Wrong to single him out: IUML's lone woman MLA amid row over scholar's remarks

The controversy over Islamic scholar Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar’s statement that women should remain confined to their homes and that bringing them onto public platforms would cause “great destruction” widened on Monday.IUML’s only woman MLA, Fathima Thahiliya, reiterated her support for women’s empowerment but opposed attempts to single out Kanthapuram for criticism.“I have always supported and spoken for women’s empowerment, so there is no change in that stand. But singling out and attacking someone is not something that I appreciate,” she said.WHAT KANTHAPURAM SAIDKanthapuram, the 95-year-old general secretary of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, made the remarks while defending a directive issued by a prominent council of Sunni-Shafi scholars in the state. The directive said women should not share stages with men or appear alongside them in public spaces.Addressing an Islamic conference in Kochi days later, Kanthapuram defended the directive and said Islam had prescribed purdah because the public appearance of women could have destructive consequences. “It is precisely recognising that bringing women onto public platforms in this manner causes great destruction that Islam mandated purdah for women. The Holy Quran states that women should live confined within their homes and must not make public appearances,” he said.SATHEESAN OPPOSES REMARKSKeralam Chief Minister VD Satheesan strongly opposed Kanthapuram’s remarks, saying they ran counter to Islamic history and the values of modern Kerala.Satheesan cited Khadija, the Prophet Muhammad’s first wife and a prominent businesswoman, and Aisha, another wife of the Prophet who participated in the Battle of the Camel. He presented them as examples of Muslim women playing important roles in public life.“We strongly oppose expressing such a 19th-century view in the 21st century. Our progressive position is that women are not meant to remain confined to their homes and that they should participate in all aspects of life and live as part of the mainstream,” he said.MUSLIM LEADERS QUESTION SATHEESANSatheesan’s comments drew criticism from sections of the Muslim religious leadership.A delegation from the Kanthapuram-led faction later met the Chief Minister and accused him of misinterpreting Islamic history, particularly his references to Khadija and Aisha.Samastha president Jifri Muthukoya Thangal also took an indirect swipe at Satheesan. He said religious scholars should not be belittled for speaking on matters of faith.“Sharia is accepted in any time period. It is the verdict of the Holy Quran. You can accept it if you want or else don’t. If it’s not relevant to the time period we live in, then you don’t have to accept it. But such statements must not come from those sitting in responsible positions,” Thangal said.KANTHAPURAM’S REMARKS ‘MISINTERPRETED’Samastha leader Nasar Faizy Koodathayi also defended Kanthapuram, arguing that his comments had been misinterpreted.Koodathayi said Kanthapuram was opposing the portrayal of women as objects of display and advocating their safety and adherence to religious norms. The Sunni Students Federation, associated with the Kanthapuram-led All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama, also criticised the Chief Minister. “It’s not the State’s duty to interpret religion. The Chief Minister’s responsibility is to govern,” it said.SAMASTHA MOUTHPIECE ALLEGES DOUBLE STANDARDSSuprabhatham, the mouthpiece of the Samastha EK faction, attacked Satheesan in an editorial titled “Speak with Decency” and accused him of double standards.The newspaper compared Satheesan’s interpretation of Kanthapuram’s remarks to a blind man describing an elephant after touching only one part of it. It suggested that his position had been shaped by a partial account given by some members of the Muslim community.The editorial also questioned Satheesan’s consistency on women’s rights. It pointed out that he had opposed the entry of women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple but was now speaking extensively about women’s freedom.- EndsPublished By: Aprameya RaoPublished On: Sep 7, 2026 16:57 IST