Manama: The Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs has come under heavy criticism from religious figures for its failure to commemorate the birthday of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
Local and regional religious leaders from the Sunni and Shiite sects, ministry officials, dignitaries and ambassadors have regularly attended the annual ceremony, which included speeches paying tribute to the Prophet and highlighting his life.
But the birthday this year was not marked, prompting claims that the failure of the ministry to conduct the annual ceremony at Bahrain's largest mosque was the result of pressure from radical Islamist groups that have repeatedly expressed their objection to the event. Salafi groups claim that Muslims celebrated only two feasts annually and the addition of any religious commemoration would be a violation of Islamic precepts.
The birthday of Mohammed known as the Mawlid is considered to be shirk under Salafism ie Wahhabism through its conflict with Tawhid, the Oneness of God.
The Wahhabi doctrine is grounded in the concept of the unity of God, a concept that allows no veneration or anything that can be confused with veneration for any other being living or dead. This includes great religious teachers of the past, Shiia saints and even the prophet Mohammad. So no celebrations in their honor, no shrines and even under the strictest views no headstones to mark their graves.
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