Lucknow: Former Shia Waqf board chairperson Waseem Rizvi, who filed an outrageous petition in the Supreme Court, seeking "removal of 26 verses from Holy Quran", has landed in the eye of a severe storm within his community.
Though Muslims from across India are upset over Waseem Rizvi's outrageous move, it is the top Shia clerics who in a strong show of sectarian unity are leading the protest and demanding the dismissal of Waseeem Rizvi's petition and his arrest.
General secretary of Majlis-e-Ulama-e-Hind and well-known Shia cleric, Maulana Kalbe Jawad, and Imam of Aishbagh Eidgah and Sunni cleric, along with leading Sunni cleric Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali on Friday have not only condemned Rizvi's move but have demanded his arrest for attempting breach of peace and blasphemy.
Rizvi, recently approached the Supreme Court seeking "elimination of 26 verses of Holy Quran".
In his petition, Rizvi said these verses were added in Holy Quran later in the period of the first three Caliphs - a claim which has no basis and is against the unanimous stand by Muslims who firmly believe that not a single word or letter from the original text of the Holy Book has been altered, changed, touched or tampered with since its revelation 1400 years ago.
Reacting on Rizvi's PIL, renowned Shia cleric Maulana Kalbe Jawad said:
"Rizvi should be arrested immediately for rabble rousing. He is an agent of anti-Muslim forces and since the CBI is investigating corruption in the waqf board, he is going out of his way to cling to support."
Meanwhile, the Imam of Teeley Wali Masjid, Maulana Fazle Mannan and Kalbe Sibtain Noori issued a fatwa against Waseem Rizvi.
Condemning Rizvi's petition, members of the two factions dismissed Rizvi from Islam and the society.
"Rizvi is an Israeli agent who only works on creating a rift in the peace and unity of society," said Maulana Fazle Mannan Rahmani Nadwi, a well-known Sunni cleric.
Maulana Kalbe Sibtain Noori, another Shia cleric, said:
"This is not the first time Rizvi has played with religious sentiments. He is not part of the society as he only maligns its setup." "If the government does not arrest him, it will be clear that it wants chaos and rioting. Rizvi is neither a Shia nor a Muslim."
"This is not the first time Rizvi has played with religious sentiments. He is not part of the society as he only maligns its setup."
"If the government does not arrest him, it will be clear that it wants chaos and rioting. Rizvi is neither a Shia nor a Muslim."
Leading Sunni cleric and member of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Maulana Khalid Rashid Farangi Mahali said that the court should dispose of Rizvi's petition which has hurt the Muslims across the world.
"Allah has taken responsibility of his Holy book and said that not even a letter or punctuation in it will change till 'Qayamat'. Strict legal action be taken against him and the government should immediately arrest him for breach of peace," he said.
Meanwhile, a group of Muslims burnt Rizvi's effigy on Saturday and staged a demonstration outside his house in Kashmiri Mohalla in Lucknow.
Protests against Rizvi are also reported from Mumbai, and other parts of Maharashtra on Friday. Prominent Shia clerics of Mumbai and elsewhere echoed similar anger against Waseem Rizvi and urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the petition without further delay.
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