Muharram processions get HC nod: T&C apply?
Current Affairs
The Maharashtra government issued guidelines on August 9 for Muharram today. However, the circular issued by the state government stated some restrictions.
What were these restrictions?
Mourning processions are not allowed
Muslims should observe Muharram at home like other religious programmes are being followed during the lockdown
People living in one society should not congregate to observe Muharram together
Majlis should be organized online
Permission to take out Tazia would not be given
No stalls (chhabils) would be allowed to set up without the local administration’s permission
Not more than four people would be allowed in any programme
Challenging the same, a petition filed by All - India Idaara - e - Tahafuz - e - Hussainiat was heard by a division bench of justices K. K. Tated and P. V. Chavan.
The plea called the guidelines issued by the Maharashtra state government to be in violation of the right to equality before the law and as having been prepared without consulting the Shia sect’s religious heads.
The court after hearing the petition allowed:
Procession of 100 persons on August 20 for three hours
15 fully vaccinated persons each in 7 trucks for three hours with only 5 Taziyas upon them
Only 25 persons to enter the cemetery
Needless to say, only fully vaccinated persons, who have completed 14 days after the second dose will be allowed to participate.
“Afghanistan will not be a democracy” - But, what is Sharia law?
Global News
"We will not discuss what type of political system should we apply in Afghanistan because it is clear. It is Sharia law and that is it," said Waheedullah Hashimi, a member of the Taliban.
What is Sharia law?
A council will govern the country overseeing day-to-day activities, while the supreme leader of the Taliban, Haibatullah Akhundzada, will be in charge overall. This is how the Taliban had ruled Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001. At that time, the leader Mullah Omar remained in the shadows and everyday governance was the responsibility of the council.
Sharia law is Islam's legal system - which is based on the Quran and the Sunna, the rulings of Islamic scholars, and the practices of Prophet Mohammed. It acts as a code of conduct for Muslims, ensuring they abide by God's wishes in all areas of life from daily routines to personal beliefs.
In Arabic, Sharia actually means "the way".
Sharia law can impact every aspect of life depending on how strictly it is followed. "There are so many varying interpretations of what Sharia actually means that in some places, it can be incorporated into political systems relatively easily," according to Steven A Cook of the Council of Foreign Relations.
Some interpretations of Sharia law are used to justify cruel punishments including amputation and stoning, as well as unequal treatment of women.
So how does the Taliban interpret it?
From 1996 to 2001, the Taliban enforced a strict and extreme version of Sharia law, which included administering punishments such as public stonings, whippings, and hangings.
The militant group also banned music and musical instruments, with the exception of the daf (a type of frame drum), and cut off the hands of thieves and stoned adulterers. Activities and media, including paintings, photography, and movies that depicted people or other living things were banned.
Under the Taliban's rule, women were effectively put under house arrest as they were not allowed to work or have an education. Women and girls from the age of eight had to wear a burka and had to be chaperoned by a male relative if they wanted to leave their home. Women were forbidden to go on their balconies. High-heeled shoes were also banned in case they excited men. Women were flogged, publicly beaten, their thumbs cut off if they did not abide by the laws.
The Taliban have tried to present themselves as a more moderate force in recent years. They have promised to respect women's rights, forgive those who fought against them and prevent Afghanistan from being used as a base for terror attacks.
"Of course... we are committed to women's rights, to education, to work and to freedom of speech, in the light of our Islamic rules".
However, international skepticism is more than warranted. Even if we assume the best-case scenario going forward, and believe that the Taliban intends to be more lenient this time around - in an autocratic extremist government, to what extent can the actions of the population be controlled?
Do you think a woman will be allowed to go to school with her ankles showing, and nobody will try to “take things into their own hands and protect the Sharia law”?
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