Prince Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, a Mughal descendant based in Hyderabad, has claimed that he has received a 'fatwa' from Al-Azhar University, Egypt, stating that a Masjid cannot be built on the disputed land in Ayodhya. Prince Yakub said that he had earlier written a letter to the Al-Azhar University mentioning how Babri Masjid was demolished in Ayodhya and now Hindus perform 'puja' there.
"Recently, I had written a letter to Al-Azhar University... I had asked whether Namaz can be offered there now or Masjid can be made as per the Islamic point of view because few Ulema and Muslims in India are saying that Masjid should be made there. The matter is currently before the Supreme Court. I had also mentioned that several people have lost their lives in this matter," said Prince Yakub. "I have received a reply, a 'fatwa' from them in Arabic that Namaz can't be offered there under any circumstances now and Masjid should not be built there... Our petition before the Supreme Court is pending. I have kept the translation copy of 'fatwa' ready. When our petition will be admitted, then we will submit it," he added. Prince Yakub further alleged that if any Muslim in the world denies the decision of Al-Azhar University, then he will be "out of Islam."
Al-Azhar University is a university in Cairo, Egypt. Associated with Al-Azhar Mosque in Islamic Cairo, it is Egypt's oldest degree-granting university and is renowned as "Sunni Islam’s most prestigious university". The Al-Azhar Mosque is known simply in Egypt as just Al-Azhar is an Egyptian mosque in Islamic Cairo. Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah of the Fatimid dynasty commissioned its construction for the newly established capital city in 970. Its name is usually thought to allude to the Islamic prophet Muhammad's daughter Fatimah, a revered figure in Islam who was given the title az-Zahrāʾ ("the shining or resplendent one"). It was the first mosque established in Cairo, a city that has since gained the nickname "the City of a Thousand Minarets" and has one of the most powerful networks even today.
"I would like to urge my Muslim brothers and sisters in India to support the construction of Ram Temple in Ayodhya," he said. Prince Yakub had last month said that he will offer a gold brick if Ram Temple is built in Ayodhya. "If the Ram Mandir is going to be built in Ayodhya, then we are going to offer golden brick for the construction of the temple. I have already filed a petition in the Supreme Court... We are appealing to the Supreme Court to listen to us because the Wakf Board is not the owner of the Ayodhya land," the prince added. He further stated that if the Supreme Court gives the ownership of the land to him, then he will hand it over to the government of India. The 16th-century Babri Masjid was demolished on December 6, 1992. The Supreme Court is conducting the day-to-day hearing into the case.
