Committed or ‘brainwashed’?: Seminary student refuses to go with parents

Woman says she has devoted her life to Islam, seminary new home.

ISLAMABAD: Over two hours persuasion by a lower court judge to reunite a 26-year-old “brainwashed” student of Jamia Hafsa with her family turned futile, as the woman insisted she has ‘devoted her life to Islam and seminary is her new home now’.

The police on Thursday produced Uzma Qayyum before Islamabad Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmed Gajana. The judge had been directed by the Supreme Court (SC) to present a report over the allegations of the student’s father that Jamia Hafsa administration had forcibly been keeping her daughter at the seminary without the parents’ will.

Sheikh Mohammad Qayyum, father of Uzma, has sought the SC chief justice’s intervention for the recovery of his daughter from the seminary.

Almost seven months ago, Uzma had moved to Jamia Hafsa — a women seminary affiliated with the controversial Lal Masjid — from another seminary in Rawalpindi without informing her parents.

According to Uzma’s family, she had been “brainwashed” by Umme Hassan, wife of Abdul Aziz, the cleric of Lal Masjid, to an extent that she refused to return to her home on religious grounds.

On Thursday, instead of recording Uzma’s statement, the sessions judge heard both the parties including Uzma, one by one, in a bid to settle the dispute ‘amicably’.

Surprised over Uzma’s rigid stance, Gajana adjourned the case till January 20, the day “formal statement of Uzma will be recorded,” Sub-Inspector Sher Ahmad, who is investigating the case, said.

When Uzma reached the court, she was encircled by Hassan and two teachers of the seminary, draped in veil from head to toe and accompanied by two armed guards.

Some of the guards present outside the court’s premises were making frequent appearances to ensure if things were under control, Qayyum said.

Outside the courtroom, Hassan did not allow the parents to talk with Uzma.

Uzma’s parents, two of her younger siblings and her fiancé were present on the occasion.

As the proceedings began, the judge heard Uzma for over 15 minutes and then her mother and father.

Later, the judge talked with Uzma in the presence of her parents.

According to Uzma’s father, the judge informed Uzma that her grandmother was sick and that she could visit home for a day or two to see her.

“I will go if Umme Hassan allows,” Qayyum quoted Uzma as saying.

The judge in reply said, “You’re 26 years old. Your parents spent money on your education. Islam does not allow [you] to be disobedient towards parents.”

Hearing that Uzma burst into tears, Qayyum said.

She informed the judge that she had made up her mind and dedicated her life to Islam.

She also informed the judge that the seminary was her home, the students and teachers like her family members.

Qayyum said that her wife offered Uzma that she could go to home of any other relatives including Uzma’s sister. “But she refused and did not reply to several of her mother’s requests,” the father said.

The court, directed the police to produce Uzma on January 20 for formal recording of her statement.

A representative of Jamia Hafsa, Maulana Abdul Qadir, told The Express Tribune that the family was wrongly propagating that Hassan had brainwashed Uzma.

He said that Thursday’s proceedings stamped the fact that she was living at the seminary with her own free will.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 16^th, 2015.