Shia Board condemns edict by Saudi, Kuwaiti clerics

Lucknow, Aug 2 (UNI) The All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB), at a special meeting presided by president Maulana Mirza Mohd Athar, condemned the edict of some Saudi and Kuwaiti clerics, which allegedly call for the demolition of Shia shrines in Iraq, Syria and Egypt, including the shrines of Hazrat Imam Hussain at Karbala and Hazrat Ali at Najaf.

Expressing anger at this ''evil edict,'' the Board in a resolution has decided to write to the Saudi and Kuwaiti governments, urging them to ban such organisations, ''that are a big threat to the world peace.'' In another resolution, the board has urged the union governemnt to use its good offices to impress upon the governments of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait for imposing ban on such edicts and movements.

The resolution also urged to government to alert its intelligence agencies and arrange for foolproof security of religious buildings.

The board further decried a Hindi weekly of Unnao, for publishing ''derogatory remarks against Hazrat Abu Talib, the father of Hazrat Ali, in its issue of July 27.'' In yet another resolution, the board urged madarsas to voluntarily liberalise their syllabus and introduce computer education and teaching of English, Hindi and general knowledge.

The change is necessary for the overall growth of the students and the images of madarsas, which henceforth are considered the breeding ground of terrorists, the board felt.

The board by another resolution expressed satisfaction at the progress of census work.

The board members have completed census work in some of the bigger states of the country, where Muslims are in sizeable numbers.

By another resolution, the board has decided to hold its third annual session on November 25.

UNI