Maulana Issues New Fatwas, Raising Questions About Authority and Consequences

Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi is often in the news for issuing fatwas. He is the national president of the Bareilly-based All India Muslim Jamat. Recently, he issued 2 more fatwas. He objected to a Hindu youth using Muslim surnames. Did the politician, the actor and the common man not spare anyone? He says Muslims should not go against the tenets of Islam. Whoever does not follow the Shariat will have to repent. Maulana has issued fatwas against dozens of big leaders, film stars and famous faces. He claims that many people started following my fatwas. Whoever does not follow them will have to answer to God. In such a situation, many questions are being raised - what is a fatwa? Who has the right to issue it? Against whom a fatwa is issued, what is the religious punishment for not following it? Maulana asked Shahabuddin Abdullah, the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.