Aamir Khan’s recent marriage to Gauri Spratt has sparked a fresh controversy, with a Muslim cleric issuing a fatwa against the Bollywood actor days after the couple registered their marriage. While Aamir has remained focused on his professional commitments and recently travelled to London for the 25th anniversary celebration of Lagaan, the wedding has now become the subject of religious debate. The development has generated widespread discussion online, with many reacting to the cleric’s remarks while others have defended the actor’s personal choice.
The couple reportedly registered their marriage in a private ceremony on July 5 after keeping their relationship away from the public eye for a long time. However, the wedding has now drawn criticism from some religious voices because Gauri Spratt does not follow Islam, making the marriage a point of contention under certain interpretations of Islamic law.
Cleric says marriage is against Sharia
Speaking to ABP, Maulana Ibrahim Hussain, the Shahi Chief Mufti of the Muslim Personal Darul Ifta, said that a Muslim man marrying a non-Muslim woman is not permissible under Sharia. Referring to Aamir Khan’s marriage, he also noted that this is the actor’s third marriage and claimed that some members of the Muslim community had objected to it.
He said, “Some Muslim brothers are also protesting against it. Just yesterday, a non-Muslim brother asked me whether such a marriage is permissible in Islam and under Sharia. Can a Muslim man, a man of faith, marry a non-Muslim woman or not? What kind of act is this?”
The Maulana further stated, “Marrying a non-Muslim woman is against Sharia, and it tarnishes the name of Islam.”
Explaining the religious basis for his opinion, he referred to the Quran and said, “For Muslim men who are believers, marriage is permissible only with Muslim women and women who are believers. If a Muslim man marries a non-believing, polytheist woman, is such a marriage permissible or not? It is not permissible until she embraces the faith.”
Calling Aamir Khan’s decision a sin, the cleric added, “Such a person should repent before Allah and turn away from this sin. I issued this public fatwa and presented this opinion. It was also necessary to clarify this because today, across the world, the image of Islamic Sharia is associated with Muslims and their actions. Even non-Muslims judge Islam based on what Muslims do and believe that whatever Muslims practice is Allah’s command, the command of Sharia, and the way of the Prophet.”
He also said, “When someone commits a wrongful act, it sends the wrong message, and Islam and Sharia become the direct targets. Allah’s command itself comes under scrutiny.”
At the time of writing, Aamir Khan has not publicly responded to the fatwa or the remarks made by the cleric.
Aamir and Gauri recently made their relationship official
Aamir Khan and Gauri Spratt have known each other for more than two decades, although they reconnected years later before deciding to take their relationship forward. The actor introduced Gauri to the media earlier this year during celebrations for his 60th birthday, confirming speculation about his personal life. Their marriage was later registered in an intimate ceremony attended by close family members and friends.
Gauri Spratt comes from a multicultural family, with her father, Robert Spratt, being of Tamil-British heritage and her mother, Rita Spratt, having Punjabi-Irish roots. She also has a son, Quinn, from a previous relationship. Aamir Khan is the father of Junaid Khan and Ira Khan from his first marriage to Reena Dutta, while he shares son Azad Rao Khan with his former wife, Kiran Rao.
The controversy arrives at a time when Aamir Khan has been making public appearances related to Lagaan‘s 25th anniversary and other upcoming projects. Whether the actor chooses to address the latest developments publicly remains to be seen, but the fatwa has once again placed his personal life at the centre of national discussion.
