ISLAMABAD, Apr 05 (DNA): Prominent religious scholar and leading Mufti
of Pakistan, Mufti Muneebur Rehman, has said that since India is
illegally occupying Jammu and Kashmir and has deprived its residents of
their basic human rights, it is, therefore, absolutely not lawful for
the people of the territory to sell their properties, even a small tool
like needle, to the Hindus of India.

Mufti Muneebur Rehman issued the fatwa [religious decree] in response to
an istifta [religious query] that whether it is lawful for the people of
occupied Jammu and Kashmir to sell their properties to the Hindus of
India to accomplish the objective of the despotic Indian rulers of
converting Muslim majority state of Jammu and Kashmir into a minority
especially when India in violation of its own constitution, UN
resolutions and international law abrogated Articles 35-A and 370 on
August 5, 2019? The query also mentioned the introduction of new
domicile law by India, which has lifted ban on Indian citizens to get
jobs in occupied Kashmir.

Mufti Muneeb in his fatwa in response to the above query categorically
said, it is not lawful as per Shariah to even rent their properties to
the Hindus of India. He also cited various verses from the Holy Quran
and Hadith, saying if infidels are in a state of war with Muslims and
have illegally occupied their territory like India in Jammu and Kashmir
and Israel in Palestine, it is unlawful for the Muslims of that
territory to give charity, sadaqah or hibba to them. Doing so is a kind
of assisting them in oppression, he added.

He said that the scholars of Islam are unanimous in their opinion that
it is not valid for Muslims to sell anything, even like a needle, to the
pagans in certain conditions, which may turn out to be harmful for
Muslims and the Islamic state at present or in near future. He said it
is sinful to do so because it is a kind of assisting them in oppression.

The Mufti said that Jammu and Kashmir is Darul Islam where the Muslims
are in majority for the past many centuries and by abrogating Articles
35-A and 370 of the Indian constitution, India has itself violated its
agreement with the Kashmiri people. This violation on part of India, he
maintained, is a first step towards the dissolution of the entity of
Jammu and Kashmir. He said these Articles of the Indian constitution
testify that Jammu and Kashmir is a disputed territory, and by no means
a part of India, but instead an Indian occupied territory. He added that
the United Nations has also acknowledged it a disputed territory through
its resolutions passed in 1948.

He said, in such circumstances, it is, as per Sharia, absolutely not
lawful for the Muslims of Jammu and Kashmir to sell their properties and
immovable belongings to the Hindus. Such a practice, he added, will be
tantamount to weaken Muslims and making their enemies stronger, which is
forbidden in Islam.

Mufti Muneeb said that by following Israeli model India wants to turn
Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir into a minority through purchasing their
land at a price much higher than the market value. DNA

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