AIMPLB’s 22nd convention begins in Mumbai
By Pervez Bari, TwoCircles.net,
Mumbai: The Indian Muslim community has been cautioned to remain vigilant to safeguard the Islamic Sharia as the conditions that prevailed 40 years ago which forced to form a board to protect the Muslim personal laws have not abated and will continue to raise their heads from time to time. Fresh dangers are looming large as the government of the day seems to usurp the Sharia laws and if the community does not pay necessary heed to safeguard it then harm may be caused in performing their religious rituals and following their rights and duties as a Muslim in a country like India dominated by non-Muslims.
As such Muslims should keep a constant eye on the situation and the developments that take place therein so that the community is always able to avail its religious freedom as guaranteed by the Indian constitution and there is no curb on it. This is necessary because they are in the minority and their identity as a Muslim is maintained unscathed. There is a possibility that the bogey of Uniform Civil Code which occurred in some people’s minds can crop up again while it is well known that the Indian Constitution has given country’s every religion the right to practice it according to their established norms and run their institutions.
The above views were expressed by Maulana Syed Mohammad Rabey Hasani Nadvi, president of All India Muslim Personal Board, (AIMPLB), while delivering his presidential speech in the three-day 22nd convention of AIMPLB here at Hajj House on Saturday. Over 400 delegates from all over the country are participating in the convention.
Maulana Rabey said there is a constant need to keep this freedom of religious right intact as there is a likelihood that it may be tampered with or the situation may be created for the government of the day to take it under its control. Recently many Acts have been passed wherein certain provisions of these Acts are found to be harmful to the religious freedom of minorities and the AIMPLB is doing all its best to rectify them. It seems that the government, through different Acts and bills, was trying to interfere in Muslim laws, he added.
Meanwhile, Maulana Syed Nizamuddin, general secretary of AIMPLB, presented the report. The report dealt in detail the AIMPLB’s efforts to contest the lacunae in different Acts like RTE, Direct Tax Code Bill, Wakf Amendment Act 2010 along with positions of court cases of the Babri Masjid, Talaq (Divorce), Inheritance etc.
Dr. Maulana Syed Kalbe Sadiq and Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari, both AIMPLB vice presidents, also spoke on the occasion. Mr. Abdus Sattar Yousuf Sheikh, president of the Reception Committee who is also senior secretary of AIMPLB, delivered the welcome address. Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani, AIMPLB secretary, conducted the proceedings.
At the outset Maulana Mohammad Fazlurrahim Mujaddidi recited verses from the Holy Qur’an. A number of books related to Islamic Sharia and Muslims were released on the occasion. In the beginning obituary references to number of AIMPLB members and their well-wishers who passed away in the last two years since the last Board’s convention held in March 2010 at Lucknow. ([email protected])