Former UP Shia Waqf Board Chairman Moves Supreme Court Seeking Removal Of 26 Verses From The Holy Quran

OVERVIEW

The former UP Shia Waqf Board Chairman, Syed Wasim Rizvi, filed a plea before the Supreme Court, [WP(C) No: 401/2021], wherein he sought the removal of 26 verses from the Holy Quran, which, in his opinion, can be construed as justifications for the terrorist attacks on the non-believers of the religion by several well-known Islamic Terrorist Groups.

“On account of the versus of Holy Quran, (more particularly described in the Writ Petition), the religion of Islam is drifting away from its basic tenets with a fast pace and nowadays is identified with violent behaviour, militancy, fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism,” Syed Rizvi stated in his plea.

BACKGROUND

The former Chairman of the Waqf Board in U.P. has, in his PIL filed before the Supreme Court sought from the Apex Court that the enlisted 26 verses may be declared as unconstitutional, non-effective and non- functional. Such prayer was based on the belief of the petitioner that such verses could be misconstrued by the people belonging to Islam and might aid in the promotion of extremism and terrorism. The sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country might also be threatened by the practising of the said verses, in his opinion.

The apex Court, in the plea, was made acquainted with the observation of Wasim Rizvi on how, in his opinion, the verses in the Holy Quran can be segregated in two parts,

1. Verses promoting peace, tolerance, forgiveness and harmony, that are believed to be messages from God, the Almighty, and
2. Verses which are negative which promote violence, hatred, and punishment to the non-believers and followers of other religion, which are believed to be a mistake on the part of the Caliphs while compiling the verses.

The plea states, "There are many Muslim madrasas all over the world where young children are taught Islam and Holy Quran is explained to the Islamic students who are working for terrorist activities”, which, according to him, “is like poison in the raw minds of young children in the name of the message of Allah, which leads him to a radical mindset and from his early age when they become young, they hate people of other religions because of their mindset, and many youths get involved with terrorist organizations in some way under this mentality, the wrong messages of Allah Has been filled in the name of Islam."

FURTHER DETAILS

The verses that, according to the plea might result in the drifting away of the Muslims from the basic tenets of equity, equality, tolerance and forgiveness, and thus must be removed, are:

1. Verse 9 Surah 5;
2. Verse 9 Surah 28;
3. Verse 4 Surah 101;
4. Verse 9 Surah 123;
5. Verse 4 Surah 56;
6. Verse 9 Surah 23;
7. Verse 9 Surah 37;
8. Verse 5 Surah 57;
9. Verse 33 Surah 61;
10. Verse 21 Surah 98;
11. Verse 32 Surah 22;
12. Verse 48 Surah 20;
13. Verse 8 Surah 69;
14. Verse 66 Surah 9;
15. Verse 41 Surah 27;
16. Verse 41 Surah 28;
17. Verse 9 Surah 111;
18. Verse 9 Surah 58;
19. Verse 8 Surah 65;
20. Verse 5 Surah 51;
21. Verse 9 Surah 29;
22. Verse 5 Surah 14;
23. Verse 4 Surah 89;
24. Verse 9 Surah 14;
25. Verse 3 Surah 151;
26. Verse 2 Surah 191.

CONCLUSION

In the words of the plea, "as per the provisions of Article 25 and 26 of Constitution of India, the freedom of conscious and religion as per clause 1 is subject to public order morality and health and to the other provisions of this Part, all persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate religion. Further, any religious custom / belief has to be in accordance or within the balance of Constitution of India and as the Law is already settled."

Such PIL by Syed Wasim Rizvi broke out mass protests in different parts of the state.

The Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, negated the opinion of the former Chairman of the Waqf Board and commented thus, “There is not a single verse in the entire Holy Qur’an, which promotes violence or terrorism, when read in its proper context. The Holy Qur’an condemns unjustified violence and terrorism, while permitting self-defence. Only a distorted reading of verses taken out of the context can lead to such utterly wrong views, as expressed by Waseem Rizvi.”

WHAT IS YOUR OPINION REGARDING THE REMOVAL OF SUCH VERSES AND ITS IMPACT? DO LET US KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!