Islamic Fatwa Culture Has a Much Bigger Ambit and Deeper Negative Influence
By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam
2 July 2024
This pertains to the brief passage,
“Gandhiji had opposed smallpox
vaccination on the ground that it involved cells harvested from the cow's
udders. The Jehovah's Witness, a religious community, does not allow their
children blood transfusion for religious reasons"
(Baby Milk Bank of Karachi and Islamic
Bioethics).
Very true. But the two aforementioned examples cannot be
equated with the blanket Fatwa Culture of Islam. Let's begin with Gandhi. For
all his greatness, M K Gandhi had certain idiosyncrasies. On a few counts, he
was a trifle eccentric (Khabti/Sanki)
as well. But Gandhi's eccentricity or even the so-called primitivism was his
personal idiosyncrasy. It didn't harm others. Nor did it create fear and
apprehension in the hearts of those who followed him.
For example, when Gandhi ji was 'incarcerated' at Aga Khan
Palace in Poona immediately after the Quit India Movement in 1942, Kasturba
followed him. She fell seriously ill. But Gandhiji refused allopathic medicines
for her. He was also against Penicillin and antibiotics. Instead, he resorted
to home remedies like mud-pack and applying cow dung!
Flabbergasted, English doctors Doug Willis, Neil Maynard and
an Indian doctor Sudesh Veerkar wrote to the then Viceroy of India Lord Wavell
that Gandhiji was not cooperating and refusing 'English' medicines for
KasturBa. Lord Wavell wrote back, “Please don't interfere. This gentleman likes
to make a fetish for his idiosyncrasies. But his intentions are never harmful.
“Needless to say, KasturBa died on Feb 22, 1944.
Gandhiji's old 'medicines' didn't help her recover. But his
(M K Gandhi) idiosyncrasy didn't harm anyone. It was a case of individual
idiocy.
Jehovah's Witness is also an eccentric cult of Christianity
known for its idiosyncrasies just like Lingayats (now a separate faith; earlier
a part of Hinduism) have certain antediluvian customs and mild edicts (Printham in archaic Kannada). But in
Jehovah's Witness, even if one breaks the rules, he or she is not punished,
persecuted or physically harmed. That person is excommunicated or ostracized.
But Islam's Fatwa Culture is binding, mandatory and also
intimidating: One who defies, will have to face the music. Moreover, Islamic
Fatwa has a far bigger ambit and fatwas are issued at the drop of a hat on
issues as trivial and ridiculous as passing wind during Namaz and should one
remember Allah while making love to his wife? My dear friend, focus on your
wife and forget your Allah for a while. You cannot eat the cake and have it
too.
It's, therefore, time for clerics, belonging to Deoband,
Ahle-Hadees, Barelvi sects, among others, to show restraint in issuing decrees
that can thwart individual and collective progress. Hadees (Muhammad's
plagiarised and borrowed teachings) must never be referenced when it comes to
issuing a fatwa. A modern society has no place for such asinine edicts inspired
by dubious verses. Muslims must develop scientific temperament to collectively
discard all fatwas issued by Madrasa-educated clerics.
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A regular columnist for New
Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special
reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier
publications in several languages including Persian.
New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism