Fatwa against caste-based reservation

Fatwa against caste-based reservation invites criticism from ulama

By U Rehman (TimesWireService.Com)

Government’s suggestion to provide reservation for Muslims in jobs and education based on caste has received criticism from Muslim leaders. Some organizations have gone to the extent of seeking fatwa from different seminaries in Hyderabad and elsewhere against government move.

These seminaries willingly issued fatwas saying that all are equal among Muslims and there is no caste system in Islam. Six famous seminaries in Hyderabad issued a 'fatwa' against the government's proposal. They said this type of division was unacceptable in 'shariat'.

"Muslims all over the world are equal. There is no distinction of caste, colour or race among them. Therefore, creating distinction among them for reservations is improper under shariat," said a 'fatwa' issued by Jamia Nizamia, a 125-year-old Islamic university based in Hyderabad. The copies of the diktat were released at a news conference here addressed by leaders of Muslim United Action Committee (MUAC), which comprises half a dozen religious, political and social organisations. The MUAC had sought opinion from the seminaries.

"Islam has no caste system and the government's move is nothing but an attempt to divide Muslims," said prominent religious scholar and MUAC convenor Moulana Hameeduddin Auqil Hussami.

Just a day ago Syed Shahabuddin had sought 10 percent reservation for Muslim community as a whole saying that given the level of deprivation among Muslims, the whole community should be given reservation.

MUAC leaders, who plan to meet Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, warned that the move would have serious repercussions for the Congress government. "Congress came to power with support from Muslim community and by taking this step it will lose their support," said Majlis-e-Tameer Millat president Abdur Rahim Qureshi, who is also the secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

A senior Mushawarat leader Mujtaba Farooq who is also a National Secretary of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind says that Muslims should be given reservation as a whole. While talking to khabrein.info he said that Justice Mishra Commission report’s recommendations have clearly said that Muslims should be given reservation in jobs and education because of the high level of deprivation among them. He says that Justice Mishra is a former Chief Justice of India and his recommendation shows that there is no legal contradiction for the demand of reservation for Muslims.

But to say that there is unanimity among Muslims on the issue is not true. Several Muslim clerics while talking to this correspondent have criticized the fatwa issued by Hyderabad based seminaries saying that such fatwas are nothing but an effort by upper caste Muslims to not allow Muslims from lower castes to get benefit of reservation.

A well-known deobandi alim who also edits a Deobandi magazine says that all leading madrasas are dominated by upper caste Muslims and they don’t want the Muslims from lower castes to get benefits of reservation and catch up with them. He says that by making such absurd demands they are destroying the cause of Islam by not allowing the have nots to get benefits of reservation and move up the ladder. He says that how come low caste Muslims belonging to castes such as dhuniya, rangrez, halalkhore (scavangers) can be equal to Syeds, Pathans and Shaikhs? And how upper caste Muslims should be given reservation that they do not reserve? He says that by such gimmicks they are destroying the cause of Islam and not allowing state’s welfare benefits to reach fellow Muslims.

Another alim and graduate of Jamiatul Falah, a Jamaat-e-Islami Hind controlled seminary says that Muslims are already getting benefits on caste basis in OBC category. “So why they are saying that reservation should not be given on caste basis?”, he asks.