UP BJP Muslim leader faces fatwa for installing Ganesh idol at her house

LUCKNOW: Deoband Mufti Arshad Farooqui has issued a fatwa against BJP leader Ruby Asif Khan from Aligarh for worshipping and installing the idol of Lord Ganesha in her house this Ganesh Chaturthi. The Mufti claimed that Ruby Asifa’s conduct was unIslamic. She is the Mandal Vice-President of BJP’s Mahila Morchain Aligarh.

Setting an example of religious amity, Ruby Asifa Khan installed the idol in her house and performed the Puja of Lord Ganesha drawing the attention of Islamic clerics. Deoband’s Mufti Arshad Farooqui said that Lord Ganesha was highly revered by Hindus and he was known to bring happiness and prosperity with
knowledge, but in Islam, idol worship was not allowed.

“In Islam, no one is worshipped except Allah. Those who are doing this are against Islam. Those who worship an idol, the same decree is issued against them which is issued for those who go against Islam,” said the Mufti.

However, responding to the fatwa, Ruby Khan refused to budge blaming people like the Deoband Mufti for spreading discord in the society. Ruby Khan claimed that such clerics and muftis were not true Muslims and they just indulged in the division of society on religious lines. Ruby said that she had faced many such fatwas in the past as well and that she did not care about the fatwa.

Ruby further said that such Muftis and Maulana were of extremist mindset and they did not care about Hindustan while staying in India and if he was a true Muslim, he would not have talked like this. Ruby said that she had always been celebrating Hindu festivals and would continue to do so. According to Ruby, the cleric even got posters put up against her in the past but she only wanted to maintain Hindu-Muslim unity.

Ruby Asif Khan, a resident of ADA colony under the Rorawar police circle, has set up a Ganesha idol at her home for seven days and set it up with all rituals. “We will keep the idol for seven days before immersing it in water on September 6. I and my family do puja every day as per rituals and offer ‘modaks’ to the Lord,” Ruby said.