Arab Chamber of Hong Kong's Shariah Board Quits
December 03, 2007
The Chief Imam of Hong Kong, Mufti Muammad Ashrad, recognised as the spiritual leader of Muslims in Hong Kong has quit serving on The Arab Chamber of Commerce's Shariah Advisory Council.

Following Mufti Ashrad's decision to quit several other other members of the council have also quit. The reasons offered for these resignations was that they were too busy to serve the Chamber effictively.

However, it appears that certain people realized that as Lord Edwin Hitti, the founder and president of the Arab Chamber, does not carry a Muslim name he was not a Muslim as claimed. Many believe that a non muslim heading an Arab Chamber and serving on its Shariah Board is not appropriate.

Futher, it is being said in Hong Kong that the "Lord" in Hitti's name is not a real inheritied title. Rumours are also rife that Hitti has been inducing professionals to serve on his pet projects with various promises of payment and then not paying them for their services.

These are just rumours of course and whatever the facts may be, one thing is certain. Hitti has chosen to go loggerheads with Hong Kong based consular representatives of several powerful Arab Nations by setting up his grandiose Arab Chamber implying that it represents the 22 Arab states.

Given the resignations of persons who had esrlier agreed to serve the Chamber in good faith, under a cloud of uncertainities, now presents Hitti's opponents with the necessary tools to lobby the Hong Kong Government to de-register the Arab Chamber rather than allowing it to continue adding insult to Arab nations and to Islam.

Hong Kong has recently announced plans to develop into an Islamic Finance centre. The Arab Chamber under Hitti could become a big liability to the Hong Kong Government's plans.
About the Press Release
The Chief Imam of Hong Kong and several key members of the Arab Chamber in Hong Kong have quit


 
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