E-Paper
Seminary dogged by controversy
CITY OLDEST and biggest seminary ? the Jame Uloom that is 150-year-old ? is in the eye of a storm. In a dramatic move, the Sunni Central Waqf Board has changed the entire managing body and given the reigns to some industrialists with shady track records.
CITY OLDEST and biggest seminary — the Jame Uloom that is 150-year-old — is in the eye of a storm. In a dramatic move, the Sunni Central Waqf Board has changed the entire managing body and given the reigns to some industrialists with shady track records.
In the process, the Board has not only refused to accept the genuinely elected body but also outrightly rejected its demand for approval. Instead, the Board has appointed leather industrialist Mohd Ismail Syed Shareef as the ‘mohattamim and mutawalli’ of Jame Uloom madarsa and trust. Shareef who happens to be brother-in-law of Shahi Imam Ahmed Bukhari has been appointed for one year.
Mohd Wasi Ahmed, a controversial builder and a listed land mafia, will be the treasurer. Dr Abdul Suboor is the new ‘nayab mohattamim’ whereas industrialists Irshad Mirza, Waqarul Amin have been made members to the ‘shoora’. The man behind the coup, Qazi Manzoor Ahmed Mazahari has been retained as the principal of the seminary.
Needless to say, the seminary was witnessing intense battle with the factions fighting to gain control for over a year. And recently, several influential Muslims intervened to bring about a truce between the warring factions headed by Taj Khusro and the Shaher Qazi. In the process, Khusro was allowed to continue at the top post. This despite the fact that Mazahari enjoying public support with Patkapur inhabitants taking out rallies in his support.
In less than six months, Mazahari group staged a coup catching Khusro unawares. On May 17, the Sunni Waqf Board received an affidavit from Mohd Ismail Syed Shareef that asked the Board to allow him to take over the seminary. The affidavit said the Waqf Nos. 17A, 43, 64, 67, 197, 9233, 2333 had no care taker ever since ‘mohattamim’ Abarar ul Haq passed away last year.
To maintain transparency, the ‘shoora’ assembled on April 14 at the residence of Haji Wasi Ahmed and elected him the ‘mutawalli’ and ‘mohattamim’ of the trust and the seminary. Going by the affidavit, Board chairman Hafiz Mohd Usman endorsed the ‘shoora’s’ decision and appointed him to the coveted posts.
Consequently, the new team dominated by industrialists formally took over the seminary.
The Board decision however a created a furore with Khusro describing it as totally unconstitutional. The Board’s role came under scrutiny when the application seeking approval by the elected ‘mohattamim’ Haji Nasrullah was not considered for a year. The decision, Khusro said, would be challenged and persons behind the takeover would be exposed.
