to understand the need to liaise with the Mufti’s office  while executing their activities.  The Mufti and his visitors agreed to hold periodical meetings to  discuss and address emerging challenges in the field of Dawah.