by Editor | Sep 15, 2024 | News, Opinion, Opinions
Syed Ali Mujtaba
New Delhi: It seems that after the destruction of the Babari masjid, the appetite for the demolition of mosques continues unabated in India.
Media reports are agog with stories about mosques being demolished in Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, Uttarakhand, and Himachal Pradesh.
Someone needs to do a count of how many mosques have been destroyed since the ill-fated event on December 6. 1992.
The latest incident occurred on Friday, September 13, 2024, at the Railway Colony in Prayagraj/Allahabad. There when the Muslim worshippers arrived for the weekly Friday prayers, they found their place of worship in a demolished state.
The mosque was situated around 150 meters from Prayagraj Railway Station and was torn down by the local authorities without any prior notice or following any legal procedure.
Eyewitnesses reported that during demolition no one gave any respect to the copies of the holy Holy Quran kept inside the mosque that were reported to be desecrated during the incident.
Some apologists have argued that the mosque was constructed on unauthorized land. Since it was done without legal permission, the demolition of the mosque did not warrant following any legal procedure.
The straight answer is that this was a functional mosque where people were going for religious purposes and that is protected under the right of religious freedom. In such a case Muslims cannot be subjected to such a targeted attack on their place of worship.
No doubt, the sudden demolition of the mosque has deeply hurt the religious sentiments of the local Muslims and the community members are in shock over such an outrageous activity.
This incident has raised serious concerns about the protection of Muslim religious sites and the legal protocols that should be followed in such matters.
What is noticed is that the Hindutva elements have found a new handle to attack the Muslim community and this time targeting the mosques that may be constructed on unauthorized land.
Recently, the Sanjauli mosque in Shimla grabbed headlines for unauthorized construction. This was followed by a similar incident at a mosque in Mandi in Himachal Pradesh. In both places, a peaceful resolution was reached after the consultation with the concerned parties.
However, in the case of the Railway Colony mosque in Prayagraj, no such efforts were ever being made. The mosque was demolished to humiliate the Muslim community. Explicit in the design was an anti-Muslim agenda.
This is a sorry picture of contemporary India, where wanton destruction of Muslim religious sites has become a new pastime in India.
by Editor | Sep 15, 2024 | News
New Delhi, September 11, 2024: The School of Law at Hamdard Institute of Legal Studies and Research (HILSR), Jamia Hamdard, hosted an induction ceremony to welcome the new batch of first-semester students enrolled in the B.A. LL.B. and LL.M. programs – 2024. The event was marked by the presence of esteemed guests and set the tone for the students’ academic journey.
Prof. Saleena K. Basheer, Dean of Hamdard Institute of Legal Studies and Research (HILSR),delivered the welcome address, outlining the law school’s vision and mission. She encouraged the students to embrace their academic journey with dedication and a commitment to excellence.
Dr. A.K. Mishra, former Technical Member of the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT), addressed the students, urging them to learn from life’s challenges and cultivate resilience. He emphasized the importance of hard work, patience, and determination in becoming accomplished legal professionals.
The keynote address was delivered by the Chief Guest, Prof. (Dr.) G.S. Bajpai, Vice Chancellor of National Law University, Delhi. He underscored the significance of legal education in shaping responsible and ethical professionals. Prof. Bajpai encouraged students to immerse themselves in their studies, particularly through engagement with books and Bare Acts, and to foster a lifelong quest for knowledge.
Mr. Kailash Vasudev, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court of India, attended as the Guest of Honour. He shared his extensive experience in the legal field, inspiring students to strive for excellence and focus on continuous learning. He advised students to resist the distractions of the digital age and emphasized the importance of diligence, research, and a strong work ethic.
Janab Hammad Ahmed, Hon’ble Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, and Prof. (Dr.) M. Afshar Alam, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, also graced the event. They welcomed the students and faculty, reaffirming the university’s commitment to providing quality education and fostering holistic development. They pledged full academic, administrative, and financial support to HILSR and its initiatives.
