The change in strategy and thinking of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) can be clearly seen in the last few years. On Wednesday, in the Supreme Court, the board said that the women are allowed to offer prayers in the mosque, just like men, women are allowed too. There was a time when the AIMPLB forced the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi to bow down, bypassing the Supreme Court verdict (1985) in the Shah Bano case. However, the change in attitude of the board has been evident with the passage of time and after the first three divorces, the board has now made its stand flexible enough for women to enter mosques.
In the Supreme Court on Wednesday, the AIMPLB said that Muslim women are allowed to enter mosques for prayers just like men. AIMPLB's reply came on a PIL filed by Yasmin Zubeer Ahmed Pirzada. Mohammed Fazlurrahim, secretary of AIMPLB, gave this information in his affidavit filed through lawyer MR Shamshad.
Board filed affidavit in Supreme Court
According to the affidavit filed by the board, "It is being said that women are allowed to enter the mosque to offer namaz within the mosque, considering the religious texts, teachings and religious beliefs of the followers of Islam." Any Muslim woman is free to enter the mosque for prayers. He has the option of exercising his right to avail such facilities available for prayers in the mosque. '
The board may have appealed to the Supreme Court against the decision to declare triple talaq as a legal offense, but the board has been soft on this. Not only the Shia Muslim Personal Law Board, the AIMPAB also says that triple talaq is un-Islamic. In the Supreme Court's reply filed by the board, it was said, "Triple talaq is un-Islamic on behalf of Islam and is like a sin." However, the board had said that there is no need to determine the punishment for this by enacting a law against triple talaq and awareness programs are being conducted within the society itself, which will see a change.
In the famous Shahbano divorce case, the board flatly refused to accept the Supreme Court verdict. The Muslim Personal Law Board rebelled against the decision of the court in favor of Shahbano and all the Muslim organizations of the country started opposing this decision. Boards and organizations said that the court is violating their right to religious freedom by interfering in their family and religious matters. Under the pressure of the then Rajiv Gandhi-led government, the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986 was passed. The Supreme Court's decision was overturned through this law, due to which the Congress and Rajiv are criticized till date.
