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{{short description|29th Governor of Bihar}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2024}}
{{for|the alpine skier|Arif Khan (skier)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Arif Mohammad Khan
| caption = Khan, {{circa|2025}}
| image = Arif Mohammad Khan in Bihar with PM Narendra Modi (cropped).jpg
| imagesize = 200px
| office = 29th [[List of Governors of Bihar|Governor of Bihar]]
| term_start = {{Start date|2025|01|02|df=yes}}
| term_end = 5 March 2026
| predecessor = [[Rajendra Arlekar]]
| successor = [[Syed Ata Hasnain]]
| 1blankname = Chief Minister
| 1namedata = [[Nitish Kumar]]
| office1 = 22nd [[List of governors of Kerala|Governor of Kerala]]
| 1blankname1 = Chief Minister
| 1namedata1 = [[Pinarayi Vijayan]]
| termstart1 = 6 September 2019
| termend1 = 2 January 2025
| predecessor1 = [[P. Sathasivam]]
| successor1 = [[Rajendra Arlekar]]
| office2 = [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Union Minister of Civil Aviation]]
| term_start2 = 6 December 1989
| term_end2 = 10 November 1990
| primeminister2 = [[Vishwanath Pratap Singh|V. P. Singh]]
| president2 =
| predecessor2 = [[V. P. Singh]]
| successor2 = [[Harmohan Dhawan]]
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1951|11|18|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Bulandshahr]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India
| nationality = Indian
| death_date =
| death_place =
| office3 = [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha]]
| constituency3 = [[Kanpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh]]
| termstart3 = {{Start date|1980||}}
| termend3 = {{End date|1984||}}
| predecessor3 = [[Manohar Lal (politician)|Manohar Lal]]
| successor3 = [[Naresh Chander Chaturvedi]]
| constituency4 = [[Bahraich (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh]]
| predecessor4 = [[Syed_Muzaffar_Hussain_(Lok_Sabha_member)|Maulana Saiyad Muzaffar Hussain]]
| successor4 = [[Rudrasen Chaudhary]]
| termstart4 = {{Start date|1984||}}
| termend4 = {{End date|1991||}}
| constituency5 = [[Bahraich (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh]]
| predecessor5 = [[Padamsen Chaudhary]]
| successor5 = Padamsen Chaudhary
| termstart5 = {{Start date|1998||}}
| termend5 = {{End date|1999||}}
| party = [[Bharatiya Janata Party]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Sayyada Reshma Arif|1977}}
| children = 2
| residence = [[Raj Bhavan, Patna]]
}}

'''Arif Mohammad Khan''' (born 18 November 1951) is an Indian politician who served as the 30th [[Governor of Bihar]] from 2025 to 2026.<ref name="IT_24Dec2024">{{cite magazine |last1=Negi |first1=Manjeet |date=24 December 2024 |title=Ex-bureaucrat Ajay Bhalla appointed Manipur Governor, Arif Khan moved to Bihar |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/former-home-secretary-ajay-kumar-bhalla-appointed-manipur-governor-2654907-2024-12-24 |magazine=India Today |access-date=24 December 2024}}</ref> He is a member of the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP), and previously served as [[Governor of Kerala]] from 2018 to 2025, and as a [[Union Council of Ministers|Union minister]], holding several portfolios ranging from energy to civil aviation.<ref name="Krishna2011">{{cite book |author=Ananth V. Krishna |date=September 2011 |title=India Since Independence: Making Sense Of Indian Politics |publisher=Pearson Education India |page=292 |isbn=9788131734650 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8v7Vr2iQUHkC&pg=PA292}}</ref><ref name="AyresOldenburg2005">{{cite book |author1=Alyssa Ayres |author2=Philip Oldenburg |date=2005 |title=India Briefing: Takeoff at Last? |publisher=M.E. Sharpe |page=22 |isbn=978-0-7656-1592-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JFHLwJjPv00C&pg=PA22}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Women get a raw deal again: Muslim Personal Law Board is still stuck in Shah Bano timewarp as its opposition to triple talaq bill proves |newspaper=The Times of India |date=9 January 2018 |url=https://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toi-edit-page/women-get-a-raw-deal-again-muslim-personal-law-board-is-still-stuck-in-shah-bano-timewarp-as-its-opposition-to-triple-talaq-bill-proves/ }}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Arif Mohammad Khan was born on 18 November 1951 in [[Bulandshahr]]. He was educated at Jamia Millia School, Delhi, [[Aligarh Muslim University]], [[Aligarh]] and at [[Shia College, Lucknow|Shia College]], [[University of Lucknow]].<ref name="Lok Sabha" />
[[File:Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.jpg|thumb|275x275px]]
Khan, {{circa|Khan in 2019}}

