Mumbai’s Sufi shrine Haji Ali Dargah has restricted the entry of women. The management of Sufi shrine, which is visited by thousands of devotees every year, said the decision is irrevocable.
According to reports, the trust has ordered that women will not be allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum housing the tomb of 15th century Sufi saint Pir Haji Ali Shah Bukhari.
The trustees have reportedly said that it is “un-Islamic under the Sharia Law” for women to visit graves. However, women have been allowed to roam freely within the dargah’s compound.
“They can offer their prayers, do namaaz and offer shawls and flowers. We are only requesting our sisters not to enter inside the dargah,” a report said quoting Rizwan Merchant, a trustee and noted criminal lawyer.
The Sufi shrine is located on a bed of rocks into the Arabian Sea and off the coast of Worli in south central Mumbai.
Meanwhile, the decision has evoked sharp criticism from several quarters and triggered protests.
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