Meanwhile, a statement by Jamaat candidate Faizul Haque in Jhalakathi has also gone viral. He was heard saying, “Even if someone invites people to vote for the ‘daripalla’ symbol in the middle of smoking bidis, Allah may forgive him.” The party later issued him with a show-cause notice (Prothom Alo, 10 January 2026). The question is: are these not clear examples of political branding through the misuse of Islamic parlance?

In Islam, concepts such as worship (ibadah), piety (taqwa), forgiveness and paradise are not commodities to be sold with guarantees tied to party or electoral symbols. On the contrary, the Qur’an explicitly commands: “Do not trade the verses of Allah for a small gain.” (Al-Baqarah 2:41)

Even more forcefully, it states: “Woe to those who distort the Scripture with their own hands then say, ‘This is from Allah’—seeking a fleeting gain.” (Al-Baqarah 2:79) In other words, distorting religious truth to secure worldly gain—power, votes or control—is not merely wrong from an Islamic perspective; it is a grave sin.

Yet today we see political campaigns in which “voting for the daripalla” is being presented as though it were part of faith itself, with some even claiming to offer “guarantees of paradise”.

What is particularly alarming is the silence of sections of the ulema on this issue. Islamic discourse is being openly distorted and misinterpreted, yet little protest is forthcoming from them. The Qur’an, however, warns, “Do not mix truth with falsehood or hide the truth knowingly.” (Al-Baqarah 2:42)