Ex-MLA [[Asif Muhammad Khan]] is his younger brother.
Arif Mohammad Khan translated [[Vande Mataram]] into [[Urdu]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/unnecessary-and-irrelevant/232420|title=Unnecessary And Irrelevant|website=Outlook India|date=6 September 2006 |access-date=2019-12-30}}</ref> It can be read in Urdu ([[Devanagari]] script)

== Political career (1972–2019) ==

Khan started his political career as a student leader. He was the President of [[Aligarh Muslim University Students' Union]] in the year 1972–73 and also its honorary Secretary a year earlier (1971–72).<ref name="Lok Sabha">{{Cite web |title=Biographical Sketch of Member of 12th Lok Sabha |website=loksabhaph.nic.in |access-date=1 September 2019 |url=http://loksabhaph.nic.in/writereaddata/biodata_1_12/2769.htm}}</ref> He contested the first legislative assembly election from [[Syana Assembly constituency|Siyana constituency]] of [[Bulandshahr|Bulandshahar]] on [[Bharatiya Kranti Dal]] party's banner but was defeated. He became a member of the legislative assembly of UP in 1977 at the age of 26.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Uttar Pradesh Assembly Election Results in 1977 |url=https://www.elections.in/uttar-pradesh/assembly-constituencies/1977-election-results.html |access-date=26 January 2022 |website=www.elections.in}}</ref>

Khan joined the [[Indian National Congress]] party and was elected to the [[Lok Sabha]] in 1980 from [[Kanpur Lok Sabha constituency|Kanpur]] and 1984 from [[Bahraich Lok Sabha constituency|Bahraich]]. In 1986, he quit the [[Indian National Congress]] due to differences over the passage of [[Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum|Muslim Personal Law Bill]] which was piloted by [[Rajiv Gandhi]] in the [[Lok Sabha]]. He was against the legislation to enable Muslim men to avoid giving their divorced wife or wives any maintenance after the [[iddah]] period as per the Quran and resigned because of differences with [[Rajiv Gandhi]] on this issue. Khan joined the [[Janata Dal]] and was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989. During the [[Janata Dal]] rule Khan served as Union Minister of [[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Ministry of Civil Aviation]]. He left the [[Janata Dal]] to join the [[Bahujan Samaj Party]] and again entered the Lok Sabha in 1998 from [[Bahraich Lok Sabha constituency|Bahraich]]. Khan held ministerial responsibilities from 1984 to 1990. In 2004, he joined the [[Bharatiya Janata Party]] (BJP) and unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election that year from [[Kaiserganj Lok Sabha constituency|Kaiserganj]] constituency. Later BJP appointed Khan as the Governor of Kerala and later was appointed the Governor of Bihar.

==Jain Hawala Case==
Journalist Sanjay Kapoor, in his book "Bad Money, Bad Politics" has claimed that Khan received an amount of 7 crores of [[Hawala]] money. As per the CBI charge sheet, he was accused of being paid this amount of money when he was Union Minister, but he was later acquitted in the case.<ref>{{cite news |title=Arif, Jain brothers acquitted in hawala case |newspaper=The Tribune (Chandigarh) |date=8 September 1998 |url=https://m.tribuneindia.com/1998/98sep08/head1.htm}}</ref>

