introduction
Mufti Ismail ibn Musa Menk was born on June 27, 1975.ز He is an Islamic scholar from Zimbabwe. He serves as the Grand Mufti of Zimbabwe's Muslim community. Menk Ismail ibn Musa Menk leads the fatwa department for the Council of Islamic Scholars of Zimbabwe. Menk is recognized for his influence,. The Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought listed Menk among The 500 Most Influential Muslims worldwide. This was in Jordan for the years 2013, 2014, and 2017.
Menk's Life
Mufti Ismail ibn Musa Menk was born on June 27, 1975, in Salisbury to Gujarati Indian Muslim parents. They hailed from the Bharuchi Vohra Patel community, Mufti Ismail is the son of Maulana Musa Ibrahim Menk. He was a respected Muslim preacher in Zimbabwe. Growing up, Mufti Menk learned Gujarati and Urdu.. Menk commenced his studies alongside his father. Menk memorized the Quran He delved into Arabic for his secondary education. He attended St. John’s College in Harare. Later on, he pursued his religious education. Therefore, he did Mufti course at Kantharia Darul Uloom in Gujarat, India,. Moreover, Menk furthered his studies in Madinah. However, Different sources have labeled him as both Deobandi and Salafi. Nevertheless, Menk hasn’t publicly affirmed his allegiance to either movement.
Menk's views
Menk actively opposes terrorism and has committed to supporting efforts against religious extremism, particularly in the Maldives. On March 31, 2018, he encouraged Muslims in Liberia to steer clear of Muslim-Christian violence, emphasizing the shared ancestry of Muslims and Christians, tracing back to the prophet Adam. He attributes the misconception of Muslims as terrorists to the misguidance propagated by Western media.
In a statement highlighted by Gulf News, Menk emphasized the universal connection among all individuals, asserting that everyone, regardless of faith, belongs to one global family and shares a common creator. Consequently, he advocates against the imposition of beliefs or faith on others, citing the inherent right of every individual to their own beliefs.
Menk's Woks
In 2018, he released a book compiling his inspirational quotes titled “Motivational Moments,” followed by a second edition in 2019 titled “Motivational Moments 2.”
Awards and Recognition
Menk received an Honorary Doctorate of Social Guidance from Aldersgate College, Philippines, and its collaborative partner Aldersgate College – Dublin, Ireland, on April 16, 2016. Additionally, the KSBEA honored him in 2015 Global Leadership Award in Social Guidance by the Cochin Herald. Moreover, they recognized him among The 500 Most Influential Muslims in both 2014 and 2017.
Menk's pakistan visit
In September 2022, Menk traveled to Pakistan with the aim of drawing attention to the flood-affected regions of Sindh.
Menk's travel bans
Singapore barred Menk from entering its borders on October 31, 2017, citing concerns that his expressed views contradict the nation’s multicultural laws. Menk had reportedly stated that it was blasphemous for Muslims to extend greetings to believers of other faiths during festivals such as Christmas or Deepavali. Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs justified its decision by labeling Menk’s teachings as “segregationist and divisive.”
Following the ban, Menk’s institution, the Majlisul Ulama Zimbabwe, expressed regret and dismay, asserting Menk’s positive influence as an asset to Zimbabwe’s multicultural and multi-religious society. They urged audiences to listen to Menk’s complete sermons rather than edited clips to comprehend the moderate path he advocates. In response, Menk clarified the issue in a YouTube video, explaining that his message emphasized the importance of not imposing one’s beliefs on others.
Subsequently, in November 2018, the Danish government imposed a two-year ban on Menk from entering .
Menk's attack on homophobla
The Huffington Post has characterized Menk as an “openly homophobic Islamic preacher” for his public denouncement of homosexuality, which he described as “filthy.” In 2013, they canceled his scheduled visit to six British universities—Oxford, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Cardiff, and Glasgow due to concerns voiced by student unions and university officials regarding his viewpoints.
Menk’s controversial remarks included condemnation of same-sex relationships, citing the Qur’an’s prohibition and describing such acts as immoral. He stated, “How can you engage in acts of immorality with the same sex?… The Qur’an clearly says it is wrong what you are doing… Allah speaks about how filthy this is… With all due respect to the animals, homosexuals are worse than animals.”
