Islamabad: Religious scholars, senior clerics, and public circles have strongly reacted to recent fatwas issued by Maulana Jameel Azhar, terming them a clear distortion of Islamic teachings and a serious breach of trust associated with the pulpit. Observers say the statements appear driven by personal and political hostility, attempting to misrepresent core Islamic obligations.
According to religious and jurisprudential experts, the claim attributed to Maulana Jameel Azhar that “Pakistani citizens are slaves, therefore Hajj is not obligatory upon them” is entirely baseless and contradicts established Islamic doctrine. In Islamic jurisprudence, slavery refers to legal ownership in a classical context, not modern political or economic conditions. The Qur’an clearly states that Hajj is obligatory for those who are able to undertake the journey, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) included Hajj as one of the fundamental pillars of Islam.
Scholars further note that his rhetoric becomes more controversial when political opponents are allegedly compared with historical figures of false prophecy and labeled outside the fold of Islam. Islamic teachings strictly prohibit declaring a Muslim as non-believer based on political disagreement, and such takfiri thinking has historically been associated with extremist tendencies.
Academic circles argue that using religious platforms for political narratives undermines both scholarship and authority. They warn that such interpretations risk fueling divisive narratives that have previously been exploited by extremist groups to justify violence. The use of religious rulings to delegitimize the state or its citizens is described as deeply problematic and unacceptable within mainstream Islamic thought.
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