JEDDAH: The Babri Masjid demolition case is in its final stages and will be decided soon, veteran lawyer Zafaryab Jilani said here recently.
He also said the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has urged reputable Muslim institutions to avoid giving ill-conceived fatwas.
Speaking at a seminar titled “Babri Masjid, Kal Aaj Aur Kal,” organized by Al-Ittehad Foundation, Jeddah, Jilani said, “The Babri Masjid case is in the stage of final arguments but it cannot be said with certainty as to when the arguments will be over and a judgment pronounced.”
Jilani, who has been involved in the case, said, “As an advocate in the case, I can only give my estimation. The arguments from the Muslim side may be over within 2-3 weeks and another 6-7 months will be taken up by arguments from the other side and then the judgment may be pronounced after 3-4 months.”
He said the high court verdict will in all certainty be challenged by either of the parties in the Supreme Court and when the top court finally decides the case then only we can think about restoring the mosque. “There is no reason to lose heart and presume that there is no chance of the mosque being restored,” Jilani said.
Farid Mahfuz Qidwai, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader representing the Masauli constituency in Uttar Pradesh Assembly, raised doubts about the sincerity of the Congress party toward solving this contentious issue. “The issue has been exploited by Congress as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for political gains,” he said.
The seminar was conducted by Siadat Ali Khan of Khak-e-Taiba Trust. A prominent community leader, Aleem Khan Falaki, in his address assured the house that “we have full protection and provision in India’s legal framework to take it to a logical conclusion.”
A memento was presented to Jilani by Dr. Syed Sami Ahmad and Qidwai. A poetry session dedicated to Babri Masjid was the other highlight of the evening, which was conducted by Mahtab Qader. Among those who recited their couplets included — Irfan Barabankwi, Mohsin Alawi, Aleem Falki, Habib Siddiqui, Qamar Haider Qamar, Naseem-e-Sehar, Mahtab Qader and Muhammad Mujahid Syed. Tabish Mehdi and Dr. Khurshid Rizvi sent their compositions from India and Pakistan, respectively.
MWPLB lacks support
Earlier, speaking to Arab News about the Muslim Women Personal Law Board, Jilani said, “The board does not have any popular support among Muslims and its announcements are not taken seriously by Muslims. But they are given much publicity by a section of the media that is more interested in one or the other kind of change in Muslim personal law. So far the state and the central governments have shown no interest toward the said MWPLB.”
Regarding ill-conceived fatwas, Jilani said the AIMPLB has tried to persuade Deoband, Nadwatul Ulema and Imarat-e-Shariah etc. to avoid giving fatwas on such issues that could create needless controversies.
