In wake of the suicide of 23-year-old Ayesha Banu Makrani in Ahmadabad after being harassed by her husband and in-laws, the Ulama in the Uttarakhand have taken a strong stance against the practice of dowry. They have announced that they will not solemnise any nikah where dowry is exchanged and will also socially boycott the families that demand or seek dowry in the procedure of marriage.
“The sin of dowry has destroyed families and taken lives. We have decided to stop conducting nikah ceremonies for marriages where there is an exchange of dowry. These families will also be boycotted by the society if they are not willing to change themselves,” said Mufti Salim Ahmed, an Ulema and member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).
The Ulama have decided to launch a nationwide campaign to appeal to people to join them in the cause.
“We will run campaigns and identify places where such cases are being reported more often. We will remind people dowry is haram,” Mufti Ahmed said.
Last week, Muslims in Agra took a unanimous decision against the practice of dowry and vowed to renounce it.
The Masajid Committee and Darul Qaza in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh also decided that the Ulama will not solemnise nikah if there is an exchange of dowry.
In Hyderabad and Secunderabad, the Jamiat-Ahle-Hadees has launched a campaign to sensitise people against dowry.
On February 25, 23-year-old Ayesha died by suicide by jumping into the Sabarmati River in Ahmedabad allegedly over dowry harassment. In a video she recorded before killing herself, Ayesha is seen saying that she is “not made for bottles”.
With a big smile on her face, she is seen saying, “Whatever I am going to do is my decision and nobody has pressured me for this. I have nothing to say now. Understand that the almighty gave me a short life.”
“Dad, how long will you fight? Withdraw the case. Ayesha is not made for battles. I love Arif, so why will we bother him? If he wants freedom, then he should be free. Anyway, my life is ending here. I am happy that I will meet Allah. I will ask him where did I make a mistake? What is the fault with me?” she further says.
In her last words, Ayesha says, “This lovely river…I pray that it takes me in it. I am like the winds, I want to flow…And just want to keep flowing.”
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Ghazala Ahmad is the Delhi Correspondent for The Cognate.
