Darul Uloom Deoband, the Islamic Seminary, in a recent Fatwa, has decreed that women are forbidden to participate in marriage processions with men. It is fairly common for women relatives of the groom to participate in marriage processions with other men in the family. Sometimes, music is also played in these processions.
The fatwa comes after a resident had raised questions regarding the practice with the Fatwa department of the seminary. The seminary responded that not only were women forbidden from participating in such social functions with men, they are also forbidden from eating food alongside them on such occasions. The seminary also asserted that Muslims should not eat food while standing and advised Muslims to protect themselves from such activities.
Deoband has come up with such bizarre fatwa’s at a remarkable frequency. Earlier in February, the Islamic seminary had decided to issue a fatwa against Muslim women taking help of men while trying out bangles in shops.
It was also reported that Deoband clerics had issued a fatwa against life insurance, as they claimed that Life and death are in the hands of Allah and no insurance company can guarantee a man’s longevity. In the past, a cleric associated with the Darul Uloom Deoband university had issued a fatwa against women watching football games, as watching men playing with bare knees is forbidden for women.
In another instance of a bizarre fatwa, a fatwa was issued asking Muslim families to not marry men or women who work in banks. Posting photos of self and family on social media websites have also drawn Fatwas in the past. New Year Celebrations and designer burqas, too had the same destiny.
On another occasion, an Ulema had proclaimed that a group of Muslim women who performed Lord Ram’s Aarti on the eve of Diwali, ceased to be Muslims. The most peculiar Fatwa was when the seminary had declared that it was forbidden in Islam for an uncle to carry the bride to the palanquin as it could lead to feelings of lust between either of them.