Days after a Muslim girl was trolled on social media for singing Hindu devotional songs, a fatwa has been issued to a 15-year-old girl for singing against Islamic State terrorism. The silence of the so-called seculars on the whole episode shows their sick mindset
R Guruprasad
Trolling on social networking sites and issuing fatwa has become a daily business for many. In a recent incident, a Muslim girl was trolled for singing a Hindu devotional song. Suhana Sayeed, a student from Shivamogga in Karnataka was selected to participate in the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa blind round auditions where the judges were blindfolded until they listened to a song by the singer. When the girl started singing a Hindu devotional song in chaste Kannada, the judges were awestruck viewing this girl singing with a hijaab. The judges not only praised her for her singing talent but also said that Suhana was the best example of communal harmony. Kannada music director Arjun Janya said that she stood as a symbol of unity and showed to the world how all
religions can remain in peace and harmony through music. However, the very moment, the girl was being trolled on social media some of the people started threatening her as to how could she actually sing a Hindu song.
A Facebook page called Mangalore Muslims began trolling her calling her a disgrace to the community. They said that she had tarnished the Muslim community by singing before men. A facebook post said, “A Muslim girl by name Suhana is a blot for the entire Muslim community. She may thank the judges for the praises but she will never be forgiven by our God. She is showing her beauty in front of the judges only to get pseudo appreciation but her achievement is nothing but zero…. There are so many Muslim kids who learn Koran by heart in just eight to 20 months and where do you stand among such kids? By participating in the reality show, you are playing spoilsport as your parents may not enter heaven on Khayamat raat due to your deeds… Sadly, it is not just you who is knocking at the doors of hell but you are encouraging many more people in the same direction. Please don’t be a model for other Muslim girls.”
The Muslim girl got support from BJP MP from Mysuru Pratap Simha who said, “How can people criticise someone for singing a Hindu song? We had heard stories about Sufism where it was preached that there is one God with different names but the force of Wahabbism is spreading hatred and this should stop.”
Meanwhile, Simha criticised the silence of the so-called intellectuals who were silent on the whole episode. “We have so many intellectuals who are ready to present their views against Hindus but why are they silent and not defending the girl?” he questioned.
In another incident, 46 Assam Muslim clerics have issued a fatwa against 16-year-old Nahid Afrin who sang songs against Islamic State
terrorism. The clerics in the fatwa asked her to not perform in public. Nahid, who made her Bollywood debut singing for Sonakshi Sinha in the 2016 film ‘Akira’, first rose to stardom after her successful innings on a musical reality TV show in 2015.
Police have started an investigation into the matter and provided security to Nahid and her family members. As per the reports, leaflets bearing the fatwa by the 46 clerics were distributed in Assam on March 14. Meanwhile Chief Minister of Assam Sarbananda Sonowal have come out in support of Nahid and condemned the fatwa issued by clerics.
16-year-old Nahid Afrin is a Class 10 student. She lives in Biswanath Chariali, Assam. As per reports, she broke down after hearing the news of the fatwa that was issued against her by the Muslim clerics. “I am speechless. I think my music is God’s gift to me. I will never bow down to such warnings and never leave singing,” she said.
