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“Women should be barred from public stages and prevented from mingling with unrelated men at religious events,” read an August 27 circular issued by Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (AP Sunnis).
The circular, signed by Samastha president E Sulaiman Musliyar and general secretary Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, called on mahal committees, mosques, madrasas, and other institutions to ensure that Islamic celebrations do not exceed ‘religious boundaries’. Kanthapuram, a prominent Islamic scholar and the Grand Mufti of India, reiterated the controversial views three days later.
The circular may have emerged in response to the significant participation of women in this year’s Milad un Nabi rallies, which predominantly featured men and young boys in previous years. Videos of young hijabi women dancing during Onam festivities too had gone viral nationwide.
The remarks drew sharp criticism from many politicians, including Chief Minister VD Satheesan. On social media, Muslim women content creators pushed back against Kanthapuram’s stand. Critics highlighted how Samastha’s public declarations are in direct opposition to the Indian Constitution’s fundamental principles of equality.
Kanthapuram was forced to backtrack a week later, and said that his organisation does not discriminate against women.
For many, the contents of the circular came as no surprise, because Samastha has frequently made regressive statements with several triggering intense public outcry and widespread criticism across the state.
Supporters justified the circular by arguing that Samastha’s directive was only meant for institutions and believers associated with the organisation.
This raises a larger question about Samastha’s influence over the lives of ordinary Muslims in the state.
Samastha has a substantial institutional presence in Keralam, with influence over mosques, madrasas, and religious education, particularly in the Malabar region. Yet writers, activists, and practising Muslims who spoke to TNM said that its conservative decrees are not necessarily complied with in Muslim households, especially among younger and more educated sections of the community. At the same time, they caution that such statements could still affect women and children from less privileged sections of the community.
Samastha and its influence
Samastha was officially formed in 1926 under the leadership of Varakkal Mullakoya Thangal. It serves as the apex body for approximately 70% of mosques and numerous madrassas across Keralam. Women remain prohibited from entering mosques that fall under Samastha.
As the primary and most significant council of traditional Sunni scholars in the state, Samastha stands as the highest authority within the Muslim community by sheer numbers. It has more influence in the northern region of Keralam, especially Malabar. In the south, it is restricted to pockets including Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram and certain regions of Kollam and Alappuzha.
In the late 1980s, the organisation split due to leadership disagreements, differences in organisational control, and varying approaches to political alliances and reformist groups.
The two factions are named after their prominent leaders at the time of the split: EK Aboobacker Musliyar (Samastha EK) and AP Aboobacker Musliyar (Samastha AP). Despite this organisational division, both factions adhere to the same orthodox Sunni-Shafi'i theology.
While EK has strength in numbers, AP wields more power, both politically and institutionally. The latter owns the Markaz Knowledge City, an integrated township spanning over 125 acres in Thamarassery in Kozhikode district.
Samastha also has an official newspaper, Suprabhaatham, which began circulation in September 2014. Currently, it has around 50 lakh daily readership.
While Samastha officially maintains that it is a religious scholarly body, it also wields vast political influence. It has traditionally favoured the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second largest party in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). At the same time, key Samastha leaders like Jifri Thangal had maintained a relationship with the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, often collaborating on issues, such as opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
In fact, Samastha is also known for taking a firm position against Muslim fundamentalist groups, according to academic and writer NP Ashley. “They have a clear stand against organisations like the Jamaat-e-Islami or the Popular Front. In Keralam, the Popular Front actually originated in Kozhikode and became strongest in Malabar, but they never truly established a foothold there. The primary reason for it is the strong position taken by Samastha,” he said.
The Popular Front of India (PFI) was officially banned in India in 2022, declared an "unlawful association" under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
“Notably, these groups are weakest in the areas with the highest Muslim population. SDPI and Popular Front tend to be more present in regions in the south, where Samastha lacks the established political and social structure,” Ashley added.
Samastha’s century-old anti-women stand
In 1930, four years after its formation, Samastha conducted a conference in Mannarkkad, and adopted a resolution that women should not learn writing. This stance was softened with time, and Samastha leaders were forced to encourage both men and women to be educated.
“If people had obeyed Samastha in 1930, we would not have got Justice M Fathima Beevi, India’s first woman Supreme Court Judge,” said advocate C Shukkur, a social activist and actor who gained widespread attention for re-registering his marriage under the Special Marriage Act to secure equal inheritance rights for his daughters.
