Fatwa or no fatwa, Iftar parties to continue in city

However, most of the Muslim committees and political parties in the city who have regularly been organising Iftar meet are not supporting the Fatwa issued on Tuesday by Nadwa-tul-Ulema, a Lucknow based islamic seminary to avoid political Ifthars.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Moulvi Umar Ali Shihab of Noor Masjid, Ghousianagar said that no body can implement the controversial Fatwa among Muslims as politicians have an important role in a democratic society.  “Fatwa is, basically, only an opinion to a certain situation that may not be fit to all the situations,” Umar Ali added.

Income source
Muhammad Haneefa, Noorul Islam Sabha, which has been organising one of the biggest Iftar meets in the city supported by Markazu Saquafathi Sunniyya  said that the reason to avoid politically motivated gathering by Fatwa committee is the income source of politicians. “But how can one determine the income source of a particular politician,” he asked.

MLA Tanveer Sait said, the Congress party has been organising Iftar parties in the city regularly, but it never organised such meets to gain popularity or has any other political motives. ”In 2003, the then chief minister S M Krishna had decided to stop organising Iftar parties and he passed the amount to help orphanages under Muslim management.

Financial benefits
So, why then do orphanage committees come to get financial benefits from politicians,” he questioned.

Meanwhile, the committee members of Adam masjid, Ya Allah masjid, Ek minar masjid, Noor masjid, Usman masjid and many other masjids organised Ifthar meets in their masjid premises.

At the same time, Tamzeem Ahle Sunnath, Meena Bazar, Ashram, Ooty road, Jamia Masjid, Irwin road, district Congress committee, JDS and other political parties, who have already organised Iftar party last year, are going to organise it, according to their committees’ decisions.