Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 29 (PTI) A day after the brutal murder of a tailor in Rajasthan triggered shock waves across the country, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Wednesday came out against Madrassas and wondered whether young children were taught there that punishment for blasphemy is beheading. He also called for broad-based education to every child till the age of 14 years, saying it was one of their basic rights and opined that no specialised education should be given to them before that age. Stating that the Muslim law does not come from Quran, Khan said it had been written by individuals during the time of the 'Empire' and it provides for beheading. The question is whether the children are taught that the punishment for blasphemy is beheading and they are being taught so in our own institutions in the country, he said when his reaction was sought for the Udaipur incident. In Rajasthan's Udaipur, two men with a cleaver murdered a tailor on Tuesday and posted videos online that said they are avenging an insult to Islam, with the brutal killing drawing widespread condemnations. Now, if somebody, who has been indoctrinated right from the age of five or six to what they call the Muslim Law...it does not come from Quran...that had been written by individuals during the time of the Empire and it provides for beheading. And this law is taught in Madrasas to the children, Khan claimed. So, if they (children) get indoctrinated, get influenced by that and act accordingly, the better course would be to try to tackle the menace, he said. First thing, this is not the divine law. It has been written by human beings during the time of the Empire. What they put in the minds of children is that this is the law of God, he said. The Governor also said people easily believe things when it becomes a matter of belief and they would be ready to do any outrageous thing for that. Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly V D Satheesan had strongly condemned the Udaipur incident. Two men, identified as Riaz Akhtari and Ghouse Mohammad, were arrested in connection with the murder.

Udaipur incident: Kerala Governor comes out against Madrassa curriculum

Udaipur

Muslim

Thiruvananthapuram

Rajasthan

Kerala

Quran

Ghaziabad (UP), Jun 17 (PTI) Controversial priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati of the Dasna Devi temple here was put under house arrest for a day on Friday, days after he declared to visit the Delhi's Jama Masjid. The priest had said he would go to the mosque on June 17 and give a presentation on the Quran. The Ghaziabad administration had earlier issued a notice to him, warning of legal action if he makes a statement which spreads communal hatred. On his detention, SDM (Sadar) Vinay Kumar Singh told PTI, The step was taken to maintain law and order in the district. He said the priest will be kept under strict watch till midnight. Meanwhile, a purported video clip of the priest surfaced on social media. Muslims are wandering on the road without any fear. Violence is spreading day by day in the country and Muslim leaders are releasing 'fatwa' for beheading the Hindus, he said in the video. In the British period, our saints used to visit the Jama Masjid under the security of the British to discuss scriptures. Present day rulers will not provide security to Hindus and are suppressing their genuine demands, he alleged. On the other hand, Muslim leaders like Owaisi and Madani have been given free hand to plan the strategy for slaughtering Hindus, the priest added. He urged Hindus to save Hinduism.

Controversial priest Narsinghanand put under 'house arrest'

British

Delhi

Muslims

Bengaluru, Apr 17 (PTI) Striking a note of harmony, amidst the recent flare-up of communal issues in Karnataka, the historic Chennakeshava temple at Belur in Hassan district kick-started the annual rathotsava (chariot festival) celebrations this year, after verses of Quran were recited in keeping with the syncretic tradition followed there for years. Following the traditions, which according to locals have been practised for centuries, Syed Sajjad Basha, Khaji of Dodda Meduru, chanted verses from the Quran on Day 1 of the two-day rathotsava festival on April 13, following which the chariot was pulled. According to authorities there, it is not clearly known as to when the tradition of reciting Quranic verses began at the fair in the temple, which was built by Hoysala rulers. However, the temple manual, which dates back to 1932, has a mention about the tradition, which is being followed to this day, they said. Belur was the erstwhile capital of the Hoysalas and referred to as Velapur, Velur and Belahur at different points in history. The temple, which is known for its sculptural extravaganza, was consecrated by the famous Hoysala king Vishnuvardhana to mark his victories in 1116 AD against the Cholas. Thousands of people had gathered at the rathotsava that saw Lord Chennakeshava, one of the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, being carried out in a chariot after Basha read out the verses from the Islamic scripture. Basha recited the verses in the presence of temple authorities, with local leaders and a large gathering of people, standing at the foot of the chariot. He said the practice has been followed for generations by his ancestors and that his son and grandson too would follow the same. I have been chanting Quranic verses at the festival for the last 50 years now. It is done to pray that Chennakeshava swami does good for all. All of us, whether Hindu or Christian or Muslim, should live peacefully together and there should be no differences among us, he added. Former minister and JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, who participated in the event, said the tradition has been followed for ages and has to be continued. People of all communities - Hindus, Muslims, Christians - all together should live peacefully. This might be the intention with which the tradition was started. Let's not allow any forces to divide us, he said. A local resident said there was no rathotsava for the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic but stated that the festival was celebrated in a grand fashion this time, by following all traditions, including chanting of the verses. There was a confusion about holding the practice, as authorities had initially issued a notice barring non-Hindu traders from setting up stalls, following the controversy regarding a call for ban on non-Hindu traders from Hindu religious fairs that had rocked the state. However, the Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments (Muzrai) department subsequently took suggestions from stakeholders and priests, and decided to go ahead with the tradition, an official said. Non-Hindu traders were also allowed to set up stalls and participate in the festivities, he said, adding that about 15 Muslim traders had set up their shops this year, amid the controversy. There have been a series of communal issues that have rocked the state in the past few months. It started with the hijab row, followed by calls to ban non-Hindu traders from Hindu religious fairs, and then a campaign to boycott halal meat and shutting down of loudspeakers at mosques.

Amid flare-ups, Karnataka temple keeps alive syncretic tradition of reciting Quran during festival

Karnataka

New Delhi, Mar 15 (PTI) Islamic scholars on Tuesday disagreed with the Karnataka High Court's decision not to recognise the wearing of hijab as an essential part of Islam, saying women have been asked in the Quran to cover their head. Akhtar-ul-Wasey, former head of the Department of Islamic Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, told PTI that he as a teacher advocates the introduction of uniform and it should not be avoided under any pretext but girl students may be allowed to cover their head with uniform-coloured cloth as is done by the Sikh community. Professor Wasey said,If there is a clear instruction for something in the Quran-e-Karim, then it is an essential part of Islam. He said in Sura-e-Noor, there is an order even for men that they should keep their eyes down. Women cover their head during Hajj and Umrah (the journey to Mecca and Medina on normal days other than Hajj), he said. Wasey said, Women of Rajasthan and Brij wear veil in India, what would you call it? This is the Indian culture. Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, Shahi Imam of Fatehpuri Masjid in Chandni Chowk, also said that hijab is part of the Quran and Hadith (teachings of Prophet Muhammad). The head covering is mandated in the Quran, so it is necessary. In Surah al-Ahzab, Sur-e-Noor mandates covering the head, so it is an essential part of Islam. Ashraf Usmani, spokesperson of Darul Uloom Deoband, a world-renowned Islamic educational institution, told PTI-Bhasha, Women’s head covering is approved by the Quran and what has been mentioned in the Quran is a duty, whether it is prayer, fasting, Zakat or Hajj. He said, In the 1,400-year history of Islam, there has never been any controversy regarding hijab. The religious scholars around the world believe that covering the head is a duty in Islam. He said the court cannot decide what is part of Islam and what is not. Professor Wasey said, We are not satisfied with this decision. My appeal is that those who are not satisfied with this decision, they challenge it in the apex court. The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday said wearing hijab is not a part of the essential religious practice in Islam and rejected the submissions of Muslim girl students for being allowed to wear hijab in classes. The court also upheld the ban on hijab in educational institutions in the state.

Hijab essential part of Islam: Scholars; disagree with court order

Islam

hajj

NewDelhi

mecca

medina

Bengaluru, Feb 24 (PTI) The Karnataka High Court on Thursday asked the counsels in the Hijab case to wind up their arguments by Friday as it indicated that it will shortly deliver the order. The Chief Justice of the High Court Ritu Raj Awasthi, who is part of the three-judge bench, told the counsels that that the arguments should be finished by Friday. He also asked the parties to give their written submissions within two to three days. Meanwhile, in his rejoinder argument advocate Devadatt Kamat said his client studies in a co-education college where she got admitted two years ago. According to him, she was in the habit of wearing Hijab from the time she joined the college but suddenly the restriction was imposed and she was forced not to wear it anymore. Kamat told the court that he is not asking for any general declaration on Hijab that it is part of an essential religious practice but his contention was the government order on Febuary 5, which barred everyone from wearing clothes that could disturb peace, harmony and public order. According to him, the GO cannot stand and it has to be quashed. If the GO goes there is no restriction on the exercise of a fundamental right under Article 25, the lawyer argued. In reply, the Chief Justice sought to know how can he insist on wearing hijab in an institution which has a uniform and which fundamental right the petitioner has? He also asked Kamat to establish that Hijab is part of a religious practice. We are not talking about any restriction. We are just talking about your right which you insist for, CJ Awasthi said. Responding, Kamat told the bench that the right derives from Quran and Hadis. On January one, six girl students of a college in Udupi attended a press conference held by the CFI in the coastal town protesting against the college authorities denying them entry into classrooms wearing hijab. This was four days after they requested the principal permission to wear hijab in classes which was not allowed. Till then, students used to wear the headscarf to the campus, but entered the classroom after removing it, college principal Rudre Gowda had said. The institution did not have any rule on hijab-wearing since no one used to wear it to the classroom in the last 35 years. The students who came with the demand had the backing of outside forces, Gowda had said.

