Arif Mohammad Khan

Early life and education

Arif Mohammad Khan was born on 18 November 1951 in Bulandshahr. He was educated at Jamia Millia School, Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh and at Shia College, University of Lucknow.

Arif Mohammad Khan translated Vande Mataram into Urdu. It can be read in Urdu (Devanagari script)

Political career (1972–2019)

Khan started his political career as a student leader. He was the President of Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union in the year 1972–73 and also its honorary Secretary a year earlier (1971–72). He contested the first legislative assembly election from Siyana constituency of Bulandshahar on Bharatiya Kranti Dal party's banner but was defeated. He became a member of the legislative assembly of UP in 1977 at the age of 26.

Khan joined the Indian National Congress party and was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from Kanpur and 1984 from Bahraich. In 1986, he quit the Indian National Congress due to differences over the passage of Muslim Personal Law Bill which was piloted by Rajiv Gandhi in the Lok Sabha. He was against the legislation to enable Muslim men to avoid giving their divorced wife or wives any maintenance after the iddah period as per the Quran and resigned because of differences with Rajiv Gandhi on this issue. Khan joined the Janata Dal and was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989. During the Janata Dal rule Khan served as Union Minister of Ministry of Civil Aviation. He left the Janata Dal to join the Bahujan Samaj Party and again entered the Lok Sabha in 1998 from Bahraich. Khan held ministerial responsibilities from 1984 to 1990. In 2004, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election that year from Kaiserganj constituency. Later BJP appointed Arif as the Governor of Kerala and later was appointed the Governor of Bihar.

Jain Hawala Case

Journalist Sanjay Kapoor, in his book "Bad Money, Bad Politics" has claimed that Khan received an amount of 7 crores of Hawala money. As per the CBI charge sheet, he was accused of being paid this amount of money when he was Union Minister, but he was later acquitted in the case.

Political views

Reformation in Islam

Arif Mohammad Khan has always supported reformation within Muslims. He resigned from position of Minister of state protesting against Rajiv Gandhi Congress Government stand on Shah Bano case in 1986. He defended Supreme Court judgement on Shah Bano case in Parliament. Khan opposed triple talaq in India and said that pronouncement of divorce by Muslim men in such manner should be punishable by 3 years in jail. Khan has asserted that Muslim men are still allowed to be polygamous and can also give a divorce easily by paying paltry sums.

Khan welcomed the Karnataka High Court's judgement upholding that the hijab is not an essential garment according to Islam during the 2022 Karnataka hijab row, stating that enforcing the wearing of a hijab is a conspiracy to push back Muslim females into the four walls of their homes and reduce their career prospects - he gave an example of imagining a female IPS officer who is responsible for controlling law and order in a district, who cannot do so wearing a hijab.

On being asked for a reaction about the murder of Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur by reporters, Khan responded that madrasas teach that blasphemy should be punished by beheading and demanded that what is taught there should be examined.

Current activities

Khan has been deeply involved in writing since his student days. He is the author of the best-selling book of the year 2010 Text and Context: Quran and Contemporary Challenges, published by Rupa & Co. Now Arif Mohammad Khan is actively involved in writing articles and columns related to Islam and Sufism. He has advocated abolishing of All India Muslim Personal Law Board. Arif Mohammad Khan also supported the Supreme Court of India's Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum to make the right to maintenance of a divorced Muslim wife absolute.

Governorship (2019–present)

Governor of Kerala (2019–2025)

Khan was appointed the Governor of Kerala on 1 September 2019 by the order of the President of India, Ram Nath Kovind. He took charge as Governor on 6 September 2019 from P. Sathasivam he continued in office till 2 January 2025. He was appointed the Governor of Bihar in 24 December 2024 in which he took oath on 2 January 2025. The political controversy regarding the appointment of vice-chancellors of backgrounds from SFI/CPIM to the universities of Kerala had put him in the spotlight. He wasn't given a proper farewell by the Kerala state government owing to various controversies between the office of the governor and the government. His farewell wasn't attended by the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan nor any of the cabinet ministers.