==Political views==
===Reformation in Islam===
Arif Mohammad Khan has always supported reformation within Muslims.<ref>{{cite news |author=Arif Mohammad Khan |title=No country for triple talaq |newspaper=Indian Express |date=6 June 2017 |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/no-country-for-triple-talaq-4690585/ }}</ref> He resigned from position of Minister of state protesting against Rajiv Gandhi Congress Government stand on Shah Bano case in 1986.<ref name="Scroll interview">Ajaz Ashraf, [https://scroll.in/article/730642/arif-on-shah-bano-case-najma-heptullah-was-key-influence-on-rajiv-gandhi Arif on Shah Bano case: 'Najma Heptullah was key influence on Rajiv Gandhi'], Scroll.in, 30 May 2015.</ref> He defended Supreme Court judgement on [[Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum |Shah Bano case]] in Parliament.<ref>Shishir Tripathi, [http://www.firstpost.com/india/triple-talaq-negates-both-equality-and-dignity-of-muslim-women-arif-mohammad-khan-3050810.html Triple talaq negates both equality and dignity of Muslim women: Arif Mohammad Khan], Firstpost, 14 October 2016.</ref><ref>Namita Kohli, [http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/rajiv-gandhi-govt-caved-under-pressure-from-narasimha-rao-najma-heptulla-during-shah-bano/story-N3or1pJErtJkSUmqGX96FP.html ‘Rajiv was pressured by Narasimha Rao, Najma Heptulla during Shah Bano’], Hindustan Times 11 September 2016.</ref> Khan opposed [[triple talaq in India]] and said that pronouncement of divorce by Muslim men in such manner should be punishable by 3 years in jail.<ref>Eram Agha, [http://www.news18.com/news/india/triple-talaq-should-be-made-punishable-with-3-years-jail-arif-mohd-khan-1320876.html Triple Talaq Should be Punishable With 3 Years Jail: Arif], News18, 13 March 2017.</ref> Khan has asserted that Muslim men are still allowed to be polygamous and can also give a divorce easily by paying paltry sums.<ref name="Hindustan Times 2017">{{cite news |title=If triple talaq can be challenged, why can't polygamy? |website=Hindustan Times |date=24 August 2017 |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/if-triple-talaq-can-be-challenged-why-can-t-polygamy/story-VgzqqGfIT9GsHjyNCBKjnO.html }}</ref>

Khan welcomed the Karnataka High Court's judgement upholding that the [[hijab]] is not an essential garment according to [[Islam]] during the [[2022 Karnataka hijab row]], stating that enforcing the wearing of a hijab is a conspiracy to push back Muslim females into the four walls of their homes and reduce their career prospects - he gave an example of imagining a female [[Indian Police Service|IPS]] officer who is responsible for controlling law and order in a district, who cannot do so wearing a hijab.<ref name="India Today 2022">{{cite news |title=Karnataka hijab row: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed welcomes HC's verdict |website=India Today |date=17 March 2022 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/karnataka-hijab-row-kerala-governor-arif-mohammed-welcomes-hc-verdict-video-1926256-2022-03-17 }}</ref><ref name="Shakil 2022">{{cite news |last=Shakil |first=Marya |title='Muslim Girls Won't be Restricted Anymore': Kerala Guv Arif Mohammad Khan Hails Hijab Verdict |website=News18 |date=15 March 2022 |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/muslim-girls-wont-be-restricted-anymore-kerala-guv-arif-mohammad-khan-hails-hijab-verdict-4877594.html }}</ref>

On being asked for a reaction about the [[murder of Kanhaiya Lal]] in [[Udaipur]] by reporters, Khan responded that [[madrasa]]s teach that [[Islam and blasphemy|blasphemy]] should be punished by beheading and demanded that what is taught there should be examined.<ref name="The New Indian Express 2022">{{cite news |title=Islamic law that advocates beheading being taught in madrasas: Kerala Guv Arif Khan |website=The New Indian Express |date=30 June 2022 |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2022/jun/30/islamic-law-that-advocates-beheading-being-taught-in-madrasas-kerala-guv-arif-khan-2471213.html}}</ref>

