Insurance fatwa: AIMWPLB wants trust for needy

Lucknow, Sept 5: Reacting to a Dar-ul-Uloom Deoband fatwa terming life insurance as 'haraam', the All-India Muslim Women Personal Law Board has asked the clerics to set up a 'Bait-ul-mal' for needy women if it decided to strictly impose a ban on life insurance for Muslim men.

AIMWPLB president Shaista Amber said here it did not consider life insurance returns as 'haraam' as the insurance premiums were contributed by men from their hard-earned money to ensure a safe future for their families in case of a mishap.

''Men contribute to their life insurance premium through their hard-earned money. Therefore, the insurance is not 'gair munasib'...We appeal to the Deoband to open a door before they shut another,'' Ms Amber told sources.

She also added that women have all the rights on the insured amount. ''In case of a mishap, it is the insurance money which helps a woman to take care of the children. If that right is snatched, a women would find it difficult to fend for the family,'' she maintained.

The AIMWPLB president insisted that if Muslim men are disallowed to inverst in insurance, Deoband should set up a Bait-ul-mal' or a trust for needy women and children.

The fatwa or the religious decree issued by Dar-ul Uloom Deoband, asking Muslims not to go for life insurance has vertically divided Muslim community. The Sunnis have justified the fatwa calling life insurance as 'gair munasib' but not categorically calling it haram'as sugested by the Islamic seminary.

The Shias have, however, rejected the fatwa calling it as ''non issue'' for their community and not binding on them.

Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, a Shia Muslim cleric, said for Shias insurance is not a 'haraam', (illegal) as there is no fatwa against it.

All India muslim personal law board (AIMPLB) meebr Zafaryab Jilani said ''insurance for a muslim was a very wide issue and this cannot be settled by a fatwa in response to one question by a individual''.

The fatwa issued by Darul Ifta, the supreme body of Deoband authorised to issue religious decrees, said interest earned on bank deposits and insurance policies are illegal as per Shariat.

The fatwa was issued recently following a query from one Saleem Chisti, a resident of Lucknow.

UNI

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