Darul Uloom endorses fatwa on Kashmiri girls rock band Pragaash - says singing, dancing and participation is sport prohibited!

From Tehelka

Darul Ulom endorses fatwa on Pragaash

Clerics at the Darul Ulom supported the fatwa on Kashmiri girl rock band Pragaash, stating that singing, dancing and participating in sports by women is strictly prohibited in Islam.
Virendra Nath Bhatt

Jammu and Kashmir’s first female rock band ‘Pragaash’.

The Muftis of the Islamic seminary Darul Ulom in Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh have endorsed the fatwa issued by the Grand Mufti of Kashmir Bashiruddin. All India Jamat-e-Raza Mustafa, representing the Barelvi Sunni Muslim sect have also supported the fatwa against rock band Pragaash, formed by three Kashmiri girls. The Barelvi School has however condemned the threats being given to the girls and their families by the radical Muslim organisations.

“Shariat strictly prohibits dance and music. The support to the rock band by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is irrelevant, as he is no authority on Islam, and only a Mufti is competent to interpret the divine ordain enshrined in Shariat and we endorse the fatwa issued by the Grand Mufti of Kashmir”, said senior Deobandi cleric Mufti Arif Kasmi.

Maulana Shahbuddin, General Secretary of the All India Jamat-e-Raza Mustafa said, “Shariat mein auraton kaa naach, gaana, khelkud wahiyaat hai (singing, dancing and participation in sports by the women is nonsense and strictly prohibited in Islam). Whether one follows the code of conduct laid down in Shariat, or not, Mufti of Kashmir only said what is correct as per the Islamic jurisprudence.”

Quddus Jawaid, retired professor of Urdu at the Kashmir University and a resident of Jammu, however has a different opinion and condemned the fatwa against the rock band. “It’s a political issue and nothing to do with religion; there are some forces in the valley not happy with the peace and tranquility and are desperate for an opportunity to create trouble. A particular group of clerics is behind this sinister campaign and it’s not an issue between the two sects of Sunni Islam like Deobandi and Barelivi’’, said professor Jawaid. Contesting the claim of Mufti of Kashmir, he added, “It’s a very regressive action of Mufti Bashriuddin; he is ignorant of the Kashmiri culture and its rich folk art and music. Music has not been termed as haram in Islam; it should not be filthy and obscene. The girls and boys of Kashmir are now migrating to every part of India for better job opportunities and good career and they have a right to pursue a life style as they deem fit, and what is wrong if the girls of Kashmir give a music performance on the stage.

Asiya Andrabi, leading the Dukhtaran-e-Millat (daughters of the nation), a radical Islamic organization in Kashmir valley, condemned the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. “This issue is being blown out of proportion to malign the people of Kashmir and divert the attention of people from more pressing issues. Mufti Bashiruddin is a sarkari Moulvi, but the fatwa given by him is as per the tenets of Islam and Shariat. Dance and music has no place in Islam and there is nothing wrong in stopping the girls from performing on stage’’, said Asiya Andrabi.

Andrabi wonders, “The issue of three girls has suddenly hit the headlines in India; those girls are innocent and not aware of duty towards the deen (religious obligations) and no one knows who those boys were who posted hate message on the social media sites, the girls were not attacked, yet there is a furor.”

Maulana Yasoob Abbas, a prominent Shia cleric of Lucknow also condemned the fatwa. “Such Moulvis and Muftis sponsor questions from their supporters to acquire identity in politics and get publicity in media, create controversy and ultimately end up in maligning Islam”, Yasoob said.

“If Mufti Bashiruddin is so concerned towards preserving the purity of Islam, then why he never spoke against the film producers of Mumbai, who go to Kashmir valley only for shooting the songs with dance, he also never spoke against the Salman Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Amir Khan, Dilip Kumar and many other Muslims artist of the film industry who sing and dance in the films”, Maulana Abbas asks.