New Delhi
India's biggest Islamic seminary Darul Uloom, Deoband, has removed nine controversial Fatwas from its website that are under investigation for being alleged to be in contravention to the law of the land.
This follows an order from the District Magistrate, Saharanpur, Akhilesh Singh to the Seminary. The notice from the district administration to the institution has asked for the removal of specific fatwas that are under investigation for violation of the rights of children.
Contrary to the initial reports, the website of Darul Uloom has not been closed. Probably it was not available for some time on Monday morning due to changes being incorporated and that led to reports about its closure.
Mufti Abdul Qasim Nomani, head of Darul Uloom, said that the nine fatwas have been removed from the website on the orders of the administration.
The investigation follows a notice sent by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to the UP government about a complaint against Darul Uloom for violation of Child Rights. The complaint lists one of the illegal fatwas about denying the rights to the property to the adopted child.
One particular fatwa issued by Darul Uloom Deoband and posted on its website states that an adopted child cannot have the same rights as a biological child. The NCPCR says that such fatwas violate the law of the land. After giving a 10-day breather to Darul Uloom Deoband for filing its reply the authorities have shut down the website. The NCPCR had received a public complaint regarding a fatwa published on the website of Darul Uloom Deoband.
The NCPCR has forwarded ten web links of Darul Uloom Deoband's website to the government that allegedly violate the law.
In one of the controversial fatwas, Darul Uloom Deoband has said that while adoption of a child is not illegal, the adopted child cannot impinge on the rights of the biological child for a Shariah-compliant Muslim.
The Constitution of India provides for the fundamental rights of children including the right to education and the right to equality. In addition, the Hague Convention on Adoption, of which India is a signatory, states that adopted children will have the same rights as biological children.
The commission has requested in the letter that an action taken report on the matter should be sent within 10 days. Islamic Law and Islamic Sharia Ashrafi Darul Uloom Deoband spokesman Usmani Ashraf said that fatwas are issued strictly as per the Islamic law.
All these fatwas are pieces of advice and not compulsory for anyone and are given on request. He said Darul Uloom has also explained this to the Supreme Court in the past.
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