Ban on women’s entry to Mumbai’s Haji Ali shrine: ‘Grievous sin for women to be near male Muslim saint’s grave’

The "unanimous" stand of all trustees forms part of a resolution passed by the dargah's trust.

IT is a "grievous sin" as per Islam for women tobe in close proximity of the grave of a male Muslim saint. The trust of one of Mumbai's iconic landmarks, the Haji Ali Dargah, raised this point in the Bombay High Court 19-10-15 while defending its ban on women from entering the shrine's inner sanctum (mazaar). The "unanimous"stand of all trustees forms part of a resolution passed by the dargah's trust. The minutes of the meeting held on August 6 this year that led to passing of the resolution were submitted before Justice V M Kanade and Shalini Phansalkar-Joshi.