Malawi religious tension: Christians demand council pulls down offensive Muslim billboard
The Evangelical Association of Malawi have reacted angrily to a bill board mounted in Blantyre by Muslims which say since people have read the Biblical Old Testament and the new testament, they should now read the last testament which they say is the Holy Quran.
In a statement, the association’s chairperson Reverend Zacc Kawalala has told the Blantyre city council to pull down the billboard within seven days.
“We want to clearly state here that the Old Testament and the New Testament are books in the Christian Bible.
“Therefore reference told the Old Testament and New Testament in such a manner, in a country that is predominantly Christian, even without specifically mentioning the Bible, tantamount to a comparison between the Bible and the Quran.
“Such an action is unacceptable and a recipe for religious conflict in the country,” says the statement.
Kawalala says Chrisitians in the city will decide their next course of action if the billboard is not pulled down within the seven days.
Sheikh Ahmed Chiyenda national coordinator for the Islamic Information Bureau insists people have read the Bible and need to read the Quran which according to him was the last book to be handed to humanity with knowledge.
“We’re not trying to create conflict, we’re trying to tell people that if they want further understanding, they should come to the Islamic Information Bureau to get further knowledge in the Quran,” he said.
Sheikh Chiyenda further says they see nothing wrong with the message they have put out, and that if everyone was to be given what they want, there would be chaos.
“What Christians are trying to do is have dominance over Islam as it’s trying to spread its message. Malawi has rights enshrined in the Constitution to religion, assembly and we are just exercising that right,” he said.
Malawian Christians and Muslims have tended to co-exist in a country that only identifies as God-fearing. The 2018 census estimated that Malawi has 2.426,754 Muslims representing 13.8 percent of the population, with Christians as the dominant group, comprising 77.3 percent of the population.
The Catholics and the CCAP Church are the dominant Christian groups at 17.2 and 14.2 percent respectively
President Lazarus Chakwera is a devout Christian who was once a pastor at Assemblies of God and lectured in Theology at college.
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Am a Christian i don’t have any problem with that, its their own choice to write what they wish…in religion its always war, but its wrong for any religion to use civil powers to protect its religion..history has proven it doing that means bloodshed
The pastor must also get the beer and gambling billboards removed. Especially the new casino one on the highway which has semi nude women pics.
These are blatantly against the teaching of the bible.
Hope you do. If not then thats double standards
We are waiting someone to arrested for this if they want peace on this
Whoever has issues with the Bill Board I suspect is not wholesomely Christian by definition. While the Bill Board has a message contrary to my belief as a Christian there is completely no problem with erecting it. We always preach against Islam and tell them to follow our way. Is that a crime? No!!!. So let them preach their message and we also will preach our message. Let there be freedom of expression. We recently witnessed attorney general being sworn in without using the Bible. While as a Chrisitian I will kneel and pray for his conversion I cannot by… Read more »
I think this is a direct attack to our president. They know he is a Christian and want to attack him
They are angry because Atupele whom they were supporting in the belief that he is one of them lost the election alongside hi uncle, now settled in Mangochi. They are doing this to divert the public attention so that their man of the match, Bakili should be spared from the whip of law.
The Koran says not to argue with non Muslims but to say: ”I do not worship what you worship, neither are you worshippers of what I worship. Nor will I be a worshipper of what you worship, neither will you be worshipper of what I worship. For you is your religion , and for me is mine.” Koran 109:6 So please Muslims in Malawi please, please let us follow what the Koran says. Do not confuse people in Malawi and disturb the peace and harmony that has existed for a century in Malawi with Billboards etc. You cannot convert people… Read more »
Let us pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to help the moslems not to provoke us the Christians so that they are not hurt.
Well then… why mention old and new testaments? when you advertise don’t mention or antagonize, compare by mentioning other products! It is ethically wrong. just advertise or campaign on your product!! Amen
Please why should people start this??? ..testing waters every time!!!
Remove it to avoid these unnecessary conflicts!!!
JUST SAY PPLE U HAVE READ OTHER HOLY BOOKS NOW READ THE QUARAN!! basi osatchula za anzanu
Honestly, this is not a battle, Pastor, don’t try to bring conflicts using this stupid Billboard. Christians and Muslims have lived together in Malawi for decades. How many times have we heard Christian attacking Muslims in their preaching? I have attended funerals myself were Christians literally announced that Islam is a false religious tradition. Our battle is not flesh and blood, Christians need to go beyond going to church but become serious readers of the Bible. Many so-called Christians have not even had a serious time to read there own Bible. But we spend hours and hours listening to these… Read more »