A television channel on Sunday aired purported footage of Muslim clerics in the national capital and Uttar Pradesh issuing fatwas for a payment, triggering condemnation from community leaders and protests in Meerut.
NEW DELHI: A television channel on Sunday aired purported footage of Muslim clerics in the national capital and Uttar Pradesh issuing fatwas for a payment, triggering condemnation from community leaders and protests in Meerut.
The clerics allegedly issued fatwas on a variety of subjects, including the use of credit cards and camera phones by Muslims, acting in films, and watching television, said the report on Star News that carried out a sting operation along with Cobrapost in Delhi and Meerut.
Clerics Ahmed Nadir Al Qasmi, an official of Delhi-based Islamic Fiqh Academy, was shown allegedly accepting Rs 5,000 for issuing a fatwa.
The footage also purportedly showed Maulana Imran, a cleric from Meerut, allegedly demanding Rs 50,000 for issuing five fatwas against the wearing of jeans by girls in Muslim-run institutes and the teaching of English in madarassas.
In Meerut, students of a madarassa staged a protest against the clerics, saying the incident had "hurt" the community. Muslim leaders convened a meeting of clerics to decide whether action should be taken against those named in the sting operation.
Islamic Fiqh Academy general secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rehmani expressed regret at the incident. He said the body had launched a probe and would take action against anyone found guilty. Ahmed Nadir Al Qasmi had been restrained from issuing any more fatwas, he said.
Rehmani said the academy was not responsible for Qasmi's actions. He said the academy did not charge anything for fatwas, which were issued only after they had been vetted by at least two clerics.
Uttar Pradesh's Haj Minister Yaqoob Qureshi said the allegations against the clerics were "serious" and their purported actions should be condemned. "Those who have issued fatwas for money have committed a sin," he said.
All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat president Syed Shabuddin said, "A fatwa is the reply of one's query from scholars and it cannot be issued in exchange of money."
Condemning such practices, he said, "Such fatwas cannot change society and are therefore meaningless."
Other clerics named in the sting operation are Maulana Shaukat of Jamia Muzaffaria of Meerut, Maulana Habibur Rahman of Deoband, Mufti Kokab of Jamia Mehmoodia of Meerut, Maulvi Riyasat of Khadimul Islam madarassa and Maulvi Khurshid Ahmed Qasmi, both of Meerut.
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