HC asks counsels in Hijab case to wind up their argument by Friday, hints delivering order shortly

Udupi

Cairo,Egypt

CAIRO (AP) — The young woman could hear her heart pounding so hard that she worried the microphone placed in front of her would pick up its sound. Seated around her were officials from Islamic nations, including her country’s president. Cameras clicked. She closed her eyes. Al-Zahraa Layek Helmee’s voice filled the spacious, columned hall with a melodic recitation of the Quran, a role customarily held by men in her country, Egypt. For the 18-year-old, the high-profile recitation of Muslim holy text at a Cairo conference of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation was a personal milestone — one that she also hopes would send a message to women and girls: That can be you. “I wanted to prove that women have a great role to play when it comes to Quran recitation, she said. Across cultures and Muslim communities, the boundaries of such a role can be subject to debate. Attitudes vary toward women publicly reciting the Quran within earshot of nonrelated men — in person, online or in other media. While the most skilled female reciters may attain celebrity-like status in some countries, others are largely confined to private spaces or all-women audiences. Campaigns have been springing up online to amplify the voices, and widen the reach, of female Quran reciters across the world, with many posting their recitations and encouraging others to follow suit. It’s part of a larger effort by some Muslim women who say they want to build on the historical examples of other women in their faith to expand their spiritual leadership roles in Islamic spaces.Online, where Helmee has 1.2 million followers on Facebook, many cheer her on. Others — men and women — reprimand her in messages, urging her to “fear God” or arguing that her voice can tempt men, an idea she rejects. The controversy “is a matter of convention more than law,” said Zahra Ayubi, a Dartmouth College associate professor who studies gender and Islamic ethics. The concern over women’s public recitation, she said, emerges from the interpretation by some that a woman’s voice is part of her “awrah” — nakedness or vulnerability — and should therefore be guarded from nonrelated men to prevent temptation. But many scholars and religious bodies have contested the argument that a woman’s voice in itself can be “awrah,” saying it’s what she says and her manner of speech that matters. “When women are reciting the Quran, it’s an incredibly powerful response to the idea that their voices are awrah,” Ayubi said. “Because they are speaking the most honorable truth for Muslims, and in doing so keeping true to God’s command to speak honorably.” Learning to read and understand the Quran is considered crucial for men and women alike. But perfecting recitations, or reciting professionally, usually takes rigorous studying and practice to master elaborate rules governing such things as proper pronunciation and articulation. For many Muslims, the voice of Quran reciters permeates daily life, blaring from car radios and smartphones or playing out on television channels. Reciters are often invited to religious or social events, sometimes moving their listeners to tears. Many devout Muslims play recordings of favorite reciters at homes or businesses to contemplate the verses or soothe their souls. Seemi Ghazi, who teaches Quranic Arabic at the University of British Columbia, recalls how —growing up — she would wake up to the sound of her mother reciting the Quran. “For so many Muslims, we actually experience the Quran primarily and initially through the breath, the tone, the embodiment, the voice of women, most often our mothers,” she said. “So it’s not as though hearing a woman’s voice is something so new. It’s the question of the public sphere which may be distinctive.” Ghazi, who recites Quran as part of Sufi circles she leads in Vancouver and at interfaith events, sees a blossoming of Muslim women’s voices in alternative Islamic spaces, particularly on social media. There was a time when Maryam Amir didn’t even know women could be Quran reciters; today she is part of that blossoming. The California-based Amir recalls recoiling the first time she heard a girl reciting at an event where men could hear her. She complained to the organizer. “She was from Indonesia, and she told me, ‘In Indonesia, women recite the Quran on television, in conferences, in competitions.’” One of those women, Maria Ulfah, has made a name for herself that transcends Indonesia’s borders. She’s won and judged competitions at home and abroad and has been invited to recite in many parts of the world. Her recordings have carried her voice to the faithful outside of Indonesia. At home, where she says female reciters enjoy the same status as men, some fans have named their children after her. “In Indonesia, people are very appreciative and proud,” Ulfah said. Differences in attitudes, she argued, are largely cultural. In California, Amir’s views on the topic have evolved through her research and interactions with Muslims abroad. She has memorized the Quran, becoming a “hafiza,” a role that is highly prized and encouraged in Muslim communities. She’s also studied Islamic sciences, launched a social media campaign to get women to post recitations of themselves and is now working on a new app. It features recitations by Muslim women around the world, created in collaboration with a council of Islamic scholars. Amir says she's seen signs of a shift in attitudes. “Since people started hearing that scholars have different opinions on this issue ... people are starting to think about this differently,” she said. “There are many women who memorize the Quran, but they had no idea they could recite in these spaces. Madinah Javed, who grew up in Scotland and now lives in Chicago, has also turned to social media to highlight female reciters like herself while campaigning to inspire more to share recitations. She is amazed by the resulting connections among women from different cultures and with different styles of recitations.“It’s important for both men and women to hear women reciters,” she said. “It’s important for men and boys to make space for women too, because they might have more accessibility in certain places or more privilege.” Online, Javed has encountered strong support from some, while she found others to be more focused on appearance, like whether her neck was showing, than the recitation. As great as social media has been to raise awareness, she said, real change takes face-to-face interactions. “It’s going to take a much longer time for change to happen” in some communities. In Egypt, the makeup of the country’s syndicate for reciters and those who teach Quran memorization provides one indication of the road ahead for those advocating female representation. Of 10,000 members, there are just about 100 women and they are focused on teaching memorization, according to the syndicate’s head, Mohamed Hashad. Hashad said he, personally, sees no theological reasons to stop public female reciters. “It’s more like social reasons,” he said. “Women don’t feel comfortable sitting among the men to read Quran. Helmee, who started learning the Quran with a tutor shortly after she turned 3 and memorized it at 10, hopes that will change. “I run into women who tell me they wish they could do the same thing I do but that it’s too late for them now,” she said. “I also meet women who tell me they pray their daughters would grow up to be like me.” ___Fam reported from Cairo, and Khan reported from Boston. Associated Press video journalist Fadlan Syam in Jakarta, Indonesia, contributed.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Amid debate, women lift their voices with Muslim sacred text

Indonesia

Egypt

California

Amaravati, Dec 23 (PTI) The year 2021 was a mixed bag for the ruling YSR Congress in Andhra Pradesh as the party re-established its political dominance against rival TDP, sweeping the civic polls, but alleged flip-flops over its policy decisions, including on its pet 'three capitals' and prohibition, prompted opposition fire. Monsoon fury late in the year devastated Rayalaseema, leading to loss of lives and property. COVID-19 peaked in August during the second wave, when the total cases touched the 20 million mark. Maata tappam, madama tippam” (we will not go back on our word nor do we flip our heels) has always been Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s buzzword. But there were visible changes in government stand on key issues. The avowed policy of total prohibition of liquor has been altered to merely 'reduction in consumption'. Prohibition of liquor in phases has been one of the flagship programmes 'Navaratnalu' (nine gems), which Reddy refers to as our Bhagavad Gita, Quran and Bible. The profits from liquor sales, which is now completely in government hands, has crossed at least Rs 12,000 crore so far this year, with indications that the figure may cross Rs 16,000 crore, implying it is a key source of raking in the moolah. The Navaratnalu are dropping like nine pins. The somersault on liquor prohibition is a glaring example. Going back on every promise has become the hallmark of Jagan's administration, Jana Sena Political Affairs Committee Chairman Nadendla Manohar noted. Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Yanamala Ramakrishnudu said Jagan 'degraded' AP to such a state that welfare schemes were only possible through income from liquor. The ruling YSR Congress, though, has not reacted on the issue. After two years of batting for establishing three capitals for the state, the government in November passed a Bill in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly, repealing the controversial AP Decentralisation and Inclusive Development of All Regions Act, 2020, which was intended to establish an Executive Capital in Visakhapatnam, Legislative Capital at Amaravati and Judicial Capital in Kurnool. Reddy, however, said the government would come up with a complete, comprehensive and better Bill to take forward his decentralised development plan after explaining our genuine intention and the need for decentralisation to all concerned and incorporating necessary changes. Among others, the government passed a resolution in the Assembly, withdrawing its earlier statutory resolution, seeking abolition of the state Legislative Council, where it incidentally now enjoys a majority. It only exposed the arrogance of the ruling party. When we were in majority, the YSRC wanted the Council disbanded but since it gained majority now, the latter is seeking its continuation, Telugu Desam MLC P Ashok Babu lashed out. Other rollbacks included the much-vaunted job recruitment calendar, though finally released in June this year, as none of the promised jobs were notified, besides the Government Orders on taking over aided educational institutions. Following a huge public outcry, the move was termed as only optional. And, the government expressly announced that it cannot abolish the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), as promised earlier, because even the state Budget will not be sufficient if the word is honoured. Ahead of the 2019 elections, Jagan, as the then Opposition leader, promised to abolish the CPS for government employees within a week on assuming power. If we now look into it (CPS) … the financial or other aspects … even the entire budget will not be sufficient, government advisor (public affairs) S R K Reddy remarked, indicating that the CPS would stay. Alleged flip-flops on the administrative front apart, the YSRC nevertheless scored political points, making a clean sweep of the elections to rural and urban local bodies. The local bodies’ poll process that began in March 2020, finally concluded in mid-2021 overcoming the COVID-19 and legal obstacles. The principal opposition Telugu Desam was reduced to nothing in the local bodies while other parties barely made their mark. The Congress continued to remain a non-entity in the state politics even as the BJP gained little. The year also saw the peaking of the COVID-19 pandemic in AP as the total number of cases crossed the two million mark on August 20, riding on the second wave. May 2021 had been the worst COVID-19 month in the state when the highest number of 5,71,973 positives were registered, while it was also marked with 5,46,063 recoveries and 2,877 deaths. Floods, caused by heavy rains, on an unprecedented scale devastated the arid Rayalaseema region in November, claiming at least 48 lives and rendering hundreds of families, mainly in Kadapa district, homeless. By the end of 2021, state government employees went into an agitation mode, with the government yet to take a call on their long-pending demands, including implementation of the pay revision commission recommendations. The government has been resetting the deadline for addressing employees’ issues but a settlement still remained evasive as talks were stuck in a deadlock, mainly on the quantum of pay enhancement.

AP 2021: YSRC steamrolls opposition, rains unleash fury

jagan

YSRCongress

BhagavadGita

Agartala/Karimganj (Assam), Nov 14 (PTI) Two women journalists, who came to Tripura to write on the recent communal incidents in Tripura were detained by Assam police at Karimganj's Neelam Bazar, close to Assam-Tripura border on Sunday, police officials in both states confirmed.Samriddhi Sakunia and Swarna Jha, journalists with HW News Network, were named in a FIR at Fatikroy Police Station of Tripura on Sunday based on a complaint filed by a supporter of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), alleging that they had maligned the image of Tripura government by their reporting, according to a statement issued by their employer. The duo are being kept at a government-run shelter home for women for the night and will be handed over to the Tripura police on Monday morning, an Assam police officer said. The two scribes were held by Assam Police on their way to Silchar airport later on Sunday, with Assam Police informing them that they were being held as ‘Tripura Police asked (Assam Police) to detain them (the duo)’. In a tweet, Sakunia wrote, “We have been detained at the Nilambazar police station, Karimganj, Assam. We were informed by the officer-in-charge of Nilambazar PS that SP of Gomti District gave the orders for our detention.” A senior police official in Agartala said that they were detained on the basis of requests by Tripura police and a team of Tripura Police officials from Dharmanagar has gone to Nilambazaar to bring them. The official said, the journalists posted on social media that a mosque was burnt in Gomati district and a copy of the Quran was damaged. “Police suspect that the videos uploaded by her were doctored and police wanted to know if the videos were fake were true by interrogating them”, he added. In a tweet on November 11, Sakunia had written, “#Tripuraviolence Darga Bazaar: On 19th October at around 2:30 am, some unidentified people burnt down the mosque in Darga Bazaar area. People in the neighborhood are very upset with the fact that now they don’t have any place nearby to go and pray.” The police official said, “The journalists had a travel plan to fly outside Tripura and police asked them to meet some police officials before leaving the state. The duo then changed their travel plan and started for Silchar in Assam without informing us. So Tripura police requested Assam police on the basis of which they detained the journalists. A press release issued from the office of Tripura Police Director General VS Yadav claimed that the posts by Sakunia were not true and promoting a sense of hatred between communities. “In this social media post, she posted a video of her visit to the half burned prayer hall damaged by mischievous fire in the house of one Rahamat Ali of Hurijala, PS Kakraban on 11/11/2021 to claim that one holy Quran was burned in the incident occurred on the night of 19/10/2021 which refers to Kakraban PS Case No. 74/2021 U/S 436 IPC. This is contrary to the findings so far revealed in course of investigation as presence of no such damaged books/documents was brought to the notice of investigating officer and fire service staff who extinguished the fire,” the police statement said. The statement added that a team of lawyers, who visited the state earlier, had made a similar claim with a “questionable photograph”. It added that people with “vested interests” were trying to flare up communal tension in the state.

Women scribes named in FIR in Tripura detained by Assam Police

Assam

Tripura

Srinagar, Oct 23 (PTI) 'Iconic Week' to celebrate the spirit of Jammu and Kashmir was kick-started here on Saturday. Marking the beginning of the week-long celebrations, Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu inaugurated 'Spirits of J-K' -- a Sufi festival, at SKICC here. The festival is organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department. On the occasion, “Aghaaz-e-Nishast, a discourse on mysticism, was held in collaboration with the Academy of Art Cultural and Languages. Also, a mystic gallery was set up where traditional artefacts and manuscripts and rare copies of the Quran and the Bhagwat Gita besides rich Sufi literature, 19th century copper, brass ware and musical instruments were showcased. Mattu stressed on the preservation of both physical and cultural heritage of J-K. Secretary, Tourism and Culture, Sarmad Hafeez said ‘Iconic Week’ is being organised to promote J-K as an all-season tourist destination. He said during the week-long celebrations, many programmes showcasing art, culture, food, artifacts, manuscript and religious tourism will be held at various tourist destinations across J-K. He also said the department will organise Sufi festivals at 75 virgin tourist destinations for tourism promotion. “Peer- Waer, a documentary on “A journey through Mystic Kashmir, was also presented on the occasion.

'Iconic Week' to celebrate spirit of J-K begins

jammu

Dhaka, Oct 22 (PTI) A 35-year-old Bangladeshi man, the key suspect who was arrested overnight in connection with a slew of violence against Hindus and mob attacks on temples in the country during Durga Puja festivities, would be interrogated by security agencies, police said on Friday.Iqbal Hossain was arrested from Cox’s Bazar sea beach area on Thursday night after a massive hunt and is suspected to be the one who placed a copy of the Quran at a Durga Puja venue in Cumilla, some 100 km southeast of Dhaka.Attacks on Hindu temples have been reported in Bangladesh since last Wednesday after an alleged blasphemous post surfaced on social media during the Durga Puja celebrations.On late Sunday night, a mob damaged 66 houses and set on fire at least 20 homes of Hindus in Bangladesh.“We have arrested (eastern) Cumilla’s Iqbal Hossain, who is the key suspect of the one week’s of widespread communal unrest from the Cox’s Bazar beach,” a police headquarters spokesman said.He added that police and other security and intelligence agencies would now interrogate Hossain, whom the police earlier described as a “vagabond”.TV footage showed Hossain was brought under heavy security escorts from Cox’s Bazar to Cumilla by road while officials said after initial interrogation he would be produced before a court seeking him to be placed under police remand for next several days.“We expect the court to order him to be remanded in our custody when several other security and intelligence agencies would interrogate him as well,” another police officer in Cumilla said.The violence erupted on October 13 after a copy of Islam’s holy book of Quran was found at the feet of a Hindu goddess in Cumilla ahead of the Hindu community’s Durga Puja.Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council said over 70 temples, makeshift puja pavilions and many Hindu households were burnt or damaged across Bangladesh in subsequent violence which drew sharp international concern.Social media was widely used to spread the unrest, forcing authorities to briefly suspend Facebook and internet connectivity to contain the violence.Police said they had launched a massive manhunt for Hossain based on the clue from the security camera footage at the Cumilla’s puja pavilion.Their initial investigations indicated he was a vagabond while family members claimed he was a mentally imbalanced person. However, police said even if the claim was true some vested quarters could have used him to instigate the violence.“This could not be mere a task of a vagabond; somebody is definitely there behind the incident to instigate the attacks,” Hindu rights activist Rana Dasgupta said.Local media reported that six Hindus were killed in separate attacks, but the figures could not be confirmed independently.The attacks on the Hindus have been condemned by the United Nations.Mia Seppo, the UN's resident coordinator in Bangladesh, said in a Twitter post on Monday that the attacks on Hindus are against the values of the Bangladesh constitution and need to stop.On Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred seven police officials from troubled areas for failing to control the violence.On Tuesday, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed her home minister to initiate immediate action against those who incited violence using religion as she asked the people not to trust anything on social media without fact-checking.Hasina earlier promised to expose perpetrators of violence to stern punitive actions while police said nearly 600 suspected temple attackers were arrested so far in different parts of the country and a manhunt was underway to track down more.The Foreign Ministry in a statement underlined that the Government of Bangladesh unequivocally condemned those incidents and took serious note of the reactions from within and outside the Hindu community.Hindus make up some 10 per cent of the Muslim-majority Bangladesh's 169 million population.

