Maulana Vakil Ahmed Qasmi of Darul Uloom Rahmania Madrasa located in Laharpur town of Sitapur, UP and district general secretary of Jamiat-ul-Hind said that Aftab Poonawala should have loved Shraddha Walkar like his sister and expressed disapproval against the duo’s relationship, and added that Islam forbids the same-sex relationship.
Opposing the relationship between Aftab and Shraddha, Maulana Qasmi said that Islam does not permit Muslims to marry non-Muslims.
It has been reported that Aftab made overtures to Shraddha and lured her into a relationship in the name of marriage. Shraddha left her parents and ignored the red flags raised by them. Furthermore, it has come to light that Aftab was a supporter of LGBT rights, something which is anathema in Islam and attracts harsh punishment.
Speaking about Aftab being an LGBTQ supporter, Qasmi said, “Islam has laws codified, and whatever goes against them, Islam does not allow it to be spoken or done. We cannot punish any person doing anything outside the Islamic law, but Allah punishes that person after death.”
He said that the world knows it is necessary to have a man and a woman in a marriage. “No religion in this world can justify a boy marrying a boy or a girl marrying a girl. God has created separate gender for men and women. A person can attain peace only when the system created for marriage is achieved. This [homosexual relationship] is a disgusting thing, even in terms of humanity,” he said.
“Where will children come from if a man marries a man and a woman marries a woman?”, asks Maulana Qasmi
He added, “What will a boy do by going to a boy? Two things happen after marriage. One is that the husband and wife live together and love each other. They spend the night, and as a result, children are born. However, where will the children come from if a man marries a man and a woman marries a woman?”
While describing Aftab’s acts as a shame to humanity, Qasmi said such things do not come in the religious system. “No one should do this. Furthermore, live-in relationships are also in violation of Islam, and no Muslim should indulge in it,” he added.
Regarding the live-in relationship between Aftab and Shraddha, Qasmi said, “Islamic law does not allow live-in relationships. It is not allowed for a person to get into a relationship without marriage. The foundation of friendship is different, but without marriage, if someone gets into a relationship equal to a relationship between husband and wife, it is called ‘Jeena’. Aftab has committed a crime.”
Qasmi further denied the love jihad angle in the matter. He called it propaganda to name love between two persons as love jihad.
He emphasised the fact that a Muslim should marry only a Muslim. He said, “If he had fallen in love with a non-Muslim, he should have loved her as a sister. There are many girls in the Muslim community for marriage. It is wrong to use the religious system for marriage.”
Shraddha Murder Case
On May 18, Aftab Amin Poonawala murdered his girlfriend and live-in partner, Shraddha. He chopped her body into 35 pieces and disposed of them in different areas over 18 days. The incident came to light after Shraddha’s father filed a missing report and Delhi Police interrogated Aftab. During interrogation, he broke down and confessed to the crime. The investigation into the matter is underway.
