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Friday, Nov 03, 2006
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Maulana seeks law to curb fatwas

Lucknow: Denouncing the indiscriminate issuance of fatwas by clerics, All-India Muslim Personal Law Board vice-president Maulana Kalbe Sadiq on Thursday said he would welcome any law enacted by the government to curb the phenomenon. Maulana Sadiq also attributed the emergence of extremist elements among Muslims to a lack of leadership within the minority community.

``Fatwas ruin community''

``The fatwas have ruined the Muslim community. Any cleric, without properly comprehending the ramifications, issues fatwas and this is wrong,'' he told reporters here. ``If any law is enacted to curb issuance of fatwas, I shall welcome it,'' the noted the Shia cleric said.

His comments came close on the heels of an affidavit filed by the Central Government in the Supreme Court that said fatwas did not enjoy any legal sanction. ``There is a lack of leadership in Muslim society and whatever leadership is there, it has no vision,'' Maulana Sadiq said.

``There has emerged an extremist group within the Muslim community, which is not proper, and the Muslim leadership is responsible for its emergence,'' he said.

``The Islam which is seen in the character of Muslims today is not the true Islam,'' he said, adding that the fundamentals of the religion can be seen in the life and character of Prophet Muhammad.

Lack of discussion

MaulanaSadiq said the lack of ishtehad (discussion) among various sects of Muslims was at the root of problems faced by the community and this needs to be addressed.

``There is a system of discussion in the Shia community but it is not there among Sunnis and some other sects,'' he said. — PTI

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