Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The All India Ulama Board's Madhya Pradesh chapter has asked qazis to solemnise interfaith marriages only after the consent of the couple's parents, in a bid to avoid any controversy after the 'nikah'.
Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra welcomed the decision, saying this is a positive initiative.
"We have written letters appealing to all the qazis that they should avoid solemnising the nikah if an interfaith couple comes for the marriage without the consent of parents or only for the sake of religious conversion," the Ulama Board's MP chapter president Qazi Syed Anas Ali Nadvi said.
He said that Islam doesn't advocate changing religion for the sake of marriage, which also hurts the sentiments of parents of the interfaith couple.
Nadvi said there is no such problem in big cities like Bhopal, but qazis in some smaller places may conduct such marriages, which should not happen.
"We want peace and harmony in the society," he added.
When asked about the decision, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra welcomed it and said, "This is a good initiative. This will spread positivity in the society and I hope everybody will pay heed to it." The Madhya Pradesh government last year introduced a law having a provision of rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years for luring a person through fraud and forcing marriage by religious conversion.
The law also holds priests or religious gurus responsible for solemnising such marriages without seeking the district magistrate's nod.
(with inputs from PTI)
