Raipur. A statement by Dr. Salim Raj, Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Waqf Board, created anger among the people of the Muslim community in the entire state. He officially said in his statement that the topic on which the discussion will be held before every Friday namaz in the mosques of Chhattisgarh, and what will be its line, will first have to be approved by the Waqf Board. Maulanas of mosques will be able to speak only after the approval of the Waqf Board. By doing this, Chhattisgarh will also be the first state in the country to keep an eye on Jumma's speech.
Know, what is the matter..?
In fact, Dr. Salim Raj, who recently became the Chairman of the Waqf Board, said in a statement given to the news channel that, “Under the new system, a decree has been issued that the speech given by the Maulanas of the mosques before the Namaz on Friday, i.e. on any subject. If a person gives a sermon, the topic of that speech will first have to be passed by the Waqf Board. For this arrangement, the Waqf Board has created a WhatsApp group of members of all the mosques of the state. In this group, every Mutawalli will have to enter the topic of Friday's speech. Subject line has to be entered. An officer appointed from the Waqf Board will examine that topic and line. Only after its approval, the Maulana will be able to give Takreer, i.e. speech or sermon, on that topic in the mosques.”
What is the reason behind issuing the order?
On the question of why the Waqf Board had to issue this order, Chairman Dr. Raj says, most of the speeches are social, but some speeches are also emotional and provocative. During the Congress government, the Kawardha riots also broke out following an argument after Friday prayers. The Waqf Board Chairman said that if his instructions are not followed, FIRs can also be lodged against the Mutawwalis and Maulanas, because the Waqf Board Act also gives the right to do so.
Protest against the order begins
As soon as this statement regarding Dr. Raj's order went viral in the media, people of the Muslim community were suddenly shocked as to how the Waqf Board could give such an order. There was a discussion about this across the state, people started searching for a copy of the order issued by the board. Since Dr. Raj himself had said such things in his statement, people were also assuming that the Board must have issued the statement.
This kind of restriction is not possible: Salam Rizvi
Salam Rizvi, former chairman of the Waqf Board and knowledgeable about the laws of Waqf, said in a conversation with TRP News that how is it possible that about 4500 mosques located all over Chhattisgarh can be monitored simultaneously, that too considering that every week What will be the topic of Friday's talk? Salam Rizvi said that in Takreer, things from Quran and Hadith are said and till date there has never been such an occasion when anything provocative has ever been said in any mosque in Chhattisgarh.
Effect of 'if divided then will be cut'
Salam Rizvi said sarcastically, in fact, this slogan is being propagated in BJP that 'If you divide, you will be divided'. He said that it is true that the Muslim society is divided into sects today. The concern of the leaders associated with BJP is that if the Muslim community, which gathers every week on the occasion of Friday, appeals to unite the sects, then what will happen to us. Some leaders associated with the society want to ban mosques to make their political gains, but the society will root out such leaders.
Ashraf Mian asked this question to Salim Raj…
While discussing this issue with TRP News, Shahzada Qazi-e-Chhattisgarh Maulana Syed Ashraf Mian, in view of this order, asked Dr. Salim Raj the opposite question that Dr. Raj should tell how many times in his life he went to offer Friday prayers. Do they know what a speech is? Ashraf Mian claimed that he had seen Dr. Raj only once or twice years ago going to offer Friday prayers. His order is baseless and no one can crack down on the Imams of mosques. Wherever the Waqf Board pays salaries to the Imams, it can exercise control over the Imams.
Do not become the leader or contractor of the community: Shariq Rais
Congress leader Shariq Raees Khan said on this issue that if Dr. Raj has said this then he should know about the rights of the Waqf Board and its working powers. They should not become leaders or contractors of the community. Rais said that the Waqf Board does not have the authority to curb discussions in mosques.
And the members of the Waqf Board kept giving clarification…
This evening, while on one hand the statement of the Waqf Board regarding keeping an eye on the discussions went viral, on the other hand the senior members of the Waqf Board kept clarifying to everyone that the Board has not issued any such order. While talking to TRP News, he told that a meeting of the Waqf Board was held two days ago in which it was discussed that the Mutawalli (presidents) of the mosques will be asked not to say anything that could spoil the harmony among themselves. He also said that Dr. Salim Raj is talking about his statement being distorted.
According to what Faizal Rizvi said through social media, “No such order has been passed by the Chhattisgarh Waqf Board Committee… all this is being done to create confusion…. It has only been decided in the board meeting that a WhatsApp group of Mutawalliyas should be formed so that the instructions given by the board can be followed… Ulamae Karam are free to give religious discourses in the light of Quran. The Waqf Board is committed to better management of the properties of the Idars.
