Author: Press Trust of India
Publication: The Hindustan Times
Date: February 2, 2004
URL: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_556514,000900010004.htm
In a significant gesture on the
eve of Eid-ul-Azha, the influential Darul Uloom school of Islamic theology
at Deoband has asked Muslims to avoid sacrificing cows on the occasion
of Baqr'id (Monday), especially in states where it is banned.
"Though cow slaughter is legitimate
under Shariat (Islamic law), we advise Muslims to sacrifice sheep, goats
and camels in states where cow slaughter is banned. The law of the land
should not be violated and peace should be maintained in the states and
the country," Mufti Habibur Rahman, head of the Darul's Fatwa bench, told
PTI over phone from Deoband, about 50 km from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh.
Observing that Hindus respected
and worshipped cows, he said instead of cows, the community should sacrifice
other four-legged animals, and thus help in establishing peace and goodwill.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind, affiliated
to the Deoband school, said killing of cows would hurt the sentiments of
Hindu brethren.
Muslims should voluntarily stop
killing cows, Jamiat president Maulana Mehmood Madani said, noting that
the Jamiat had passed a resolution more than a year ago in this regard.
Meanwhile, RSS, which has been demanding
a ban on cow slaughter, welcomed the move saying it would pave the way
for establishment of good relations between Hindus and Muslims.
"It was long overdue," RSS spokesman
Ram Madhav told PTI adding "with this, one of the major issues of contention
has disappeared."
The RSS spokesman expressed the
hope that the Muslim community would respond positively to this gesture
and implement it in letter and spirit.
He said the Hindu organisations
had been asking Muslims to give up the practice of killing of cows as it
was "a barrier in the development of good relations between Hindus and
Muslims for years."
In Mumbai, firebrand VHP leader
Praveen Togadia described the move as a "historic milestone" in the last
1000 years of Indian history.
The Ulemas have issued the directions
respecting Hindu sentiments and "VHP wants that all the political parties
of the country should ensure that no single cow should be slaughtered any
more," Togadia said at an urgently called press conference.
"This is historically very significant",
Togadia said adding, "if Muslim society and Ulema really wanted to respect
Hindu sentiments, as they claim, they should immediately withdraw the Ram
Mandir case unconditionally."
In Delhi, BJP spokesman Mukhtar
Abbas Naqvi hailed the development saying it will help spread peace, harmony
and brotherhood.
