The Hindu : Kerala News : `Islamic doctrines violated in Zahira's case'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 26, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

`Islamic doctrines violated in Zahira's case'

By Our Staff Reporter

KOZHIKODE, DEC. 25. V.P. Zuhara, social activist and president of `Nisa', a forum for Muslim women, has termed the reported ousting of Zahira Sheikh, prime witness in the Best Bakery case, from the Muslim community as "un-Islam and anti-Constitutional."

Talking to reporters here today, Ms. Zuhara said there was no law in Islam to oust an individual from the religion. She was reacting to reports of Majlis-e-Shura, one of the apex decision-making bodies of Muslims, ousting Zahira Sheikh from the community.

She said that Muslim social and political organisations could oust their members. But no one had the power to oust a Muslim from religion. It is for Prophet Mohammed to decide on issues of right and wrong, she said.

Ms. Zuhara pointed out that the ousting was against what the Constitution has laid down — that any citizen can accept any religion and carry out his or her religious activities. Such kind of ouster was against this freedom, she said.

She criticised the attitude of organisations that had allegedly done nothing to protect Zahira when she had to retract her statements earlier allegedly under threat from Sangh Parivar organisations.

Muslim women always had to bear the brunt of the harassment while men of the community were allowed to go scot-free.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala