Fatwa for Vote

In the fatwa for vote and democracy issued by the influential Darul Uloom Deoband is reflected even among the orthodox Deobandis a growing awareness of the values and norms in the public domain in a country whose commitment is to democracy and secularism, and not to theocracy as in Islamic states. The Deoband’s latest edict says that ‘‘it is the responsibility of every Muslim to cast their vote irrespective of political likes and dislikes’’ and ‘‘a vote is as important as a testimony or witness is in Islam, hence it must be utilized and correctly’’. In other words, ‘‘a vote must not be kept back and wasted’’. The fatwa is in response to a question seeking guidelines for Muslims to exercise their franchise in a country that is not governed by Sharia — the Islamic law. The question sought details as to whether a Muslim could vote in favour of a drunkard or a criminal and whether he should make his choice after testing the candidate or the party on the fundamentals of the Quran. In a detailed reply, the fatwa unit of the Deoband has clarified thus: ‘‘India is not an Islamic country but a secular democracy, hence it would be out of place to look at its politics in Islamic perspective and test the parties and political leaders on the principles of the Quran and Hadith. This would bring nothing except disturbance and confusion.’’ We welcome the fatwa for its progressive tone and tenor in sync with the values enshrined in the Constitution of the land and in support of democracy and secularism. The Deoband also did well by restraining from making any comment on the political character of the parties and candidates. What adds credence to the fatwa is the endorsement it has had from prominent clerics in the country, both from the Shia and Sunni communities. Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Sadiq says that ‘‘this is the time for us to make the right choice instead of sitting back and lamenting on the state of affairs... we often do not realize the value of votes and let them go waste’’. Likewise, Sunni cleric Maulana Khalid Rasheed, who is also a member of the executive board of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), has argued that ‘‘in a democracy, since we choose our own leaders, we cannot blame anyone else for the state of affairs that we are in.’’ Both of them are absolutely right.

However, there are other issues too pertaining to the fact of secularism as theorized and as practised differently in relation to the perverse manner in which political parties like the Congress, or for that matter even the Left front, have all along appeased Muslim voters for cheap electoral gains without ever bothering to rescue them from the abyss of poverty and backwardness — issues that the UPA government’s own ‘pro-Muslim’ pet project, Sachar Committee, has harped on so extensively. It is, therefore, expected from the Deoband, given its latest fatwa advocating the cause of democracy and secularism, as well as from prominent Muslim clerics to reject the kind of pseudo-secularism in vogue that is singularly responsible for the humiliating treatment of the Muslim community in the country as a mere vote bank — and for their miseries too, in the absence of genuine concern for the cause of the community. It is time Muslim clerics asked their community to learn to distinguish between secularism and pseudo-secularism for their own sake. And yes, as the Deoband itself has categorically stated that ‘‘India is not an Islamic country but a secular democracy’’, how about implementing a uniform civil code too? Or will the clerics explain as to why a uniform civil code cannot or should not form part of the Indian secular discourse? An answer is in order. THE SENTINEL