Vested interests, twisted figures backing triple-talaq ban: AIMPLB

LUCKNOW: A section of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Saturday came together to unanimously condemn a campaign by certain organisations seeking to abolish triple-talaq in India. In the conference of executive members that included women, the issue was termed as an attempt to malign the image of Islam by misrepresenting survey data, while also raising a question mark on the external organisation's credibility.The members agreed collectively that the Muslim Personal Law cannot be changed.
"It is being stated by certain organisations with vested interest that due to triple-talaq a large number of women are suffering but in truth the divorce rate in Muslims is the least in India and mostly a phenomenon of metropolitan cities," said Dr Asma Zehra, executive member of the Board, who addressed the conference, stating to be the representative of Indian Muslim women.
Refraining from taking names and calling them fringe elements, she pointed out that certain organisations and "aandolans" (movements) have been terming Islam as gender-biased and unjust towards women, which is false. "Women in Islam hold a high position and have been given equal rights as men, an example being option to give consent or decline a man's proposal to marriage, even before the man," she added.
Members of the Board said a concocted survey report is being presented by such organisations that have no connection with either Muslim law or the Hadith and Quran. "Who are these people? Who is guiding them? We condemn all signatures they have collected. Almost 99% of the women we meet in our seminars and conferences are content with the law and want no amendments," executive committee member Maulana Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahli said.
Elaborating further, members said the demand to amend the "divine law" stands no chance as there is no scope for even an amendment and no interference will not be tolerated.
The matter of triple-talaq came into limelight recently when an organisation called Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan (BMMA) sought 50,000 signatures in support of its demand to abolish the practice. Based on results, it asked for a legal ban on the practice which they said affects majority of Muslim women adversely and hence the personal law be codified.