ISLAMABAD - The Council of Islamic Ideology yesterday held eunuchs could not be deprived of inheritance under Islamic injunctions and that they should be given their share out of their parents’ property.
The CII also recommended elimination of co-education in educational institutions and asked the government to come up with minimum possible time frame for it.
Announcing the decisions of Council of Islamic Ideology on conclusion of its two-day meeting yesterday, Chairman Maulana Muhammad Khan Sheerani said from primary classes to onward co-education should be brought to an end, asking the federal government to come up with some timeframe.
In its two-day deliberations, the CII deliberated upon host of issues, including eliminating interest-based economy, a longstanding demand of the council. It also asserted that since eunuchs could not be deprived of their parents’ property, they should be given their share as per Islamic injunctions.
Similarly, the council members made it clear that it was not binding on women in Islam to cover face, hands and feet unless and until there was a chance of some commotion or disruption in this regard.
Recalling the announcement made by former military ruler Gen Ziaul Haq to establish two women universities in the country, Maulana Sheerani asked the government to immediately set up such varsities and make arrangements for separate education system for boys and girls.
On the issue of veil, Maulana Sheerani said the CII members, after threadbare discussion, held it was not mandatory for women to cover their face, hands and feet as there was no clear-cut direction in Islam in this regard. He, however, said that in case some women wanted to cover their face, hands and feet, they could do it. He further said that in case of any threat or mischief, women should preferably wear veil.
Some of more liberal members of the CII, including Maulana Tahir Ashrafi and Allama Amin Shaheedi, did not attend the first sitting of the two-day meeting. Interestingly, the ruling was supported by of Jamaat-e-Islami’s Samia Raheela Qazi who was wearing veil.
Maulana Sheerani who belongs to JUI-F supported niqab for Muslim women to cover their face and use gloves and socks to cover their hands and feet.
Some insiders in the CII said the matter was taken up on the request of the Ministry of Interior as many communities and clerics were still opposing the requirement for women to be photographed for computerised national identity cards (CNIC).
On the issue of eunuchs’ share in parents’ property, Maulana Sheerani criticised those depriving their eunuch offspring of their right to inheritance. He made it loud and clear that as per Islamic injunctions, they could not be deprived of their parents’ belongings and should be given share as per Islam. Explaining his point, he said a eunuch child with more male features should be given share as per male’s share while a eunuch child with more female features should get share equal to woman.
Under the law, rulings and observations of the CII are not binding on the parliament or the government. But all the functions of the government and enactment of laws have to be vetted by the CII to ensure that they are not repugnant to Islamic injunctions.