Cleric refuses to solemnise weddings due to loud music

Shamli (Uttar Pradesh), March 24 (IANS) A cleric refused to solemnise two weddings in Kairana after the wedding processions played loud music.The incident happened on Sunday evening.Maulana Qari Sufiyan, said he has asked the families to stop the music since it was time for 'azaan' but they did not comply."I saw the grooms dancing to the music on the roof of their vehicles. They were to marry two sisters at the same venue. When they did not stop, I informed the families that I would not solemnize the marriages," he told reporters.The wedding procession was coming from Jagatpur in Delhi.The families finally managed to find another cleric who agreed to solemnise the weddings. They wrapped up the ceremonies quickly and left.Meanwhile, a Panchayat was held the following day to discuss the issue and some of the village elders felt that the cleric had done wrong by refusing to solemnise the marriages.However, a section of clerics said that loud music and dancing was against the tenets of Islam and people should learn to behave with restraint.
--IANS amita/dpb