Muslim youth questions Botswana's worship freedom

BOTHO BAPUTAKI
Correspondent | Wednesday June 12, 2013 00:00

Mubarak says the gap between Christianity and Islam is increasing and he has been affected by this.He believes being a Muslim in Botswana is torturous because Botswana is a Christian country guided by Christian principles, system and morals.Mubarak was raised in a Christian family, but became curious about Islam as he grew up and he eventually decided to learn about it and eventually converted to Islam Aged 25 from a family of three, they initially took his choice to practice Islam as a joke. But things have changed now and his family encourages him to follow his heart.

He said he interpreted Christian teachings to be promoting self interest, with most of the teachers becoming richer and richer by the day, while their followers  were growing poorer,  something he said does not happen in Islam.He mentioned that in Islam, there is a strong support system where everyone is concerned about helping each other and closing the gap between the poor and the rich. Everyone is equal and treated as such regardless of their social status, he said.

Mubarak, who has been practicing Islam for the past eight years, said one of the challenges he faces as a practicing Muslim in Botswana is the way people look at Muslims, especially when they are dressed in their attire. 'People look at us with jeering glares, especially when we are dressed in our attire.' he said.He further said people often pass condescending remarks.'I live in a country where when I pass, people sneer and say hurtful things like wareng moiphatakanye?  (How are you suicide bomber),' said a concerned Mubarak.In addition he said these attitudes can make one to be isolated and avoid making friends since one cannot be with people who only want to make fun of them.

It is also hard for Mubarak since he said just being a Muslim one can be regarded as a government security threat.'You have someone constantly looking at you because Islam is viewed as a violent religion, but that is not so with all Muslims. Mubarak said being viewed as a threat makes one insecure and one can be arrested for no apparent reason and since the introduction of government spies (DIS), local Muslims are being approached and asked a lot about their religion, especially questions like why they decided to become Muslims.'This is not right because the constitution of Botswana calls for freedom of religion,' he said.He accused the media of supporting and entertaining what is said about Islam by always criticising and encouraging the publication of only negative things said about them while there are positive things that can be published.

'The media should go out there and research about the religion to get a deeper insight and be knowledgeable instead of focusing only on the negatives,' he said.Mubarak said many of his foreign brothers are being sent packing since their permits have been rejected due to various reasons given by the Immigration Department.This, he says, could be dangerous for Botswana's economy since it makes investors leave the country in large numbers, resulting in Batswana losing their jobs.

As a way forward Mubarak said the government and its people have to reform and approach Muslims and learn rather than judging them based on what they see happen in other countries like the United States of America.He said they also look forward to helping the community, teaching them about Islam and everyone who wants to be a Muslim should do so without fear.Mubarak also said Christians and Muslims should come together and learn from each other instead of widening the gap between them.In the recent past, someone scrawled grafitti ridiculing Islam on the walls of a mosque in the capital city.