The seriousness of the situation compelled the US and Russia to call for an urgent meeting of the 15-member UNSC.

IMSD’s statement has been endorsed by leading civil society organizations and prominent individuals supportive of the rights of minorities, irrespective of caste and creed. Included among them are important office bearers of the CPI and CPI(M).

While the Alawites (a sub-sect among Shia Muslims) are the main target of the Islamists, Christians and Shias too are being targeted in the Sunni majority country. It must emphasised that Sunnis who are offering protection to their compatriots too are being targeted. A protest called in Damascus by all sections of Syrian society, was dispersed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) gunmen.

The Islamist jihadists from the various factions of the HTS, Al Qaeda and ISIS ran amok as they killed the defenceless civilians in cold blood. Many of these jihadists are of non-Syrian origin; they come from Turkey, Albania, Chechnya, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Uyghurs from Xinjiang (China), and this has only worsened the dire situation.

IMSD calls for an independent inquiry into the pogroms, by the UNHRC, as the Jolani regime has extremely low credibility among the afflicted communities.

The killings by the Islamists are fuelled by an ideology of religious sectarianism and extremism. Slogans such as, “Alawite and Shia to the grave and Christians to Beirut”, are commonly heard in Wahhabi/Salafist mosques and in street protests.

Indian Muslims must speak out against the massacres being perpetrated by extremists in the name of Islam during this holy month of Ramzan. We also appeal to all Indians as well as the global community to speak out against the horrendous killings of religious minorities in Syria.

We call for a dialogue and reconciliation within Syrian society and for them to do the utmost to prevent the ‘Al Qaeda-isation’ or ‘ISIS-isation’ of Syria. It is our belief that the greater majority of the Syrian people are committed to an inclusive, pluralistic, secular democratic Syria. In these difficult times, the world stands with the Syrian nation.

Full statement with signatories here below or copy attached:

March 15, 2025

PRESS STATEMENT

Indian Muslims condemn the mass killings of Syrian minorities by extremist Islamists

Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD) condemns the mass killing of civilians in the latest clashes between loyalists of the toppled Bashar al-Assad and the security forces of the present regime allied with extremist Islamist forces in north-west Syria. One may have differing opinions on the former government of Bashar al-Assad, but we speak out unequivocally against the targeted pogroms and murder of the minority communities, namely the Alawites, Christians and Shiites.

IMSD’s statement has been endorsed by leading civil society organizations and prominent individuals supportive of the rights of minorities, irrespective of caste and creed. Included among them are important office bearers of the CPI and CPI(M).

The crisis is so stark that US and Russia had to call for an urgent closed door meeting of the 15-member UNSC. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, strongly condemned “radical Islamist terrorists, including foreign jihadis” committing the massacres, and reaffirmed Washington’s support for Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities, including Christians, Druze, Alawites, and Kurds. Moreover, Rubio demanded accountability from Syria’s interim government.

Moscow’s ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, said that both Moscow and Washington are in contact on the issue and that, “The council was united in what we discussed… everyone spoke out. I wouldn’t say with one voice, but everyone emphasized the same elements: the inadmissibility of what happened, the mass murders, and violence.”

The UN Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, has condemned what he calls “extremely disturbing” reports of brutal “revenge killings”, in which “entire families, including women and children” have been savagely butchered. Of the more than 1,000 people who have reportedly been killed, more than 750 are civilians. Certain media reports mention figures up to 4,500 and more.

While the Alawites (a sub-sect among Shia Muslims) are the main target of the Islamists, Christians and Shias too are being targeted in the Sunni majority country. It must emphasised that Sunnis who are offering protection to their compatriots too are being targeted. A protest called in Damascus by all sections of Syrian society, was dispersed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) gunmen.

The Islamist jihadists from the various factions of the HTS, Al Qaeda and ISIS ran amok as they killed the defenceless civilians in cold blood. Many of these jihadists are of non-Syrian origin; they come from Turkey, Albania, Chechnya, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Uyghurs from Xinjiang (China), and this has only worsened the dire situation.

Following the international outcry, Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa (formerly Jolani, leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a breakaway faction from Al Qaeda) announced the formation of an independent committee to “investigate the violations against civilians and identify those responsible for them.” In a Reuters interview, Sharaa said mass killings of Alawites were a threat to his mission to unite the country, and promised to punish those responsible, including his own allies if necessary.

IMSD calls for an independent inquiry into the pogroms, by the UNHRC, as the Jolani regime has extremely low credibility among the afflicted communities.

