The Legacy Lives On

A legacy of the famous Begums of Bhopal may help usher in social reforms by sparing Shia families the exorbitant expense of weddings. The All India Shia Muslim Personal Law Board today announced it planned to issue a directive to community members to ensure that all Shia weddings take place in local mosques. Board chief Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar said the directive was part of its national policy. If the directive becomes reality, it will reduce the cost of marriages by almost half. Most marriages are now held in expensive marriage halls and hotels where the bride’s family has to bear the cost of decoration, furniture, electricity and the feast, as well as pay the Qazi’s fee. So far, Bhopal was the sole exception, solemnising marriages inside mosques. The tradition of the nikah taking place in mosques in Bhopal dates back well over 100 years to the time three begums — Qudasiya, Shahjahan and Sultanjahan, all Sunnis — introduced sweeping reforms in Muslim society under their rule.

Even now, during the peak marriage season in winter, spring and autumn, dozens of nikahs are held inside Taj-ul-Masjid, Moti Masjid and other well-known mosques in the Madhya Pradesh capital. The nikahs are generally held before sunset and cost little. On most occasions, the guests are served laddoos or given a small box of sweets or dry fruits. Maulana Athar said the board planned to announce the “mosque-only nikahs” for the Shia community at its October 25 meeting in New Delhi. “We hope this will be passed in the meeting,” a cleric on the Shia board said. The Maulana told The Telegraph that mosques were regarded as “Khuda ki ghar (house of God)” and, therefore, marriages held there would have a different kind of sanctity. “There are countries in the world where mosques are major centres of marriage,” the Maulana said. “Modern-day marriages are extravagant. They impose a huge financial burden on the parents of the brides and grooms. We must stop this.” He added: “Let us admit that Muslims are engaged in a competitive show of pomp and wealth over marriages along with other communities. But Muslim marriages are supposed to be simpler and quieter.”

Families can still choose to have a reception for their guests, but it will no longer be obligatory if the nikahs are solemnised in mosques. Privately, many Shia and Sunni leaders in Lucknow and Bhopal said they were happy that community leaders were trying to accelerate social reforms even if it meant taking a leaf out of old customs and traditions.

(Picture above: Moti Masjid Bhopal)