Women can offer prayers at mosques, ignore any fatwa barring entry: AIMPLB

Entry of women into mosques to offer prayers, as per Islamic texts, is permitted, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said in a affidavit submitted before the Supreme Court. It also said any fatwa barring the entry of women "may be ignored".

The submission was made in response to a plea seeking the apex court directions to allow women to enter a mosque and offer prayers.

Last year, the Supreme Court admitted two pleas on the matter — one of which was moved by a Pune-based couple.

The petition by Yasmeen Zuber Ahmad Peerzade and her husband Zuber Ahmad Nazir Ahmad Peerzade contended that "there is nothing in the Quran and the Hadith that requires gender segregation" and added that "the act of prohibition of females from entering Mosque is void and unconstitutional as such practices are not only repugnant to the basic dignity of a woman as an individual but also violative of the fundamental rights guaranteed under Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25 of the Constitution".

They claimed there were several women affected by this but were not in a position to approach the court. The petition said "the alleged act of prohibition of entry to mosque is violation of constitutional and fundamental right guaranteed under the Constitution as there cannot be any discrimination based on caste, sex and religion".

(Inputs and image from The Indian Express)