Bareilly (Uttar Pradesh), April 15 (NationPress) In a recent statement, the National President of All India Muslim Jamaat, Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi, voiced his support for the Women’s Reservation Bill, advocating for enhanced representation of women in legislative bodies. However, he also urged caution among Muslim women regarding involvement in politics from an Islamic standpoint.

In an interview with IANS, Razvi mentioned that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been actively pursuing the proposed changes to the Women’s Reservation Bill, aiming to enable women to assume a larger role in governance ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

“Prime Minister Modi's engagement is commendable; he is eager to see women elected in the upcoming 2029 Lok Sabha elections, taking on leadership positions within Parliament. His commitment to promoting women’s empowerment and ensuring their increased participation in politics is something I wholeheartedly support. Once the 33 percent reservation is put into action, we can expect more women to occupy seats in both Parliament and state Assemblies,” he stated.

Nevertheless, the cleric brought attention to concerns within segments of the Muslim community, especially among youth and women, about whether political participation aligns with Islamic values.

“Many young Muslims and women are questioning the political implications of this issue. From both political and Islamic viewpoints, I must emphasize that Islam cautions against Muslim women getting entangled in the complexities of politics,” he explained.

Further elaborating, Razvi cautioned that the current political landscape could undermine the dignity and safety of women. “In politics, a woman’s dignity, respect, and safety are often not safeguarded. The environment can lack modesty and expose individuals to risks; hence, Islam generally discourages women from political engagement,” he remarked.

He also contrasted today’s political climate with that of the past, noting a significant evolution. “Today’s political realm is profoundly different from what it used to be—it's as if the divide is as vast as the difference between the earth and the sky. Modern politics resembles a swamp; any woman who enters it risks becoming ensnared in a web of deceit and manipulation,” he added.

While reaffirming his support for the legislative initiative aimed at bolstering women’s participation, the cleric advised Muslim women to exercise caution and, in his view, to avoid direct involvement in political affairs.