Sunni Islamic seminary issues another controversial fatwa

Darul Uloom Deoband and controversy often go hand in hand. The Wahabi Sunni Islamic seminary in Saharanpur known for the controversial religious edicts (Fatwa)   has asked the Sunni Muslims to avoid attending the Iftar party   and  any other social event organised by the shia muslims.  The seminary had earlier issued a fatwa terming life insurance and photography as `haram’; for the Muslims.

 A bench of three member Muftis of Darul Ifta of Darul Uloom Deoband issued the fatwa saying `` the Sunni Muslims should refrain from attending the Iftar parties’’. The Fatwa added `` Sunni Muslims should also not attend the marriage parties of the Shia community and they should not dine in the parties and social gatherings organised by the Shia Muslims’’.

The fatwa was issued in response to a question send by a local resident of Deoband Sikandar Ali ``whether shariat permits the Sunni Muslims to attend the Iftar parties organised by the Shia muslims during the holy month of Ramzan and whether Sunni Muslims should attend and dine during the social events like marriage and Dawat-e-walima   organised by the shia muslims. The muftis who issued the fatwa are Mufti Jainul Islam kasmi, Mufti Fakhrul Islam and Mufti Waqar Ali.

The Muftis have however not declared the dining with Shia Muslims during Ramzaan as `` illegitimate’’, they have only advised the Sunni Muslims to refrain from attending the social events organised by the Shia Muslims.

A  Sunni Muslim cleric refusing to be named .being the month of Ramzan said ``due to the historic role of the Darul Uloom Deoband and its Ulamas, one could have ignored couple of controversial fatwa’s, but this Fatwa against the shia community has once again proved that there is something is seriously wrong with the seminary, especially the Darul Ifta or the Fatwa department’’.

`` I am sorry this fatwa is unjust, unwarranted, uncalled for and divisive clearly against the Shia Muslims, it is irresponsible and against the spirit of religion.  Though fatwa is a mere opinion that is not binding, it sends a message particularly when it comes from such an institution’’, said the cleric.