==Current activities==
Khan has been deeply involved in writing since his student days. He is the author of the best-selling book of the year 2010 ''Text and Context: Quran and Contemporary Challenges'', published by Rupa & Co.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newageislam.com/books-and-documents/Text%20and%20Context-Quran%20and%20Contemporary%20Challenges%20By%20Arif%20Mohammed%20Khan/d/4872 |title=Let the Quran Speak for Itself, Books and Documents, Saif Shahin, NewAgeIslam.com, New Age Islam |publisher=Newageislam.com |access-date=9 May 2013}}</ref> Now Arif Mohammad Khan is actively involved in writing articles and columns related to Islam and [[Sufism]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Arif Mohammad Khan |title=Is there any scope for change and reform in Islam? |newspaper=Tehelka |date=28 February 2013 |url=http://tehelka.com/is-there-any-scope-for-change-and-reform-in-islam/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130515052346/http://tehelka.com/is-there-any-scope-for-change-and-reform-in-islam/ |archive-date=15 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He has advocated abolishing of All India Muslim Personal Law Board.<ref name="Scroll interview"/> Arif Mohammad Khan also supported the [[Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum|Supreme Court of India's Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum]] to make the right to maintenance of a divorced Muslim wife absolute.<ref>{{cite news |title=Arif Mohammad Khan welcomes Supreme Court's ruling on Section 125 |newspaper=The Economic Times |date=8 April 2015 |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/arif-mohammad-khan-welcomes-supreme-courts-ruling-on-section-125/articleshow/46843490.cms}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Bula Devi |title="It's Not About The Slogan. By Throwing Challenges, Owaisi Is Reviving Separatism." |newspaper=Outlook India Magazine |date=25 March 2016 |url=https://magazine.outlookindia.com/story/its-not-about-the-slogan-by-throwing-challenges-owaisi-is-reviving-separatism/296900 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225030747/https://magazine.outlookindia.com/story/its-not-about-the-slogan-by-throwing-challenges-owaisi-is-reviving-separatism/296900 |archive-date=25 February 2021}}</ref>

== Governorship (2019– 2026) ==
[[File:Arif Mohammad Khan in Bihar with PM Narendra Modi.jpg|144x144px]]

Khan, {{circa|Khan as a governor (2025)}}
=== Governor of Kerala (2019–2025)===
[[File:Arif Mohammad Khan (cropped).jpg|130x130px]]

Khan, {{circa|2024}}

Khan was appointed the [[List of governors of Kerala|Governor of Kerala]] on 1 September 2019 by the order of the [[President of India]], [[Ram Nath Kovind]]. He took charge as Governor on 6 September 2019 from [[P. Sathasivam]] he continued in office till 2 January 2025. Then he was appointed as the [[Governor of Bihar|Governor of Bihar.]]<ref>{{cite news |title=Arif Mohammad Khan takes oath in Malayalam |website=The Times of India |date=7 September 2019 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/thiruvananthapuram/arif-mohammad-khan-takes-oath-in-malayalam/articleshow/71016534.cms }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Arif Mohammad Khan Sworn In As Kerala Governor |newspaper=NDTV News |date=6 September 2019 |url=https://www.ndtv.com/kerala-news/arif-mohammad-khan-sworn-in-as-kerala-governor-2096562}}</ref> The political controversy regarding the appointment of vice-chancellors of backgrounds from SFI/CPIM to the universities of Kerala had put him in the spotlight.<ref>{{cite news |title=Why Kerala governor wants 11 university V-Cs out & how it's turned into a political slugfest |newspaper=The Print |date=26 October 2022 |url=https://theprint.in/india/education/why-kerala-governor-arif-khan-wants-9-vcs-to-resign-and-why-its-causing-a-political-stink/1182083/}}</ref> He wasn't given a proper farewell by the Kerala state government owing to various controversies between the office of the governor and the government. His farewell wasn't attended by the Chief Minister [[Pinarayi Vijayan]] nor any of the cabinet ministers.<ref>{{Cite web |title=No thank you to Guv Arif, welcome Guv Arlekar |url=https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2025/01/01/kerala-governor-arlekar-arif-khan.html |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=No thank you to Guv Arif, welcome Guv Arlekar |language=en}}</ref>

=== Governor of Bihar (2025–2026) ===
[[File:Arif Mohammad Khan in Bihar with PM Narendra Modi.jpg|144x144px]]

Khan, {{circa|2025}}

Khan was appointed by the president as the [[Governor of Bihar]] on 24 December 2024,<ref name="IT_24Dec2024" /> and assumed office on 2 January 2025. He left office on 14 March 2026 when he was replaced by [[Syed Ata Hasnain]] after just a period of 1 year & 71 days.