Key suspect arrested for triggering violence against Hindus to be interrogated by Bangladesh security agencies: Police

Bangladesh

Durgapuja

Dhaka, Oct 20 (PTI) People across Bangladesh on Wednesday observed three festivals of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists simultaneously amidst communal tension in the country reaching an extreme high following mob attacks on the Hindu community and vandalisation of temples and idols during Durga Puja festivities. Thousands of Muslims vowed to uphold interfaith harmony in a mammoth rally of Eid-e-Miladunnabi, marking the anniversary of the birth of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad, which coincided with the Hindu festival of Kojagori Lakshmi Puja and Buddhists' Probarana Purnima. “We will not allow religious extremism, militancy and communalism,” they said at the rally organised here by Islamic spiritual centre Maizbhandar Darbar. Senior ministers, politicians, foreign diplomats, Islamic scholars and sufis participated in the rally. Attacks on Hindus and their temples have intensified in Bangladesh since last Wednesday after an alleged blasphemous post surfaced on social media during the Durga Puja celebrations. On late Sunday night, a mob damaged 66 houses and set on fire at least 20 homes of Hindus in Bangladesh. Maizbhandar Darbar head Syed Saifuddin Ahmed said the Miladunnabi came this year as an extra-ordinary occasion to uphold interfaith harmony in line with Quran’s directives and the Holy Prophet’s teachings. Ahmed said according to the Quran and the Prophet those who attack temples and places of worship of other religions are disqualified to be Muslims. Information Minister Hassan Mahmud, Liberation War Affairs Minister A K M Mozammel Haque and opposition Kalyan Party president Syed Mohammad Ibrahim were among the political figures to address the rally. Meanwhile, Hindus across the country celebrated Kojagori Lakshmi Puja, which is observed on the next full-moon night after the end of Durga Puja, and Buddhists celebrated their annual Probarana Purnima festival, marking the conclusion of the three-month-long seclusion of monks inside their monasteries for self-edification and atonement of their defilement. “This is a coincidence that the festivals of three religions are being observed on the same day in the same neighbourhoods. I take it as a divine indication to uphold the interfaith harmony as everyone belongs to the same creator,” Hindu community leader Kajol Debnath told PTI. “We want to be imbued with the spirit of peaceful coexistence from this coincidence,” he added. According to an official account, at least five people were killed in the recent communal clashes in the country. Unconfirmed reports suggest the casualty figures to be as high as seven. Police said over 450 suspected temple attackers were arrested so far in different parts of the country and a manhunt was underway to track down more since Wednesday. On Tuesday, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina instructed her home minister to initiate immediate action against those who incited violence using religion as she asked the people not to trust anything on social media without fact-checking. The Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Unity Council said at least 70 puja pavilions and temples were attacked, sparking reactions at international levels with the United Nations and the United States condemning the violence. UN resident coordinator in Dhaka, Mia Seppo, in a statement said recent attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh fuelled by hate speech on social media are against the values of the Constitution and need to stop. “We call upon the government to ensure protection of minorities and an impartial probe. We call upon all to join hands to strengthen inclusive tolerant Bangladesh,” she said. The foreign ministry said in a statement that domestic elements that opposed Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan 50 year ago were still propagating their toxic narratives to instigate violence, hatred and bigotry”. The statement underlined that the Government of Bangladesh unequivocally condemned those incidents and took serious note of the reactions from within and outside the Hindu community. Hindus make up some 10 per cent of the Muslim-majority Bangladesh's 169 million population. There have been reports of violence against Hindus in the country over the years. The violence included vandalism of and setting fire to houses, shops and businesses of the Hindu community, rapes and sexual assaults.

Bangladesh simultaneously celebrates festivals of 3 religions amid communal unrest

prophet

Shubham Banerjee

New Delhi, Delhi, India

With the Taliban saying they will rule Afghanistan
strictly according to the Islamic legal system, called Sharia Law, many fear
for the safety and rights of women and the media in the country. ,In a first press conference since taking
control of capital Kabul on Sunday, that capped off a sweeping nationwide blitz
and an unprecedented collapse of the US-backed government, a Taliban spokesperson
said issues concerning women’s and media rights will be respected “within the framework
of Islamic law”, BBC reported. ,Two decades ago, when Afghanistan was under
the rule of the Taliban, women were not allowed to get an education or work and
were required to wear a burqa since the age of eight. It was mandatory for
women to be chaperoned by a male relative and those who did not comply were flogged
in public.,Also Read | Taliban takeover: 'Whitewash' picture raises red flags on treatment of women, What is Sharia Law?,Sharia law is the Islamic legal system. Its
frameworks are based on both the Quran, Islam’s central text, and the fatwas,
rulings of Islamic scholars. They are guidelines that all Muslims are expected
to live by and has set codes for prayers, fasting and donations. ,The word Sharia means “the clear,
well-trodden path to water”. ,In practice, Sharia law can advise Muslims on
every aspect of daily life. If a Muslim is invited by their colleagues for a
celebration after work, they can turn to a Sharia scholar for advice to ensure
they comply with the law. This advice can be taken for nearly every aspect of
daily life, including family, finance and business.  ,Also Read | Afghan former president Hamid Karzai meets senior Taliban faction leader,How
are people punished for breaking the law?,There are two types of punishment for offences
against Sharia law, with ‘hadd’ being the category of serious crimes with set penalties.
The punishment for ‘tazir’ crimes is left to be decided by a judge. ,‘Hadd’ crimes include theft, for which a
person’s hands can be amputated, and adultery, for which a person can be stoned
to death. Some Islamic organisations say that there are many safeguards for ‘hadd’
offences and they require irrefutable proof. ,The United Nations has spoken out against
death by stoning, calling it “torture”.,Also Read | Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani in UAE after Taliban takeover: Report,Is there
a penalty for conversion?,Switching faiths, or apostasy, is a
controversial topic in Islam with many experts saying most scholars believe it
is punishable by death. However, some scholars – particularly those engaged
with western societies – argue that the punishment should be left to god and that
apostasy does not threaten Islam. ,According to the Koran, there is no compulsion
in religion. ,The
rulings,The guidance and rulings are passed by Islamic
jurists, with those that become a formal legal ruling called fatwas. There are
five different schools of Sharia law, including four Sunni and one Shia doctrine.
,The Sunni doctrines include Hanbali,
Maliki, Shafi’I and Hanafi, with the one Shia doctrine being Shia Jaafari. These
doctrines are different in their approach to the texts from which Sharia law is
derived.

