LUCKNOW: One of South Asiaâs most influential Islamic seminaries said Thursday that Muslim women who run for political office should wear a veil on the campaign trail - widening the debate about the role of religious law in secular India. The latest ruling from the Dar-ul-Uloom school follows a decision by Indiaâs Supreme Court to hear a case challenging the legality of Muslim religious courts, which are constitutionally permitted in India to rule on personal matters for Muslims, such as marriage and divorce. Maulana Shahid Rehan, a scholar at the school, told The Associated Press on Thursday that âIslam never forbids women from doing social service, but her conduct should be in accordance with Shariah,â or Islamic law. âShariah says women should not go in public without veil and a Muslim should follow this,â he said. Dar-ul-Uloom in Deoband, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the capital, New Delhi, issued its fatwa, or order, on Tuesday as millions of Indians throughout Uttar Pradesh state, where the school is located, voted in local elections. Voting ends next week, and the Press Trust of India reported Thursday that hundreds of female candidates running in the elections had donned veils as they went from village to village campaigning for votes. One of the women, Anwari Begum, reportedly told PTI she had covered up after Dar-ul-Uloom issued its ruling.
Leading Islamic seminaries, like Dar-ul-Uloom, a bastion of conservative Islam, often interpret Shariah for the various Muslim tribunals that function in the country. However, it was not clear how much power the school or the courts have to regulate the role of Muslim women in public life in India, a secular democracy. PTI reported Thursday that Law Minister H.R. Bharadwaj said such edicts had no legal standing. Muslims moderates also dismissed Dar-ul-Uloomâs latest ruling, saying the scholars should stick to religious matters and not address political or social concerns. âThe Muslim clergy should understand their responsibility before issuing a fatwa,â said an official at the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Maulana Khalid Rashid. âIf (the school) continues issuing fatwas like this, it will undermine its own importance.â
