Row over Kanthapuram directive limiting women’s public participation grows as Samastha defends ‘right to preach’

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The row over Islamic scholar Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar’s remarks on Muslim women has taken a new turn, with his rival Samastha faction defending his right to preach religious doctrine as the debate widens to include religion, public life and political intervention.

Also read: Sunni Mahallu Federation urges Kanthapuram critics to stop interfering in religious matters

Syed Mohammed Jifri Muthukoya Thangal, who heads the rival Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama headquartered at Chelari, broke his silence on Wednesday evening (September 2, 2026), saying religious scholars should not be attacked or disparaged for explaining religious teachings to their followers.

Though he did not name Mr. Kanthapuram or Keralam Chief Minister, his remarks came after V.D. Satheesan criticised the scholar and said his position amounted to a misinterpretation of Islam.

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

His intervention is significant as the two Samastha factions are rivals. It shows how the controversy has moved beyond Mr. Kanthapuram’s remarks to the wider question of religious authority.

The controversy began with a circular issued by Mr. Kanthapuram, general secretary of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, along with its president E. Sulaiman Musliar, on the conduct of Milad celebrations marking the 1,501st birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad.

As Milad programmes expanded from mosques and madrasas to public venues and clubs, the circular called for them to follow Islamic norms, including restrictions on women’s participation. Mr. Kanthapuram later defended the position at a gathering in Kochi, saying that bringing women onto public platforms could lead to “chaos”.

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

Mr. Satheesan entered the debate after several days of criticism and rejected Mr. Kanthapuram’s position, saying the cleric had “misinterpreted Islam”. He also said Keralam’s tradition of social progress could not accept restrictions on women’s participation in public life.