Repentance to Islam 'bona fide' if done by 'free will, with common sense': Allahabad High Court

02 April 2025 01:31 am The court commented while rejecting a petition by Taufik Ahmad, who sought rape and illegal conversion proceedings. The Allahabad High Court noted that the conversion of a person to Islam as bona fide can be regarded as he/she is an adult, of a common sense and embraced religion because of his/her faith in the unity of God. The court also said that the person’s faith in the prophetic character of Muhammad is also a prerequisite for repentance. The Court also rejected the claimer’s claim that the two parties reached a compromise in the rape of 2021 (Representation) The Court made the remark while rejecting a petition by Taufik Ahmad, which sought a proceedings against him on charges of rape and illegal religious repentance of a Hindu girl under the UP-Anti-Conversion Law, reported PTI. Justice Manju Rani Chauhan said in an order of March 27: “It can be said that a conversion of religion by an individual to Islam is bona fide than he/she is major and of common sense and embraces Islam through his/her own free will and because of his/her faith and faith in the unity of God (allah) and prophetic character of Mohammed”. Also read: SC sets Allahabad HC order on repentance of the compromise on rape aside not acceptable: Court The Court also rejected the statement of the requester that the two parties reached a compromise in the 2021 case. The bank said any compromise in the rape case is not acceptable to the court. “Any compromise or settlement of rape violation, against the honor of a woman, who shakes the core of her life and offends tantamount to a serious blow to her highest honor, is her respect and dignity not acceptable to this Court,” the order said. The court said that the object of the UP-against conversion legislation was to provide for the ban on illegal repentance from one religion to another through misrepresentation, violence, improper influence, coercion, allurement or in any fraudulent manner. It is said that any religious repentance is considered bona fide if there is a ‘change of heart’ and ‘honest belief’ in the principles of a new belief ‘instead of the principles of the original religion’. With input from pti