The induction ceremony was a significant occasion, setting the foundation for the new students to integrate into the ethos of HILSR and begin a transformative and enriching
academic journey.
by Editor | Sep 15, 2024 | News, Opinion
Syed Ali Mujtaba
The Muslim group in Shimla has urged the municipal authorities to seal the unauthorized portion of the Sanjauli mosque and offered to demolish it once the court delivered a verdict on the matter. With this gesture, the contentious dispute over the extra-constructed floors of the mosque in the Sanjauli area in Shimla seems to have ended.
At the heart of the dispute is a five-story mosque in the Sanjauli area, which some Hindu organizations claim was constructed illegally. The controversy has its roots in accusations that the mosque’s expansion from a single floor to five stories was carried out without proper authorization.
The Hindu group argues that such unauthorized constructions threaten the local demographic balance and has called for an investigation into the backgrounds of local Muslims, suspecting that some may be illegal immigrants from Myanmar or Bangladesh.
The Muslim group says that the original construction of the mosque dates back to 1947. Since there was an increase in the attendance of the worshipers, additional floors were built. The Waqf Board claims ownership of the land and argues that the extended construction carried out on the top of the first floor of the mosque is in line with the rules.
The dispute dates back to 2010 when a case was registered regarding the raising of illegal construction in the mosque. Since then, four floors have been added to the single-story structure, with the extended construction taking place under successive governments.
The Shimla Municipal Corporation has been actively involved in addressing the issue. The municipal court recently heard the matter and during the hearing, the court questioned the Waqf Board and the mosque committee to explain how the original single floor of the mosque expanded to four floors.
The court criticized the Waqf Board for lacking the necessary legal approvals for the extended construction. This case is scheduled for the next hearing on October 5.
Seeing the escalating tension, the local Muslim welfare committee submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner, urging him to seal the unauthorized portion of the structure and offered to demolish it once the court delivered a verdict on the matter.
Bhupender Kumar Attri, Municipal Commissioner, Shimla, said; “The matter is sub-judice and pending in court. If one party is willing to not use the portion of a structure in question and offers to seal it, the authorities can act on it till the outcome of the pending case in the court of law. I am going through the contents of the memorandum,” he added.
Meanwhile, members of the Dev Bhoomi Sangharsh Samiti, who are spearheading the protest, welcomed the Muslim gesture. “We welcome this initiative from the Muslim community and would be the first to embrace them for taking such a step in the larger interest,” Vijay Sharma, a member of the Samiti, said.
by Editor | Sep 8, 2024 | News
New Delhi, September 8, 2024: A high-level UAE Parliamentary delegation, led by H.E. Dr. Ali Rashid AlNauimi, visited Jamia Hamdard on September 7, 2024 to explore avenues of collaboration between UAE institutions and the university. The delegation also included esteemed officials and academics from the UAE, such as H.E. Marwan Almuhairi, H.E. Sara Fleknaz, H.E. Ahmed Alkhouri, Dr. Hasan Almarzooqi, Ms. Bakhita Alromaithi, Ms. Mariam Alzaabi, Ms. Mahara Saeed, Dr. Mohamed Alshariani, and Dr. Yousef Almarzooqi. The group was accompanied by Prof. Zikrur Rahman, former Indian Ambassador.
The visit commenced with a formal introduction of both delegations. Prof. (Dr.) M. Afshar Alam, Vice Chancellor of Jamia Hamdard, introduced the university’s key officials, while H.E. Dr. Ali Rashid AlNauimi introduced the distinguished UAE delegation.
During the meeting, the discussion primarily revolved around strengthening ties between the institutions of the UAE and Jamia Hamdard. H.E. Dr. Ali Rashid AlNauimi emphasized the robust and friendly relations shared by India and the UAE at multiple levels, including people-to-people, country-to-country, and institution-to-institution partnerships. He expressed his enthusiasm for potential collaborations, whether with public or private academic institutions.