{\"time\":1629308163797,\"strCount\":4204,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"With the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/taliban\\\">Taliban</a> saying they will rule <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/afghanistan\\\">Afghanistan</a>\\nstrictly according to the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/islam\\\">Islamic</a><a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/islam\\\"></a> legal system, called Sharia Law, many fear\\nfor the safety and rights of women and the media in the country. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In a first press conference since taking\\ncontrol of capital Kabul on Sunday, that capped off a <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/how-afghanistan-was-taken-by-taliban-in-7-days-a-blow-by-blow-account?utm_source=copy-share&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=none\\\">sweeping nationwide blitz</a>\\nand an unprecedented collapse of the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/unitedstates\\\">US</a>-backed government, a Taliban spokesperson\\nsaid issues concerning women’s and media rights will be respected “within the framework\\nof Islamic law”, BBC reported. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Two decades ago, when Afghanistan was under\\nthe rule of the Taliban, women were not allowed to get an education or work and\\nwere required to wear a burqa since the age of eight. It was mandatory for\\nwomen to be chaperoned by a male relative and those who did not comply were flogged\\nin public.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/taliban-takeover-whitewash-picture-raises-red-flags-on-treatment-of-women?utm_source=copy-share&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=none\\\">Taliban takeover: 'Whitewash' picture raises red flags on treatment of women</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"&nbsp;What is Sharia Law?\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Sharia law is the Islamic legal system. Its\\nframeworks are based on both the <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/topic/quran\\\">Quran</a>, Islam’s central text, and the fatwas,\\nrulings of Islamic scholars. They are guidelines that all Muslims are expected\\nto live by and has set codes for prayers, fasting and donations. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The word Sharia means “the clear,\\nwell-trodden path to water”. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In practice, Sharia law can advise Muslims on\\nevery aspect of daily life. If a Muslim is invited by their colleagues for a\\ncelebration after work, they can turn to a Sharia scholar for advice to ensure\\nthey comply with the law. This advice can be taken for nearly every aspect of\\ndaily life, including family, finance and business. &nbsp;\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/afghan-former-president-hamid-karzai-meets-senior-taliban-faction-leader?utm_source=copy-share&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=none\\\">Afghan former president Hamid Karzai meets senior Taliban faction leader</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"How\\nare people punished for breaking the law?\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"There are two types of punishment for offences\\nagainst Sharia law, with ‘hadd’ being the category of serious crimes with set penalties.\\nThe punishment for ‘tazir’ crimes is left to be decided by a judge. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"‘Hadd’ crimes include theft, for which a\\nperson’s hands can be amputated, and adultery, for which a person can be stoned\\nto death. Some Islamic organisations say that there are many safeguards for ‘hadd’\\noffences and they require irrefutable proof. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The United Nations has spoken out against\\ndeath by stoning, calling it “torture”.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/former-afghan-president-ashraf-ghani-is-in-the-uae-after-taliban-takeover-report?utm_source=copy-share&amp;utm_medium=web&amp;utm_campaign=none\\\">Former Afghan president Ashraf Ghani in UAE after Taliban takeover: Report</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Is there\\na penalty for conversion?\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Switching faiths, or apostasy, is a\\ncontroversial topic in Islam with many experts saying most scholars believe it\\nis punishable by death. However, some scholars – particularly those engaged\\nwith western societies – argue that the punishment should be left to god and that\\napostasy does not threaten Islam. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"According to the Koran, there is no compulsion\\nin religion. \"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The\\nrulings\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The guidance and rulings are passed by Islamic\\njurists, with those that become a formal legal ruling called fatwas. There are\\nfive different schools of Sharia law, including four Sunni and one Shia doctrine.\\n\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The Sunni doctrines include Hanbali,\\nMaliki, Shafi’I and Hanafi, with the one Shia doctrine being Shia Jaafari. These\\ndoctrines are different in their approach to the texts from which Sharia law is\\nderived. \"}}]}

<ul>
 <li>The word Sharia means “the clear, well-trodden path to water”</li>
 <li>Sharia law frameworks are based on both the Quran, Islam’s central text, and the fatwas, rulings of Islamic scholars</li>
 <li>There are 5 different schools of Sharia law, including 4 Sunni and one Shia doctrine</li>
</ul>

Opoyi Central

All about Sharia law that Taliban will enforce in Afghanistan

Taliban

Afghanistan

Religion

World

New Delhi, Jul 5 (PTI) The Supreme Court was informed on Monday that former UP Shia Waqf Board chairman Syed Wasim Rizvi has filed a review petition against the top court’s order dismissing his plea for removal of 26 verses from the holy Quran and imposing costs of Rs 50,000 on him.A bench of justices RF Nariman, KM Joseph and B R Gavai was told by advocate Deb Kumar that Rizvi has filed a review petition against the April 12 order and his miscellaneous application for waiver of costs has become infructuous. He sought permission from the court to withdraw the application.The bench ordered, “as prayed, the miscellaneous application is dismissed as withdrawn”. On April 12, the top court had termed as absolutely frivolous a petition filed by Rizvi seeking removal of 26 verses from the holy Quran and dismissed it with costs of Rs 50,000. Rizvi had alleged in his petition that these 26 verses of the Quran promoted terrorism.In the plea, he had stated that Islam is based on the concepts of equity, equality, forgiveness and tolerance, but due to extreme interpretations of the said verses of the holy book, the religion has been drifting away from the basic tenets.The plea of Rizvi has drawn massive backlash with several Muslim outfits and Islamic clerics protesting against the former chairman of the Waqf Board.In March, an FIR was registered in Bareilly against Rizvi for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims with his petition in the top court. The FIR was registered at the Kotwali police station following complaints by Anjuman Khuddam-e-Rasool secretary Shan Ahmed and an organisation known as Ittehad-e-Millat council.

Syed Wasim Rizvi has filed review against dismissal of his plea on holy Quran's verses: SC told

New Delhi, Jun 3 (PTI) A new book offers heartfelt perspectives on Islamic theology and also walks readers through practical exercises that inspire love, strengthen faith, and increase reliance on and intimacy with God.Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam by A Helwa draws upon the inspirational words of the Quran and Prophet Muhammad and shares lessons through stories from the world's greatest spiritual masters.The author-poet says though her book is about Islamic spirituality and practices, she believes God is bigger than any one religion or philosophy.I choose Islam as my faith, but I offer you these words from the Quran not to change you, but to remind you how much you are loved by God. I believe that just as wisdom teachings from other faiths have enriched my relationship with God, the deeper dimensions of Islam may also inspire you, regardless of what path you choose to walk, she says.Helwa believes that every single person on earth is deeply loved by the divine. She started her blog while obtaining her masters in divinity as a means of helping others overcome personal and spiritual struggles on their journey of experiencing divine love.According to the author, Secrets of Divine Love was written for the longing heart, for the one who is searching for something they have not been able to find. For the one who sometimes spirals into hopelessness and cannot help but feel too imperfect for a perfect God to love. This book is for the one who is at the edge of their faith, who has experienced religion as a harsh winter instead of the life-bearing spring it was sent to be by God, she says.Whether you are on the path of Islam or just seeking to know God, 'Secrets of Divine Love' uses the language of spirituality to transform your relationship with God, yourself, and the world around you, Helwa writes in the book, published by Penguin Random House.She says her book takes readers on a journey through the mysterious nature of God and His unconditional mercy and love for all.It then delves into who you are and how the Quran can be used as a map for manifesting your greatest potential. By unveiling the spiritual secrets that are hidden in the heart of Islam's pillars, principles and practices, this book calls you to contemplate the divine beauty that is imbedded in every atom of existence, she writes.For her, awakening to faith is not a one-time event, but a continuously unfolding reality.The journey of faith is not a race, but a marathon of love that each person walks at a different pace. Although each person's experience of God is unique to them, Helwa says in writing this book, she felt guided to share her story, as a testimony that God's love and mercy have the power to change every heart they touch.She says she visited mosques around the world, lived in a monastery, had spiritual experiences meditating with Buddhist monks, studied Taoism and Kabbalah, but still couldn't find the inner peace she was seeking.In my early twenties, I was travelling through a small town in Turkey called Cappadocia, when the divine spark of faith reignited within me like lightning. All it took was my eyes to fall upon a woman who was drowned in her worship of God. I watched her pray in an old 17th-century animal barn, as if nothing in the world existed but her divine lover.She did not robotically repeat words of prayer like a formula; rather, every word she uttered came with a silent 'I love you, my beloved Lord.' Her words were like synchronised dancers swimming in unison in the ocean of love that poured out of her. She was the first person I had ever seen in my life that not only prayed but she herself became the prayer. I knew instantly that she had everything my soul had been seeking. Helwa writes.

Book shares spiritual secrets of Quran

The Supreme Court on Monday said that the petition filed by former UP Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi was "absolutely frivolous". Rizvi had filed a petition asking the top court to remove 26 verses from the holy Quran, the court dismissed the case filed by him with a cost of Rs 50,000.&nbsp;,Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/who-is-waseem-rizvi">Who is Waseem Rizvi, Shia leader who has sought removal of some verses of Quran?</a>,Judges&nbsp;R F Nariman, B R Gavai and Hrishikesh Roy rejected the petition by Rizvi that alleged the said 26 verses of Quran 'promoted terrorism'.,Rizvi in his plea had said that the religion has been swaying away from the basics. He added that Islam is based on the concepts of equity, equality, forgiveness and tolerance but a lot of interpretations of the verses have drifted people from the basic tenets.&nbsp;,His petition drew massive backlash from several Muslim outfits and Islamic heads.,Also Read | <a href="https://opoyi.com/ramadan-2021-3-easy-recipes-to-relish-on">Ramadan 2021: 3 easy recipes to relish on</a>,An <a href="https://opoyi.com/fir-registered-against-waseem-rizvi-for-moving-sc-seeking-removal-of-some-verses-of-quran">FIR</a> was also registered against him last month in Bareilly, for hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims, at the Kotwali police station following complaints by Anjuman Khuddam-e-Rasool secretary Shan Ahmed and an organisation known as Ittehad-e-Millat council.

