Amid Qurbani row, Irrfan Khan says clerics don’t scare him

Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan’s remark questioning the sacrifice of animals during Eid-uz-Zoha invited sharp reaction from Muslim clerics, who have asked the actor to focus on his work. However, Khan said that he was not scared by them as he does not live in a country governed by religious contractors.

“Please Bhaiyon, who are upset with my statement, either you are not ready to introspect or you are in a hurry to reach to a conclusion,” Khan tweeted. “For me religion is about personal introspection, it’s a source for compassion, wisdom and moderation and not for stereotyping and fanaticism. Clerics don’t scare me!! Thank God I don’t live in a country governed by religious contractors. #FREEDOM.”

During the promotion of his upcoming film Madaari in Jaipur, the actor had raised questions over sacrifice of animals during Bakrid. “People should understand the real meaning behind a particular ritual. Animals used to be the prime source of food when the ritual would have started and people sacrificed their food. Today, one buys two goats from the market and kills them in the name of sacrifice; then howcome it becomes a real sacrifice ”

Muslim clerics took strong exception to his comments and asked the actor to focus on his work instead of making his own interpretation of religious customs. “Irrfan is an actor and he should focus on his work only. He has no religious knowledge and he should have contacted some cleric or learnt from them before raising any question regarding Qurbaani or Ramzan,” Khalid Usmani, city qazi, said.

He said Islam has no vague things and Khan should improve his knowledge. Another scholar Maulana Abdul Wahid Khatri, state secretary of Jamaat-e-Ulema-e-Hind, also said the actor should concentrate on his career instead of speaking about the religion.