MUZAFFARNAGAR: Men and women eating food together in any programme or function is un-Islamic, says Deoband-based Islamic seminary Darul Uloom in a fresh fatwa issued late on Tuesday. The seminary also said that eating food while standing is also not "jayaz" (legitimate). Deoband resident, who did not wish to be identified, had approached Darul Uloom seeking the seminary's opinion on the matter. "I had sought to know from the seminary the proper way, under Islamic rules, of having food at programmes such as wedding functions and other events. I also sought to know if one can have food while standing," the man said.Replying to the man's query, Darul Uloom declared that both the acts are forbidden and un-Islamic under the Shariat. Darul Ifta, a wing of the Islamic seminary, issued a written fatwa that reads, "It is 'na-jayaz' (illegitimate) and sin for men and women to have food together at wedding functions or other events."Replying to the other query of the man, the seminary said, "Doing such act (eating while standing) will ruin Muslim society. Muslims should avoid such act."Supporting the fatwa, Deoband-based Islamic cleric Mufti Athar Qasmi said, "Women eating or taking part at such programms in which strange men are present is not good for women, and it is strongly forbidden and is a sin under Islamic law. Eating while standing also na-jayaz. We appeal all Muslims to follow this fatwa."Darul Uloom Deoband often hits the headlines after giving such fatwas. Earlier, the fatwa department of the Islamic seminary, while replying to a query by a Deoband resident, who had asked whether it was right to use a blade and shave the arms and legs, said, "Except armpits, mustaches and body parts lower than the navel, it is not good to shave or wax other parts of the body; it is against culture (Khilaf e Adab)."A few months back, Darul Uloom Deoband issued a fatwa asking Muslim women to not wear bangles from men at bangle shops. They have called the age-old tradition “wrong and a big sin”. The fatwa was issued following a query by a resident of Deoband town who asked whether it was correct for Muslim women to let strange men touch their arms in order to help them wear bangles.