For Muslims in city, peace is paramount

CHENNAI: A day after the Ayodhya verdict, as the nation keenly watched the Friday prayers in mosques to gauge the mood of Muslims, one message rang out loud and clear, that maintaining peace is paramount to the community.The verdict hasevoked mixed reactions from Muslims in the city. In his Jumma sermon, ShamsudeenQasimi, imam of the Makkah Masjid on Mount Road, said the verdict was like apanchayat diktat. "Sangh Parivar has been maintaining that courts cannot decidematters of faith. But now they hail the verdict as it has gone in their favour,"he said.He felt sad that the court failed to condemn the demolition of the Babri Masjid and the perpetrators of the act. Whatever be the final outcome of the case, Muslims need not worry because for them the ultimate verdict would be delivered in Allah's court, he said and appealed to Muslims to maintain peace and calm.In his sermon at the Big Mosque in Triplicane, the chief Kazi of the government of Tamil Nadu, Salahuddin Mohammed Ayub, called upon Muslims to maintain calm and said all mosques belong to Allah and he would take care of them as people take care of their houses.There is also a section that sees the verdict as a pragmaticsolution for the contentious issue. Abdul Kaliq Nadwi, the maulana of a mosquein Pallavaram, noted, "Welcoming the verdict is the only choice we have, becausecommunal peace and unity of the country are paramount. The verdict is not to ourliking, but what is the point in getting a judgment that will trigger bloodshed?We don't want to do anything that could disturb the peace." There are bothpositives and negatives in the court's ruling, he said. "It is significant forthe Muslims that we have been recognised as one of the stakeholders of thedisputed land. Our identity has been established. Whatever we do now to reclaimthe land will be within the ambit of the Constitution and law," hesaid.In Mannady, Maulvi P Zainul Abideen said the verdict wasanti-constitutional. "The direction by the judges to divide the disputed landinto three parts is like a panchayat verdict. Whether the mosque has been builtbased on the tenets of Islam has to be decided by Muslim religiousleaders."A Faizur Rahman, secretary-general, Forum for the Promotionof Moderate Thought among Muslims, said although the verdict may not have beento its liking, the dignified reaction of the Muslim community proved that it hadkept its promise of accepting the judgment with equanimity.TamilNadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam president MH Jawahirullah said the judges shouldnot have decided the case on the basis of beliefs. "They should have gone by thelaw and evidences before them. If the courts in the country take this judgementas a precedence, it would open up a pandora's box. We are confident that theapex court will set right this anomaly," he said.There is also asection that feels the land should be given neither to Hindus nor to Muslims.Zakir, a youth emerging from the Jumma prayer at the Big Mosque, said he wasrelieved that nothing untoward happened after the judgement. Instead of buildinga place of worship, it could be used for a hospital, he felt.