Waseem Rizvi, the former chairman of Shia Central Waqf Board in Uttar Pradesh, has said that he has created a ‘new Quran’ by removing 26 verses that allegedly promote violence and arranged the remaining verses in proper sequence. Rizvi has also appealed to PM Modi to authorise the use of his ‘new Quran’ in all madrasas and Muslim institutes in the country.
“I appeal to PM Modi to include this new Quran in the education curriculum of various madrasas and Muslim education institutes across the country. This redacted version of the Quran is the right Quran and it will soon be available in the market for people to buy,” Rivi said.
नया कुरान-ए-मजीद: वसीम रिजवी ने अपने नए कुरान-ए-मजीद को लेकर PM को लिखा पत्र, मदरसों में पढ़ाने की इजाजत मांगी@narendramodi pic.twitter.com/SZ9FDsIAJ0
— Newsroom Post (@NewsroomPostCom) May 29, 2021
Earlier this year, Waseem Rizvi had filed a PIL in the Supreme Court to remove 26 verses of the Quran saying that they promote terrorism and jihad. In his PIL, Rizvi had stated that these verses are allegedly used by Islamist Terrorist Groups as justification for attacks on non-believers and civilians.
However, the court termed the petition to be “absolutely frivolous” and fined Rs 50,000 on Waseem Rizvi for filing the PIL seeking removal of 26 verses that, according to him, empowered terrorists to carry out attacks against non-Muslims.
Rizvi’s petition against 26 verses of the Quran
In his petition, Rizvi sought directions from the court to remove 26 verses from Quran that were Verse 9 Surah 5; Verse 9 Surah 28; Verse 4 Surah 101; Verse 9 Surah 123; Verse 4 Surah 56; Verse 9 Surah 23; Verse 9 Surah 37; Verse 5 Surah 57; Verse 33 Surah 61; Verse 21 Surah 98; Verse 32 Surah 22; Verse 48 Surah 20; Verse 8 Surah 69; Verse 66 Surah 9; Verse 41 Surah 27; Verse 41 Surah 28; Verse 9 Surah 111; Verse 9 Surah 58; Verse 8 Surah 65; Verse 5 Surah 51; Verse 9 Surah 29; Verse 5 Surah 14; Verse 4 Surah 89; Verse 9 Surah 14; Verse 3 Surah 151; and Verse 2 Surah 191.
According to his PIL, he said that Islam is based on the concept of equality, forgiveness, equity and tolerance. However, people are drifting away from these basics. He added, due to the extreme interpretations of the 26 verses of the Holy book, Islam is identified with militancy, fundamentalism, extremism and terrorism.
He further added that there are many Muslim madrasas worldwide where young children are taught Islam and Quran. He said, “These verses are like poison in the raw mind of young children in the name of the message of Allah, which leads him to a radical mindset and from his early age when they become young, they hate people of other religions because of their mindset, and many youths get involved with terrorist organizations in some way under this mentality, the wrong messages of Allah Has been filled in the name of Islam.”
However, shortly after filing a PIL demanding the removal of 26 verses from the Holy Quran, several FIRs and death threats were targeted towards Waseem Rizvi. The National Commission for Minorities also demanded an unconditional apology from Waseem Rizvi over his PIL to remove the verses from Quran. On March 20, hundreds of Muslims gathered at the Jama Masjid in the National Capital to protest against him. The protestors, belonging to both Shia and Sunni communities, had alleged that Waseem Rizvi had been ‘deliberately’ trying to drive a wedge between the two communities.