There were also instances of Samastha leaders refusing to engage with women journalists. In the early 2000s, a woman journalist from Indiavision channel was explicitly prohibited from attending their press conference.
In June this year, Samastha said that Muslims should refrain from participating in religious rituals associated with other faiths, after Perambra IUML MLA Fathima Thahiliya lit a nilavilakku (lamp), during a public function in her constituency.
In December 2025, both factions of Samastha issued a joint statement against men and women celebrating together after the 2025 local body elections. Many women leaders of IUML, particularly from the Youth League and Haritha, had secured victories across local bodies, marking a historic expansion of female representation within the party.
The joint statement said it was “unacceptable for men and women to come together, hug, clap, demonstrate on the streets, roam freely, and engage in obscenities not permitted by religion in the name of election victory celebrations organised in the name of the Muslim community.”
In May 2022, a major controversy erupted in Keralam when MT Abdulla Musliyar, a senior Samastha (EK) leader, publicly reprimanded organisers for inviting a class 10 girl onto the stage during the inauguration of a madrasa building at Pathiramanna in Malappuram district. Immediately after the girl stepped aside, a visibly angry Musliyar walked to the microphone and rebuked the organisers.
Often, such controversies would see other Muslim groups or even IUML come forward to condemn Samastha’s stance, said senior journalist Rahees Rashid. But the August 27 circular and Kanthapuram’s subsequent statements have not faced any opposition from other Muslim groups. "Organisations including the Mujahideen, Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League, and others, usually react to such statements. But this time, no one did," Rahees said.
In fact, IUML leader Sadiq Ali Thangal played down the stand taken by Kanthapuram, saying that he must have spoken with women’s safety in mind.
Women in politics
“Historically, these conservative factions have worked to intentionally defeat women candidates,” NP Ashley said, explaining that Samastha generally opposes women taking up public roles or contesting elections.
However, Samastha’s firm stance against women’s involvement in politics shifted after 50% women’s reservation was implemented in local bodies in 2006. “Since 50% seats were reserved for women, they didn't have any other option,” said Rahees. Being the largest organisation of Muslims in Keralam, it is likely that 90% of women representatives from IUML are Samastha followers, he added.
While IUML’s women politicians have so far remained restricted to local body councils, a rare change occurred in the 2026 Assembly elections, Ashley noted. Fathima Thahliya, who won from the Perambra Assembly constituency in Kozhikode, made history as the first woman MLA of IUML.
‘Regressive views won’t influence Muslim community’
Journalist Rahees noted that only a small number of people take Samastha’s decrees seriously. The August 27 circular is unlikely to have any further impact, he said, as staunch followers may have already been practising these views. “People who already adhere to Samastha or Kanthapuram do not need this circular to engage in anti-women practices, as they are inherently conservative. This circular is unlikely to influence others,” he said.
A circular issued by Samastha will be adhered to by mahals and madrasas that fall under it, and will not have a larger influence on the Muslim community, many told TNM. A 36-year-old Muslim man from Palakkad said, “If they issue a circular saying that no women should participate in Islamic functions, the madrasas won’t allow women in any function, including the Milad un Nabi rally. Apart from that, there won't be much effect,” he said.
Author and social activist Dr Khadeeja Mumtas said that such traditionalist decrees are increasingly ignored by the younger generation. “For years, [Kanthapuram] has been making such deeply misogynistic statements. We generally don’t pay much attention to them. It’s better to ignore it,” she said.
Advocate Shukkur said that Kanthapuram’s opinion will not have any influence over the Muslim community. “Samastha has a huge number of followers in the Muslim community. But they will not obey such instructions,” he said.
Khadeeja also said that patriarchal statements may still sway a small circle of male followers, but they will fail to restrict women who are actively achieving independence through education and professional involvement. “These statements are likely to influence a few men within their sect. I don't think that's such a big factor,” she added.
But things may be different for women from underprivileged families, said Shabnam Noorjahan, an author and social commentator. “This will not impact girls from wealthy or educated families. However, there are still underprivileged groups in society that are being affected by this. When we consider such a group, how can we simply say, ‘Let them say whatever they want’? The real question is, if even one child is being harmed because of this, can we allow people to continue making such remarks?” she told the media.
