J&K Grand Mufti, who said music was 'unIslamic', seen enjoying songs

[Roybot]

​

For the Grand Mufti of Kashmir, music is "un-Islamic" and a "vice" that should be forbidden for everyone. Everyone except him, of course. Mufti Bashir-ud-din, who issued a fatwa against an all-girls rock band in Kashmir, has no qualms enjoying music himself.

The cleric was seen enjoying a musical programme recently in a houseboat on the scenic Dal Lake.

The state government-backed grand mufti presided over the musical function organised by Radio Kashmir in memory of Urdu poet Akbar Jaipuri. Leading Kashmiri singer Qaiser Nizami enthralled the audience with Urdu ghazals after the guests were served kehwa (traditional green tea).


"The evening commenced with a popular ghazal sung by Mehdi Hassan, Ranjish hi sahi, dil hi dukhaane ke liye aa, followed by Chaap Tilak (Punjabi ghazal). "Everybody was visibly transported to another world," socialite Kalpana Tickoo, who attended the July 8 function, wrote in a local newspaper. "People were letting their hair down, unmindful of their surroundings. Once the cruise reached Char Chinari (a small island in the Dal Lake), it came to a halt… This time, the youngsters took charge of the music and what followed was absolute bonhomie.

"And before I forget to mention, it was a pleasure to watch the Grand Mufti of J&K, Mufti Azam Bashirud- din Ahmad, listening appreciatively, with rapt attention to the musical treat with a smile on his face," she wrote.

The Mufti was sitting with former director of Doordarshan, Shahzadi Simon. The function, where some women from Pakistan were also present, ended at midnight. In February, the grand mufti had decreed against the Valley's only allgirls band, Pragaash, saying music was banned in Islam and girls should imbibe "better values" instead of vices.

"All bad things happening in Indian society are because of music," he had said. The fatwa had forced the girls to disband Pragaash. Bashir-ud-din is not new to controversies. In January last year, the Sharia court headed by him ordered expulsion of three Christian missionaries from the Valley on charges of proselytism.
He issued a fatwa directing the three priests - M C Khanna, Jim Borst and Gayoor Messah - to leave the Valley immediately.

Mufti's Sharia court also decreed that the state government must involve it in the management of missionary schools. The matter died down after separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani supported the missionaries and their schools.

In September 2012, a controversial anti-Islam film surfaced in America and Europe and Mufti got a chance to hit out at the US. He asked Americans to leave Kashmir and urged people to register their protest against the blasphemous film and "attack US citizens if they are seen anywhere in the Valley". This led an alarmed US Embassy in New Delhi to ask its citizens to stay away from Kashmir. Geelani again stepped in and rejected Mufti's call.

Miffed over the cleric's shenanigans, human rights lawyer Pervez Imroz is planning to file a petition in the High Court challenging the legality of the court of Islamic Sharia headed by Bashir-ud-din.

Read more: 'Music is un-Islamic' - unless you are the Grand Mufti of course! J&K Muslim leader enjoys a night of traditional songs | Mail Online
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[Bullet500]

Hypocrites!

 

[indushek]

Hypocrite.

 

[Ayush]

yeah,he is a true kashmiri leader.. leads by example

 

[LURKER]

GAY-lani is he biggest hypocrite of them all

 

[karan.1970]

J&K Grand Mufti, who said music was 'unIslamic', seen enjoying songs | NDTV.com

Srinagar: A video showing Grand Mufti of Jammu and Kashmir Bashiruddin Ahmad enjoying music, an act he termed as forbidden in Islam, went viral yesterday, drawing sharp reactions online.

The Grand Mufti is seen in the video in the company of several other persons, including women, at a gathering where a local artist is singing ghazals while playing a harmonium.

Mr Ahmad drew widespread criticism for his presence at the musical event as he had issued a "fatwa" against the first all-girl rock band 'Pragaash' of Kashmir saying singing was "unIslamic".

The three-member team decided to disband the rock group following the fatwa issued by the Grand Mufti in January this year.

The Grand Mufti, however, termed the video as handiwork of mischievous elements.

"It was not a musical event. It was a seminar on life of noted literary person Akbar Haideri which was organised by Aziz Hajini and Rukhsana Jabeen (Director AIR Srinagar).

