Muslims for Secular Democracy (MSD) is horrified at the fatwa of a mufti fromDarul Uloom, Deoband declaring that Ms. Imrana, a victim of rape by her ownfather-in-law, can no longer live with her husband.
The reported fatwa of Mufti Habibur Rahman is unacceptable because it isillogical, irrational and against all principles of natural justice for iteffectively punishes the victim and not the culprit of the crime. It is nothingshort of a double victimization of Ms. Imrana.
Without laying any claim to expertise in Shariah, Muslims for SecularDemocracy emphatically states that above all, Islam teaches compassion (insaniyat),justice (insaaf), equality and a fair deal for women. The fatwa on the otherhand is inhuman and unfair, which treats women as mere commodity. By its virtualendorsement of the Deobandi fatwa, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB),too, has disgraced itself and once again shown itself to be a male-centric body.
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We salute the husband of Ms. Imrana, who despite the outrageous proclamationof the local panchayat had so far stood by his traumatized wife. The Deobandfatwa and its endorsement by the AIMPLB is nothing short of the terrorizing ofan already traumatized family.
MSD expresses its unhesitating solidarity with Ms. Imrana, her husband andher children and demands speedy prosecution and exemplary punishment of herfather-in-law, as per Indian law.
Javed Akhtar President
Javed Anand General Secretary