==Positions held==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! #
!Image
! Took office !! Left office
!Tenure length!! Position !! Political Party
|-
| 1.
| [[File:Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.jpg|176x176px]]|| 1977 || 1980
|3 years|| [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]] (1st term) in 7th UP assembly from [[Syana Assembly constituency|Syana]] || [[Janata Party]]
|-
| 2.
| [[File:Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.jpg|177x177px]]|| 1980 || 1984
|4 years|| [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|MP]] (1st term) in 7th Lok Sabha from [[Kanpur Lok Sabha constituency|Kanpur]] || [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
|-
| 3.
|[[File:Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.jpg|177x177px]]|| 1984 || 1989
|5 years|| [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|MP]] (2nd term) in 8th Lok Sabha from [[Bahraich Lok Sabha constituency|Bahraich]] || [[Indian National Congress|INC]]
|-
|4.
| [[File:Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.jpg|177x177px]]
|1989
|1991
|2 years
|[[Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)|Union Minister of Civil Aviation]]
|[[Janata Dal]]
|-
| 5.
| [[File:Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.jpg|177x177px]]|| 1989 || 1991
|2 years|| [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|MP]] (3rd term) in 9th Lok Sabha from [[Bahraich Lok Sabha constituency|Bahraich]] || [[Janata Dal]]
|-
| 6.
| [[File:Governor Arif Mohammad Khan.jpg|177x177px]]|| 1998 || 1999
|1 year|| [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|MP]] (4th term) in 12th Lok Sabha from [[Bahraich Lok Sabha constituency|Bahraich]] || [[Bahujan Samaj Party|BSP]]
|-
|7.
|[[File:Arif Mohammad Khan (cropped).jpg|144x144px]]
|6 September
2019
|2 January 2025
|5 years, 118 days
|[[Governor of Kerala]]
| -
|-
|8.
|[[File:Arif Mohammad Khan in Bihar with PM Narendra Modi.jpg|144x144px]]
|2 January 2025
|14 March 2026
| 1 year, 71 days
|[[Governor of Bihar]]
| -
|}

==See also==
*[[Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act 1986]]
*[[Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum]]
*[[Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi]]
*[[Syed Zafar Islam]]
*[[Tahir Aslam Gora]]
*[[Tarek Fatah]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20130921190404/http://www.parliamentofindia.nic.in/ls/lok12/biodata/12UP31.htm Parliament of India profile]
{{commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}{{s-start}}
{{s-par|in-lwr}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Manohar Lal (politician)|Manohar Lal]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br>for [[Kanpur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Kanpur]] |years=1980 – 1984}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Naresh Chander Chaturvedi]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Maulana Saiyad Muzaffar Hussain]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br>for [[Bahraich (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bahraich]] |years=1984 – 1991}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Rudrasen Chaudhary]]}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=[[Padamsen Chaudhary]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Member of Parliament<br>for [[Bahraich (Lok Sabha constituency)|Bahraich]] |years=1998 – 1999}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Padamsen Chaudhary]]}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[P. Sathasivam]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of governors of Kerala|Governor of Kerala]] |years=6 September 2019 – 2 January 2025}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Rajendra Arlekar]]}}
|-
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Rajendra Arlekar]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of governors of Bihar|Governor of Bihar]] |years=2 January 2025 – 13 March 2026}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Syed Ata Hasnain]]}}
|-
{{s-end}}
{{Current Indian governors|Kerala=Arif Mohammad Khan}}
{{Energy Ministries and Departments of India}}
{{Ministry of Civil Aviation (India)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khan, Arif Mohammad}}
[[Category:Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:Aligarh Muslim University alumni]]
[[Category:University of Lucknow alumni]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1951 births]]
[[Category:V. P. Singh administration]]
[[Category:Lok Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:People from Bahraich district]]
[[Category:India MPs 1980–1984]]
[[Category:India MPs 1984–1989]]
[[Category:India MPs 1989–1991]]
[[Category:India MPs 1998–1999]]
[[Category:Civil aviation ministers of India]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Janata Dal politicians]]
[[Category:Bharatiya Janata Party politicians from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Bahujan Samaj Party politicians from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kanpur]]
[[Category:Ministers of power of India]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian Muslims]]

Arif Mohammad Khan - Revision history

117.231.224.104 at 15:53, 7 June 2026