Page 216 - Religion Belief

Fatwa bans marriage of Muslim women into families of bank employees

The largest seminary in the country, Darul Uloom Deoband, has issued a fatwa asking Muslim women to not marry into a family whose members work in banks, citing that the income from banking jobs is considered 'haram' (forbidden) earnings.The edict was pronounced after a person asked Darul Ifta if he should marry his daughter to a man whose father worked in a bank.The banking sector runs on the basis of interest which is prohibited in Islam. Darul Ifta has stated that as per Islamic law, earnings through interest and any transaction involving interest particularly investment is forbidden.Islam also forbids business in alcohol, narcotics, school, and weapons as well as any business undertaken with the motive of earning maximum profits, the Islamic seminary informed.The Islamic scholars and clerics have upheld the fatwa, contending that religious body's stand was in line with the Islamic law."Darul Uloom Deoband is correct in its decision. One should avoid having any social bonds with ...

Mamata accuses centre of rejecting state's tableau for R-Day parade

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday accused the centre of excluding the state's tableau from this year's Republic Day parade, alleging it was opposed to the state's theme of the artist's unity.

Those dividing society on caste-religion lines will be exposed

Those dividing the society in the name of caste and religion will be exposed, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said today as he stressed that his government was committed to ensuring the security of 22 crore people of the state. "The state government is committed to the security of UP's 22 crore people, the prosperity of farmers and the youth," the chief minister said after inaugurating schemes worth Rs 552 crore in Kisan Sahkari Mill compound in Sathiyav block here. He said that it was because of the previous governments that the poison of casteism , communalism and terrorism spread in Azamgarh. Adityanath stressed his government in its nine month of being in power had tried to wash it off totally and "now the image of Azamgarh would improve in other states as well as abroad and would be associated with development. "Those who divided the society in the name of caste and religion will now be exposed," he said. He alleged that funds were wasted because of the

JK Governor, CM greet people on Gurupurab

Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today greeted people on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh. In a message, the governor observed that Guru Gobind Singh was a warrior and a philosopher-poet who strived for establishing a society based on equality, brotherhood, and respect for women. He said the values underlying the teachings of the great Guru should guide our endeavours to establish a just social order. The governor expressed hope that this auspicious occasion would usher the state towards peace, progress, and prosperity, strengthen the bonds of communal harmony and brotherhood and re-invigorate the valuable traditions that are the hallmark of the glorious heritage of J&K for centuries. In her message, the chief minister said the values underlying the teachings of the great Guru should guide our endeavours to establish a just and egalitarian society. She said Jammu and Kashmir has been an abode .

Stage set for ISKCON's Jagannath Rath Yatra in Mumbai

Lakhs of devotees from Mumbai and elsewhere in the country will join the famed annual Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra scheduled here on Saturday at Shivaji Park, an official of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness said on Thursday.

Fatwa issued against Muslim girl for reciting Bhagwad Gita

"Islam is not so weak that we will be dismissed from it just for reciting Bhagwad Gita or wearing a particular kind of costume," said 15-year-old student, Alia Khan, on Thursday, after she was issued a fatwa (religious decree) by Dar-ul-uloom of Deoband.The Islamic seminary issued the fatwa to Khan on January 2 for reciting the verses of the Hindu holy book at an event in her school recently.Speaking to ANI, she said: "I dressed up as Krishna and recited Gita as a part of a competition. They issued the fatwa."The Class 10 student won the second prize for her performance and was also given a cash prize of Rs. 25,000.However, she was later issued the decree by the Ulemas or Islamic scholars, who termed her action unIslamic.The function was organised by the Uttar Pradesh government to mark the 101 years of the historic Lucknow Pact of Freedom Struggle. The event was based on famous freedom fighter, Bal Gangadhar Tilak's interpretation of Bhagwad Gita.The programme was attended by state ..

Darul Uloom issues fatwa against designer burqas

Wearing designer and slim fit burqas attracts prying eyes and is against Islam, prominent Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has said in a fatwa. It said burqas in various styles, colours and designs were not allowed in Islam "In the name of hijab (veil), designer and slim fit burqa is haram and strictly prohibited in Islam," the fatwa said in response to a query from a person who had asked the muftis if wearing designer burqas, which are sometimes body-hugging and draw male gazes, was permitted in Islam. The seminary is one of the biggest and prominent seminaries of Asia and is situated in Deoband town in Saharanpur district. The Darul Uloom recently issued a fatwa against New Year celebrations, observing that it was un-Islamic as the Islamic calendar year starts from Muharram.

Deoband fatwa says avoid families that earn 'haram' money

Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband has issued a fatwa asking Muslims to avoid families that raise 'haram' (illegitimate) money earned from a banking job and instead look for a "pious" family while considering marriage proposals. The seminary gave its diktat to a query from a person in which he had stated that he had a few proposals for marriage from families where the father earned money from a banking job in India. "Obviously, the family is raised on 'haram' money. Is it preferable to marry in such families?" he had sought to know from the fatwa section of Darul Uloom (Darul Ifta). In its reply, the seminary's fatwa said, "Marrying in such a family is avoidable and not preferable. Those who are nourished with 'haram' (illegitimate) wealth usually they are not good in respect to instinct and morals. Hence, it should be avoided. One should find out a match in some pious family." The Islamic Law or Shariat prohibits paying any fee for renting of money (called riba) for ..

CM asks people to imbibe teachings of Guru Govind Singh

Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das today asked people to imbibe the teachings of 10th Sikh Guru Govind Singh. Guru Govind Singh had conceptualised an ideal society that was free from all differences like lower and upper caste and taught us an art of living, Das said while taking part in the Prakash Mahotsav organised by the Sikh Community at Kadma Gurudwara here. The chief minister asked people to take pledge on this occasion to create a society of harmony and goodwill and follow his teachings to ensure welfare of the society, according to an official release here. The teachings of Guru Govind Singh, who had sacrificed his life for the cause of the society and culture, is still relevant and we should imitate his footstep to create a society of harmony and goodwill, Das said. The chief minister said Jharkhand has been moving fast on the track of development as the state has been blessed with abundance of mineral-resources. Das expressed hope that Jharkhand would be at .

Hindu outfits hold rally against 'Love Jihad'

Hindu organisations Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and Durgavahini women's wing today began a 15-day awareness programme in the district against 'Love Jihad', the organisers said. They took out a rally from the Sri Laxmi Narayana Temple here to mark the start of the programme. Love Jihad is a term used by sections of Hindu activists to describe marriages between Hindu women and Muslim men, who they claim seek to propagate Islam. The organisers said workers of the three outfits would visit colleges, work places and homes in the district to distribute pamphlets to create awareness on "Love Jihad". Awarenessprogrammes would be conducted in each ward, committees formed in parts of the coastal district and monthly meetings held to prevent young girls becoming 'Love Jihad' victims, they said. VHP working president M B Puranik and Bajrang Dal convenor Sharan Pumpwell led the rally. The issue of religious conversions figured in the "Dharma Sansad", a conclave of Hindu seers, .

Will abide by apex forum's decision on religion tag to

Amidst raging differences overthe issue of separate religion status to Veerashivas/Lingayats, Karnataka BJP today said it would abide by the decision of the apex body of the communities in the matter. "Akhila Bharata Veerashaiva Mahasabha president Shamanur Shivashankarappa has made it clear several times that Veerashiva and Lingayat communities are one. Shivakumara Swamiof Siddaganga Mutt, considered a walking God, has also stated the same," state BJP chief B S Yeddyurappa said. Speaking to reporters in Davangere, he accused JD(S) leader Basavaraj Horatti, who is at the forefront of a movement demanding separate religion status for Lingayat community, of creating "confusion" out of "selfish" motive by claiming support from BJP legislators. "I want to tell Horatti...you do politics if youwant to, but unnecessarily do not drag BJP legislators intoit," Yeddyurappa said. "BJP legislators and MPs are of one stand i.e. to abide by the decision taken by Akhila Bharata ...

BJP MLA says 'India for Hindus', seeks to wriggle out of

BJP MLA Vikram Saini, who again waded into controversy with the claim that India is a country for Hindus as it is known as 'Hindustan', today clarified that his outburst was against Pakistan and not Muslims. The Khatauli MLA publicly said on Monday that "irresponsible leaders" had allowed some Muslims to live in India. "During partition, due to them (Muslims), the Hindus are facing problem in the country. If they (Muslims) had not stopped in India, property of crores would be of the Hindus," Saini had said. However, Saini today sought to wriggle out of the controversy by saying he did not intend to hurt any religious sentiments. His remarks, he said, were directed against Pakistan in the backdrop of the discourteous treatment meted out to imprisoned Indian Kulbhushan Jadhav's wife and mother in Islamabad. "I did not intend to hurt religious sentiments. I was enraged over Pakistan's behaviour with Jadhav's family members. My remarks were not against Muslims," he ...

