Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama has said that Muslims should refrain from participating in religious rituals associated with other faiths, after Perambra IUML MLA Fathima Thahiliya lit a Nilavilakku or lamp during a public function in her constituency.
The organisation's Supreme Consultative Council, examined the issue amid growing debate within sections of the Muslim community. The Samastha is a body of Sunni scholars.
In a statement, the Samastha said the lighting of a traditional oil lamp is a practice historically associated with non-Muslim religious customs. The organisation maintained that participation in such rituals is not permissible for Muslims and outlined its religious position on the matter.
According to the statement, if a Muslim performs the act, while subscribing to beliefs linked to the ritual that contradicts Islamic teachings, it could amount to leaving the fold of Islam. If the act is carried out without accepting such beliefs and only as an imitation of non-Muslims, it would still be considered prohibited and sinful, the organisation said.
Senior Samastha leader Abdul Hameed Faizy Ambalakkadavu reiterated the stand in a Facebook post, saying Islamic teachings encourage peaceful coexistence, friendship and good relations with followers of other faiths, while drawing clear boundaries regarding participation in their religious practices.
"Islamic laws are clear and explicit. While believers are instructed to maintain cordial relations with people of other faiths, participation in the rituals and traditions of other religions is prohibited," he wrote.
Fathima Thahiliya, made history recently by becoming the Indian Union Muslim League's first woman MLA. She defeated
CPI(M) leader and LDF convener T P Ramakrishnan in Perambra.
Fathima Thahliya’s rise in the organisation began through Haritha, the women's wing of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), where she served as founding state president and helped expand the student body's presence across campuses.
She later found herself at the centre of a major controversy after backing Haritha leaders who raised allegations of sexual harassment against senior MSF functionaries. The dispute eventually led to her removal as MSF national vice-president and the dissolution of Haritha.
Her candidature in the Assembly election had also faced opposition from conservative sections within the community, including some aligned with Samastha.