Syed Ashhad Rashidi

Rashidi was involved in legal efforts concerning the Ayodhya dispute. In December 2019, as the president of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, he filed a review petition in the Supreme Court challenging its verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case. The petition argued that the ruling effectively condoned previous actions against the Babri Masjid and contended that the site was awarded to Hindu claimants despite acknowledged violations.^{[13][14][15][16][17][18][19]} The Supreme Court later dismissed all review petitions, including Rashidi's, stating that they lacked merit.^[20][21]

Rashidi has commented on various socio-political issues. In 2015, he criticized the ghar wapsi campaign by right-wing groups, arguing that it promoted social divisions and that the government's response was inadequate.^[22] In 2017, he announced the Rashtriya Ekta Sammelan (National Unity Conference) in Lucknow, aiming to counteract what he described as growing communal discord in the country.^[23]

In March 2016, Rashidi, as a representative of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, expressed concerns over what he described as efforts to transform India into a Hindu Rashtra. He criticized the central government's silence on the matter and stated that Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind would protest against any attempts to undermine India's secular fabric. Rashidi emphasized that such developments could disrupt communal harmony and called for collective efforts to safeguard the country's pluralistic identity.^[24]

In 2015, Rashidi opposed a mandatory advance fee for animal sacrifice during Hajj, stating that such a requirement was unnecessary and not obligatory in all forms of Hajj.^[25] In 2018, he responded to a proposed dress code for madrasa students in Uttar Pradesh, stating that any changes should be carefully examined before implementation.^[26]

• List of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind people