Darul Uloom must not issue fatwa on sensitive issues:Islamic scholar

Amidst the row over the issue of chanting ‘Bharat mata ki jai’, noted Islamic scholar Khalid Rasheed Farangimahal today said institutions like Darul Uloom should desist from issuing fatwas on sensitive issues which could have a negative impact on the country and the community.

The issue of slogan chanting has political interests involved in it, Farangimahal, who is also a member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), told PTI here.

“Communal forces in both the communities have raised this issue with an eye on the coming Assembly elections and if any seminary issues fatwa on such a sensitive and political issue it will only help the communal forces achieve their goal...  why are we ready to become a tool in the hands of such vested interests,” he asked.

He said it was not binding on any seminary to give fatwas on every matter raised before it. Farangimahl said that in the first place as per the Constitution there is no need to raise or not raise slogans of any kind to prove love for the nation.

Muslims had raised the slogan of ‘inkalab zindabad” during freedom struggle and also chanted “Jai Hind”, he noted, adding that if translated “Bharat mata ji jai” has a similar meaning.

When one raises this slogan it is not any idol but the map of the country which comes to ones mind, he said. “We should rather go by historical facts and background before arriving at any conclusion on any issue,” he said.

The issue had taken centre stage last month with AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi insisting he will not chant ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai even if a knife is put to his neck.

Last week India’s largest Islamic seminary, Darul Uloom Deoband, issued a fatwa stating Muslims should refrain from chanting the slogan ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ as it was against the basic tenets of their religion.

The fatwa stated that chanting the slogan was against “tauheed”, or the “oneness of Allah”, which forms the core of Islam. The seminary has also argued that the Constitution provides the right to all citizens to practice their own faiths in their daily life.