Kanthapuram Row: Rival Samastha Faction Defends Cleric's Right to Preach

The controversy over Islamic scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar's remarks on Muslim women has taken a fresh turn, with a rival faction of the Samastha now defending his right to preach religious doctrine.

Syed Mohammed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal, who heads the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama at Chelari, broke his silence on Wednesday evening, stating that religious scholars should not be attacked or disparaged for explaining religious teachings to their followers. Though he did not name Kanthapuram or Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, his remarks came after the Chief Minister criticised the cleric and accused him of misinterpreting Islam.

"Accept if you can; otherwise, you are free to reject. But do not disparage them," Mr. Jifri Thangal said, adding that people in India are free to follow their faith and religious leaders are free to explain its teachings.

The intervention is significant because the two Samastha factions are rivals, indicating that the debate has moved beyond Kanthapuram's specific remarks to the broader question of religious authority.

The row began with a circular issued by Kanthapuram, general secretary of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, along with its president E. Sulaiman Musliar, regarding Milad celebrations marking the 1,501st birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad. The circular called for programmes to follow Islamic norms, including restrictions on women's participation. Kanthapuram later defended the position at a Kochi gathering, saying that bringing women onto public platforms could lead to "chaos".

The remarks drew criticism from CPI(M) leaders such as P.K. Sreemathy, K.K. Shailaja, A.K. Balan, and Paloli Mohammed Kutty, as well as some Congress leaders. Mohammed Kutty said religious leaders should advise men, not women, on gender equality.

Chief Minister Satheesan entered the debate after several days of criticism, rejecting Kanthapuram's position and saying the cleric had "misinterpreted Islam". He also said Kerala's tradition of social progress could not accept restrictions on women's participation in public life.

The Chief Minister's stand was welcomed by progressive sections but angered sections of the traditional Sunni community. The Kanthapuram faction demanded that he withdraw his remarks and apologise. Leaders including Syed Ibrahim Khaleel Bukhari and Perode Abdurahman Saqafi met Satheesan on Wednesday night and urged him to reconsider. He is understood to have assured them of a more restrained approach.

The CPI(M) leadership has not taken a formal position, with leaders differing. T.K. Hamza said he neither supported nor rejected Kanthapuram's remarks, noting that religious scholars had long advised followers on conduct. "Religion should not be misused for political gains," he said. Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan has not commented yet.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) has taken a cautious line. Its president Syed Sadikali Shihab Thangal defended Kanthapuram, saying he may have been speaking out of concern for women's safety. IUML State Secretary Abdurahman Randathani echoed this, saying the remarks should not be seen as opposition to social progress.

Former Higher Education Minister and CPI(M) leader K.T. Jaleel also defended Kanthapuram's right to speak, noting that the cleric was addressing his followers. "He has the freedom to preach religion; others have the freedom to disagree," he said. However, Dr. Jaleel used the occasion to attack the IUML, saying that whenever the Muslim League is in power, it never bothers about Muslim unity.

Muslim opinion remains divided. Liberal voices such as M.N. Karassery and P.K. Fazal Ghafoor have criticised Kanthapuram, while others have defended him. Basheer Faizy Desamangalam, a young scholar from the rival Samastha faction, accused "fascists, religious deniers doing their secular bidding, and a few ultra-secularists" of exploiting the controversy. He argued that one statement should not erase Kanthapuram's long record of educational and social work. Former MLA P.V. Anvar also warned against turning the issue into a political confrontation.

Mr. Jifri Thangal's comment has shifted the focus from Kanthapuram's remarks to the wider question of a religious scholar's right to preach his interpretation of religious teachings.