“The AIMPLB has asked the ulemas to keep off from marriages where dowry has been paid and lavish expenditure is incurred, as such marriages are un-Islamic,” senior board member and legal advisor, Zafaryab Jilani, told Deccan Herald here on Tuesday.

He said the imams (priests) of various mosques in the country were being apprised of the AIMPLB decision so that they could convey the message to common Muslims after the prayers.

Explaining the reasons that prompted the board to take such a decision, Jilani said it was found that the dowry system was also penetrating the Muslim households, and a huge amount of money was being spent for marriage celebrations.

“Islam does not permit dowry and avoidable expenses and that is why costly marriages have been considered un-Islamic,” he said, adding that instead of indulging in ostentation, the extra money should be used to help the poor and for other charitable activities.

When asked whether the common Muslims would abide by the board’s decision, Jilani said those who went against the dictat would be “socially boycotted”.

“Any way it is up to the Muslims to decide. If they believe in Islam they will definitely not do any thing un-Islamic,” he added.Another senior board member and naib imam of Idgah, Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangimahali, also echoed a similar sentiment.

“Islam bars lavish expenses in marriages even if one is a rich person,” he said. The AIMPLB had recently termed “female foeticide” as “un-Islamic” and had asked Muslims not to indulge in such practices.

The Darul Uloom Deoband had recently issued a fatwa (religious decree) saying that  birthday celebrations were un-Islamic. Muslim scholars viewed that such celebrations resulted in a lot of wasteful expenditure and as such should be avoided.

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