"The programme began with recitation of Holy Quran and at the end Kaiser Nizami read some of the verses of Akbar Haideri," he said.

Mr Ahmad said the news reports about the video were an attempt to tarnish his image.

 

[Jesus]

I think similar thread exists already..

 

[Ammyy]

Mr Ahmad drew widespread criticism for his presence at the musical event as he had issued a "fatwa" against the first all-girl rock band 'Pragaash' of Kashmir saying singing was "unIslamic".

These people are living example of backward thinking aka taliban ideology.... Not much different from terrorist who shoot malala in Pakistan.

 

[Awesome]

video??? depends on which song...

 

[Vinod2070]

These people are living example of backward thinking aka taliban ideology.... Not much different from terrorist who shoot malala in Pakistan.

They should be kicked back to the desert.

 

[ExtraOdinary]

Are people surprised

 

[joekrish]

People like these only take the country back words, not only do they not contribute anything to the society, they hold those people back who try.

 

[karan.1970]

http://www.kashmirreader.com/07282013-ND-‘grand-mufti’-faces-music-over-dal-concert-18752.aspx

SRINAGAR: Kashmir’s self-styled Grand Mufti, Mufti Bashir-ud-Din, whose infamous fatwa in February this year declaring music as forbidden in Islam forced the all-girls rock band to quit, is in news again after an online video showing him attending a musical event has gone viral.
The two-minute on YouTube shows the Mufti at a musical function held under the aegis of Doordarshan in a houseboat on the Dal Lake here.
The video shows the Mufti sitting with PDP ‘s women leader and former director of Doordarshan, Shahzadi Simon, while a renowned Kashmiri singer Qaiser Nizami is entertaining the audience with famous gazals from the Pakistani legend Mehdi Hasan.

On Saturday, when a Delhi-based newspaper ‘Mail Today’ reported the incident under the headline ‘Music is un-Islamic’ unless you are the Grand Mufti of course!’ many people, particularly youngsters, slammed Mufti Bashir on seeing the video. Mufti has threatened to sue the daily.

“He is listening to if anything is objectionable to censor. Otherwise why should he be present in a combined 'majlis' (gathering) of men and women,” asked one Bashir Gaash.

“Rock-Band start playing harmonium, no fatwa,” wrote one Ruwa Shah.

Others heaped abuses and used choicest invectives against the Mufti, with many dismissing him as an “Indian agent who is out to malign the great religion of Islam and Muslims with his stupid fatwas.”

Meanwhile, talking to Kashmir Reader Mufti Bashir said the Dal lake function was a literary one and that he was sitting to the side not listening to music.

“It was a literary function to commemorate the death anniversary Akbar Hyderi (Kashmir’s well-known Urdu writer who passed away last year). It started with the recitation of Holy Qur’an and there was no rock band in it,” Mufti said.

When asked about the questions raised to his sitting with a ‘stranger’ woman and listening to music, he said, “Yes, Qaiser Nizami was singing, but it was separate to the function. We were sitting separately to one side not listening to the music.”

Mufti Bashir had sought to become prominent in January last year when he ordered expulsion of three Christian missionaries accusing them of forcing Muslim youths to convert to Christianity. Later, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq-led group of ulema, formed against the alleged forced conversions, left the Mufti to take the final call on the issue.

In February, Mufti Bashir again landed himself in controversy after he issued a fatwa against the Valley's only all-girls band, Pragaash. He argued that music is banned in Islam, and he had even blamed the music for “all bad things” creeping up in the Indian society.

The fatwa had resulted in the all-girls band, and the reservations against it, becoming a debate mostly in the Indian media, eventually forcing the girls to disband the group.

Later, prominent human rights lawyer Parvez Imroz challenged in the High Court the legality of Mufti Bashir’s position and of his Shariah court. Mufti Bashir, however, continues to speak on the political and religious issues.

 

[Jesus]

video??? depends on which song...

Was there anything defined in quran, which music/song is Islamic and which one is unIslamic??

 

[Awesome]

Was there anything defined in quran, which music/song is Islamic and which one is unIslamic??

There is not a single line in the Quran saying Music is haraam.