Muslim clerics upset at 'negative' portrayal of Islam

Amid reports of several cases of triple talaq and ex-communication of a woman after she opposed divorce, Muslim clerics on Thursday expressed serious concern at what they termed ''negative'' portrayal of Islam in the media.

The clerics said that Islam, which was a religion of ''peace'' and ''love'', was being portrayed in a negative way before the people, which was improper.

Senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), an apex body of Muslims, and prominent sunni cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangimahali has sought a ban on religious debates on TV channels charging that Islam and 'Shariat' (Islamic Law) were being ''distorted'' in the debates.

''The clerics, who take part in such debates, often do not have adequate knowledge of the shariat and Islam....they convey a wrong picture of the religion and personal laws before the people,'' the cleric said in a letter to the Centre, seeking the ban.

The cleric's demand came in the wake of alleged manhandling of a Muslim woman by a cleric during a live TV debate recently.

He said that no one had the right to ''ex-communicate'' anyone from the religion. ''Islam gives equal rights to men and women...the fatwa ex-communicating any woman is wrong,'' he added.

Prominent Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad echoed similar sentiments and said that even a sinner could not be ex-communicated from Islam.

Fatwa issued

Barely a few days back, a prominent cleric had issued a 'fatwa' (religious decree) ex-communicating Nida Khan, who had filed a case against her husband after being divorced through triple talaq. She has also filed a case of domestic violence against her husband in Bareilly, about 250 km from here.