A flood of inquiries on the website of Darul Uloom Deoband seek answers from the Deobandi school to some of the world’s most serious concerns regarding women in Islam. From masturbation to wearing a headscarf to clandestine sex, these questions cover a wide spectrum of issues. These inquiries are based on the Shariah concepts of Haram and Halal, which mean Illegitimate and Legitimate, as per Sharia law respectively. We’ve compiled a list of the most popular queries on the website.
Marriage with a ‘non-kitabi’ woman
A frantic husband inquired about the validity of his marriage to a German woman since she does not believe in Islam and he does not want to divorce her at any cost. If the lady did not believe in the essential beliefs of Islam and Allah as the one God, he was advised to keep away from her.
Printing the name of the bride in the Walimah invitation card
The legitimacy of the bride’s name on a marriage ceremony invitation card was a source of contention. The answer said that the bride’s name should not be written on the invitation card. This means that the bride’s name should not find a mention in the card printed to invite guests for a feast organised for her own wedding.
A marriage proposal from families where the father earned money from a banking job in India
‘Is it OK to accept marriage offers from families whose father earned money from a banking position in India, and is it desirable to marry in such a family?’ one of the most frequent types of queries ask. The response of Darul Uloom Deoband was that those who are nurtured by haram money are frequently lacking in instinct and morality and as a result, it should be avoided.
Can Muslim women Masturbate?
A lady inquired about the practice of masturbation and if it is legal, as in permissible as per Islamic law to do so. She demanded scriptural references that could be verified. Darul Uloom told her to avoid such actions, which are considered a sin in Islam.
Bathing compulsory after Intercourse
The question here read “I am here to place my question for clarification as it comes to my mind very often, being a married woman. If a woman is getting fingered only in her vagina to be pleased by herself or by her husband, still not getting pleased properly nor does her fluid come out. Is ghusl (bath or cleaning) fardh in such a situation? She was answered that” If a woman fingers her vagina without lust and neither she feels aroused after insertion nor gets discharged then in such a case ghusl (bath) will not be needed, but it is advisable to bath if the act is done by the husband.
Wearing modern clothes and taking modern education
Another person expressed worry over his 14-year-old sister’s embrace of modernism and failure to follow Islamic guidelines. She was subsequently sent to an Islamic institution by her family. Darul Uloom told that his efforts to modify her institution were beneficial and that she would soon begin to despise contemporary ideas and embrace Islamic norms of behaviour.
Unlawful sexual relationship by sister
Another brother worried if it was legal for his brother-in-law to stay with his sister after she had had unlawful sex with someone else. He was told that as long as the person she had sex with was not one of her in-laws, she is allowed to stay with her spouse.
Controversies around Darul Uloom Deoband
The Sunni Deobandi Islamic movement started at the Darul Uloom Deoband, an Islamic institution in India is quite popular among Muslims all over the world. It is located in Deoband, Uttar Pradesh, in the Saharanpur district. Deoband has a lengthy history of releasing contentious Fatwas. Darul Uloom Deoband had backed a fatwa issued by Saudi Arabia in January 2018. It stated that it was haram for women in Islam to watch a football match.
Darul Uloom Deoband deemed the installation of CCTVs unlawful in May 2018. According to them, it is forbidden in Islam to install CCTV cameras unless they are “really necessary”, hence Muslims should avoid having CCTV cameras installed. In May 2010, clerics from a Deobandi school issued a fatwa proclaiming that men and women cannot work in public offices together unless the women are ‘properly dressed’.
Complaint to child rights body NCPCR
In a recent incident, a complaint has been lodged with the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) over ‘controversial’ and ‘misleading’ fatwas issued by the Islamic seminary Darul Uloom Deoband on children’s rights.
The complaint has a list of fatwas, which are published on their website, and has asserted that these fatwas are ‘unlawful’ and violate the rules of the law.
The NCPCR stated that it had received the complaint and investigated the replies to the questions asked by persons, finding that they did not comply with the country’s laws and acts. The commission has also written to the Saharanpur District Magistrate, highlighting the Islamic seminary’s review of responses to people.
In the past, Deoband has also issued many bizarre Fatwas. They had asked Muslim women to not let shopkeepers touch them while trying on bangles and has prohibited DJ and music in Muslim weddings.
