Muslim scholars, leaders disapprove of state govt move

Several Muslim scholars and religious leaders have disapproved of the state government’s decision to make registration of marriages for all mandatory in the state.

The first reaction came from the Islamic seminary of Darul Uloom of Deoband’s Mohatmim (vice chancellor) Maulana Mufti Abul Kasim Nomani who said the forceful implementation for all is against people’s religious liberty. He explained that marriages are religious matter and clarified that they were not against registration, but disapproved of the idea of its forceful implementation.

Qari Shafeeq, city president of Milli Council, termed the decision of Yogi government as interference in peoples’ religious liberty and apprehended that it could be the first step of the government in interfering with the religious matters. He said we support the opinion of Darul’s Mohatmim and demanded that it should not be made mandatory for all. Qazi Zainur Rasheedin, nayab shahar qazi, Muslim community follows traditional way of registration of every nikah. Bride and groom both sign on the nikah register along with two eyewitnesses and other relevant persons and that record registers are kept in safe place. He said, “There is no need for Muslims to register their nikah in government offices because the community has a traditional and authentic way of registration.” He, however, advised the government to recognise nikah registers as authentic document for registration of marriages. Medical practitioner Dr Soofia Aami, however, says that it depends on the wishes of an individual whether he or she wants to get their marriage registered in government offices or not. “State government should also give people liberty instead of making it mandatory for all,” she said.