Ten days later, the Muslim community will elect members of the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs.

The Supreme Council is obviously the highest decision making body in the countries Islamic Affairs. The upcoming election is, therefore, an opportune moment for the Muslim community to elect its own religious leaders. Needless to state, this is an election process that the faithful would like it to be fair, free and transparent. In fact that is what both the government and the non-Muslim brothers would like to see happening.

The government, although it does not involve in religious affairs, has the responsibility to ensure that there would be free and fair election in which the voices of the Muslim community is represented. Moreover, ensuring peace security and safety of the entire citizens and preventing any perverted actions or anti- peace movements under the disguise of faith.

The past few months have witnessed tendencies of extremism and clandestine movements by some groups to impose their ideology of fundamentalism on the larger mass of the Muslim community. Of course that was a movement which was backed and promoted by some extreme elements who under the disguise of religion would want to impose their undemocratic and extremist doctrines which clash with the basic principles of Islamic religion.

These elements tried to mobilize the Muslim community with false propaganda that the government is meddling in religious affairs, and incite violence. However, such an attempt failed as a result of the government's wise handling of the situation and most importantly due to the fact the larger part of the community has realized the elements who were trying to impose extremism and damage the culture of religious tolerance that existed in the country for millinnia.

Therefore, this election will be an opportunity for the Muslim community to elect their leaders who they believe will protect the religion from the anti- Islamic and extremist groups.

Therefore , the Muslim community should participate in the election process that will take place at various levels and elect their leaders. The media and other stakeholders need to play supportive role in ensuring the successful completion of the election process.