Hyderabad: The Qazath system that prevailed in the erstwhile Hyderabad State can prove a boon for Muslims with regard to the NRC, as Qazis have preserved Nikah records solemnised a century ago.
Under the Asif Jahi dynasty, details of marriages solemnised were documented. An office of the ‘Inam Commissioner’ (Sadarat-ul-Aalia) used to control the Inams and grants, including the Qazath System. Later it was converted to Nizam Atiyath to look after Religious Services.
In the Asif Jahi era, the Qazis were granted Inam for their services. An exclusive ‘Umoor-e-Mazhabi’ (ecclesiastical department) was also established to look after religious affairs of Muslims, including the affairs of Qazis.
The Qazis have been maintaining records from more than 200 years. The founder of the Islamic seminary, Moul-ana Mohammed Anwaru-llah Farooqui, had reva-mped the Qazath system to record marriages.
In this system, Nikah solemnisers fill it in triplicate and submit to the Head Qazi who subsequently preserved a copy and deposit another at the state archives and another at the Wakf Board. Anyone can obtain a certified copy of the Nik-ah document from any Head Qazi by furnishing the details.
Former Wakf Board chairman and chief Qazi, Warangal, Moulana Syed Gulam Afzal Biyabani Khusro Pasha said that their Qazat is preserved for 341 years. Eleven generations of his family has maintained the system.
“In our system, after solemnising the Nikah, we provide a booklet to the husband and another to the wife, based on which the Wakf Board issues the marriage certificate,” he said. “We incorporated the names of couples with the names of their parents, profession and addresses, date and place of Nikah, names of witnesses and even the amount of Mehr (dowry).” The Nikah proof can be a supporting document for the NRC.
Many ordinary folk are confused over enrolment in the NRC, especially the poor and uneducated. In Hyderabad, a large section of dwellers migrated from around the country. Most did not preserve old documents to prove their citizenship. They do not know the requirements and ask which documents they need. Some are planning to visit their ancestral places to procure land documents from the revenue department.
Many Muslim organisations are planning to create awareness about the NRC.
Religious scholars are also asking people in Jumma sermons to maintain records. However, NRIs in the Gulf are not worried.
Mohammed Saifuddin, a columnist in Riyadh for 19 years, opined that even though it is better for everyone to procure documents, politicians are unnecessarily hyping the issue. “Even if the government declares anyone illegal or puts them in detention centres, what will it do after that? The government has to convince a foreign country to accept them. In the history of independent India, no illegal person in Assam was accepted by Bangladesh,” he said. “It’s just a political stunt to create fear among minorities.”
The most common issue was that many people have slightly altered names in different documents. Their name or the father’s name may not match in all documents. “I suggest everyone correct their names and parents’, spouse’s and children’s names so that the documents are similar,” Saifuddin said. Children born abroad to NRI couples will get passports from Indian embassies, and based on that they can procure other documents in India.
Maulana Mohammed Abdul Hameed Rahmani Chishti, president of Kul Hind Tanzeem Islah e Muasherah said the NRC will prove to be an exercise in futility as crores will fail to prove their existence in India for more than 50 years.
The poor do not possess legitimate documents, but it will be impossible to deport people in crores. “The purpose of NRC is to send a message that the government is taking revenge on the Muslim community, because Home Minister Amit Shah also stated that the government will introduce the Citizenship Amendment Bill which will allow Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Jain, Christian and Parsi refugees to get Indian citizenship,” he said.
“This amendment will exclude only Muslims. This shows the intention of the government.”
