Was Bihar’s JD(U) MLA, Khurshid alias Firoz Alam rewarded with the post of the Ministry of Minority Affairs in the Nitish Kumar cabinet for chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ outside the Bihar Assembly after the trust vote last Friday?
Image: Inquilab Urdu
Maybe, maybe not. But Khurshid’s exuberance at the JD(U)-BJP reunion has proved to be short-lived. Faced with a strong backlash from the community he has had to make a quick U-turn, apologised to fellow Muslims and repented before maulanas in order to gain “re-entry” into Islam.
When criticised for his ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chant, Khurshid had earlier asserted: “If my ‘Jai Shri Ram’ can help some Muslims, I am willing to chant it morning, noon and night”. He added: “I worship Ram as I worship Rahim and I bow my head before all religious places in the country”.
The statement attracted a fatwa from Mufti Sohail Ahmed Qasmi of Bihar’s Imarat-e-Shariah, expelling Khurshid from Islam. The fatwa, among other things, meant that Khurshid’s wife was no longer “lawful” to him.
According to the Urdu daily Inquilab, Khurshid was slammed by infuriated fellow Muslims at a meeting of his own minorities affairs department convened by the chief minister on Sunday.
Khurshid initially protested saying he was not even given a chance to explain himself before the fatwa was issued against him. But this further inflamed sentiments. Nitish then reportedly advised Khurshid to apologise for causing hurt and seek the advice of the maulanas who were present at the meeting.
“The CM told me that if anyone felt hurt by my statement I should apologise. My intention was not to hurt anyone. I have come to serve the people,” said Khurshid.
As advised by some maulanas, the rattled minister presented himself before Mufti Qasmi and other ulema at Imarat-e-Shariah to apologise to them, repent, seek Allah’s forgiveness and recite the kalima afresh to gain reentry into Islam.
Following this, a statement issued by Mufti Qasmi stated that since Khurshid has repented, sought Allah’s forgiveness and has recited the kalima he should be treated as a Muslim by co-religionists. The statement also urged everyone to cooperate with Khurshid in the discharge of his duties as Minister for Minorities Affairs.