Islamic scholar apologises for remarks over Sudanese singers

March 21, 2015 (KHARTOUM) – The head of Sudan’s Islamic Fiqh Academy (IFA), Isam Ahmed al-Bashir, visited on Saturday the Sudanese Union for Singing and Music (SUSM) headquarters to apologise for denigrating remarks made by the IFA secretary general against singers.

The IFA secretary general, Abdalla al-Zubair, said during a book release event last week that he deliberately entered the SUSM premises with his “left foot” when he was invited to deliver a lecture for the singers.

Islam urges its followers to enter places which are considered to be impure or dirty such as bathrooms with their left foot first.

SUSM members denounced al-Zubair’s statements and protested in front of the SUSM premises on Friday in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman.

They held banners saying “we are Sudan’s artists and loyal sons” and “we are the holders of culture and creativity torches”.

Al-Bashir, who paid a visit to the SUSM on Saturday in an attempt to end the crisis, apologised for al-Zubair’s remarks, saying “we will not allow those who seek to tear up the national fabric to create sedition.”

The Islamic scholar was the former minister of religious affairs in Sudan.

(ST)