The Muslims Community in Agra, India has vowed that they will no longer accept the culture of dowry after the horrific incident where a girl in Ahmedabad, committed suicide after being harassed for dowry. The 23-year old girl named ‘Ayesha Arif Khan’ recently committed suicide and shocked the Muslim community of Agra. The girl apparently made a two-minute video at the riverbed, and then jumped into the Sabarmati River at Ahmedabad.
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A prayer meeting was held for Ayesha in an Agra Mosque after the ‘Namaaz’ on Friday, where the Muslim community leaders paid last respects to the girl.
Islam Prohibits Dowry, says Muslim Community leaders
One of the leaders, ‘Hafiz Mohd Yahya Khan’, said that the Muslim community and the teaching s of Islam completely forbid Dowry. He mentioned that the Holy Quran completely renounces Dowry, and going against this principle is a breach of ethical Muslim behavior. Another leader, ‘Ziauddin’, secretary of Hindustani Biradari, said that the Muslim community will have to take a strict and unanimous decision to completely eradicate this evil of Dowry from the Muslims Weddings, and thereby the Muslim community.
‘Ziauddin’ expressed fears of the same thing happening to other daughters of the community, as what has happened with Ayesha. He also mentioned that the daughters-in-law must be treated as daughters in their households, and only then the menace of dowry can be controlled.
The evil of Dowry is Punishable and the Muslims Culture condemns it
Talking about how Ayesha was badly tortured by her in-laws and husband, the Jamit-ul—Quresh president ‘Mohd. Sharif Kale’ blamed the menace of dowry for her condition. Kale said that such people should be given the strictest punishment in law.
The Muslim Parishad (community) has already distributed pamphlets, requesting other Muslims to not give and take dowry, also reminding them that this practice is forbidden in Islam, told the Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad chairman ‘Sami Aghai’.
This step will be a positive precedent in a society that is deep-rooted with the evils of dowry and may bring respite to many girls like, Ayesha, who suffer harassment for Dowry.
Ayesha Recorded Her Last Message in a Video
The emotional video message shared by Ayesha was heartbreaking for the Muslim community as well as the others. In the video, she introduced herself happily foiling all her hidden trauma and sadness. Before taking the extreme step she asked her father to withdraw the case, and also mentioned that she loved her husband ‘Arif’ and is granting freedom to him. She said that she is happy that she will be meeting Allah, and believes that she had a short life. She also mentioned in the video that she will ask Allah, where she went wrong. Her father told the media that demands for dowry by Ayesha’s in-laws began from the marriage day itself and increased as time progressed. Ayesha was living with her parents for a long time now after her husband was not accepting her back. After her suicide, her husband was arrested on charges of abetment to suicide from Rajasthan and brought to Ahmedabad.