The killings by the Islamists are fuelled by an ideology of religious sectarianism and extremism. Slogans such as, “Alawite and Shia to the grave and Christians to Beirut”, are commonly heard in Wahhabi/Salafist mosques and in street protests.

Indian Muslims must speak out against the massacres being perpetrated by extremist Muslims in the name of Islam during this holy month of Ramzan. We also appeal to all Indians as well as the global community to speak out against the horrendous killings of religious minorities in Syria.

We call for a dialogue and reconciliation within Syrian society and for them to do the utmost to prevent the ‘Al Qaeda-isation’ or ‘ISIS-isation’ of Syria. It is our belief that the greater majority of the Syrian people are committed to an inclusive, pluralistic, secular democratic Syria. In these difficult times, the world stands with the Syrian nation.

Signatories:

1)    Afaq Azad, Musician, IMSD, Mumbai

2)    Ahmad Rashid Sherwani, Managing Trustee, Bharat Sewa Trust, Hyderabad

3)    A. J. Jawad, Co-convener IMSD, Advocate, Hyderabad

4)    (Prof.) A. K. Pasha, JNU, Delhi

5)    Aishwarya R, Bengaluru for Justice and Peace, Bengaluru

6)    Akhilesh Yadav, Nav Bharat Nirman, Lucknow

7)    Ali Bhojani, Hum Bharat Ke Log, Parbhani

8)    Alok, Nav Bharat Nirman, Lucknow

9)    Akbar Shaikh, Bhartiya Muslimj Yuva Andolan, Solapur

10)  Amir Rizvi, IMSD, Designer, Mumbai

11)  Anand Patwardhan, IMSD, Documentary filmmaker, Mumbai

12)  (Dr.) Anand Prakash Tiwari, Editor, Bahujan Samvad, Varanasi

13)  (Fr.) Anand, Souhard Peace Centre, Varanasi

14)  (Dr.) Anil Hebbar, Trustee, Baba Amte Ekta Abhiyan, Mumbai

15)  Anjum Rajabali, IMSD, Filmwriter, Mumbai

16)  Annu Yadav, Social Activist, Lucknow

17)  Anvar Rajan, IMSD, Social Activist, Pune

18)  Aravind Unni, Urban practitioner and researcher, Delhi

19)  Arun Srivastava, Samajwadi Samagam, Delhi

20)  Arshad Alam, Co-convener IMSD, Columnist, Delhi

21)  Ashraf Zaidi, Editor, Leaders Magazine, Delhi

22)  Ashish Shukla, Nav Bharat Nirman, Lucknow 

23)  Askari Zaidi, IMSD, Senior journalist, Delhi

24)  Binu Mathew, Editor, countercurrents.org

25)  (Fr.) Cedric Prakash, PRASHANT, Initiative for Human Rights Justice & Peace, Ahmedabad,

26)  (Com.) Charul Joshi, Progressive Writers Association, Convener, Mumbai

27)  Dhananjay Shinde, IT expert, political activist, Mumbai

28)  Dolphy D’souza, Bombay Catholic Sabha, Mumbai

29)  (Sister) Dorothy Fernandes, Patna

30)  (Rev.) E. Immanuel Nehemiah, CSI KCD, Bengaluru

31)  Evita Das, Urban Rights Activist, Delhi

32)  Farouk Mapkar, Social Activist, Mumbai

33)  Feroz Abbas Khan, Theatre and film director, playwright and screenwriter, Mumbai

34)  Feroze Mithiborwala, Co-Convener, IMSD, Mumbai

35)  Gauhar Raza, ANHAD, Poet, Delhi

36)  Dr G. G. Parikh, Veteran freedom fighter, President, Yusuf Meherali Centre, Mumbai

37)  Guddi S.L., Yusuf Meherali Centre, Mumbai

38)  Gulab Pasha, Swaraj India, Bengaluru

39)  Hasan Ibrahim, Pasha, IMSD, Writer, Prayagraj

40)  Irfan Engineer, CSSS, Co-convener IMSD, Mumbai

41)  (Fr.) Jacob Peenikaparambil, Universal Solidarity Movement, Indore

42)  Jatin Desai, Senior journalist, Peace Activist, Mumbai

43)  Javed Anand, Convener, IMSD, CJP, Mumbai

44)  John D’Souza, CED, Mumbai

45)  (Fr.) Joseph Neetilal, Lok Chetna Samiti, Varanasi

46)  Kasim Sait, IMSD, Businessman, Chennai

47)  Khadija Farooqi, IMSD, Delhi

48)  Khatoon Sheikh, Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, Mumbai

