Islamic Supreme Council Calls for Secular Studies in Muslim Schools

Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia

THE Islamic Supreme Council of Zambia has called for the introduction of secular studies in muslim schools in the country.

Copperbelt coordinator Isa Nangu Zgambo said muslim schools should also be teaching secular studies so that pupils could enrol in secular tertiary institutions and later work in a secular society.

Mr Zgambo said the current situation, where Islamic schools only offered Quran studies was disadvantaging pupils who could not fit into a secular society even after being well-schooled.

"The Islamic lessons being offered are very good but we also understand that we live in a secular world. Our children should get secular studies as well so that they are not limited," he said.

Mr Zgambo also said there should be an immediate revision of accessing money and sponsorship from the Islamic Bank to ensure all eligible people benefit regardless of race.

He said even Prophet Mohammed never discriminated against race or background but wondered why the Islamic Bank loans and academic sponsorships were only being accessed by one race.

"Our children have tried so many times to get something from the Islamic Bank but only our brothers from the Asian community are accessing these benefits. This is not what Islam says," he said.

Mr Zgambo also said it was unfortunate that the Asian community was refusing to recognise the Zambian leadership of the Islamic Supreme Council led by Grand Mufti Saddique Kaputula.

He said Government had provided leadership by providing a platform for the muslim community in the country to come up with a mother body but that the signs of divisions and cracks in the council were uncalled for.

"When the Asian community organise activities, we attend them but since we elected our Grand Mufti, they have been shunning us and now they say they won't recognise his election," he lamented.

The Zambian Muslim community have along with millions of other Moslems from other parts of the world embarked on a month long fasting ritual to observe the holy month of Ramadan of the Islamic calendar.