Farheen Fatima Becomes First Muslim Woman as Advocate-On-Record of Supreme Court

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Farheen Fatima Becomes First Muslim Woman as Advocate-On-Record of Supreme Court

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ABU DHABI:The recent inauguration of the BAPS temple in Abu Dhabi by Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlights an interesting irony. This grand temple stands in the Muslim-majority UAE, where secularization is on the rise. This event comes shortly after the inauguration of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir in India. While Modi’s government in India blurs the lines between the state and Hindu faith and undermines minority rights, the UAE moves in the opposite direction. The UAE’s secularization, influencing Saudi Arabia as well, is a significant development in the Islamic world. This shift challenges India’s secular values. The UAE has attracted people of various religions and backgrounds to live and work there. Despite Islam being the official religion, the government allows diverse religious practices. Non-Muslims, forming a quarter of the population, have space to worship freely, with many churches, a synagogue, and a gurdwara present. Hindu gatherings and celebrations are also welcomed. The UAE’s tolerance extends beyond religion. Alcohol and pork are available, and Ramadan fasting rules are relaxed. Women have freedom in dress, and discrimination based on religion is rare. These progressive attitudes influence neighboring Saudi Arabia, where Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) is spearheading modernization efforts by reducing Islamic influence and cutting support for radical groups worldwide. This trend towards secularization in the UAE and potentially Saudi Arabia marks a significant shift in the Islamic world. For India, reduced Saudi funding for conservative mosques could lead to a return to moderate religious guidance for Indian Muslims. The UAE’s example challenges the Hindu nationalist dream of a Hindu majoritarian state, often compared to Saudi Arabia’s treatment of non-Muslims. Modi, at the temple inauguration, praised the UAE’s diversity, contrasting India’s fading secularism. As Hindu residents in UAE face this contrast, it prompts reflection on India’s trajectory. The writer, a private equity investor, emphasizes the importance of embracing diversity and secular values in both countries.
KPSC MEMBER

New Delhi: Advocate Farheen Fatima has become the first ever Muslim woman as Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court. She passed the Advocate-on-Record Examination 2022 conducted by the Supreme Court of India. She hails from Kareli Allahabad (Prayagraj).

Fatima has been practicing in the Supreme Court of India ever since she completed her graduation in law. She did her schooling at St. Anthony’s Convent School, Prayagraj with flying colours and did law from Dehradun.

Speaking with Islamic Voice, the suave advocate said, “Yes it’s my childhood dream”.

“When I was a kid, I noticed most of the big personalities in public life had one thing in common. They were all lawyers. So, I decided to go for law as I found them more intelligent, knowledgeable, and socially aware than others”, Fatima said when asked why she prefers the law profession.

Recently, she was honored by the Indian Council of Jurists and All India Bar Association for achieving this feat.

Congratulating Farheen Fatima for her feat, the National President of Urdu Development Organization’s president Dr. Syed Ahmad Khan said that it is undeniably admirable that even at this trying time, our daughters are making steady progress towards achievement in all spheres of life.

Fatima is also an Honorary Member of the Legal Wing of All India Unani Tibbi Congress. She is the niece of UDO National General Secretary Dr. Faraz Uloom and the grandchild of Bahrul Uloom, 103-year-old founder and patron-general of the Urdu Development Organization.

She also makes clear that she is not the first female Advocate-on-Record of the Supreme Court; rather she is the first female advocate from her hometown to ever become AoR.

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