Taliban govt was not Islamic, says Deoband scholar

Friday, June 19, 2009 DEOBAND: Grandson of Maulana Mohammad Qasim Nanotawi and rector of the Darul Uloom Waqf (Deoband) Maulana Salim Qasimi said Taliban have less knowledge and more ignorance; hence, they should not be deemed as having any affiliation with Jama’at Deoband.Talking to a British radio, Maulana Qasmi said Taliban government in Afghanistan was not Islamic at all.Commenting on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, he said Maulana is more political than a scholar.While reacting to Taliban terming Supreme Court and democracy as Kufr, Sadrul Mudrasssin and Nazim-e-Ta’leemat of Darul Uloom Deoband (Wakf) Maulana Aslam Qasmi said it is sheer ignorance, adding the concept of democracy is present in Islam; however, its has many various manifestations.He said it un-Islamic to blow up the barber shops, education organizations and tombs, adding Maulana Nanotawi wanted to learn English language; but, time did not allow him do so.Sheikhul Hadith of Darul Uloom Deoband Maulana Habibur Rehman said women have right to get all kinds of education including modern education, and its opposition is nothing but ignorance.