Akhbari Sect Women Get HC Nod to Pray at Ibadat Khana

Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court directed the Telangana Wakf Board and mutawalli committee of the Ibadat Khana Hussaini at Darulshifa of Hyderabad to permit women members of Akhbari Sectt of Shia Muslims to conducting majlis, jashan and religious prayers at the Ibadat Khana situated at Darulshifa.

Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka of the High Court on Monday issued an interim direction to this effect, while dealing a petition filed by the secretary of Anjuman-e- Alavi, Shia Imamia Ithna  Ashari Akhbari, who complained that the self-styled mutawalli committee was not allowing women members of the Akhbari sect of Shia Muslims to conduct prayers in the premises.

Mir Lukman Ali, counsel for the petitioner society, submitted to the court that the mutawalli committee of the Ibadat Khana was not complying with the provisions of the Wakf Board and had arbitrarily issued proceedings to stop women from the Akhbari sect from conducting prayers in the premises.

On the contrary, the committee is permitting Shia women of the Usooli sect to perform the prayers and activities, which are not mentioned in the Wakf Nama. Counsel further submitted that the Wakf Board and the police were maintaining silence on the complaints of discrimination.

Justice Bheemapaka faulted the decision of the mutawalli committee and observed that it was nothing but biased against women and particularly those belonging to some sections. The judge stated that God himself does not allow such chauvinism and every person whether male or female has the right to worship the God of their belief. The judge issued interim directions to permit the women members of the Akhbari sect to perform prayers in the premises and directed the Wakf Board and the mutawalli committee of the Ibadat Khana to file their contentions in the petitions.