Darul Uloom, Barelvi sects oppose changes to sharia

The two main schools of Islamic thought in the country -Darul Uloom at Deoband and Ala Hazrat at Bareli - on Tuesday opposed any change in the 'Shariat' (Islamic Laws).

The Darul Uloom, while reacting to the judgement, asked the Centre not to make any law which was in violation of the 'Shariat' and said that it would go with the decision to be taken by the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on this issue.

"We hope that the Centre will enact laws with regard to triple talaq in the light of the Shariat and after consulting the AIMPLB...we will not accept any law which is against the Shariat," said a senior Darul Uloom cleric.

''Let us see what kind of law is enacted by the government in this regard,'' he added.

The Ala Hazrat, however, made it clear that the apex court's judgement was not in line with the provisions of the 'Shariat'.

Maulana Taslim Raza Khan, a senior cleric at Ala Hazrat, said that the 'Shariat' was the ''last word'' for the Muslims in the world and anything that was against it could not be accepted.

He also said that any law to be enacted by Parliament must take into account the provisions of the 'Shariat'.

The Deoband and Barelvi schools of Islamic thought commanded considerable influence on the Muslim community in the country. Deoband had in the past issued a number of 'fatwas' (religious decree) imposing restrictions on women.

The Muslim clergy elsewhere, too, came out with a mixed reaction with some calling it ''historic'' while some others termed it ''interference'' with Muslim personal laws.

A majority of Muslim clerics, however, did not favour interference with their personal laws.

DH News Service