Pakistan clerics’ fatwa declares casting vote ‘religious obligation’

[Devil Soul]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani religious scholars Thursday issued an edict (fatwa), declaring casting vote ‘compulsory under Islamic injunctions’, a senior religious leader said.
Over 300 clerics belonging to different schools of thought issued the decree in Islamabad nearly two weeks ahead of the parliamentary elections, Chairman of the Pakistan Scholars Council Allama Tahir Ashrafi said.
The edict is in contrast with the stance of the Taliban, who view the democratic system as un-Islamic and have also asked the people to stay away from casting votes.
Allama Ashrafi told The Express Tribune that the edict views casting vote as an ‘Islamic obligation’ of the people and the action of those who avoid casting vote will be considered a ‘sin’.
He said that the decree has been prepared in light of the opinion of senior religious scholars, who also urge the people to go to poll in the next month elections.
The decree said that the system could be changed through vote.
Responding to a question about women’s rights to vote, Allama Ashrafi said that the decree favoured vote right to women. However, the decree said that female officials should be deployed at women polling stations.
Allama Ashrafi asked the people to cast votes in the elections and use their right in favour of good candidates and if there is no good candidate then the people can choose a “less bad” person.
The religious decree comes at an important time as electioneering is going on throughout Pakistan while the Taliban and few other militant groups have opposed the election system.
Earlier, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan had said that they will not forcibly stop people from going to the polling stations. But he asked the people to boycott the elections declaring the democratic system “un-Islamic”.
Allama Ashrafi said that there are thousands of religious seminaries associated with the Pakistan ‘Ulema’ Council, who have endorsed the decree.
He also said that all major political parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), PML-Quaid, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as minorities have also supported the decree.
Pakistan clerics

 

[Zarvan]

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani religious scholars Thursday issued an edict (fatwa), declaring casting vote ‘compulsory under Islamic injunctions’, a senior religious leader said.
Over 300 clerics belonging to different schools of thought issued the decree in Islamabad nearly two weeks ahead of the parliamentary elections, Chairman of the Pakistan Scholars Council Allama Tahir Ashrafi said.
The edict is in contrast with the stance of the Taliban, who view the democratic system as un-Islamic and have also asked the people to stay away from casting votes.
Allama Ashrafi told The Express Tribune that the edict views casting vote as an ‘Islamic obligation’ of the people and the action of those who avoid casting vote will be considered a ‘sin’.
He said that the decree has been prepared in light of the opinion of senior religious scholars, who also urge the people to go to poll in the next month elections.
The decree said that the system could be changed through vote.
Responding to a question about women’s rights to vote, Allama Ashrafi said that the decree favoured vote right to women. However, the decree said that female officials should be deployed at women polling stations.
Allama Ashrafi asked the people to cast votes in the elections and use their right in favour of good candidates and if there is no good candidate then the people can choose a “less bad” person.
The religious decree comes at an important time as electioneering is going on throughout Pakistan while the Taliban and few other militant groups have opposed the election system.
Earlier, Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan spokesperson Ehsanullah Ehsan had said that they will not forcibly stop people from going to the polling stations. But he asked the people to boycott the elections declaring the democratic system “un-Islamic”.
Allama Ashrafi said that there are thousands of religious seminaries associated with the Pakistan ‘Ulema’ Council, who have endorsed the decree.
He also said that all major political parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), PML-Quaid, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Jamaat-e-Islami, as well as minorities have also supported the decree.
Pakistan clerics

please come up with something better than the fatwa of tahir asharfi who is famous for corruption and other evils and its no a religious obligation to be part of this corrupt system and vote

 

[ajpirzada]

aik to yeh fatwoon nay tang kia hoa hay.. vote do ya nah do iss ka fatway say kia tallak hay? voting is just a social responsibility but not an obligation. and for something which is not an obligation does not call for any fatwa!
aiway he damagh kharab kertay rehtay hain saray..

 

[Srinivas]

Screw every thing with these Fatwas

And Pakistanis say they converted to Islam because of caste system in Hinduism.

fact is you will find one of the intense caste observing people in Pakistani society.

 

[Zarvan]

Screw every thing with these Fatwas

And Pakistanis say they converted to Islam because of caste system in Hinduism.

fact is you will find one of intense caste observing people in Pakistani society.

yes their is some but fear better than India

 

[Ehsan Riaz]

i think such fatwas should not be taken because it is will of anybody who wishes to vote or not, making it a religious obligation is going to far. Where did Quran and Sunnah declared voting for rulers an obligation if someone give me reference i will accept that fatwa.

 

[xyxmt]

Screw every thing with these Fatwas

And Pakistanis say they converted to Islam because of caste system in Hinduism.

fact is you will find one of intense caste observing people in Pakistani society.

old habits die hard, maybe 5 more generations for it

 

[livingdead]

what is the jurisdiction of the fatwa? Does it apply to Indian muslims?

 

[Sedqal]

Screw every thing with these Fatwas

And Pakistanis say they converted to Islam because of caste system in Hinduism.

fact is you will find one of the intense caste observing people in Pakistani society.

No you won't you can hardly wait to malign others with your shortcomings.

 

[jatt+gutts]

what is a fatwa n what happens if someone doest agree with it ? can some pakistani clarify

 

[rashid.sarwar]

Tahir Ashrafi is a drunk.

http://www.themuslimtimes.org/2012/10/countries/pakistan/moulana-tahir-ashrafi-caught-drunk

These mulla uses Islam for wordly benefit.

Beware of these type of mullas

 

[Sedqal]

what is a fatwa n what happens if someone doest agree with it ? can some pakistani clarify

Its a religious ruling, its not binding and is treated as a religious scholar's opinion on said matter.

 

[ajpirzada]

what is a fatwa n what happens if someone doest agree with it ? can some pakistani clarify

fatwa is a religious verdict which allows or prohibits from something based on the Quran and sayings/life prophet Muhammad (peace upon him and his family).

in most cases nothing happens and it is upto to the individuals to conform his actions in accordance with the verdict. in short it is mostly for public awareness regarding what is right and what is wrong according to the religious law. eg. if i want to know how Islam looks at a certain matter, i will consult the Fatwas of famous religious scholars - who are called 'Imams' if their rulings are widely accepted.

 

[La ResistanceZ]

I don't think they are saying to vote for religious partys, I think they are just telling people to go out and vote.

[video]http://tune.pk/video/70348/FatwaaboutElection[/video]

ISLAMABAD: Religious scholars form the Pakistan Ulema Council have issued a Fatwa which declares the non-casting of vote a sin, adding that voting is an Islamic responsibility.

The Fatwa further states that women have equal rights to vote, adding that it is not religion that bars them from voting but the feudal system.

Chairman Pakistan Ulema Council, Tahir Ashrafi said that misusing the name of Islam should be stopped immediately.

Pakistan Ulema Council declares voting

 

[Kompromat]

Very good step.
@ajpirzada Its needed