A JD(U) MlA was seen chanting slogan of Jai Shri Ram outside the Assembly on Friday soon after the Nitish Kumar-led NDA Government won the trust vote. The MlA from Sikta Khurshid alias Firoz Ahmad was vocal before the TV channels cameras and yelling the slogan saying he would raise this slogan of Jai Shri Ram each morning and evening if it helps the growth of Bihar.
Seeing him in this posture and reading his statement in the newspaper Mufti Suhail Ahmad Qasmi issued a fatwa (decree) that this man was out of Islam and his nikah (marriage) was null and void unless he repents and seeks penance. This fatwa has created flutter in the political circles causing embarrassment to the new Government. The CM called Khurshid and sought his explanation. He advised the Minister not to indulge in such sensitive issues.
Khurshid is the sole Muslim Minister in the Nitish Cabinet constituted on Saturday. But if Qasmi is believed he is no longer a Muslim. “I have issued this decree in the light of the teachings of holy Quran and Hadith because I read and saw him saying un-Islamic things. I felt hurt to listen these things from the mouth of a person who is a Muslim still he was indulging in shirk (associating someone else with Allah). A Muslim indulging in shirk is anything but a Muslim. He has admitted doing what is strictly forbidden in Islam.” said Qasmi who is designated Mufti at Imarat Shariah, Bihar and Odisha based at Phulwarisharif in the outskirts of Patna.
Qasmi who is issuing fatwas from highly respected religious body Imarat Shariah for 35 years, though admitted that nobody had sought fatwa from him on this issue but he issued this on his own. “This is not a fatwa but no less sacred than a fatwa and no one could contradict it,” he said and clarified that it was not a fatwa from Imarat Shariah.
On the issue of the matrimonial of 54 years old Khurshid, the cleric said that if he is out of Islam his marriage was null and void and has nor right to live with his wife of 26 years. “In Islam in such a situation nikah is broken automatically,” said Qasmi and added that he through his decree or opinion has informed the Muslim society so that nobody should have any truck with him. He said he did not see the TV footages but some people showed him his utterances and acts on WhatsApp.
Khurshid even claimed that he recently had a pilgrimage of a famous Mano Kamna temple in Nepal where he prayed and prostrated before the deities. “I prayed there and sought divine blessing that Bihar should be freed from lalu Prasad,” said the Minister flashing the threads on his wrist. Khurshid hails from Majharia village under Maina Tand police station in West Champaran.
Sources said the second term MlA has build a palatial house in Maina Tand and a shopping complex apart from one more house in Bettiah. He also owns a petrol pump.
Father of four daughters, all married, and two sons, he was earlier a contractor.
After the brouhaha in the political circles following the Fatwa, the leaders of his party JD(U) and new ally BJP rushed to defend him and described him secularist. But the RJD leaders were of the view that the decree of Imarat Shariah should be respected and obeyed. Incidentally, Khurshid has got the portfolio of minority welfare.
However, Khurshid remained unrepentant and said he need not regret or be afraid of any consequences. In his home district West Champaran Muslims by and large have not taken kindly his utterances.