BJP MLA who was once detained under NSA says 'India is for Hindus'

Saini is an accused in the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case

Treat 'kar sevaks' on par with freedom fighters: Hindu seers

Seeking an early construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya, several Hindu religious leaders have said the government should treat those, who "sacrificed" their lives or were jailed during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, on par with the freedom fighters. "It is the responsibility of the (Narendra) Modi and Yogi (Adityanath) governments to accord the status of Ram Sevaks to those who sacrificed their lives or were jailed during the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and treat them on par with the freedom fighters," a resolution passed at a gathering of Hindu religious leaders said. The resolution was passed at the "Vaicharik Mahakumbh", a four-day conclave of over 50 "mahamandaleshwars" from across the country, held at Bhayander, near Mumbai, from December 29 to January 1. Another resolution, passed at the gathering said a Ram temple should be built at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh at the earliest as it was a "matter of belief" of 125 crore Hindus, a mahamandaleshwar, who took part in the

Bargarh's famous Dhanu Yatra concludes

Curtains were drawn on the famous Dhanu Yatra of Bargarh in Odisha, believed to be the largest open air theatre in the world, with the death of tyrannical king Kansa and coronation of Ugrasen today. During the 11-day festival that kicked off on December 23, Bargarh town was made to resemble Mathura -- the birthplace and homeland of Lord Krishna. The festival is based on Krishna Leela and Mathura Vijay. While river Jeera of Bargarh was made to resemble river Yamuna, Amapali, located on the outskirts of the town, was transformed into Gopapura. Kansa ruled the small western Odisha town Bargarh for 11 days. The tyrannical rule of Kansa, his death and the exploits of Lord Krishna were enacted in 14 main places in Mathura and Gopapura. "The annual festival came into being in 1947-48 to celebrate Indian's Independence and to symbolise the victory of good over evil," said the Chairman of Dhanu Yatra organising committee, Sureswar Satpathy. A highlight of this year's festival was

Dalai Lama offers prayers for world peace at Bodh Gaya

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama offered prayers for world peace at the Buddhist shrine in Bihar's Bodh Gaya on Tuesday, a day after he arrived in the city for a month-long stay till February 1, officials said.

Egypt's Grand Mufti endorses Bitcoin trading ban

Egypt's top imam has endorsed a ban on trading in Bitcoin by declaring it "unlawful" and "forbidden" by Islam.

Hindu devouts in Nepal celebrate Swasthani festival

Nepal's Hindu community on Tuesday kicked off celebrations for the Swasthani festival during which devotees bathe in various sacred rivers to wash away their sins and pray for prosperity.

Focus on ancient Indian knowledge not western culture: Dalai

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today asked students here to focus more on the ancient Indian knowledge instead of getting attracted towards the western culture. He made the remarks while addressing students on the golden jubilee celebrations of Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS) at Sarnath, here. "Modern India should not forget their ancient knowledge. There is a lot to be learned from the ancient Indian thought which can help in controlling destructive emotions in us," he said. "India is the only country that could combine the benefits of modern education with ancient knowledge which may help in achieving inner peace and at the same time keep the negativity in us away," he said. The 82-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader said that India can make a significant contribution in promoting world peace. He said because of "neglecting" its own ancient knowledge and tradition, the country (India) which was known as "Guru" (in ancient times, has now become ..

Women march to Forest minister's office

About 100 women, including three nuns affiliated to the Kerala Latin Catholic Movement, today took out a march to the state Forest minister K Raju's residence protesting the alleged removal of a cross from a thickly forested area in the district. Police blocked them when they tried to break the police barricade to move towards the residence. They were protesting against the alleged removal of a cross from the Bonnakad forest area. A dispute was on with regard to the installation of the cross in the region. Police said they blocked the march when agitators tried to break the barricade and move further towards the minister's residence. Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala alleged that police used force on the women protesters, a charge denied by police. Chennithala wanted a probe and action against the police personnel responsible for it.