Awareness drive on Muslim personal laws from April 23
LUCKNOW: After strong censure of triple talaq in one sitting by the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, another Muslim religious body – Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) – has decided to launch a campaign to remove misconceptions about Islamic laws.
JIH will kick off the two-week long countrywide initiative titled ‘Muslim Personal Law Awareness Campaign’ (MPLAC) from New Delhi on April 23.
“There is a need to educate, uplift and morally reform the Muslim society as a whole. A primary reason for violation of Shari’ah (Islamic laws) is lack of awareness among the Muslims. A large segment of Muslim society does not even know the basics of Islam. Many Muslims do not know the rules and instructions to follow in matters of marriage, divorce and inheritance,” said convener of MPLAC Mohammad Jafar.
On April 16, AIMPLB, the apex body which represents all Muslim sects, had called for “social boycott” of those who divorce women by pronouncing triple talaq in one sitting.
It had issued a booklet titled ‘Instructions for Talaq’ for circulation in all the mosques so that the Imams can read it out after Friday prayer to create awareness about the laws.
Apart from reforms in personal laws, it is the sceptre of a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), actively pursued by the Narendra Modi Government after the Supreme Court order on the issue, which is a matter of concern among the Muslim clergy.
“Since Independence, Muslims of India have been saying that they reject the idea of Uniform Civil Code. They have opposed attempts by courts or legislative bodies to interfere in Muslim personal law but they have not been equally vigilant on the internal front,” said Jafar.
The organisation will hold seminars and interactive sessions in all the states during its fortnight-long campaign to make Muslims aware of the rights guaranteed to them under the Shariat Application Act, 1937.
“Courts will not interfere in personal laws if Muslims follow it sincerely in letter and spirit. They should resolve their disputes through Shariat courts and counselling centres rather than turning to the courts which may act contrary to the Islamic law,” he said.
The Supreme Court is hearing a case on the constitutional validity of the practice followed by some Muslims to annul their marriage pronouncing talaq, the Arabic word for divorce, thrice.
The union government had, on October 7 last year, opposed triple talaq and other Islamic practices such as ‘nikah’, ‘halala’ and polygamy in the Supreme Court and favoured a relook in its continuation on the grounds of gender equality and secularism.
From May 13, the apex court will start day-to-day hearing of a case on a PIL petition filed by some Muslim women challenging the practice.
There is a need to educate, uplift and morally reform the Muslim society as a whole. A primary reason for violation of Shari’ah (Islamic laws) is lack of awareness among the Muslims.
MOHAMMAD JAFAR, convener of MPLAC