Muslim Law Board to campaign for women’s rights to inheritance

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) is planning to launch a “systematic movement” to ensure that women get their share of paternal property.

The Board’s working committee has observed that while in accordance with “Sharia law” the daughter is  entitled to a fixed share of father’s inheritance, but in many cases this doesn’t happen. In a similar way, a mother’s entitlement from her son’s property, or of a woman’s from her dead husband’s property, are also ignored.

SQR Ilyas, Board’s spokesperson, has stated that female foeticide, dowry, delayed marriages, attacks on women’s dignity, their exploitation at work-places, and domestic violence are other issues that have been taken note of by the Board.  

In the context of the observations made, the Board, an official release mentioned, has decided that “that special attention would be given to reform the society from within”. For the intended reforms, three secretaries – for three parts of the country – have been assigned the responsibility. A committee has also been formed to prepare a plan.

The participants of a recently held meeting, the Board stated, have appreciated the body’s efforts, made around the issue of uniform civil code. “On Board’s initiative, about 6.3 million Muslims responded to the Law Commission on UCC…,” the statement mentioned

The Board’s working committee has also expressed concern over several issues concerning wakf properties. Conferences on the issue of wakf properties will be organised in five major cities.