49)  Kumar Prashant, Chairman, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Delhi

50)  Lara Jesani, National Secretary, PUCL, Advocate, Mumbai

51)  Mansoor Sardar, IMSD, Bhiwandi

52)  M. A. Khalid, Social Activist, Mumbai

53)  Medha Patkar, Writer, Environmental Activist, Bhopal

54)  (Dr.) Meenakshi Sharma, Samvad Prakriya, Moradabad

55)  (Com.) Milind Ranade, General Secretary, Mumbai CPI, Mumbai 

56)  Mihir Desai, Human Rights Lawyer, Mumbai

57)  Mohammad Imran, PIO, USA

58)  Mohammed Zakirulla Baig, concerned citizen, Bengaluru

59)  Najid Hussain, Oceanographer, PIO, USA

60)  Nasreen Fazelbhoy, IMSD, Mumbai

61)  Naazish Shah, Environmental Activist

62)  Noorjahan Safia Niyaz, Co-convenor, Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan

63)  Pakeezeh (Padmini) Baruah, NLSIU, Bengaluru

64)  Paranjoy Guha Thakurta, Journalist, Delhi

65)  (Com.) Prakash Reddy, political leader, CPI, Mumbai

66)  Prashant Bhushan, Advocate SC, Author, Public Interest Lawyer, Delhi

67)  (Sister) Prema Chwallur, Guwahati

68)  Putul Didi, Samvad Prakriya, Lucknow

69)  Qaisar Sultana, IMSD, Homemaker, Prayagraj

70)  Qutub Jahan, NEEDA, IMSD, Mumbai

71)  (Dr.) Radha Kumar, Academic, Feminist, Author, Chennai

72)  Rajkumari Asthana, Documentary Filmmaker, Dehradun

73)  (Prof) Rakesh Rafique, Author, Samvad Prakriya, Moradabad

74)  (Dr.) Ram Puniyani, Author, All India Secular Forum, Mumbai

75)  Rashida Tapadar, Writer, Educationist and Activist, Assam

76)  Ravi Nair, Investigative Journalist, Delhi

77)  (Sister) Roseline SCN, Gaya

78)  Sabah Khan, Parcham, Thane

79)  Sajjad Kargili, Political Activist, Ladakh

80)  (Dr.) Saif Mehmood, IMSD, SC Lawyer, Delhi

81)  (Com.) S. K. Rege, State Secretary, Mumbai

82)  Salim, Saboowala, Social Activist, Mumbai

83)  Salim Yusuf, IMSD, Lawyer, Bhiwandi

84)  Sandeep Pandey, Socialist Party of India, National President, Lucknow

85)  (Dr.) Sanjay M G, Member National Working Group (NWG), (NAPM)

86)  Santosh Ambekar, Mahatma Phule, OBC Vichar Manch, Mumbai

87)  Satyapal Malik, former Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Bihar, Goa & Meghalaya, Delhi

88)  (Dr) Satyavrat, Mairtee Ashram, Lucknow

89)  Shabana Dean, IMSD, Pune

90)  Shabnam Hashmi, ANHAD, Delhi

91)  Shahid Pradhan, Educationist, Pune

92)  Shafaat Khan, IMSD, Playwright, Mumbai

93)  (Dr.) Shamsuddin Tamboli, President, Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal, Pune

94)  Shamsul Islam, Author, Activist, Delhi

95)  Shalini Dhawan, Designer, Mumbai

96)  Shama Zaidi, IMSD, Screenplay Writer, Documentary Filmmaker,, Mumbai

97)  Sharad Kadam, Hum Bharat Ke Log, Mumbai

98)  Shujaat Ali Quadri, India Palestine Solidarity Forum, Vice-President, Delhi

99)  Sukla Sen, Social Activist, Mumbai

100)       Sultan Shahin, Editor-in-Chief, New Age Islam, Delhi

101)       (Dr.) Sunilam, President, Kisan Sangarsh Samiti, Gwalior

102)       (Dr.) Suresh Khairnar, Writer, Nagpur

103)       Syed Muntazir Mehdi, PDP leader Kashmir

104)       Teesta Setalvad, Secretary CJP, IMSD, Mumbai

105)       Tushar Gandhi, Hum Bharat Ke Log, National President, Mumbai

106)       (Com.) Uday Narkar, Central Committee Member, CPI(M), Kolhapur

107)       Usha Vishwakarma, Nav Bharat Nirman, Lucknow

108)       Vibhuti Narain Rai, IMSD, IPS (retd), writer, Noida

109)       Vrijendra, Educationist, Social Activist, Mumbai

110)       Yashodhan Paranjpe, Hum Bharat Ke Log, Navi Mumbai

111)       Zakia Soman, Co-convenor, Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, Delhi

