Yusuf visits President Gayoom

[Chris]

Did you see this in the news today?

www.haveeru.com.mv/english/news_show.phtml?id=2066


Yusuf Islam calls on President Gayoom

Saturday, 23 August 2003

MALE, Aug 23 (HNS) -- Former British popstar Cat Stevens, now Yusuf Islam, paid a courtesy call on President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Thursday.

Yusuf and his wife Fawziya Islam called on Gayoom at the President's Office on Thursday morning.

During the call, President Gayoom welcomed Yusuf Islam and his wife to the Maldives. The President said that the Maldives was a wholly Muslim nation, which was steadfast on maintaining moderate values.

Yusuf said that he viewed the Maldives as a model country.

During the call, Yusuf presented to the President a number of CDs of his songs, as well as some of the books that he had written.

After conversion to Islam, Yusuf gave up pop music and now compiles books for a number of Islamic education schools in Britain.

His wife Fawziya is the Principal of the Islamiyya Secondary Girls' School in London.

Yusuf's call on President Gayoom was also attended by Tourism Minister Hassan Sobir, the Executive Secretary to the President Abdulla Shahid, and the Deputy Director, Social Policy at the President's Office, Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed.

[Lucy13]

Wow, Christine. This news story is dated *tomorrow*. Must be past the International Date Line (I obviously don't remember where the Maldives are... gotta look it up).

And I'd like to see how moderate this Islam is, that they practice there.

Thanks for the news.

[Chris]

Lucy13 said:

Wow, Christine. This news story is dated *tomorrow*. Must be past the International Date Line (I obviously don't remember where the Maldives are... gotta look it up).

I did notice that Lucy. I located it on Google, so it must have just come out on the international news.

I have no idea where the Maldives are either. I wish my geography was better. But it is a nice little article.

[Aisha]

Hey, that just goes to show us that he makes it to parts of the world we haven't heard of.

Hey, I think it is pretty cool.

Love,
Katie

[Vivian]

That's our Yusuf!!

Peace,Vivian

[Turan]

maldive.com/

The Maldives sound like a wonderful place to visit, especially in February or March for a Montanan. Sigh.

Turan

[Aisha]

WHAT A GORGEOUS PLACE!!! Yusuf I envy you.

Love,
Katie

[Turan]

Lucy,
The Maldives are a democracy. They elect members to the majlis. The members of the Majlis nominate canidates for election by the populous for President.

The President appoints judges.

Law is based on Sharia. I don't know how that interaction works, and would be curious to know more.

I suspect Yusuf may have been commenting on it being a democratic Islaamic country. But anything he said was being used in this article for promotion, they wouldn't have reported his grumbles. According to World Review 2002 there is a big push for modernizing and expanding the education system. Yusuf would be very interested in that.

I suspect they are going through huge upheaval socially as they become more dependant on tourism.

My source is mostly Ency. Brittanica and a quick look at websites.
Turan