Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has joined the (in)famous Muslims like Salman Rushdie and Taslima Nasreen with Mufti-e-Azam of Kashmir Mufti Bashiruddin issuing a ‘fatwa’ against him for alleged blasphemy for eulogising Gandhian philosophy of non-violence on October 2 last.
Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad during a function on Gandhi Jayanti on October 2 reportedly said that by following Islam one secures after death, while by following Gandhian philosophy one can build a developed and peaceful society.
The chief minister’s comment has drawn angry response from All Party Hurriet Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, who asked Muftis and ulemas to issue a ‘fatwa’ against Ghulam Nabi Azad for alleged blasphemy.
The Mufti-e-Azam of Kashmir Mufti Bashiruddin issued a fatwa against chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “Hazrat Nabi (peace and blessings of Allah be with him) is our last prophet, and the path shown by him is the best path for every Muslim; following Islam is the only way to achieve the ultimate in this world and the other world.”
He further said that a true Muslim does not have to follow Gandhian philosophy to achieve something and anybody who preaches anything against Islamic tennets is a non-believer. He also asked chief minister to repent and seek pardon for his comments (tauba kare aur maafi mange).