In wake of the suicide of 23-year-old Ayesha Banu Makrani in Ahmadabad after being harassed by her husband and in-laws, Muslims in Agra have taken a strong stance to stop the exchange of dowry in marriages going forward.
In a meeting held in the city after Friday prayers community leaders led special prayers for Ayesha and vowed to renounce the practice of dowry.
Hafiz Muhammad Yahya Khan said dowry is declared as haram in Islam and one should follow the teachings of the Quran strictly.
He said that from the day we recognize our daughter-in-law as our daughter then the appalling tradition of dowry will end and this kind of tragedies will not happen again.
All India Jamiatul Quresh district chief Sharif Qureshi described dowry as a criminal act and appealed for strict punishment against Ayesha’s husband and in-laws.
Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad Chairman Sami Aghai said that his organisation is already distributing pamphlets among the community, requesting them not to give or take dowry, reminding them that exchange of dowry is forbidden in Islam, India Today reported.
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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