The move of letting women aged more than 45 years to go to Haj without their close male kin if they are travelling in groups of four or more was termed “un-Islamic” by Sunni Barelvi clerics. The statement came after union minority affairs minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the Haj Committee of India might think through the recommendation.
But as per clerics, the authorities’ purpose was to “make women work against Sharia”, the Times of India reported.
“It is mandatory for women to be accompanied by the husband or any other male blood relation. If women go alone on Haj, they will end up committing a sin, which is the motive of the authorities. As Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam, it should be done according to Sharia and women cannot go without mehram (close male blood relation),” said Mufti Mohammed Salim Noori, spokesperson of Dargah Aala Hazrat.
A Haj review committee, led by a retired IAS officer Afzal Amanullah, sent new policy report pointing out many recommendations to Naqvi. Some recommendations may be applied from 2018, Naqvi had said.
However, Mufti Mohammed Jameel Khan at Darul Ifta of Dargah Aala Hazrat termed the policy un-Islamic. “Women should consider Islamic rules instead of following changes introduced by politicians. As the country has majority of Sunni Muslims within the community, the government should draft the policy after contacting leaders belonging to all denominations,” he said
Jamat Raza-e-Mustafa national general secretary, Maulana Shahbudin Razvi said, they will write to Naqvi urging him not to give nod to women to go on Haj alone.
