Bangladesh Jamiatul Modarresin Urges PM to Be Vigilant Immediately

Bangladesh Jamiatul Modarresin, a traditional non-political organisation of madrasa teachers and employees, has expressed deep concern and strong condemnation over the presentation of Israeli author Yuval Noah Harari’s book Nexus as a gift to Hafizes who won an international Quran competition in Saudi Arabia, as well as the recently passed Property Transfer (Amendment) Act, 2026 in the National Parliament.

In a joint statement issued on Sunday, the organisation’s President Alhaj A M M Bahauddin and Secretary General Principal Shabbir Ahmad Momtazi said the initiative to honour the young Hafizes who brought honour to the country at the international level was commendable. However, they said, handing them a book by an author who presents homosexuality as normal or acceptable “cannot be merely a mistake.”

They said the distribution of the book and the passage of what they described as a controversial law that goes against Islamic Shariah were connected and intended to create controversy around the Prime Minister and distance him from the general public.

The leaders alleged that some vested-interest and conspiratorial groups around Prime Minister Tarique Rahman were working as his friends while engaging in what they described as a deep conspiracy to create controversy around him and damage his image.

They called for identifying those behind the selection of the book, conducting an investigation and taking exemplary action against them. They also urged the Prime Minister to remain cautious about his advisers, who, they alleged, were taking positions openly or secretly against Islam and the sentiments of the majority of the people of the country.

The two leaders advised the Prime Minister to “purify himself” and deeply understand the “pulse” or mindset of the people. They said the country must be governed while protecting the religious sentiments and beliefs of the majority of its people.

They said the Prime Minister’s late father, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman, and late mother, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia, always respected the religious sentiments of the people, which, they said, enabled them to earn deep respect among people from all sections regardless of political affiliation.

They urged the Prime Minister to learn from that history and make all religious and state-related decisions through regular consultation with respected scholars and ulema of the mainstream Ahlus Sunnah wal Jamaat. The leaders said, “There is no place for homosexuality and immorality in Islam.” They further said such acts bring Allah’s severe wrath upon humanity.

Referring to the punishment inflicted on the people of Prophet Lut (AS), they cited the Holy Quran as saying: “Then when Our command came, We turned that city upside down and rained upon them stones of baked clay in layers.” (Surah Hud: 82)

They also referred to statements attributed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), saying that he issued a strong warning against people involved in immoral acts like the people of Lut (AS) and instructed Muslims to stay away from such “heinous crimes.” (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
Regarding the Property Transfer (Amendment) Act, 2026, the leaders said the concerns raised by Islamic scholars were highly justified.

They said the humanitarian objective of ensuring the security of parents was commendable, but no law should be enacted by overriding the rules of Islamic Shariah concerning Faraid (inheritance) and Hiba (gifts). They warned that any Shariah-inconsistent interference in inherited property or deprivation of the rights of heirs would have serious consequences.

Citing the Quran’s provisions on inheritance, they said Allah (SWT) has declared: “These are the limits set by Allah (SWT). Whoever obeys Allah (SWT) and His Messenger, He will admit him into gardens beneath which rivers flow, where they will abide forever. And whoever disobeys Allah (SWT) and His Messenger and transgresses His limits, He will cast him into the Fire, where they will remain forever.” (Surah An-Nisa: 13-14)

They also referred to a saying attributed to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), warning against depriving heirs of their rights: “Whoever cuts off or deprives his heir of his inheritance, Allah (SWT) will cut off his inheritance of Paradise on the Day of Judgment.” (Ibn Majah)

At the end of the statement, the two Jamiatul leaders made a strong appeal to the Prime Minister to consult Shariah experts and experienced Islamic scholars before taking any state decision or adopting legislation involving religious sensitivities.

They called for an immediate and proper investigation into the distribution of the controversial book and urged the government to take effective measures to ensure that the legal amendments passed by Parliament are fully compatible with Islamic Shariah.