English
Deoband, April 1: One of the leading Islamic institution of India, Darul Uloom Deoband on Friday issued a fatwa (diktat) asking Muslims not to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, citing that the controversial slogan is against Islamic principles. The fatwa against chanting ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ was passed following a two-day long deliberation in Darul Ifta, an eight-member panel of Islamic scholars from all over the country.
“Bharat Mata, according to a section of Hindus, is a goddess and they worship her. For Muslims, participating in the worshipping of that goddess would be apostasy and against Islam,” Darul Uloom said in its resolution. Islam, unlike Hinduism, believes in the idea of one God whose idol or picture cannot be made. (ALSO READ: Bharat Mata Ki Jai row: Where Javed Akhtar lost plot in slamming Asaduddin Owaisi)
“We love our country, but it is not our god. In Islam, we believe in only one God and hence it is against the faith of a Muslim to chant the slogan,” the fatwa said. “In the past too, a similar controversy emerged about the chanting of Vande Mataram in schools. That song was made mandatory for students. Now, Bharat Mata Ki Jai is being made compulsory. Both the issues are the same,” it said further.
The resolution also said that no one has the right to force someone to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ as the constitution guarantees the right to freedom of religion to all its citizens. “No government or organisation can force such unlawful activities on other people if it contradicts their faith,” it said. Notably, Darul Uloom Deoband had recently issued a decree asking Muslims to hoist national flag on their houses and establishments on Independence Day.
Recently, AIMIM president and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi sparked a political controversy when he refused to chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’. Owaisi made controversial statement in reply to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, who raised the demand of teaching children of all future generations to chant the slogan, that more reflects religious nationalism than patriotism. However Bhagwat recently said that no one should be forced to chant the slogan.
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