Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)

Mangaluru, Dec 20: Central Muslim Committee of undivided DK district in association with other Muslim organisations held a mega women''s convention at Town Hall here on Tuesday December 20, on the need for protecting Shariat especially the practice of triple Talaq, and particularly against the proposed Uniform Civil Code.

Addressing the gathering, convener of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Sahiba Fathima said, "The Muslim personal law came into existence 1937 due to the efforts of women in undivided India. The Muslim personal law is only confined to seven subjects such as Nikah (wedding ceremony), Talaq (divorce), inheritence rights, adoption, alimony and wakf (endowment). Islamic Shariat means the Islamic way of life.

"Of late, there have been efforts to question why a separate set of laws was needed for Muslims who constitute only 20 percent of the total Indian population, while there is uniform law for others.
But this is not true. Including CRPC and IPC, about 66 percent of the laws are uniform for all including Muslims and all the Muslims respect that. Just as Hindus and Christians have personal laws, only one percent of the rules are related to the personal life of Muslims. The central government is trying to seize that right. In a diverse country like India, trying to dump one language and Uniform Civil Code on the people is not acceptable," she asserted.

"The draft of Uniform Civil Code has not been prepared yet. Let the government publish it first and let there be opportunity to discuss about the same across the country. Some are trying to project that the practice of triple Talaq has been abolished in some of the Islamic countries. Autocratic reigns of those countries are not a model to the Muslims of this country. Our role models are the Quran and the Hadith of Prophet Muhammad," she stressed.

Speaking about the rules of Talaq, member of Salafi Girls and Women''s Movement, Mumtaz bint-e- Samshuddin said, "Teachings of the Quran are a model not only for Muslims but to the entire mankind. Since Muslims themselves have not practiced it rightly, the government has gone ahead to make changes. Talaq which occurs step by step according to the rules is a blessing to women. If it is banned, the country will be in danger."

Principal of Global British Institution Zohra Abbas presided over the programme. Convener of Shariat protection committee Sajida Moomin welcomed while Asare Foundation''s Mumtaz Pakkaladka thanked.