FATWA ON CASTE-BASED RESERVATION FOR MUSLIMS ’UNCALLED FOR’

Renowned Muslim Ulema cutting across the lines of sects and organisations have sharply reacted against the fatwa issued by six seminaries including Jamia Nizamia of Andhra Pradesh, which rejected the State government move to provide reservations for poor sections of Muslims in professional educational institutions and government jobs on the lines of castes.
Endorsing the fatwa issued by Jamia Nizamia, prominent Islamic scholar and Muslim United Action Committee convenor Maulana Hameeduddin Auqil Hussami had said, “Islam has no caste system and the government’s move is nothing but an attempt to divide Muslims.”
However, the Ulema based in the Capital, though agreeing to the view that there is no caste system in Islam, rejected the need of any fatwa in this regard. They were of the view that reservation aims at removing backwardness of the concerned section, and there is no wrong if the Central or a State government provides reservation for a section or sections of Muslims just in order to bring social inequality to an end.
Imam Shahi Jama Masjid Maulana Syed Ahmad Bukhari said that there was no need of any fatwa on providing reservation for poor sections of Muslims.
“Such fatwas will harm the interest of the community,” he said.
Maulana Bukhari however said without mincing any words, “Islam has no concept of high or low and no distinction on the basis of race or colour. It is the political parties that have given way to discrimination on the basis of caste among Muslims. As for reservation, Muslims should be given reservation on the basis backwardness and not on the basis of caste system.”
Other Ulema who held the view that Andhra seminaries’ fatwa on reservation for Muslims was uncalled for include Jamaat-e-Islami Hind president Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umri, Shia leader Maulana Syed Aqueelul Gharavi, Markazi Jamiat Ulama Hind general secretary Maulana Fuzail Ahmad Qasmi, and Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind spokesman Maulana Abdul Hameed Noamani.