Prof. Zikrur Rahman briefed the UAE delegation on the initiatives and ambitions of Jamia Hamdard, particularly in fostering language and cultural exchanges. He outlined the university’s vision of establishing deeper educational and cultural connections between the two countries.
To further illustrate the scope of academic programs and achievements of Jamia Hamdard, Prof. (Dr.) M. Afshar Alam, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, showcased a comprehensive video presentation that highlighted the university’s courses and research areas.
The delegation had a fruitful discussion with the Jamia Hamdard leadership team, which included Dr. M.A. Sikandar, Registrar, Mr. S.S. Akhtar, Controller of Examinations, Mr. Munish Malik, Finance Officer, and Prof. Syeedun Nisa, Director, Hamdard Institute of International Studies.
The meeting concluded with mutual expressions of commitment to pursue collaboration opportunities that could benefit both institutions and strengthen educational ties between India and the UAE.
by Editor | Sep 8, 2024 | News, News & Trending
By Pervez Bari
Bhopal: A month-long nationwide campaign is being launched in September 2024 by the women’s department of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, (JIH). The theme of this campaign is ‘Morality is the basis of freedom’. The campaign aims to create awareness among people and tell them what true freedom is and how to link it to morality.
In Madhya Pradesh, this campaign was started by a press conference held in Bhopal on Sunday in which Nazima of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, Bhopal, Mrs. Mahnaz said that the mentality of atrocities on women has spread like an epidemic which is affecting the peace and development of our country. The main reason for this curse is the decline of moral values in the name of freedom. Problems like lack of moral values in the society, objectifying women, sexual exploitation and abuse, prostitution, extra-marital affairs, increased use of alcohol and drugs, etc. give rise to harassment and exploitation.
Similarly, apart from an increase in sexually transmitted infections (STIs), abortions, sexual violence and rape, the breakdown of the family unit and the prevalence of shamelessness are rapidly eroding the moral fabric of society. She further said that the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Women’s Department was concerned about various types of moral evils spreading in the society and we decided to run an awareness campaign regarding these evils for a whole month. This campaign is a link in this series, Mrs. Mahnaz stated.
State Level Convenor of the Campaign Ms. Rafia said that the objective of the campaign is to warn the society of the terrible consequences of unbridled freedom that is unfolding due to the decline of moral values. Increasing crime against women day by day forces us to think whether we are really free and safe? Freedom does not mean being violent, violating other’s rights, exploitation of women and injustice. The objective of this campaign is to give the right direction to the safety of women and the mindset of the society towards women.
Mrs. Habiba Malik, responsible for the Women’s Department, Bhopal, said that God has established this earth on justice and according to the intention of that Lord; justice should be done as long as this land and its system are running. Just as air, water, livelihood have been provided by God to all human beings, similarly morality and moral qualities have also been given to all human beings by God, one of the objectives of this campaign is that every person should recognize these moral values inside him and follow it accordingly. Justice is the intention of God and doing justice is the act of achieving a high position before God.
Talking about the nationwide campaign titled ‘Morality is the basis of freedom’, Mrs. Razia Masood, Media Co-In charge, JIH, Madhya Pradesh Unit said: “There is no denying the fact that one can achieve real life and lasting freedom only by following moral values. The aim of this campaign is to ensure the necessary freedom to fulfil the basic needs and achieve the basic rights for all without discrimination of caste, community, colour and race, sex, religion and region.
Awareness programmes involving academicians, counsellors, lawyers, religious scholars and community leaders at national, state, district and grassroots levels will be conducted during the campaign. Special programmes will be organised on the campus to familiarise students and youth with true freedom and moral values. The special programmes involving scholars of different faiths will be organised for public discussion on common moral values in every religion and culture, added Mrs. Razia Masood.
