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BMMA for codification of Muslim Personal Law
The Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, which is a consortium of 25,000 progressive Muslim Women and men, have demanded codification of Muslim Personal Law to uphold the Islamic values of justice and equality for women.
They have prepared a Draft Personal Law which has strongly come out against triple Talaq and demanded proper maintenance to affected women to ensure a life of dignity.
Draft Muslim Personal Law covers issues like marriage, divorce, maintenance, custody of children, inheritance and property rights among other issues — all from a woman’s perspective, as granted by the Quran but deliberately withheld by years of patriarchal hegemony.
It has been prepared by BMMA, social activist Dr Asgar Ali Engineer and Centre for Study of Society & Secularism. After a series of regional and State-level deliberations with Muslim women and legal experts, they organised a two-day National Consultation on the draft Muslim Personal Law and signed a resolution demanding a codified law.
“Quran gives protection to women against triple talaq and also maintenance to live with dignity, but in practice this is not seen in our country,” said Engineer.
“When several Islamic countries have codified personal laws to give protection to women why not in India?,” added Zakia Soman, founder-member of BMMA.
Sharing her testimonials one of Nagma Shaikh, 38, who lives in Bangalore with her 20-year old son, said she was beaten and thrown out by her drunkard husband five years ago. He beat her up regularly and threatened her with talaq every time she objected.
Finally one day, he said talaq thrice and threw her out and locked up the house and went to his tailoring shop. She got help from the acitvists of BMMA who counseled her, explained her the legal position and got economic help for her to start her life afresh. She demanded maintenance for herself and her son which her husband refused.
“The time has come for the Government to recognise the need of the hour and bring about a law based on Quranic principles to help women,” said Noorjehan Safia Niaz, founder-member of BMMA from Mumbai, who has witnessed many such wrongs being done to fellow Muslim women and counseled the same.
The Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, which is a consortium of 25,000 progressive Muslim Women and men, have demanded codification of Muslim Personal Law to uphold the Islamic values of justice and equality for women.
They have prepared a Draft Personal Law which has strongly come out against triple Talaq and demanded proper maintenance to affected women to ensure a life of dignity.
Draft Muslim Personal Law covers issues like marriage, divorce, maintenance, custody of children, inheritance and property rights among other issues — all from a woman’s perspective, as granted by the Quran but deliberately withheld by years of patriarchal hegemony.
It has been prepared by BMMA, social activist Dr Asgar Ali Engineer and Centre for Study of Society & Secularism. After a series of regional and State-level deliberations with Muslim women and legal experts, they organised a two-day National Consultation on the draft Muslim Personal Law and signed a resolution demanding a codified law.
“Quran gives protection to women against triple talaq and also maintenance to live with dignity, but in practice this is not seen in our country,” said Engineer.
“When several Islamic countries have codified personal laws to give protection to women why not in India?,” added Zakia Soman, founder-member of BMMA.
Sharing her testimonials one of Nagma Shaikh, 38, who lives in Bangalore with her 20-year old son, said she was beaten and thrown out by her drunkard husband five years ago. He beat her up regularly and threatened her with talaq every time she objected.
Finally one day, he said talaq thrice and threw her out and locked up the house and went to his tailoring shop. She got help from the acitvists of BMMA who counseled her, explained her the legal position and got economic help for her to start her life afresh. She demanded maintenance for herself and her son which her husband refused.
“The time has come for the Government to recognise the need of the hour and bring about a law based on Quranic principles to help women,” said Noorjehan Safia Niaz, founder-member of BMMA from Mumbai, who has witnessed many such wrongs being done to fellow Muslim women and counseled the same.
