In a landmark decision, the Telangana High Court has affirmed the right of women from the Akhbari sect of Shia Muslims to offer prayers in the Ibadat Khana, a mosque in Darulshifa, Hyderabad. The ruling, delivered by Justice Nagesh Bheemapaka, emphasized that the Quran does not prohibit women from entering prayer halls, thereby reinforcing gender equality in religious practices.
The court’s judgment referenced Chapter 2 of the Quran, stating that, apart from specific periods deemed a ‘rest period’ for women, there is no restriction on their participation in prayer. This decision aligns with the 2018 Supreme Court ruling on the Sabarimala temple case, which upheld women’s rights to enter religious spaces, irrespective of menstruation status.
Historically, women from the Usooli sect, another Shia group, were permitted to pray in the mosque, a practice documented since 2007. The court found it discriminatory to deny the same right to Akhbari women, noting that such exclusion was unjust and without basis.
The ruling followed a petition from the Anjumane Alavi Shia Imamia Ithna Ashari Akhbari society, which challenged the restrictions imposed by the Telangana State Waqf Board. Despite multiple appeals for resolution, the Waqf Board had maintained that cultural norms should be respected, even if the Quran does not explicitly forbid women’s entry into prayer spaces.
In December 2023, the court issued an interim order allowing Akhbari women to pray at the mosque, a directive now upheld as a final decision. This judgment not only reaffirms the rights of Shia women but also highlights the constitutional guarantee of religious freedom for all individuals, as enshrined in Article 25(1) of the Indian Constitution.
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