Muslim youths who are not conversant with the Quran are the most vulnerable group being lured into terrorism and outlawed groups such as Al-Shabaab and Mombasa Republic Council (MRC), Coast Muslim leaders have revealed.
Speaking on Sunday during the annual Quran competition in Malindi, the leaders who comprised of Imams and Madrassa teachers said that criminal agents have been taking advantage of the ignorance of many Muslim youths in regards to the Quran to brainwash them.
Abubakar Badawi, a Muslim leader and human rights activist said that poor values among youths due to zero parental guidance contributes to the increased recruitment of youths into terror groups.
"Criminal agents have realised that our children have little understanding of the Quran; hence taking advantage of that to impart the wrong teachings in the name of Islamic values," said Badawi.
Badawi noted that the number of youths who are missing in Malindi alone and suspected to have been recruited by Al-Shabaab is alarming.
“These daring and rogue people posing as mosque and madrassa leaders go as far as plucking pages of the correct Quran verses and mounting their pages to manipulate our children,” he added.
The leaders urged parents to be on the lookout of what their children engage in to prevent issues of violent extremism.
This year’s annual Quran competition which was organised by the Council of Muslim Teachers and Preachers Welfare Association (CMTPWA) saw more than140 youths from 48 madrassas in Kilifi and Mombasa counties participate.
According to the chairman of CMTPWA, Sheikh Yusuf Athman Shosi, the competitions help in enlightening the youth on the importance of reading and understanding the Quran.
He noted that the values instilled in them make them better citizens, adding that winners are made teachers and prayer leaders in mosques.