Supreme Court order 'not an interference with Muslim personal law'

Muslim groups on Monday said there was nothing new or objectionable in the Supreme Court’s order on “Shariat Court”.

Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan, president, All India Muslim Majlise Mushawarat, an umbrella body of over a dozen Muslim groups belonging to different sects, told The Hindu that the order was not an interference with the Personal Law rights of Muslims.

“There is nothing new or objectionable in the verdict. Darul Qaza is an informal forum to which people go for their own benefits. Its view or fatwa is just an opinion and is not legally binding. That is why quite a number of times people reject the Darul Qaza fatwa and instead approach civil court,” he said. Dr. Khan, who is also the editor of

Milli Gazette , objected to the term “Shariat Court.”

“It is wrong to call Darul Qaza as ‘Shariat Court’ essentially because it is not a ‘court’. The term ‘Shariat Court’ gives an impression that Muslims have formed an alternative judicial system,” he added.