112)       Zulekha Jabeen, IMSD, Delhi

113)       Zeenat Shaukatali, Islamic Scholar, DG, Wisdom Foundation, IMSD, Mumbai

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The imam, a religious reformer and an activist, was ambushed by two masked men in a pick-up truck while visiting the southern city of Gqeberha on Saturday. While police have yet to establish the motive for the hate crime, political parties and LGBTQ+ organizations say Hendricks was targeted because he started a mosque in Cape Town for gay Muslims and called for members of the LGBTQ+ community to be welcomed into Islam. And was not deterred by the many death threats he had received over several years.

IMSD stands by the dictum: “No God, gods, goddesses, prophets or saints may be invoked to justify the killing and/or terrorising of fellow human beings”.

A statement issued by the departed Imam’s colleagues at the Center for Contemporary Islam at University of Cape Town said: “His theology was a liberation theology: God is a God of radical love and justice for all human beings. The safe space created by his work brought relief beyond the community of queer Muslims, extending to refugees, people who were homeless, those marginalised without community and belonging, for whom he provided a space of inclusion”.

Deploring the fact some Muslims were condoning the imam’s assassination on social media, the statement bemoaned that “the compounded horror of such violence and brutality has brought into sharp focus the intense homophobia permeating the Muslim community”.

IMSD notes with concern that this intense homophobia permeating the Muslim community is sadly as true of South Africa as it is of the global Muslim community, India included.

We recall our statement issued in March 2023 strongly condemning the concerted effort by the Muslim rightwing in Kerala — including leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), and some Muslim-run websites — to ridicule, vilify, denigrate and demonise Muslims who are part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

IMSD stands in solidarity with the South African colleagues of the departed Imam and fully supports the call by the US-based Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) on all Muslims worldwide, “to build a culture of tolerance and curiosity for various interpretations of Islam”.

We call on Indian Muslims in particular, who as a community have been relentless targets of hate politics and hate crimes in today’s ‘new India’, to deplore and eschew any hatred or violence in Islam’s name. Signatories:

1. Anand Patwardhan, IMSD, Documentary Film-maker, Mumbai
2. Arshad Alam, IMSD Co-convenor, Columnist, Delhi
3. Askari Zaidi, IMSD, Senior Journalist, Delhi
4. Feroze Mithiborwala, IMSD Co-Convener, Mumbai
5. Ghulam Rasool Dehlvi, an Alim and Fazil (a classical Islamic scholar), having graduated from a leading Islamic seminary of India, Jamia Amjadia Rizvia (Mau, U.P.)
6. Hasan Ibrahim Pasha, IMSD, Writer, Allahabad
7. Javed Anand, IMSD Co-convener, CJP, Mumbai
8. Kasim Sait, Businessman, Social Activist, Chennai
9. Lara Jesani, Advocate, PUCL, Mumbai
10. Madhu Prasad, IMSD, Social Activist, Delhi
11. Mohammad Imran, PIO, USA
12. Muniza Khan, Citizens for Justice and Peace, Varanasi
13. Qaisar Sultana, Home Maker, Allahabad
14. Qutub Kidwai, IMSD, Islamic Feminist/ Peace Activist, Secretary General AMAN International, Mumbai
15. (Prof) Mohammad Sajjad, Historian, AMU, Aligarh
16. (Dr) Shahnawaz Alam, UP
17. Shamsul Islam, Author, Activist, Delhi
18. Sultan Shahin, Editor-in Chief, New Age Islam, Delhi
19. Teesta Setalvad, IMSD, Secretary CJP, Mumbai
20. Zakia Soman, Co-Convener, Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan
21. Zeenat Shaukat Ali, Islamic Scholar, Director general, Wisdom Foundation, IMSD, Mumbai

Related:

Progressive Muslims condemn the assassination in South Africa of the world’s first gay Imam

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IMSD calls upon Muslims to recall the views expressed by Sir Syed Ahmad Khan well over a century ago. In his time, he staunchly opposed Muslims who made a bonfire of books they did not like, or demanded its ban by the authorities. His advice was simple. Fight words with words if the book in question is worthy of a reasoned critique. Burning or banning such books implies that Muslims are incapable of an intellectual and moral defense of their faith. If the book (cartoon, play, film) is nothing but a gratuitous, salacious or malicious attack on Islam or its Prophet, his suggestion was: ignore it.

