Wakf Tribunal dismiss another ‘Nonsense Fatwa’

Wife is a mate, rules Kollam wakf tribunal

KOLLAM: The wakf tribunal, Kollam, T.V. Anilkumar, on Friday declared as null and void, the decision of the Thevalakkara Shareeful Islam Jama’at Council invalidating the nikah of Amina Beevi, daughter of Rekoob Kunju of Salam Manzil, Mullikkala, Thevalakkara in the Karunagapally taluk.

The Jama’at Council had taken a decision on March 11 to invalidate the nikah and also to dismiss Rekoob Kunju and his family members from the Jama’at and announced the same on March 17 in the mosque hall.

The reason mentioned by the Jama’at for its decision was surprising. The Jama’at had found that the contractual word uttered by Rekoob Kunju during the nikah held at the Dharul Huda orphanage auditorium, Mullikkala on January 21 was not according to the Islamic law.

Rekoob Kunju had uttered the word ‘wife’ instead of ‘mate’ to the bridegroom while solemnising the marriage in the presence of the khateeb and other invitees.

The offer was accepted by the groom and a valid marriage under the Mohammedan law took place. The Jama’at issued a valid marriage certificate too. But after two months, the Jama’at Council issued the fatwa after an emergency meeting on March 11.

Following this, Rekoob Kunju was intimated that as he had failed to utter the necessary customary word constituting the contract of marriage, it had been declared invalid. Further, the fact that Rekoob Kunju had conducted his son’s marriage without the permission of the Jama’at was also cited as another reason for expelling him and his family members from the Jama’at.

Rekoob Kunju, addressing a news conference here on Friday, said that he had not given any dowry for his daughter and had accepted an orphan girl as his daughter-in-law as he had staunch faith in Islam.

He said that there was nothing un-Islamic in uttering the contractual word in one’s mother tongue. He said that he had uttered the Malayalam word bharya instead of ena as the contractual word.

The wakf tribunal’s decree had justified his stand, Rekoob Kunju said. Muhammed Parambil and Shihab Thevalakkara also attended the news meet.