{\"time\":1618218415897,\"strCount\":1475,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The Supreme Court on Monday said that the petition filed by former UP Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi was \\\"absolutely frivolous\\\". Rizvi had filed a petition asking the top court to remove 26 verses from the holy Quran, the court dismissed the case filed by him with a cost of Rs 50,000.&nbsp;\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/who-is-waseem-rizvi\\\">Who is Waseem Rizvi, Shia leader who has sought removal of some verses of Quran?</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Judges&nbsp;R F Nariman, B R Gavai and Hrishikesh Roy rejected the petition by Rizvi that alleged the said 26 verses of Quran 'promoted terrorism'.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Rizvi in his plea had said that the religion has been swaying away from the basics. He added that Islam is based on the concepts of equity, equality, forgiveness and tolerance but a lot of interpretations of the verses have drifted people from the basic tenets.&nbsp;\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"His petition drew massive backlash from several Muslim outfits and Islamic heads.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read | <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/ramadan-2021-3-easy-recipes-to-relish-on\\\">Ramadan 2021: 3 easy recipes to relish on</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"An <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/fir-registered-against-waseem-rizvi-for-moving-sc-seeking-removal-of-some-verses-of-quran\\\">FIR</a> was also registered against him last month in Bareilly, for hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims, at the Kotwali police station following complaints by Anjuman Khuddam-e-Rasool secretary Shan Ahmed and an organisation known as Ittehad-e-Millat council.\"}}]}

Vaishnavi Vaidyanathan

<ul>
 <li>Former UP Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi had alleged the religion was drifting away from the basic tenets</li>
 <li>The plea of Rizvi has drawn massive backlash with several Muslim outfits</li>
 <li>Last month, an FIR was registered in Bareilly against Rizvi for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Muslims</li>
</ul>

'Absolutely frivolous,' says SC on plea for removing 26 verses of Quran, imposes fine

WaseemRizvi

SupremeCourt

New Delhi, Apr 12 (PTI) The Supreme Court Monday termed as absolutely frivolous a petition filed by former UP Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi seeking removal of 26 verses from holy Quran and dismissed it with a cost of Rs 50,000. A bench of Justices R F Nariman B R Gavai and Hrishikesh Roy rejected the petition in which Rizvi alleged that these 26 verses of Quran promoted terrorism. In his plea, Rizvi has stated that Islam is based on the concepts of equity, equality, forgiveness and tolerance but due to extreme interpretations of the said verses of the holy book, the religion has been drifting away from the basic tenets. The plea of Rizvi has drawn massive backlash with several Muslim outfits and Islamic clerics protesting against the former chairman of the Waqf Board. Last month, an FIR was registered in Bareilly against Rizvi for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Muslims with his petition in the top court. The FIR was registered at the Kotwali police station following complaints by Anjuman Khuddam-e-Rasool secretary Shan Ahmed and an organisation known as Ittehad-e-Millat council.

SC terms plea for removing 26 verses of Quran as “absolutely frivolous”, imposes Rs 50K cost

Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India

An FIR was registered against former Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims with his petition in the Supreme Court seeking removal of some verses of the Quran which he claimed promoted terrorism. The FIR was registered at the Kotwali police station in Bareilly on Monday evening following complaints by Anjuman Khuddam-e-Rasool secretary Shan Ahmed and an organisation known as Ittehad-e-Millat Council, the police said. The case was registered under section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bareilly, Rohit Singh Sajwan said. Chairman of the Raja Action Committee, Maulana Afroz Raja Qadri, claimed sectarian forces were operating behind Rizvi, and that time has come to unmask them. Also Read | Isn’t Akhilesh Yadav emulating the BJP in dealing with the media?,On Sunday, members of the Muslim community held a protest in Lucknow against Rizvi. Shia cleric and senior member of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Kalbe Jawwad and a large number of people took part in the protest at the Bara Imambara. Addressing the gathering that day, Maulana Syed Salman Hasni Nadvi laid stress on Muslim unity and described Rizvi as a kaafir (non-believer) and mujrim (criminal). Also Read | BJP MP Kaushal Kishore’s daughter-in-law attempts suicide by slitting wrist,We are believers of the Quran and Allah first, Sunni and Shia later. Hence, there are no differences among us as far as the Quran is concerned, Nadvi had then said. Maulana Jawwad had told reporters that Waseem Rizvi was a part of the jamaat (group) that goes to the extent of even falsifying their own existence and betraying their own religion. He has been indulging in anti-religious activities, but this time, he has broken all barriers by raising a finger on the Quran, Jawwad had said, urging the government to immediately arrest Rizvi and impose a heavy fine on him. Also Read | 'Say no to shorts, jeans, and skirts or else.': Khap's new diktat in UP,In Bareilly, Mufti Ahsan Raja Qadri of the Dargah-e-Aala Hazrat, a prominent centre of Barelvi Muslims, too had condemned Rizvi's move and said not even an iota of change in the holy book was possible. In a statement, he had said, Waseem Rizvi is an enemy of the Quran and Islam. He is doing this to gather cheap popularity and to save himself from the Waqf scam. Rizvi filed the PIL in the apex court on Thursday.

{\"time\":1615897583073,\"strCount\":3076,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"An FIR was registered against former Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board chairman <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/who-is-waseem-rizvi\\\">Waseem Rizvi</a> for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of Muslims with his <a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/waseem-rizvi-unites-muslims-with-blasphemous-pil\\\">petition in the Supreme Court</a> seeking removal of some verses of the Quran which he claimed promoted terrorism.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The FIR was registered at the Kotwali police station in Bareilly on Monday evening following complaints by Anjuman Khuddam-e-Rasool secretary Shan Ahmed and an organisation known as Ittehad-e-Millat Council, the police said.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The case was registered under section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Bareilly, Rohit Singh Sajwan said.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Chairman of the Raja Action Committee, Maulana Afroz Raja Qadri, claimed sectarian forces were operating behind Rizvi, and that time has come to unmask them.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/isnt-akhilesh-yadav-emulating-the-bjp-in-dealing-with-the-media\\\">Isn’t Akhilesh Yadav emulating the BJP in dealing with the media?</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"On Sunday, members of the Muslim community held a protest in Lucknow against Rizvi. Shia cleric and senior member of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board Maulana Kalbe Jawwad and a large number of people took part in the protest at the Bara Imambara.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Addressing the gathering that day, Maulana Syed Salman Hasni Nadvi laid stress on Muslim unity and described Rizvi as a \\\"kaafir (non-believer)\\\" and \\\"mujrim (criminal)\\\".\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/bjp-mp-kaushal-kishores-daughter-in-law-attempts-suicide-by-slitting-wrist\\\">BJP MP Kaushal Kishore’s daughter-in-law attempts suicide by slitting wrist</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\\"We are believers of the Quran and Allah first, Sunni and Shia later. Hence, there are no differences among us as far as the Quran is concerned,\\\" Nadvi had then said.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Maulana Jawwad had told reporters that Waseem Rizvi was a part of the \\\"jamaat (group)\\\" that goes to the extent of even falsifying their own existence and betraying their own religion.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"\\\"He has been indulging in anti-religious activities, but this time, he has broken all barriers by raising a finger on the Quran,\\\" Jawwad had said, urging the government to immediately arrest Rizvi and impose a heavy fine on him.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also Read |&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/khap-is-back-with-a-new-diktat-and-a-warning-in-up\\\">'Say no to shorts, jeans, and skirts or else...': Khap's new diktat in UP</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In Bareilly, Mufti Ahsan Raja Qadri of the Dargah-e-Aala Hazrat, a prominent centre of Barelvi Muslims, too had condemned Rizvi's move and said not even an iota of change in the holy book was possible.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"In a statement, he had said, \\\"<a href=\\\"https://bit.ly/3cGapfw\\\">Waseem Rizvi</a> is an enemy of the Quran and Islam. He is doing this to gather cheap popularity and to save himself from the Waqf scam.\\\" \\tRizvi filed the PIL in the apex court on Thursday. \"}}]}

<ul>
 <li>The FIR was registered at the Kotwali police station in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly on Monday evening</li>
 <li>Chairman of the Raja Action Committee, Maulana Afroz Raja Qadri, claimed sectarian forces were operating behind Rizvi</li>
 <li>On Sunday, members of the Muslim community held a protest in Lucknow against Rizvi</li>
</ul>

FIR registered against Waseem Rizvi for moving SC seeking removal of some verses of Quran