In 1861, an English writer William Muir had written a book in which he had made disparaging remarks against Prophet Mohammad. In response, Sir Syed travelled to London to study the books and journals that Muir had relied on and eight years later published a reasoned critique debunking Muir’s work.

Sir Syed’s advice to his fellow Muslims long ago is all the more relevant in today’s ‘new India’ where minorities are daily targets of Hindutva’s hate politics. Any ill-advised or hotheaded response to the publication of Satanic Verses – a book not Many Muslims are likely to have read earlier or will read now — will only provide more fodder to the Muslim-baiters. Besides, it will only give free publicity to the very book they want banished.

IMSD does draw the line between Free Speech, which it fully supports, and Hate Speech, which it staunchly opposes. While, the Constitution of India guarantees the right to freedom of speech, the law of the land also provides for penal action against hate speech.

Muslims, or anyone else for that matter, have the right to be offended by a book, cartoon, play or film and they have the right to protest in peaceful manner. They are also within their right to invoke existing provisions of criminal law to seek redressal of their grievance. But they do not have the right to silence the offender. A fatwa, firman or call to kill Salman Rushdie, as also the demand for a ban on Satanic Verses amounts to just that: silencing the offender.

Signatories:

1. Aarefa Johari, Gender rights activist, journalist, Mumbai
2. Akbar Shaikh, IMSD, Bhartiya Muslim Yuva Andolan, Solapur
3. Ahmad Rashid Shervani, Educationist, Hyderabad
4. A. J. Jawad, IMSD, Co-convener, Advocate, Chennai
5. Amir Rizvi, IMSD, Designer, Mumbai
6. Anwar Hussain, Corporate Executive
7. Anwar Rajan, IMSD, Pune
8. Arshad Alam, IMSD, Columnist, New Age Islam, Delhi
9. Askari Zaidi, IMSD, Senior Journalist, Delhi
10. Bilal Khan, IMSD, Activist, Mumbai
11. Farhan Rahman, Asst. Prof., Ranchi University, Ranchi
12. Feroz Abbas Khan, theatre and film director, playwright and screenwriter, Mumbai
13. Feroze Mithiborwala, IMSD, Co-convener, Bharat Bachao Andolan, Mumbai
14. Gauhar Raza, Anhad, Delhi
15. Hasan Ibrahim Pasha, Writer, Allahabad
16. A. J. Jawad, IMSD, Co-convener, Advocate, Chennai
17. Irfan Engineer, IMSD Co-convener, CSSS, Mumbai
18. Javed Anand, IMSD Convener, CJP, SabrangIndia Online, Mumbai
19. Kasim Sait, Businessman, Philanthropist, Chennai
20. Khadija Farouqui, IMSD, Gender rights activist, Delhi
21. Lara Jesani, IMSD, PUCL, Mumbai
22. Mansoor Sardar, IMSD, Bhiwandi
23. Masooma Ranalvi, IMSD, We Speak Out, Delhi
24. Mohammed Imran, PIO, USA
25. Muniza Khan, IMSD, CJP, Varanasi
26. Nasreen Fazelbhoy, IMSD, Mumbai
27. Qaisar Sultana, Home Maker, Allahabad
28. Qutub Jahan, IMSD, NEEDA, Mumbai
29. (Dr) Ram Puniyani, IMSD, Author, Activist, Mumbai
30. Sabah Khan, IMSD, Parcham, Mumbra/Mumbai
31. Shabana Mashraki, IMSD, Consultant, Mumbai
32. Shabnam Hashmi, Anhad, Delhi
33. (Dr) Shahnawaz Alam, IMSD
34. Shalini Dhawan, Designer, Mumbai
35. Shama Zaidi, Documentary Film Maker, Mumbai
36. Shamsul Islam, Author, Delhi
37. Sohail Hashmi, IMSD, Sahmat, Delhi
38. Sultan Shahin, Editor-in chief and publisher, New Age Islam, Delhi
39. Teesta Setalvad, Secretary, CJP, IMSD, Mumbai
40. Yousuf Saeed, Documentary Film Maker, Delhi
41. Zakia Soman, Co-convener BMMA, Delhi
42. Zeenat Shaukat Ali, IMSD, Wisdom Foundation, Mumbai

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• Millions of believing, practising Muslims today are citizens of western democracies where there are no separate family laws for Muslims.

