AFRICANEWS

Malawi

Quran translation raises anxiety

Church/Politics

The translation of the Quran to Chichewa is seen as a step forward for the Muslim community. Meanwhile, Christians are getting apprehensive when President Muluzi gets involved in their activities.

For the first time in Malawi's history, Muslims in the country started from January this year reading the Quran in the local Chichewa national language following the launching of the vernacular version of the Islamic holy book on January 20.

Translated from Arabic by a Malawian Muslim leader, the new Chichewa version was inaugurated by president Bakili Muluzi who hailed the initiative as opening a new insight into the Islamic religion.

The ceremony which coincided with the Muslim festival of Idd ul-Fitr was conducted at Liwonde township some 90 kilometres northeast of Blantyre in the predominantly Muslim district of Wachinga where president Muluzi, himself a Muslim, comes from.

The official government Weekly News, a bi-weekly published by the Information Department controlled by its minister Sam Mpasu quoted president Muluzi as saying the translation of Quran into the local language will promote Islam in Malawi.

"The translation will help to boost the country's development in that, the misconceptions which surrounded the Islamic faith leading to non-Muslims despising Muslims would now be removed because everyone will be able to read and understand what the Islamic religion stands for", said the president.

He added: "As you Know until now our people have depended on verbal interpretation of the Arabic version of the Holy Quran from that 'beautiful language' through which the message of God was given to mankind through prophet Muhammad."

The Malawi leader said that since most Malawians do not understand either Arabic or English, it was a problem to appreciate the message and one has to rely on Sheikhs and in some cases on the versions of less learned and unreliable interpreters.

" The translation of Quran into Chichewa has now opened up a whole new world of meaning and insight for many people in the country including many others outside the borders of Malawi who are able to read Chichewa," said President Muluzi.

According to the chairman of the Muslim Association of Malawi (MAM) Sheikh Omar Wochi, the work of the translation of Quran was single-handedly undertaken by Alhaji Yusuf Kanyamula for a period of over 10 years.

Elated by the development, President Muluzi said: "This is a significant achievement especially when one considers the daunting challenges that faced the author. By the grace of God he has helped to introduce a beautiful Quran in our national languages, which is very commendable," the president said.

President Muluzi reiterated his rhetoric that his government, as a democracy, believes in freedom of worship for the individual and therefore "it is incumbent upon all Malawians to ensure that their divergent religious beliefs enhanced the country's democracy and development."

Meanwhile, in November last year, a new Christian umbrella organisation the Malawi National Initiative for Mission and Evangelism (MNIME) started a project which it says will help to "mobilise the body of Christ in Malawi."

A mission statement signed by the Evangelism Initiative Chairman, Rev Dr Van Belden Nkhoma of Church of Central Africa Presbyterian synod, said the idea was for Christians to get effectively involved in evangelism mainly unreached Muslims in the three selected areas in the country's three religions of South, Centre and North.

After some research, the project will be used to facilitate some consultative meetings. It is hoped that before the end of June 1999, church leaders will be gathered together to identify approaches, programmes and activities to be implemented.

The move came in the wake of what Christians perceive as increased activity of Islam in the country. Among these are the frequent visits of president Muluzi to Arab countries, more especially Libya with which the Malawi leader holds secret meetings.

Meanwhile president Muluzi left Malawi on February 1 , 1999 for an eight day visit to Libya and Egypt. Reports filed by journalists of the pro-government Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and the official government Malawi Newa Agency (MANA) from Tipoli said that apart from discussing irrigation and economic issues, president Muluzi held secret meetings with Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, details of which were not disclosed.

Among the concern being expressed by the Christians in Malawi is the establishment of an Islamic theological institution in Malawi by the African Islamic Agency.

On the local scene, as Malawi is gearing up for the presidential and parliamentary elections slated for May 18. President Muluzi has increased his fraternity with Christian leaders during his country-wide tour during which he promised money for construction of school fences and blocks. In most cases this money is not forthcoming as it is expected to come from government coffers which Treasury officials say are dry.

During his visit on 17 January to St. Columba Presbyterian church in Blantyre, where he attended the Sunday services, President Muluzi donated Mk 300 000 (about US$7 150) honorary membership of the church's building committee.

Apart from the money donation, the visit sparked a row in which some members of the congregation accused the church minister the Rev Tom-Hunter Kapengule and the elders of trying to get funds from the president for political reasons.

The concerned members also argued that they could not understand why President Muluzi, a Muslim, had been incorporated in the building committee. "This is politicising church affairs and we are not amused. The normal order is that only the faithful are supposed to be in church committees. We do not understand what church doctrines are being abused", said one bitter member.

St. Columbia resident minister Rev Kapengule said in an interview that he does not understand why there was such bickering from the members. He said according to him the procedure to invite the president was normal.

Rev. Kapengule added: "When we said President Muluzi will be a member of the building committee, it was just a joke. However, it is a fact that when one has a project like ours, one will go wherever he thinks he will get assistance. And it is a pleasure that our Head of State is involved in the building of the church as is the case in the history of churches� they were built by kings and rulers".

The new church is expected to cost a total of k5.5 million (about UD$1.3 million).

Observers see the translation of the Quran as a step forward as it will help both Muslims and non-Muslims to understand the prayers particularly during funerals when members of different religious groups gather.

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