The signature campaign by Muslim women demanding a ban on the practice of triple talaaq on Wednesday found support from Muslim men, with 227 men including professors, students, film makers, writers, retired IAS officers signing a petition endorsing the signature campaign and demanding a ban on triple talaaq and nikaah halala .
Praising the national campaign launched by Bhartiya Mahila Muslim Andolan (BMMA), which received 50,000 signatures from Muslim women, the Muslim Men for Gender Justice said in a statement, “While the triple talaaq method of instant divorce is banned in more than 21 Muslim majority countries, including Pakistan, it continues to be justified by the ulema in India as legally valid, even though theologically repugnant.”
“We categorically reject the false claim of the ulema that what goes in the name of Muslim Personal Law in India is a ‘God-given’ law. As the BMMA has pointed out, there is no mention of the inhuman, unjust and anti-women instant talaaq practice in the Quran,” the statement said, adding, “In fact, the Quran clearly stipulates an obligatory three-month period during which attempts must be made at reconciliation and mediation before severing of the marital bond.”
The group claimed that the practice of triple talaaq was ‘unQuranic’ and violated the Constitutional principles “of gender parity and non-discrimination.” The statement urged the ulema in India to live up to the definition of Muslim scholars with specialist knowledge of Islamic sacred law and theology and put an end to age-old traditions by promoting equality.
The statement is signed by film-maker Saeed Mirza, Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, Marathi playwright Shafaat Khan, retired IAS officer and Cargill India country head Raza Hasnain, social activists Javed Anand, Feroze Mithiborewala, Firoz Asraf, playwright Javed Siddiqui, poet Hasan Kamaal, scientist Gauhar Raza, theatre director Feroze Abbas Khan, journalist Ayaz Memon and screen writer Anjum Rajabali among others.
The writer is an intern with The Hindu
We categorically reject the false claim of the ulema that what goes in the name of Muslim Personal Law in India is a ‘God-given’ law
Muslim Men for
Gender Justice
