Source: Khaleej Times
The government of Bahrain yesterday urged Shia Community Centres (Mattams) to avoid politicising their lectures and other activities during the Ashoora season.
Under-Secretary of the Islamic Affairs Dr Fareed Al Muftah said that letters had been sent to all community centres, urging them to stick to the religious aspects of the occasion and promote national unity dialogues and avoid politics. “These centres should call upon the public to show religious tolerance and fight sectarianism.” He said the Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs had given permission to all Shia scholars who wanted to come to Bahrain to observe the occasion and hold lectures as most of them are Iraqis. “We have facilitated all the paperwork to enable the scholars to arrive in Bahrain on time,” Al Muftah said. “These scholars would be instructed to adopt tolerance approach in their lectures and sermons.” He said the ministry was confident that most of the centres would respect rules and regulations as they were keen to benefit from the spiritual message of the occasion.