A STATE level workshop for the Muslim women activists of AIDWA was held on October 15-16, 2016 at Belapur in New Mumbai. Over 50 women from nine districts participated. It was a lively workshop and women took part in the discussions on the basis of the concrete experiences in their districts.

The topics and speakers in this workshop were: ‘Problems facing the Muslim community and our interventions’- AIDWA national joint secretary Sehba Farooqi, ‘AIDWA’s Perspective on the Issues of Muslim women’ - AIDWA Delhi state president Maimoona Mollah, ‘Experience of handling cases of Triple Talaq’– Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) leader Noorjehan Safia Niaz, ‘Rights of Muslim women in the Koran’ - Director of Centre for Studies in Secularism and Society, Irfan Engineer.

In her introductory remarks, AIDWA Maharashtra state president Mariam Dhawale explained the purpose of the workshop. While taking up common issues of all women like price rise, unemployment, violence and so on, AIDWA has also consistently raised specific issues concerning Muslim and dalit women, domestic workers, home-based workers, etc. AIDWA has a large number of Muslim women members. While intervening on issues of education, availability of ration grains and domestic violence, AIDWA has been demanding an end to the anti-women practices in the Muslim community. AIDWA has decided to carry out a signature campaign demanding a ban on the practice of unilateral, oral triple talaq in one sitting and an end to polygamy. This workshop was held to explain these issues so that the activists could confidently carry out this campaign.

Sehba Farooqi lucidly placed the problems facing the Muslim community. Our organisation fights to build a better society where there is equality for all. Women used to be afraid to speak up in our patriarchal society. But today Muslim, tribal and dalit women as well as working women are raising their voice against injustice. Women are today determinedly fighting for their rights.

The Koran emphasises justice. We are challenging the wrong practices in Islam. Triple talaq is uttered in a drunken state, in anger, on phone or by sms. How can we accept this injustice heaped on women? Women are left in a destitute state after a unilateral talaq. They get no help from the community. We have to go to the women in the Muslim community and explain the truth to them. She explained the signature campaign planned by AIDWA to end this unilateral triple talaq and polygamy.

She further elaborated on the different issues affecting the Muslim community. Issues of education, employment, food security, civic facilities and health are very important. We should also intervene and help in cases of wrongful confinement of innocent Muslim youth by the police in false cases and raise the demand for their rehabilitation.

Maimoona Mollah explained that the issue of triple talaq and polygamy is being widely discussed today in our country in the background of the Shayara Bano case pending before the Supreme Court. But AIDWA, since the 1990s, while raising its voice for equal laws and equal rights for all women, has demanded a ban on the practice of unilateral, oral triple talaq in one sitting and an end to polygamy. She said that there are many sects within the Muslim community. Some of these sects do not have the practice of unilateral triple talaq. Many Muslim countries too have banned the practice of triple talaq.

The period when polygamy was practiced does not exist now. In earlier times, in the Arab countries, men had unlimited number of wives. So a restriction with numerous conditions was placed on the number of wives. This is not supposed to be a right as is being posed by the Muslim Personal Law Board (MPLB). She criticised the MPLB for the objectionable anti-women comments in its affidavit in its reply to the Supreme Court.  

She also criticised the Modi-led BJP government for its communal propaganda and attacks on Muslims and dalits. While we have to campaign within the Muslim community and fight for justice, we also have to raise our voices against communalism and fundamentalism. 

Noorjehan questioned as to why the Muslim community was so backward after 69 years of independence. Though the government policies are primarily responsible, we should also turn the searchlight inwards. Some of the reasons for backwardness can be found within the community itself. So women have to come forward to change this situation. It is only those who struggle that can advance. Muslim men have bestowed upon themselves the right of triple talaq and polygamy under the garb of religion. Koran does not permit these practices. Women are not allowed to participate in the running of the affairs of the community. The idaras are run in such a manner that women cannot participate. Women are criticised and ridiculed when they try to build their lives independently. But we must keep up the struggle for equality and justice with determination.

BMMA has also fought for the right of women to be allowed in dargahs. After all attempts for a dialogue in the community failed, they approached the Mumbai High Court. The Court has ordered in their favour in the Haji Ali case in Mumbai.

Irfan Engineer explained the Koranic injunctions in a very simple and clear manner. There have been many interpretations of the Koran and it has been continuously developed over the last 100 years. Different sects of the Muslim community follow different sharias. Rabiya Basri, a Sufi saint, had said that love and justice is the soul of the Koran.

Irfan made the participants read paragraphs from the Hindi translation of the Koran. These passages showed that the Koran favoured sexual equality and did not sanction triple talaq, halala and polygamy as practiced in India. He also explained the passages regarding age of marriage, mehr, khula, iddat and maintenance.

The participants unanimously stated that the nikahnama is a contract signed during marriage by the husband, wife and witnesses. Then why should the talaq be unilateral? Halala is extremely insulting and demeaning to women. It is an assault on the dignity of women. Women should assert their right for a fair amount of mehr to be given during the nikah. It is usually the mother who brings up her children single-handed after the talaq without any help or contribution from the father. The children face problems in getting certificates, aadhar cards or admissions in schools as the father is not cooperative. Hence the children should be recognised by the mother’s name after the talaq.

The participants divided themselves into their districts and discussed the planning of the signature campaign. AIDWA Maharashtra state secretary Sonya Gill summed up the discussions and placed the future programme. A target of 50,000 signatures has been planned in Maharashtra. Numerous meetings of Muslim women will be held in various districts to explain AIDWA’s stand. Districts will also identify women who have been victims of triple talaq and are in dire straits. Individual letters by these women will be sent to the Wakf Board, which is responsible for their rehabilitation.

The proceedings of the workshop were jointly conducted by Rehana Shaikh, AIDWA state joint secretary and convenor of the Muslim sub-committee, Naseema Shaikh, AIDWA state vice-president and Mumtaj Hyder, AIDWA state committee member.