• IMSD calls upon secular political parties not to fall in the trap set by the BJP.
  

Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD) supports Article 44 of the Indian Constitution (Directive Principles of State Policy) which postulates, “The State shall endeavor to secure for all citizens a uniform civil code (UCC) throughout the territory of India”.

This is consistent with the Fundamental Rights guaranteed to all citizens under Articles 14 (equality before the law) and 15 (non-discrimination on grounds of religion, caste, sex….) of the Constitution.

In our view a bonafide endeavour must mean encouragement of nationwide discussion and deliberation on the issue aimed at evolving a national consensus and not imposing the codes of any one religion, culture, tradition on all others. In all such endeavours ensuring gender justice must be the prime concern.

In its report published in 2018, the 21^st Law Commission had opined that a UCC was “neither necessary nor desirable at this stage”. But the 22^nd Law Commission has reignited the issue by inviting the views of the public at large and religious organisations on UCC. Curiously enough, the Commission has not offered any draft of its own for the people to respond to.

The timing of the initiative, the absence of a draft and the fact that the next general elections are less than a year away have understandably led to apprehensions that the motive of the Modi-led government is suspect. This notwithstanding, IMSD calls upon secular political parties not to fall in the trap set by the BJP.

As usual, Muslim religious bodies including the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), the Jamiat ulema-e-Hind and the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind have promptly opposed the move calling it “an attempt at polarisation and a diversionary tactic by the government”. According to them, “The proposal is totally against the religious freedom and Fundamental Rights given to the citizens under Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution”.

What the ulema wilfully ignore is that Article 25 concerning the right to freedom of religion also states, “Nothing in this article shall… prevent the State from making any law “providing for social welfare and reform…”

The personal laws of all religious communities that we inherited at independence were grossly discriminatory against women. In the decades since, there have been a number of enactments ushering in some reforms in the family laws concerning Hindus and Christians. But Muslim religious bodies have staunchly resisted any change, never taken a single step in reforming Muslim Personal Law many of whose provisions are blatantly unjust, anti-women, even un-Quranic.

Contrary to the false claims of the Indian ulema, Muslim Personal Law is not God-given but man made. Millions of believing, practising Muslims today are citizens of western democracies where there are no separate family laws for Muslims. In recent decades, a large and growing number of Muslim countries, including some which call themselves Islamic states, have reformed their family laws. Yet, ironically, in secular India the ulema continue to cling to medieval, patriarchal notions of gender relations in the name of protecting Islam. What they are in fact protecting is simply their own interest and their institutional stranglehold over the community.

The Congress and other secular parties have taken no initiative whatsoever in advocating reforms on the specious plea that “the initiative must come from within the community”.  Given the authority structure within the Muslim society, we do not see any such voice from the community in the foreseeable future.

Having lost all hope in their religious leaders ever accepting, let alone initiating change, progressive Muslim women and men have no option but to look to the courts and the government of the day for a religion-neutral, gender-just UCC. Needless to say, a ‘Uniform Civil Code’ is not the same as a ‘Common Civil Code’. Muslims reserve the right to protest against any attempt to impose a majoritarian agenda in the name of uniformity. We therefore appeal to all political parties to see this issue as one of gender justice and stop pandering to the whimsical and antediluvian fantasies of religious clerics.

Among others, IMSD calls for the following reforms to be part of a uniform code applicable to all citizens: divorce only through a court of law including the right of women to initiate divorce, right to judicious maintenance following severance of the marital tie, ban on polygamy and the shameful halala practice, gender-just inheritance and guardianship laws, right to make a will with provision for a minimum percentage of the property to be left behind for heirs, child custody to be based on what is in the best interests of the minor, right to adopt by couples or even by single women or men, “right to marry… without any limitation due to race, nationality or religion” (Article 16 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights).

IMSD would also like inclusion of certain positive aspects of Muslim family law. For example: irretrievable breakdown of marriage to be included among grounds for divorce, women’s right to retain her own maiden name and identity after marriage.

Issued on behalf of Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy by:

Javed Anand (Convener)

1. J. Jawad (Co-convener)

Arshad Alam (Co-convener)

Feroze Mithiborwala (Co-convener)

Irfan Engineer (Co-convener)

Nasreen Contractor (Co-convener)

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Courtesy: Scroll.in

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