Jamiatul Ulama KwaZulu-Natal has apologized for a deleted Halloween post that described other religions as forms of Satan worship. The post, which claimed that Christians, Jews, and Hindus worshipped 'Shaytan', sparked outrage among religious leaders. They accused the organization of promoting religious intolerance and undermining social cohesion. The post advised Muslims against participating in Halloween celebrations.
The now-deleted post stated that Halloween is "devil worship, satanism, occult and opening the portals between us and the jinn world". It also described Christianity's concept of the Trinity as satanic and stated that Islam was the only true religion. The Jamiatul Ulama KZN's executive committee issued a clarification and an unreserved apology. The committee distanced itself from the "additional wording" in the post, claiming it was inserted by an employee without authorization.
The Jamiatul Ulama KZN's executive committee acknowledged that the message should have been communicated without insulting other faith communities. The organization maintained that its position against Muslims participating in Halloween celebrations remained unchanged. However, it accepted responsibility for the incident and undertook to strengthen its internal oversight and public communication procedures.
Professor Brij Maharaj, deputy president of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha, condemned the post as irresponsible and deeply offensive. He stated that the assertion that Christians, Jews, Hindus, and followers of other faiths worship Shaytan was an insult to millions of South Africans. Maharaj added that the post risked fueling religious divisions and was incompatible with South Africa's constitutional values.
Maharaj warned that such statements could inflame division, undermine social cohesion, and damage interfaith dialogue and understanding in South Africa. He called on the Jamiatul Ulama KZN to apologize to the affected religious communities and recommit itself to interfaith respect. Maharaj also stated that if the matter was not adequately addressed, the SAHMS would escalate it to the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities.
Reverend Cyril Shunmugam Pillay of the KZN Pastors Association also rejected the post. The Jamiatul Ulama KZN has committed to fostering good neighborly relations, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence among diverse communities. The organization acknowledged the hurt and offense caused by the post and offered an unreserved apology for the inappropriate remarks directed at other faith communities.
The apology was made in response to criticism from various religious leaders who accused the Jamiatul Ulama KZN of promoting intolerance. The organization has undertaken to strengthen its internal oversight and procedures governing public communications to prevent a recurrence.
Key points
- - The Jamiatul Ulama KZN apologized for a deleted Halloween post that described other religions as forms of Satan worship. - The post sparked outrage among religious leaders who accused the organization of promoting religious intolerance. - The organization has committed to fostering good neighborly relations, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence among diverse communities.
