India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—In an important decision, All India Muslim personal Law Board’s working committee on Monday decided to launch a nationwide campaign to ensure that women get their due share in parental property as per Shariah or Islamic law.
The decision assumes significance because though Islamic law grants daughters a share in parental property, this is honoured more in breach than in practice. This has made Islamic law a mere joke because there is no system in place to enforce the Shariah law and bring pressure on the parents or the brothers to give daughter’s or sisters share in parental property if they do not voluntarily give share to their women members in inheritance.
While Muslim activists say that hardly a few percent of Muslim families give daughters and sisters their due share in parental property, there is no proper survey done anywhere in India about how many percent of Muslim parents follow the shariah law as far as distribution of parental property is concerned.
Many participants at AIMPLB’s working committee meeting candidly admitted that in many cases daughters didn’t not get their share in family inheritance. Similarly, the mother from the son’s property and the widow from husband’s property were also deprived of their due rights. It is surprising that the board had been keeping silent on this important issue about economic empowerment of Muslim women issue for so long and took up the matter now. The wilful denial of women’s share in inheritance is one of the reasons for economic disempowerment of Muslim women in India.
Highlighting the decisions of working committee, board spokesperson Dr. SQR Ilyas said that the board had also realized that women in India faced many social problems such as female foeticide, dowry, the problem of late marriages, attacks on their dignity and chastity, exploitation at working places, domestic violence, etc. The Board took strict notice of these matters and decided that special attention would be given to reform the society from within.
For the purpose of social reform, the board divided the country into three parts and appointed three secretaries, one for each segment. The secretaries who have been given responsibilities are: Maulana S. Ahmad Faisal Rahmani, Maulana Mohammed Umrain Mahfooz Rahmani and Maulana Yasin Ali Usmani.
The board also formed a separate committee comprising Maulana S. Ahmad Faisal Rahmani, Maulana Mohammed Umrain Mahfooz Rahmani and Dr. SQR Ilyas to prepare a roadmap for undertaking the work.
Board secretary Maulana Syed Bilal Abdul Hai Hasani Nadvi was given the responsibility of Tafheem-e-Shariat Committee, a body to interpret the Islamic laws for the commoners as well as for others.
The participants appreciated the efforts made by the Board regarding the Uniform Civil Code proposed by the central government, especially the round table meeting and press conference of various religious and social leaders.
On board’s initiative about 6.3 million Muslims responded to the Law Commission of India’s notification on the UCC. The participants also admired the board’s delegation that held discussions with the Law Commission under the leadership of board president. The meeting unanimously resolved to continue its efforts against the UCC.
The Working Committee expressed deep concern over government’s crackdown on Wakf properties, criminal negligence of Wakf boards and cases filed against Wakf Act in various high courts. It was decided that Waqf conferences would be organised in five major cities of the country on the Shariah status of the Wakf, the threats to Wakf properties and possible remedial measures.
Working Committee reviewed the various aspects of the new Mediation Act in detail. It has been decided that a committee consisting of legal experts of the board under the leadership of its general secretary will examine all the aspects and suggest the board about how it can be used in resolving the matrimonial and other social problems.
Board president Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani presided over the meeting. The proceedings of the meeting were conducted by board general secretary Maulana Mohammed Fazlur Rahim Mujaddidi.
Those who attended the meeting included board vice-presidents Maulana Syed Arshad Madani, Prof. (Dr.) Syed Ali Mohammad Naqvi, Mr. Syed Sadatullah Husaini, general secretary Maulana Mohammed Fazal Rahim Mujjaddidi, treasurer Riaz Umar, secretaries Maulana Mohammed Umrain Mahfooz Rahmani, Maulana S. Ahmad Faisal Rahmani, Senior Adv. Yusuf Hatim Machhala, Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salafi, Maulana Abdullah Mughisi, Prof. Saud Alam Qasmi, Maulana Aneesur Rahman Qasmi, Mr. Kamal Farooqui, Adv. M.R. Shamshad, Adv. Tahir M. Hakeem, Adv. Fuzail Ahmad Ayoobi, Maulana Niaz Ahmad Farooqi, Prof. Monisa Bushra Abidi, Adv. Nabeela Jamil and Dr. SQR Ilyas. Special invitees were Hamid Wali Fahad Rahmani, Adv. Wajeeh Shafiq, Adv. Abdul Qadir Abbasi, Dr. Vaquar Uddin Latifi and Maulana Rizwan Ahmad Nadvi etc.