UttarPradesh

Waseem Rizvi, former chairman of the UP Shia Central Wakf Board, is being criticised by Muslim organisations from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Death threats, fatwas and family ostracisation have been pronounced against him for his <a href="https://opoyi.com/waseem-rizvi-unites-muslims-with-blasphemous-pil">recent plea in the Supreme Court</a> seeking to remove 26 verses from the Holy Quran.,According to Rizvi's petition, these verses allegedly incite violence and were added to the holy book during the reign of the first three Caliphs. However, both Shia and Sunni leaders have held that not a single change has been made to the Holy Quran in the last 1400 years.,Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/major-eu-nations-halt-astrazeneca-as-who-says-it-is-safe">Germany, Italy, France among 7 EU nations halt AstraZeneca as WHO says it is safe</a>,Protests have been held in almost all parts of India, urging the government to arrest Rizvi and charge him with blasphemy. His brother also released a video, saying that the family had nothing to do with his 'nonsensical' ideas and that he was committing a 'grave sin.',This is not the first time Rizvi has courted controversy with his view. From Ayodhya to triple talaq and citizens' register, Rizvi has often expressed views contrary to the common Muslim sentiment in the country,Earlier this month, Rizvi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to shut down madrasas. His contention being that these religious education institutions bred “terrorists”. This was condemned even by BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. “The mullahs and maulvis who are attacking me do not even send their own children to madrasas; their children go to convents, while they brainwash poor Muslim children and run their business of donations from across the world, particularly Saudi Arabia, in their name,” Rizi told The Print.,Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/batla-house-encounter-heres-the-timeline-of-13-year-old-case">Batla House encounter: Here's the timeline of 13-year-old case</a>,Last year, he said that the Shia Waqf Board was in favour of a Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. This also did not go down well with the members of his community. He said all those against the temple must go to Pakistan or Bangladesh.,On the contentious triple talaq (instant divorce) issue, he had advocated a 10-year jail term for offenders instead of the three years proposed by the government.,In another announcement that did not go well with many Muslim organisations, Rizvi, announced he would gift 10 silver arrows if a 100-metre tall statue of Lord Ram was constructed. The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has proposed the construction of a grand statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya.

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Ayush Jain

<ul>
 <li>Waseem Rizvi, former chairman of the UP Shia Central Wakf Board, is being criticised by Muslim organisations&nbsp;</li>
 <li>He recently pleaded to the Supreme Court asking to remove 26 verses from the Holy Quran</li>
 <li>According to the petition, these verses incite violence and were added to the holy book later</li>
</ul>

Who is Waseem Rizvi, Shia leader who has sought removal of some verses of Quran?

PMNarendraModi

RamMandir

Former Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board Wasim Rizvi has stirred a hornets’ nest by seeking the removal of 26 'aayats' (verses) from the Holy Quran. These verses, Rizvi alleged in a PIL filed in the Supreme Court, are used by terrorists to promote jihad. He also alleged that these verses were not there originally but were inserted by Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Usman, the first three caliphs. Rizvi’s petition is yet to be admitted but it has already created a storm across the Shia-Sunni divide with clerics hitting out at Rizvi. A Bareilly-based lawyer, Amirul Hasan Jafri has been booked for announcing an Rs 11-lakh reward for Rizvi’s beheading. Are claims of Koran recitation during Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony true? Read here. Hindu Mahasabha’s state president Rishi Trivedi has supported Rizvi’s demand citing a 31 July, 1986 order of a Metropolitan Magistrate Z.S. Lohat exonerating two Hindus for publishing 24 verses of the Quran on posters alleging that those verses were responsible for communal riots. As the verses on the poster were “taken verbatim from an authentic edition of the Quran translated in Hindi by a Muslim scholar, Mohammed Farooq Khan of Maktaba al-Hasnat of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh”, the magistrate dismissed the Delhi police’s case against Indra Sain Sharma and Rajkumar Arya. Muslims are, however, incensed over Rizvi’s blasphemous demand.  A case under IPC Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) has been registered against him by the Charminar police in Hyderabad. Also Read | 'Say no to shorts, jeans, and skirts or else...': Khap's new diktat in UP. Mumbai-based Raza Academy which had urged Muslim nations to issue a fatwa against the French President Macron has also filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking dismissal of Rizvi’s PIL. In Lucknow, Shia and Sunni clerics rallied together in protection of the Quran demanding his arrest for blasphemy. In a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the clerics said that inaction on the part of the government will be seen as its tacit support for Rizvi. Those participating in the rally included Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, Maulana Salman Nadwi, Maulana Fazley Mannan Rahmani, and Supreme Court lawyer Mahmood Pracha. Also Read | Criticised for doing Twitter politics, Akhilesh Yadav makes a comeback. A similar joint protest is also planned at Delhi’s Jama Masjid on Friday. The angry crowd demanded that Rizvi’s surname be replaced with expletives and he should not be buried in any cemetery. Sensing trouble, Rizvi’s family has distanced itself from the controversial former Shia Waqf Board chairman.  In a video, Rizvi’s brother stated that his mother, sister, and brothers have nothing to do with his nonsensical statements and that he was committing a grave sin. Rizvi has a penchant for courting controversies. In 2018 he wrote a letter to the prime minister seeking closure of all madrasas as they bred “terrorists”. The demand evoked a sharp response from BJP’s Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs. On triple talaq, he antagonised Muslims for demanding a 10-year sentence, instead of three as was being proposed, for those giving instant talaq. On Ram temple in Ayodhya, Rizvi angered his fraternity by stating that the Shia Waqf Board was in favour of a grand temple at the then disputed site. Rizvi, who was earlier close to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, faced charges of defalcation of funds during his tenure as Shia Waqf Board’s Chairman. He has been at loggerheads with prominent Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad.  . #WaseemRizvi #Quran #SupremeCourt #Islam #Religion .

