With Shia Waqf Board entering the Babri dispute—Was Babri Masjid Shia or Sunni ?

By Siddhant Mohan, TwoCircles.net

The recent step of the Uttar Pradesh Shia Central Waqf Board approaching the Supreme Court to include Shia Waqf Board as one of the parties while hearing the dispute over Babri Masjid-Ram Janmbhoomi, since Babri Masjid still remains a Shia Waqf property, has once again brought the acrimony between Shia-Sunni sect to the fore.

Shia Waqf Board through its Chairman,Syed Waseem Rizvi in its affidavit has even presented its 'own' view of solving the dispute ----Masjid can be located in a Muslim dominated area at a reasonable distance from the most revered place of birth of Maryada Purushottam Sri Ram.

Rizvi has also submitted that a committee be appointed including Hon’ble Judge from SC, two retired judges of Allahabad High Court, CM of UP or his nominee, PMO nominee and Shia Central Waqf Board as respondent and representatives of Nirmohi Akhara and Hindu Sect, who shall make suggestions and proposals for amicable settlement.

Rizvi has also submitted in his affidavit-- “Sunni Central Waqf Board, U.P. is under the dominant control of Sunni hardliners, the fanatics and non believers in peaceful co-exsistence, who have absolutely no stake in the present case”. Rizvi also mentions that he is receiving threats of elimination from the hardliners.

At this Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board has raised strong objection. Its Chairman, Zufar Ahmad Faruqi has condemned the submission by Rizvi terming it as malicious, baseless and derogatory allegations.

For the record, the Sunni Central Waqf Board comprises two sitting MPs, one sitting MLA, two former chairmen and present members of State Bar Council, a mutawalli from Gorakhpur, an Islamic scholar, a social worker, an IAS officer and Chairman of the board himself. “Rizvi should specifically name the hardliner and fanatic from the above mentioned members of the Board. He is in the habit of making such wild allegations as few days ago he has made a serious allegation against a very prominent and senior cleric of his own community and a FIR was registered against Rizvi,” Faruqi said.

Over the affidavit submitted to apex court, he said: “Rizvi is member of the Shia Central Waqf Board for past 13 years and Chairman for past 10 years except for two brief spells, but he never made any attempt to enter into the Ayodhya dispute. His intervention at this juncture is only to gain cheap popularity and to enhance the security cover given to him by the government and to dilute the enquiries pending against him.”

Faruqi however claimed that board is ready for any negotiation but only between the original parties contesting the case with active participation of central government.

Surprisingly, Shia clerics have remained silent on Rizvi’s affidavit with none of them coming forward in support or against it. Only, Maulana Kalbe Jawwad who is Imam-e-Juma at historical Asafi Mosque in Lucknow is reported to be against Rizvi. Majlis Ulema-e-Hind, a body of clerics which has backing of Jawwad has opposed Rizvi’s move openly by issuing a press statement terming the affidavit as anti-shariah.

Besides him, Maulana Kalbe Sadiq who is also Vice President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board has remained silent. Maulana Yasoob Abbas, spokesperson of All India Shia Personal Law Board who is often spotted with Home Minister Rajnath Singh on several occasions, He denied to comment on the issue but clarified that as an individual or as a body, he shall stand with All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

Among others, Navaid Hamid, president of All India Majlis-e-Mushawarat has accused the Shia Waqf Board of being ‘idle’ for the past 70 years. He said, “Where was the Shia Waqf Board when the matter landed into dispute? Seeing how Shia Waqf Board is interfering, it is becoming clear that anyone can file an affidavit in coming days in Supreme Court."

Former CEO of UP Sunni Central Waqf Board, Dr Akmal Hussain claims. "Shia Waqf Board is doing planned interference just to create confusion. We all know that the Mosque has always been a matter of the Sunni Waqf Board."

Hussain pointed towards a bigger challenge which may arise after intervention from Shia Waqf Board. He said, "After so many years, Babri Masjid case had reached the Supreme Court and the case was seeing some development. But Shia Waqf Board couldn't see it going well. It is highly possible that case may get complex after their affidavit."

For this, Rizvi has also submitted a pedigree of Mir Baqi who was a Shia and has constructed the Babri Masjid.

The position of the AIMPLB also becomes interesting in the wake of Shia Waqf Board interfering into the Mosque affairs. Fakhruddin Ashraf, one of the vice-presidents at AIMPLB clearly said that AIMPLB agrees with participation and submission from Sunni Central Waqf Board. However, he was quick to add, "Shia Central Waqf Board makes their own decisions. We don't want to comment on their working or interference. Everyone has the right to express themselves and this is no different.”

Rizvi’s affidavit has however received support from RSS backed outfit Muslim Rashtriya Manch,MRM convener Mohammad Afzal said, "We are with everyone who respect our ancestors. We are not offsprings of Babar or Akbar. We are Indian. In that case, we welcome the awakening of Shia Waqf Board in the case. I do admit that the awakening is quite late."

Among the general Muslims, the following facebook post of former journalist of The Indian Express, Irena Akbar sums up the situation :

Was Babri Masjid Sunni or Shia ?

The fact that I have to ask this question only shows that the Muslims have already lost the battle.