A Sunni Islamic seminary in Deoband has declared the BJP leader Bukkhal Nawab as ‘Murtid’ (apostate) for paying obeisance to lord Hanuman at a temple in lucknow.
Bukkhal Nawab, a Shia Muslim, had visited the temple on Tuesday after filing his nomination papers for the election to legislative Council. Apostasy in Islam includes within its scope the willful renunciation of Islam by a Muslim.
Maulana Saalim Ashraf Qasmi, the head of the madrasa Darul Uloom Asharfia at Deoband said the BJP leader Bukkal Nawab has been ostracised from Islam and the Muslim community for offering prayers to ‘a Hindu God’.
“Islam forbids idol worship. Any Muslim paying obeisance to any other God other than Allah ceases to remain a Muslim. It is not Islamic act and such a person should be thrown out of the Islam and Muslim community,” said Maulana Qasmi.
Maulana Qasmi said Bukkal Nawab should repent his anti-Islamic acts by seeking an apology from Allah. “He will be welcomed back to Islam after he purifies himself by offering an apology to Allah and reading the Kalma thrice,” the Maulana added.
Bukkal Nawab, former Samajwadi Party MlC who had joined the BJP last year, had offered prayers and gifted a heavy brass-made bell at famous Hanuman temple in Hazratganj on Tuesday after he was nominated by the BJP to the Upper House.
Earlier, he had advocated construction of Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya and had offered a golden crown worth Rs 10 lakh to lord Ram. Reacting to the fatwa issued by Deoband, Bukkal Nawab said that he was not bothered.
“Besides being Muslim, I am also a devout Hanuman Bhakt. like lord Ram, lord Hanuman is also our ancestor. Under the Constitution of India, we are free to practice any religion. I am not worried about any such fatwa which is aimed at dividing members of the two communities,” he said.
Earlier, a similar fatwa was issued from Darul Uloom Deoband against BJP Minister Mohsin Raza when he had offered prayers at a Hanuman temple on Hanuman Jayanti on March 31 along with his family members. Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid was also ostracized from Islam after he was caught offering prayers to a Hindu God.