Syed Khalique Ahmed | India Tomorrow
NEW DELHI—Muslim leaders and scholars have reacted angrily to Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board’s former chairman Waseem Rizvi’s PIL in the Supreme Court, seeking removal of 26 verses from the Holy Quran that, according to Rizvi, provokes violence against non-Muslims and encourages people for Jihad.
The petition is, however, yet to be listed and is at scrutiny level only in the apex court.
Muslim scholars have urged the Supreme Court to reject Rizvi’s petition.
In a video interview, Rizvi said that the 26 verses were inserted into the Holy Quran by three Caliphs-Abu Bakr, Umar and Usman-thus trying to create rift between Shias and Sunnis. But Shia religious leaders have also denounced Rizvi.
Well-known Islamic scholar and Delhi Minorities Commission’s former chairman Dr Zafarul Islam Khan, in a tweet, has requested Chief Justice of India S A Bobde to reject Rizvi’s petition. “Hon’ble CJI is requested not to allow such rogue petitions which are only to vitiate the communal peace and harmony”, Dr. Khan said in his tweet.
He said that earlier, the Calcutta High Court had junked a similar petition by one Chandmal Chopra in March 1985. “But if the petition is listed, it will be very unfortunate and shocking”, he told India Tomorrow. He said that court should not interfere in religious matters.
Stating that it is not clear so far about which verses Rizvi has challenged and demanded their deletion from the Holy Quran, he said that such demands were earlier made by Vishwa Hindu Parishad.
Pointing out that no verse of the Quran preaches violence, Dr. Khan said that had it been so, there would have been no non-Muslim left in any of the countries like Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia etc where Muslims have been the rulers for centuries.
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Stating that the Quranic verses that have been questioned by some people in the past were revealed in some particular context and they were not just sweeping general commands and hence, they needed to be read in that particular context. But the problem is that the people questioning these verses overlook the context in which they were revealed to prove their mischievous arguments which is not correct. Dr. Khan also blamed certain Muslim publications and organisations publishing mere translations of the Quran in Hindi, English and other languages without footnotes that are required to explain the meaning of the verses and context in which they were revealed. He said that without explanatory notes, even Muslims can’t understand those verses properly and hence, it was very likely for non-Muslims to misunderstand them and form an opinion different from what the Quran wants to convey. Dr. Khan wants all Muslim publications to immediately stop circulation of the copies of the Quran without footnotes and withdraw them from the market and publish new editions of the Quran with proper footnotes so that a lay man can also understand the message of the Quran properly.
Stating what prompted Rizvi to go to SC seeking deletion of some of the verses, he said that Rizvi was facing a plethora of corruption cases against him and CBI was investigating them. Rizvi, he said, was trying to make some people happy by these gimmicks so that criminal proceedings against him were withdrawn but that is not going to happen. He can’t save himself by such tantrums. He said that it is not for the first time that he had indulged in maligning Islam and Islamic personalities. In 2019, he had announced to make a film on Prophet’s wife Hazrat Ayesha and in a trailer, he had shown an ‘inappropriate scene’ triggering strong reaction from Muslims all over the country. Dr. Khan said that as Delhi Minorities Commission chairman, he had asked Rizvi not to go ahead with his film and threatened to ensure that it was banned but Rizvi replied in a very rude manner. However, the film was finally not allowed.
Dr. Khan appealed for social boycott of Rizvi.
All India Muslim Majlis Mushawarat (AIMMM) president Navaid Hamid said that action of Rizvi amounted to gaining cheap publicity. He said that Rizvi had earlier sent these baseless things about the Holy Quran to Mushawarat as well but the issue has become serious now with Rizvi moving the apex court. He said that Rizvi seemed to be working at the behest of others with a view to deflect attention from farmers agitation and other serious issues facing the nation. He also urged the apex court to dismiss Rizvi’s petition.
He said that the occasion should be utilized to propagate the teachings of the Quran and remove misunderstanding of the people about the verses of the Quran, if any. AIMMM leader said that silence or overlooking the issue would be counter-productive.
In media interviews, All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) general secretary Maulana Wali Rahmani, while strongly condemning Rizvi, said that if the petition is listed and heard in the court, AIMPLB would give a legal fight. He said that AIMPLB advocates were working on it.
Stating that Rizvi was an agent of anti-Muslim forces, Shia leader Kalb-e-Jawwad demanded immediate arrest of Rizvi. He said that Shias totally rejected the stand of Rizvi on the Holy Quran.
