The Holy Qur’ān says, “And who is more unjust than he who prevents (men) from the mosques of Allah, from His name being remembered therein, and strives to ruin them?… For them is disgrace in this world, and theirs is a grievous chastisement in the Hereafter.” (Al-Qur’ān 2:114)
In yet another vicious incident of Muslim believers being ostracised by the followers of Barelvi sect in Chhattisgarh, a retired school principal Zahoor Mohammed Khan (75) and his family have been debarred from entering a local mosque and Muslim graveyard.
The Chhattisgarh High Court on 12 January served a notice on the petition of Khan to the state government, Kondagaon collector, superintendent of police, station house officer of Keshkal (where the petitioner resides) and the sub-divisional magistrate. They were asked to reply within the stipulated time period. Kondagaon, in south Chhattisgarh, was created as a new district in January 2012.
It appears that those who prevent people from the mosques of Allah have turned the House of Allah into their own private homes wherefrom they exclude people as they desire. Such people, according to the Divine verse would be disgraced in this world, and will face chastisement (severe reprimand or sharp disapproval) in the Hereafter.
Saleem Qazi, the counsel of Khan, told this scribe that the family was repeatedly harassed by some segments of the Barelvi sect in Keshkal. “In September 2011 the committee (of Barelvi sect) in-charge of the mosque – the Mutawalli Yakub Memon, Secretary Aslam Memon and others held a meeting and banned the entry of the petitioner in the mosque. How can someone professing the faith of Islam be prohibited from offering Namaz in a mosque? Such an act is strictly against the injunction of the Holy Qur’ān and also the violation of the rights guaranteed in the Constitution of India”, Qazi asserted.
According to the guidelines of the Chhattisgarh Wakf Board, a Mutawalli is just a supervisor of the mosque and not the owner. “But here they are doing just the opposite and issuing threats as well. This is shocking,” said the counsel.
A single bench of Justice Satish Agnihotri, while servicing the notice, also clubbed Keshkal case with the earlier Rajnandgaon episode where one Hashim family was also meted out with the shabby treatment when local Barelvis strongly opposed the burial of his parents in the graveyard, citing that they are not the true followers of Islam. The aggrieved family were allegedly heckled when they were carrying the bodies. ”Hopefully, the court will simultaneously deliver the justice on both the issues,” it was told.
“This is high time the people outside the state of Chhattisgarh must know what absurd, notorious and even barbaric acts being repeatedly carried out by the followers of one prominent sect against those believed to be adhering to the so-called Deobandi (Wahabi) school of thoughts. It is sad that the victim family have to take recourse to the judiciary for justice. There are other families too who suffered but they surrendered and sought forgiveness from those who identify themselves as Barelvis,” Qazi stated.