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:{\"text\":\"The%20angry%20crowd%20demanded%20that%20Rizvi%u2019s%20surname%20be%20replaced%20with%20expletives%20and%20he%20should%20not%20be%20buried%20in%20any%20cemetery.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":273,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Sensing%20trouble%2C%20Rizvi%u2019s%20family%20has%20distanced%20itself%20from%20the%20controversial%20former%20Shia%20Waqf%20Board%20chairman.%20%26nbsp%3BIn%20a%20video%2C%20Rizvi%u2019s%20brother%20stated%20that%20his%20mother%2C%20sister%2C%20and%20brothers%20have%20nothing%20to%20do%20with%20his%20nonsensical%20statements%20and%20that%20he%20was%20committing%20a%20grave%20sin.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":409,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Rizvi%20has%20a%20penchant%20for%20courting%20controversies.%20In%202018%20he%20wrote%20a%20letter%20to%20the%20prime%20minister%20seeking%20closure%20of%20all%20madrasas%20as%20they%20bred%20%u201Cterrorists%u201D.%20The%20demand%20evoked%20a%20sharp%20response%20from%20BJP%u2019s%20Mukhtar%20Abbas%20Naqvi%2C%20the%20Union%20Minister%20for%20Minority%20Affairs.%20On%20triple%20talaq%2C%20he%20antagonised%20Muslims%20for%20demanding%20a%2010-year%20sentence%2C%20instead%20of%20three%20as%20was%20being%20proposed%2C%20for%20those%20giving%20instant%20talaq.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":149,\"data\":{\"text\":\"On%20Ram%20temple%20in%20Ayodhya%2C%20Rizvi%20angered%20his%20fraternity%20by%20stating%20that%20the%20Shia%20Waqf%20Board%20was%20in%20favour%20of%20a%20grand%20temple%20at%20the%20then%20disputed%20site.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":230,\"data\":{\"text\":\"Rizvi%2C%20who%20was%20earlier%20close%20to%20Samajwadi%20Party%20leader%20Azam%20Khan%2C%20faced%20charges%20of%20defalcation%20of%20funds%20during%20his%20tenure%20as%20Shia%20Waqf%20Board%u2019s%20Chairman.%20He%20has%20been%20at%20loggerheads%20with%20prominent%20Shia%20cleric%20Maulana%20Kalbe%20Jawwad.%20%26nbsp%3B\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"blockLen\":51,\"data\":{\"text\":\"%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23WaseemRizvi%22%20data-user-id%3D%22jToa3ygXsBrc%22%20href%3D%22/topic/waseemrizvi%22%3E%23WaseemRizvi%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Quran%22%20data-user-id%3D%22VdNoO6ta5HNi%22%20href%3D%22/topic/quran%22%3E%23Quran%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23SupremeCourt%22%20data-user-id%3D%22FnneUVErxtRr%22%20href%3D%22/topic/supremecourt%22%3E%23SupremeCourt%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Islam%22%20data-user-id%3D%22gKKcIqeHL6Yx%22%20href%3D%22/topic/islam%22%3E%23Islam%3C/a%3E%20%3Ca%20class%3D%22mention%22%20data-mention%3D%22%23Religion%22%20data-user-id%3D%22FsyIFDHF3MAE%22%20href%3D%22/topic/religion%22%3E%23Religion%3C/a%3E%26nbsp%3B\"}}],\"rawState\":\"Former Chairman of Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board Wasim Rizvi has stirred a hornets’ nest by seeking the removal of 26 'aayats' (verses) from the Holy Quran. These verses, Rizvi alleged in a PIL filed in the Supreme Court, are used by terrorists to promote jihad. He also alleged that these verses were not there originally but were inserted by Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar and Hazrat Usman, the first three caliphs.Rizvi’s petition is yet to be admitted but it has already created a storm across the Shia-Sunni divide with clerics hitting out at Rizvi. A Bareilly-based lawyer, Amirul Hasan Jafri has been booked for announcing an Rs 11-lakh reward for Rizvi’s beheading.<a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/are-claims-of-koran-recitation-during-joe-bidens-inauguration-ceremony-true-read-here\\\">Are claims of Koran recitation during Joe Biden’s inauguration ceremony true? Read here</a>Hindu Mahasabha’s state president Rishi Trivedi has supported Rizvi’s demand citing a 31 July, 1986 order of a Metropolitan Magistrate Z.S. Lohat exonerating two Hindus for publishing 24 verses of the Quran on posters alleging that those verses were responsible for communal riots. As the verses on the poster were “taken verbatim from an authentic edition of the Quran translated in Hindi by a Muslim scholar, Mohammed Farooq Khan of Maktaba al-Hasnat of Rampur in Uttar Pradesh”, the magistrate dismissed the Delhi police’s case against Indra Sain Sharma and Rajkumar Arya.Muslims are, however, incensed over Rizvi’s blasphemous demand. &nbsp;A case under IPC Section 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and Section 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion) has been registered against him by the Charminar police in Hyderabad.Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/khap-is-back-with-a-new-diktat-and-a-warning-in-up\\\">'Say no to shorts, jeans, and skirts or else...': Khap's new diktat in UP</a>Mumbai-based Raza Academy which had urged Muslim nations to issue a fatwa against the French President Macron has also filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking dismissal of Rizvi’s PIL.In Lucknow, Shia and Sunni clerics rallied together in protection of the Quran demanding his arrest for blasphemy. In a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the clerics said that inaction on the part of the government will be seen as its tacit support for Rizvi. Those participating in the rally included Maulana Kalbe Jawwad, Maulana Salman Nadwi, Maulana Fazley Mannan Rahmani, and Supreme Court lawyer Mahmood Pracha.Also Read | <a target=\\\"_blank\\\" rel=\\\"noopener noreferrer\\\" href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/criticised-for-doing-twitter-politics-akhilesh-yadav-makes-a-comeback\\\">Criticised for doing Twitter politics, Akhilesh Yadav makes a comeback</a>A similar joint protest is also planned at Delhi’s Jama Masjid on Friday.The angry crowd demanded that Rizvi’s surname be replaced with expletives and he should not be buried in any cemetery.Sensing trouble, Rizvi’s family has distanced itself from the controversial former Shia Waqf Board chairman. &nbsp;In a video, Rizvi’s brother stated that his mother, sister, and brothers have nothing to do with his nonsensical statements and that he was committing a grave sin.Rizvi has a penchant for courting controversies. In 2018 he wrote a letter to the prime minister seeking closure of all madrasas as they bred “terrorists”. The demand evoked a sharp response from BJP’s Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the Union Minister for Minority Affairs. On triple talaq, he antagonised Muslims for demanding a 10-year sentence, instead of three as was being proposed, for those giving instant talaq.On Ram temple in Ayodhya, Rizvi angered his fraternity by stating that the Shia Waqf Board was in favour of a grand temple at the then disputed site.Rizvi, who was earlier close to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, faced charges of defalcation of funds during his tenure as Shia Waqf Board’s Chairman. He has been at loggerheads with prominent Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawwad. &nbsp;<a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#WaseemRizvi\\\" data-user-id=\\\"jToa3ygXsBrc\\\" href=\\\"/topic/waseemrizvi\\\">#WaseemRizvi</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Quran\\\" data-user-id=\\\"VdNoO6ta5HNi\\\" href=\\\"/topic/quran\\\">#Quran</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#SupremeCourt\\\" data-user-id=\\\"FnneUVErxtRr\\\" href=\\\"/topic/supremecourt\\\">#SupremeCourt</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Islam\\\" data-user-id=\\\"gKKcIqeHL6Yx\\\" href=\\\"/topic/islam\\\">#Islam</a> <a class=\\\"mention\\\" data-mention=\\\"#Religion\\\" data-user-id=\\\"FsyIFDHF3MAE\\\" href=\\\"/topic/religion\\\">#Religion</a>&nbsp;\",\"time\":1615812603447,\"strCount\":3867,\"isLegacyPost\":false}

Atul Chandra

<ul><li>Wasim Rizvi has filed a plea in Supreme Court seeking the removal of 26 'aayats' (verses) from Quran</li><li>He said that these verses are used by terrorists to promote jihad</li><li>Rizvi’s petition is yet to be admitted but it has already created a storm across the Shia-Sunni divide with clerics hitting out at him</li></ul>

Waseem%20Rizvi%20unites%20Muslims%20with%20%27blasphemous%27%20PIL

Ratul Maitra

Multiple posts emerged on Facebook and Twitter recently,
claiming an American Muslim woman named Dr Debbie Almontaser ‘made history’ by
reciting the Koran during the inauguration ceremony of the current US President
Joe Biden, according to AFP Fact Check.,The claim was shared on social media platforms alongside two
separate images of Dr Almontaser and Joe Biden at his inauguration.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/fact-check-us-vote-fraud-conspiracy-theory-shifts-to-myanmar">Fact Check: US vote fraud conspiracy theory shifts to Myanmar</a>,Reportedly, Almontaser attended a virtual inauguration
prayer service on January 21, rather than Biden’s swearing-in on January 20.,The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Ummah.is.Sleeping/photos/a.381584435379121/1526375754233311/">post came up on Facebook</a> on January 27, 2021, has been shared more than 900 times, with the caption, ‘Alhumdulilah!
(Praise to Allah) She is the first Muslim woman to read the Holy Qur'an in the
Presidential Inauguration in United States. She made History!’.,It was also shared on <a href="https://twitter.com/KasimBinSani/status/1353369878938451968">Twitter</a>.,As per AFP Fact Check, the claim misrepresents the events as
they occurred.,The woman, significantly, was not named in the said posts.
By way of a reverse image search and keyword searches, however, her identity
was stated by AFP as being established as Dr Almontaser, the board President of
Muslim Community Network, as well as a senior advisor of Emgage action – an American
civic organisation for Muslims.,Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://opoyi.com/egypt-releases-al-jazeera-journalist-after-four-years">Egypt releases Al Jazeera journalist after four years</a>,She recited Koranic verses at a prayer service hosted by
Washington National Cathedral on January 21, 2020, a day after Biden’s swearing-in
on January 20.,The video can be watched from the Biden Inauguration Committee’s
YouTube channel as well as Emgage Action’s Twitter handle.

{\"time\":1612786197994,\"strCount\":2013,\"blocks\":[{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Multiple posts emerged on Facebook and Twitter recently,\\nclaiming an American Muslim woman named Dr Debbie Almontaser ‘made history’ by\\nreciting the Koran during the inauguration ceremony of the current US President\\nJoe Biden, according to AFP Fact Check.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The claim was shared on social media platforms alongside two\\nseparate images of Dr Almontaser and Joe Biden at his inauguration.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/fact-check-us-vote-fraud-conspiracy-theory-shifts-to-myanmar\\\">Fact Check: US vote fraud conspiracy theory shifts to Myanmar</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Reportedly, Almontaser attended a virtual inauguration\\nprayer service on January 21, rather than Biden’s swearing-in on January 20.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The <a href=\\\"https://www.facebook.com/Ummah.is.Sleeping/photos/a.381584435379121/1526375754233311/\\\">post came up on Facebook</a> on January 27, 2021, has been shared more than 900 times, with the caption, ‘Alhumdulilah!\\n(Praise to Allah) She is the first Muslim woman to read the Holy Qur'an in the\\nPresidential Inauguration in United States. She made History!’.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"It was also shared on <a href=\\\"https://twitter.com/KasimBinSani/status/1353369878938451968\\\">Twitter</a>.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"As per AFP Fact Check, the claim misrepresents the events as\\nthey occurred.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The woman, significantly, was not named in the said posts.\\nBy way of a reverse image search and keyword searches, however, her identity\\nwas stated by AFP as being established as Dr Almontaser, the board President of\\nMuslim Community Network, as well as a senior advisor of Emgage action – an American\\ncivic organisation for Muslims.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"Also read:&nbsp;<a href=\\\"https://opoyi.com/egypt-releases-al-jazeera-journalist-after-four-years\\\">Egypt releases Al Jazeera journalist after four years</a>\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"She recited Koranic verses at a prayer service hosted by\\nWashington National Cathedral on January 21, 2020, a day after Biden’s swearing-in\\non January 20.\"}},{\"type\":\"paragraph\",\"data\":{\"text\":\"The video can be watched from the Biden Inauguration Committee’s\\nYouTube channel as well as Emgage Action’s Twitter handle.\"}}]}

<ul>
 <li>The claim was shared on both Facebook and Twitter</li>
 <li>Almontaser attended a virtual inauguration prayer service on January 21</li>
 <li>The claim misrepresents the events as they occurred</li>
</ul>