Amid the Hijab row in Karnataka, the prominent Muslim organization Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind on Saturday asserted that the hijab is compulsory in Islam and claimed that preventing Muslim students from wearing it is against the Article 25 of the Constitution which speaks of the freedom to practice religion.

A meeting of the working committee of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Arshad Madani faction) was held at the central office of the organization here under the chairmanship of Maulana Arshad Madani during which important social and contemporary issues were discussed discussed in detail, a statement released by the Jamiat said.

Talking about the hijab issue which started in Karnataka and has now been reported in other parts of the country as well, Madani said some ‘so-called educated people’ are giving the wrong impression that hijab is not compulsory in Islam and that there is nothing mentioned about it in the Koran.

“There are Islamic guidelines on hijab in the Holy Quran and hadith which clearly say that hijab is obligatory in Shariah,” Madani said.

Read also | Quest for the hijab: activists denounce the violation of dignity

Regarding the constitutional issue, he said, the ban on Muslim female students from wearing the hijab is contrary to Article 25 of the Constitution which gives rights to minorities.

India does not have a state religion but it gives all citizens complete freedom to practice their religion, the Jamiat said.

The Karnataka High Court concluded the hearing in the “hijab” (scarf) case on Friday but reserved its order.

The bench, constituted on February 9 and made up of Chief Justice Justice Krishna S Dixit and Justice Jaibunnisa M Khazi, has heard on a day-to-day basis over the past two weeks a batch of petitions filed by some girls seeking leave to wear the hijab in educational institutions where a uniform has been prescribed.

The girls were reportedly refused entry to a pre-university all-girls college in Udupi last December for breaching the dress code.

Read also | Schools should not encourage unnecessary controversies like what is happening in Karnataka: Venkaiah Naidu

On January 1, six female students attended a press conference organized by the Campus Front of India (CFI) to protest against the refusal to enter classrooms because they were wearing hijab. This prompted student boys to wear saffron shawls in protest.

As the issue of hijab versus saffron headscarves has spread to several educational institutions in many parts of Karnataka since then, the state government has announced a public holiday from February 9 to February 15 in all pre-university colleges and from February 9 to February 16 in diplomas and diploma schools.

In its interim order, the House asked the government to reopen educational institutions affected by the unrest and banned students from wearing religious clothing until the court issues the final order.

Madani also said there is an urgent need for schools and colleges where Muslim children can pursue higher education in a religious environment without any hindrance or discrimination.

He also called on people to establish more schools and colleges for boys and girls where children can easily receive a good education in a religious environment.

Besides Chief Jamiat, Secretary General Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Mufti Syed Masoom, Vice President Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind Lucknow Maulana Abdul Aleem Farooqi, Maulana Asjad Madani of Deoband among others attended the meeting.

Watch the latest DH videos here: