Sania knows the truth: Shoaib Malik
HYDERABAD: “Sania Mirza knows the truth and the family members from both sides are all happy about my wedding which is going to take place in Hyderabad on April 15,” said former Pakistani captain Shoaib Malik who is here to get into the preparatory mode for the celebrity wedding.
In his first interaction with the media after arriving last Friday, a visibly relaxed Shoaib repeatedly stressed he was not going to discuss anything relating to his alleged earlier marriage with another Hyderabad girl Ayesha Siddiqui.
“The matter is sub judice and my lawyer will answer any queries on the subject,” was all that he said, despite persistent queries. However, the two-page statement issued by him referred to the subject in detail.
The Pakistani cricketer also made it clear that Sania will continue to play for India and he will represent Pakistan. “We are delighted at the way preparations are going on. The list of invitees is not yet finalised and we are still in the process of doing so. Definitely, all my family members will be here for the wedding since both Sania and I have the blessings of everyone concerned,” he explained.
Saturday’s uneasy calm at Sania’s residence is slowly giving way to a festive air, and there is a discernible sense of joy, 10 days ahead of the marriage. Shoaib landed in Hyderabad to the surprise of the media but not to Imran Mirza’s (Sania’s father’s) family. The cricketer arrived early to get the mandatory clearances from different government channels, it was learnt.
The invitation cards are ready and the distribution to the 500 ‘select’ guests will take place soon. Sania’s family members staunchly believe that Shoaib is clean and they are not so naïve as to gamble on their daughter’s happiness. “We believe in the Almighty and in whatever we know about Malik. We are going ahead with the marriage plans. Whatever controversies have cropped up are not of our making,” they insisted.
Sania, for her part, re-asserted that she should know Shoaib better than anyone else since she decided on him to be her life-partner.
In his statement, Shoaib reiterated that there was no valid nikah because they (Ayesha’s family) pressured him into it, with the intention to cheat. “In Islam, there can be a divorce, only if the nikah is valid. I was wrongly made to believe that the pictures Ayesha had sent me were of the girl I was marrying. I feel terrible about the mess created by a family, that has caused great grief to my own people and the family of my bride-to-be,” Shoaib said.
The statement also included the opinion on nikah by Mohammed Khader Ali, Sadar Qazi (chief Qazi) of Hyderabad and president of the A.P. Association of Qazis on nikah and the Muslim Law.
“In Muslim Law, it is about the process, the procedure. There can be no tampering with that. Secondly, Meher [dowry or a specified sum of money], presence of two witnesses [one from the bride's and one from the groom's side], vakhil [guardian of the bride] and finally the bride and the groom, all these parties have to sign the nikahnama at the time of nikah,” the chief Qazi explained.
Significantly, the Sadar Qazi clarified that the telephone nikah is no longer valid. “This is because all parties that I had earlier mentioned, cannot be at the same place to sign the nikahnama if the nikah is taking place over the telephone, with the bride and groom in different cities or countries,” he pointed out.
Source: The Hindu
