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After facing significant backlash over his remarks on restricting women’s participation in public religious events, Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama leader and Islamic scholar Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar has backtracked, saying that his organisation does not discriminate against women.
Speaking at a public event in Thrissur on Thursday, September 3, Kanthapuram said his organisation does not advocate confining women and pointed to the educational institutions it runs for girls and women.
“We are not the ones who advocate that women be buried or confined,” he said.
“It is not correct to say that we have given women a secondary position. We have schools exclusively for women under our administration, and the teachers in those schools are women. Similarly, there are many institutions for girls across Kerala. We are not the ones who advocate that women be buried or confined,” he added.
The clarification comes days after the Kanthapuram-led faction of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama issued a circular on organising religious celebrations. The circular directed local madrasas and mahal committees to ensure that young women were not permitted to share stages or mix with unrelated men during public religious events.
A day after the circular was issued, Kanthapuram defended it at a conference in Kochi on August 30. He said bringing women onto mixed public platforms could lead to “great destruction”.
He also argued that Islam prescribed protecting women’s dignity and compared women to “gold jewellery” that is kept safely in a box rather than left exposed.
His remarks drew criticism from political leaders and several Muslim women in Kerala.
The backlash also prompted Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan to issue a statement. Satheesan said Kanthapuram’s position was not suited to a progressive Kerala and that the government did not agree with his remarks.
“It was said that the Quran teaches that there will be great destruction if women enter the public sphere and that women should remain indoors. We do not agree with his statement,” Satheesan told the media on September 2.
“Something that was spoken in the 19th century is being reiterated in the 21st century, and we strongly oppose that,” he said.
Satheesan added that women should not be restricted from participating in public life.
“Women are not meant to be restricted; they are meant to be part of mainstream life in every way. This is the progressive stand we endorse,” he said.
