Kouthar Sambo
Following a meeting between the Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) and Senior management at Woolworths, the official body said that it has advised Woolworths on its position regarding the pride campaign. The MJC further described the position of the retail giant as rather “uncompromising.”Speaking on Voice of the Cape’s (VOC) Drive Time Show, Second-Deputy President Shaykh Riad Fataar said that while Woolworths requested to meet at their head office in Town, the MJC maintained that they would much rather have the meeting at the MCJ’s head office.
“The executives that were present included Woolworths CEO and Executive Director Roy Bagattini, and we wanted them to know how upset our community is,” said Fataar.
The CEO, explains Shaykh, justified the LGBTQIA+ collaboration as “embracing inclusivity and diversity.” Furthermore, Woolworths’ CEO stated that this was a “learning curve” for them and that they did not intend to promote the agendas of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“We acknowledge, with the utmost respect, the Islamic position on homosexuality as informed by the Quran and Sunnah (the Prophet Muhammad’s way of life). Whilst we hold a different view, we sincerely appreciate the time you took to deepen our understanding of your religious and moral context, and how our campaign has been perceived. I would like to reiterate that it was absolutely never our intent to cause division,” said Bagattini in a statement from Woolworths.
The retail giant acknowledges that their intention had the contrary effect on the Muslim community, as opposed to its vision of propagating a “broader Inclusive Justice Initiative”
“We are deeply saddened that what has transpired has, in instances, been the exact opposite of what was intended,” said Bagattini.
While we are living in a country that celebrates democracy, Shaykh said that Woolworths must demonstrate that family life is the cornerstone of their brand by acknowledging the community’s feelings and halting the collaboration with the LGBTQIA+ community.
“The Muslim community has come forward and said that Woolworths has been shoving this campaign down their throats, all in their faces,” said Fataar.
Depending on their response, said Fataar, the MJC will campaign with other faith leader groups to join forces and tackle the issue as a collective. Fataar said that the company claims that they will be discussing the matter and report back. Woolworths responded, maintaining that they will continue to collaborate with the LGBTQIA+ community, which they describe as a “social justice campaign” while exercising cognizance of the degree of the exposure of the campaign to the Muslim community.
“Following extensive engagement, and deep consideration and deliberation, we have taken the decision to retain, but will curtail, the visibility of our campaign so that it is less intrusive on religious beliefs,” said Woolworths’ Bagattini.
Photo: Muslim Judicial Council – SA/Facebook
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