Governor of Bihar (2025–present)

Khan was appointed by the president as the Governor of Bihar on 24 December 2024, and assumed office on 2 January 2025.

Positions held

References

References

1. (24 December 2024). "Ex-bureaucrat Ajay Bhalla appointed Manipur Governor, Arif Khan moved to Bihar".
2. Ananth V. Krishna. (September 2011). "India Since Independence: Making Sense Of Indian Politics". Pearson Education India.
3. (2005). "India Briefing: Takeoff at Last?". M.E. Sharpe.
4. (9 January 2018). "Women get a raw deal again: Muslim Personal Law Board is still stuck in Shah Bano timewarp as its opposition to triple talaq bill proves". The Times of India.
5. (6 September 2006). "Unnecessary And Irrelevant".
6. "Biographical Sketch of Member of 12th Lok Sabha".
7. "Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election Results in 1977".
8. (8 September 1998). "Arif, Jain brothers acquitted in hawala case". The Tribune (Chandigarh).
9. Arif Mohammad Khan. (6 June 2017). "No country for triple talaq". Indian Express.
10. Ajaz Ashraf, [https://scroll.in/article/730642/arif-on-shah-bano-case-najma-heptullah-was-key-influence-on-rajiv-gandhi Arif on Shah Bano case: 'Najma Heptullah was key influence on Rajiv Gandhi'], Scroll.in, 30 May 2015.
11. Shishir Tripathi, [http://www.firstpost.com/india/triple-talaq-negates-both-equality-and-dignity-of-muslim-women-arif-mohammad-khan-3050810.html Triple talaq negates both equality and dignity of Muslim women: Arif Mohammad Khan], Firstpost, 14 October 2016.
12. Namita Kohli, [http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajiv-gandhi-govt-caved-under-pressure-from-narasimha-rao-najma-heptulla-during-shah-bano/story-N3or1pJErtJkSUmqGX96FP.html ‘Rajiv was pressured by Narasimha Rao, Najma Heptulla during Shah Bano’], Hindustan Times 11 September 2016.
13. Eram Agha, [http://www.news18.com/news/india/triple-talaq-should-be-made-punishable-with-3-years-jail-arif-mohd-khan-1320876.html Triple Talaq Should be Punishable With 3 Years Jail: Arif], News18, 13 March 2017.
14. (24 August 2017). "If triple talaq can be challenged, why can't polygamy?".
15. (17 March 2022). "Karnataka hijab row: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed welcomes HC's verdict".
16. Shakil, Marya. (15 March 2022). "'Muslim Girls Won't be Restricted Anymore': Kerala Guv Arif Mohammad Khan Hails Hijab Verdict".
17. (30 June 2022). "Islamic law that advocates beheading being taught in madrasas: Kerala Guv Arif Khan".
18. "Let the Quran Speak for Itself, Books and Documents, Saif Shahin, NewAgeIslam.com, New Age Islam". Newageislam.com.
19. Arif Mohammad Khan. (28 February 2013). "Is there any scope for change and reform in Islam?". Tehelka.
20. (8 April 2015). "Arif Mohammad Khan welcomes Supreme Court's ruling on Section 125". The Economic Times.
21. Bula Devi. (25 March 2016). ""It's Not About The Slogan. By Throwing Challenges, Owaisi Is Reviving Separatism."". Outlook India Magazine.
22. (7 September 2019). "Arif Mohammad Khan takes oath in Malayalam".
23. (6 September 2019). "Arif Mohammad Khan Sworn In As Kerala Governor". NDTV News.
24. (26 October 2022). "Why Kerala governor wants 11 university V-Cs out & how it's turned into a political slugfest". The Print.
25. "No thank you to Guv Arif, welcome Guv Arlekar".