Abdirizak Waberi

Abdirizak Waberi (born 7 May 1966) is a Somali–Swedish Moderate Party politician. He was a member of the Swedish parliament from the 2010 election until the next election in 2014, representing the Gothenburg Municipality constituency.[1]

Abdirizak Waberi
Member of the Swedish parliament for Gothenburg Municipality
In office
4 October 2010 – October 2014
Personal details
Born (1966-05-07) 7 May 1966
Somalia
Political partyModerate Party in Sweden
(- 2014)
National Unity Party in Somalia
(2017 - )
Children5 children
Websitewaberi.se

Since 2017 Waberi is the leader of the National Unity Party in Somalia which is described as Islamist.[2]

Biography

Waberi was born in Somalia. Prior to entering politics, he worked as a principal at the Römosseskolan Islamic private elementary school in Gothenburg.[3] The school teaches Islamic doctrine two hours a week, more than other schools. It is taught that a man can have many wives, which is contrary to the values of the Swedish education system which specifies equality between men and women.[4] The institution was criticized by the Swedish School Inspectorate (sv: Skolinspektionen) for its unusual grading pattern, wherein all the ninth grade boys within the system graduated with full marks and were eligible to apply for college, while a lower 71% of girls graduated with full marks. This was in contrast to the gender ratio typically seen in other local schools in Sweden, where the girls tended to outperform the boys.[5] In 2021 the school was closed as it was found it had channeled public school funds to Somalia.[6]

In the 2010 election, Waberi was elected to the Swedish parliament, representing the Gothenburg Municipality constituency. He was a deputy member of the legislature's Committee on Defence.[1]

Waberi has served as the vice president of Federation of Islamic Organizations in Europe (FIOE), where he headed the citizenship and public relations duties.[7]

In addition, Waberi has served as the chairman of several organizations, including the Islamic Association in Sweden, Muslim Political Forum and Islamic Schools of Sweden.[8] He is also a member of the board of the Muslim Council of Sweden.[8]

According to researcher Stig Jarle Hansen at Norwegian University of Life Sciences in 2021, Waberi leads the National Unity Party in Somalia which was founded by Muslim Brotherhood profile Abdurahman Abdullahi Baadiyow.[9]

Waberi lives in Angered, Gothenburg. He is married, with five children.[10]

Religious views

In a 2006 interview by the Ottar magazine published by the Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (RFSU), he stated that according to the Quran, that a man may have up to four wives. He also stated a man is capable of loving four wives, but that woman cannot love four men. According to Waberi, Islam teaches that a Muslim man may marry a woman of a different religion, but a Muslim woman must marry a Muslim man.[4]

Leader of National Unity Party

Since 2017 Waberi leads the National Unity Party. The party claims to advocate a modern interpretation of Islam and rejects the violent aspects and movements of the religion. The party is Islamist in nature as the top of the party's programme says that sharia law shall become the basis of the legal system.[2]

References
  1. "Abdirizak Waberi (M)". Parliament of Sweden. 19 October 2010. Archived from the original on 11 October 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
  2. "Friskoleprofilen leder islamistiskt parti – misstänks för grov förskingring". www.aftonbladet.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 3 November 2021.
  3. "Om mig" (in Swedish). Abdirizak Waberi. Archived from the original on 27 September 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
  4. "Med koranen i klassrummet". www.rfsu.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 16 February 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  5. "Serious criticism against private school in Gothenburg (in Swedish)". Ekot (news program). Sveriges Radio. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
  6. "Skolinspektionen stänger kritiserade Römosseskolan". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  7. "FIOE held celebration in Brussels on the occasion of Hajj and blessed Eid-ul-Adha". Federation of Islamic Organisation in Europe. 2 March 2012. Archived from the original on 2 March 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
  8. "Politiska Uppdrag" (in Swedish). Abdirizak Waberi. Archived from the original on 27 September 2010. Retrieved 28 September 2010.
  9. "Skolan får miljoner – rektor Waberi driver islamistparti i Somalia". www.expressen.se (in Swedish). Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  10. Olofsson, Peter (12 June 2006). "Med koranen i klassrummet". Ottar (in Swedish). Swedish Association for Sexuality Education (2). Archived from the original on 6 November 2010. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
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