‘Dowry, DJ and high-decibel music are un-Islamic’

LUCKNOW: The Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims associated with the Dargah-e-Ala Hazrat shrine in Bareilly on Thursday issued a religious decree, terming the practice of dowry and the use of bands/DJs in weddings as un-Islamic. Other clerics in UP also condemned the practice of dowry.

The move came in wake of the incident in which a 23-year-old girl, Aisha Makrani, ended her life by jumping into river Sabarmati in Ahmedabad over alleged dowry harassment.

The dargah demanded a ban on high-decibel music, saying it was a wastage of money. They appealed to clerics not to solemnise ‘nikah’ at places where music, dance and dowry were part of it. “Dowry practice is a condemnable act. Due to this, many girls from poor families are not getting married. It should be stopped immediately. The use of DJ, band and fireworks, which are wastage of money, should also be stopped as these are un-Islamic,” said Mufti Ahsan Miyan, Sajjadanasheen, Dargahe-Ala Hazrat, Bareilly.

Similarly, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali, Imam, Eidgah, Lucknow and member of All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) urged imams to conduct an awareness campaign against dowry.

He said Ayesha’s death was a cause of concern for the entire Muslim community. There is an appeal to imams of all mosques to clearly state Islamic decrees, rights and duties of wives and husbands before Friday prayers, said Farangi Mahali.

“They should explain it in simple language so that tragic incidents like Ayesha’s suicide can be averted,” he added. He said demand for dowry was ‘haraam’ and against Islamic law, but some people still followed such an un-Islamic and inhuman practices.

THE MOVE CAME IN WAKE OF THE INCIDENT IN WHICH A 23-YEAR-OLD GIRL, AISHA MAKRANI, ENDED HER LIFE BY JUMPING INTO RIVER SABARMATI IN AHMEDABAD OVER ALLEGED DOWRY HARASSMENT.