The Wire journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani had earlier expressed her angst over Congress leader Dr Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s tweet, in which the politician had called questioned the problematic Islamic practice of Nikah-halala while casting aspersions on the reasons tendered by Zaira Wasim for quitting Bollywood. Khanum had tagged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and asked if he approved of Singhvi’s “shameful” views.
However, censuring the Wire journalist, Dr AM Singhvi asserted that because of influencers like her supporting the regressive ideals, the state of minorities in the country will continue to remain backward.
Sections of the country especially minorities will remain backward if influencers like you are backing regressive / labelling ideals. https://t.co/Di6EKkTeZk
— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) July 5, 2019
Earlier, Dr AM Singhvi had questioned the Islamic practice of Nikal Halala, a practice legitimised by the Islamic Sharia law. This was in reference to actor Zaira Wasim’s post on her social media accounts in which she stated that acting in Bollywood had veered her away from her Islamic faith and that she is giving up her career in Bollywood to diligently pursue her faith.
Singhvi brought attention upon the regressive and archaic practice of nikah-halala among certain sections of Muslims in the country. This triggered the Wire journalist Arfa Khanum Sherwani, who in no time tagged Rahul Gandhi, to seek explanation on Singhvi’s assertions.
The nikah-halala is a custom by which a woman divorced by triple talaq gets to reunite with her husband. Nikah-halala requires a woman to marry another man and consummate the marriage and then take another triple talaq in order to return to her first husband. Often, such temporary marriage is done with another male member of the husband’s family, including father and brothers of the husband.
Arfa Khanum Sherwani is often seen perpetuating the Muslim victimhood while attempting to whitewash regressiveness and fundamentalism in the community. Earlier, she had also attempted to defend SP leader Azam Khan’s shameful and misogynistic comments on actress and politician Jaya Prada.
