Islamic Speaker Tashrif Accused by His Ill Father of Neglect; His Facebook Status Fuels Fresh Discussion

Islamic speaker Hafez Qari Zubayer Ahmad Tashrif has been accused of not providing maintenance for his ill father and not keeping in touch with him. The allegation was made by his father, Maulana Md Hedayetullah.

In a video interview published on Monday night (October 26) by a national daily, he spoke of his hardship and his complaints against his son. In a tearful voice, Hedayetullah claimed that even after seeking financial help while ill, he did not receive the expected support from his son.

According to Hedayetullah, he ran his family on the limited income of an imam while struggling to pay for his son's education and treatment. He also claimed that when Tashrif's urination stopped in childhood, he collected money from people and had him treated in Dhaka and other places.

The father alleged that at his son's advice he quit his job as imam of a bazaar mosque. Tashrif had promised to give him 10,000 taka a month, but although he left the job on that assurance, he later received no money, he claimed.

Hedayetullah also alleged that he could not reach his son despite trying: he said repeated phone calls went unanswered, and contacting one of his son's assistants did not resolve the problem either. He said that when he received no financial help during his illness, his son told him he could not give money because he was buying land.

Hedayetullah also raised an incident from Qurbani Eid in the interview. According to him, although his son said he would perform the sacrifice, in the end he himself received no meat. He alleged neglect in this incident as well.

In a tearful voice, Hedayetullah said he had made many sacrifices to raise his son and establish him. Yet now, while ill, he alleged there is no one to look after him or stand beside him.

No formal statement from Hafez Qari Zubayer Ahmad Tashrif about his father's allegations was available. However, on Monday (October 26) he posted a status on his own Facebook account that read: "If the media wants, it can buy even a father."

Tashrif's Facebook status has created fresh discussion on social media. The Islamic speaker, who has recently been discussed on social media over various remarks, has drawn still more discussion after his father's allegations.