Various political parties have reacted sharply against the fatwa of Islamic seminary Darul Uloom of Deoband which seeks to keep women out of electoral politics.
Several Muslim religious leaders have also voiced their reservations about the fatwa saying that Islam does not prohibit women from being leaders.
Incidentally, it was the same Darul Uloom that had given its ruling on Imrana saying she could not stay with her husband after her father-in-law reportedly raped her.
Behind the veil
In what's been seen as a shockingly anti-democratic move against Muslim women, the Darul Uloom of Deoband is said to have passed a fatwa or edict that essentially discourages women from contesting elections.
The fatwa coincided with the first phase of civic elections in Uttar Pradesh. What's intriguing is that the fatwa was in response to question by a reporter from a Hindi daily in Saharanpur.
This fatwa underlines that the: Community which accepts the leadership of a woman cannot progress Muslim women must wear purdah and should only campaign in purdah If there is no option, and a Muslim women must contest, then the campaigning should be done only by the husband "When she will become a leader then she will be in command and other people will be under her and will have to work according to her thinking," said Maulana Fareeduddin-Ustade-hadis of Darul Uloom Waqf.
Asked if he believed that women were less intelligent than men, the Maulana replied: "Yes, I do."
Sharp reaction
Stunned by the decree senior Muslim clerics in Lucknow said this cannot be a fatwa and that Islam does not prohibit women from being leaders.
They argue that a fatwa can only be issued by a dar-ul-ifta or institutions that are authorised to do so. They also say that fatwa is issued in reply to religious queries.
"If fatwa is sought for commercial
purposes or by a newsman then it's illegal. Those who issue the fatwa have
to see what is the motive behind the fatwa," said Maulana Khalid Rashid,
secretary, Darul-ifta, Firungi
Mahal.
Meanwhile, across the nation, the fatwa has shocked women organisations fighting for greater participation in the electoral process.
The fatwa, issued on Tuesday, came a day ahead of the first phase of civic elections in Uttar Pradesh. Over the past, decade Muslim women in UP have valiantly struggled to become heads of panchayats and gram sabhas.
But such an edit can only add to
the heavy odds they already face.