Darul Uloom Deoband Issues Fatwa Against Muslim Women For Worshipping Ram on Diwali

The organisers of the event, Muslim Mahila Foundation and Vishal Bharat Sansthan, had claimed the event was intended towards enhancing communal harmony.

Lucknow, October 22: Darul-Uloom Deoband on Sunday issued a fatwa against a group of Muslim women for performing aarti of Lord Ram at an event on Diwali in Varanasi. It said the women cannot be ‘Muslim Ulema’ for worshipping multiple gods.

The organisers of the event, Muslim Mahila Foundation and Vishal Bharat Sansthan, had claimed the event was intended towards enhancing communal harmony. The diktat comes a day after the Islamic school prohibited Muslim women from posting their images on social media.

Clarifying its stance, Islamic scholars said worshipping multiple gods is against the basic tenets of Islam. “Islam is a monotheistic religion and there is no room for worshipping plural gods and goddesses. So any Muslim man or woman who worships any other god is not allowed in Islam. And those women have definitely done something wrong that they should repent by all means,” Mufti Mohammad Arshad Farooqui, chairman of the online fatwa department was quoted by The Times of India as saying.

However, the organisers claimed the Ram remains ancestor for both communities. Nazneen Ansari, founder president of Muslim Mahila Foundation (MMF), said, “Shri Ram is our ancestor. We can change our name and religion, but how we can change our ancestor? Singing in praise of Lord Ram not only bridges the gap between Hindus and Muslims, but also reflects the generosity of Islam.”