ILNS: The Supreme Court on Monday imposed a hefty fine of Rs 50,000 on a petitioner for filing an‘ absolutely frivolous’ petition regarding some verses of the Holy Quran.
A bench of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Hrishikesh Roy disposed of the petition filed by Syed Wasim Rizvi, former Chairman of UP Central Waqf Board, alleging that some verses in the Holy Quran violated the law of land, promotes extremism, and terrorism and posed a serious threat to the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of the country.
The petitioner sought directions from the Apex Court to declare the verses to be unconstitutional, non-effective, and non-functional. He further sought directions to appoint a committee of experts/religious experts to get the opinion on the subject matter of the petition.
Rizvi, who is also the President of All India Shia Yateem Khana, alleged that few of the messages of God-the Almighty (Allah) written in the Holy Quran were negative and promote violence and hatred.
He exemplified with Verse 9 Surah 5, stating that it was negative and promoted violence and hatred. The verse read as, “But once the Sacred Months have passed, kill the polytheists ‘who violated their treaties’ wherever you find them, capture them, besiege them, and lie in wait for them on every way. But if they repent, perform prayers, and pay alms-tax, then set them free. Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful,” added Rizvi.
The petitioner submitted that the message written in (a) to (e) of number 42(1) makes it clear that Allah is giving a message to every human being not to fight among themselves, not to quarrel with each other, not to kill anyone and not to disagree with followers of other religions, as preached in the 109.1 Holy Quran which mentions “LakumDeenakumWaliyaDeen” or “To you, your religion, to me mine” as the basic tenet of Islam, based on the concept of tolerance and brotherhood among people coming from different religions.
Whereas, the same number of verses written in (a) to (z) of number 42(2), is contrary to the notes of verses written in number 1. Why such differences in the messages of Allah? said the petition.
The plea stated, “It is nobody’s case that the fundamentalist mindset is increasing among Muslims all over the world and the number of terrorist organisations of Muslims is also increasing, which are killing innocent people in the world.
“Unfortunately, the Islamic Madrassas are making a big contribution to these Muslim terrorist activities. There are many Muslim Madrassas all over the world, where young children are taught Islam and the Qur’an is explained to the Islamic students, who are working for terrorist activities, in the Quranic surahs, as detailed in the preceding paragraphs,” it added.
The petitioner alleged, “What is being taught in the Madrassas all over the world, including India, is in furtherance of the disputed verses and suras in the name of the message of Allah and misreading and explaining the message of Allah that is against humanity, due to which terror and extremist thoughts were imbibed in Muslims all over the world, including India”.
It said this is not a matter of religious faith, but of promoting a radical mindset and giving an incorrect and unintended education aiming at radicalising the Muslim youth, to fight against their own brethren and promoting terrorism, referring to the said incorrect verses of the Holy Book, alleged to conveying the messages of Allah.
The plea stated that the matter involves the entire Muslim community at large, which is subject to ridicule worldwide on account of the interpretation of the said verses, which have no basis or nexus with the objects, which the Holy book aimed to achieve.
“It is the fundamental duty of all the citizens as per Article 51A part e to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women,” the plea further stated.