Putting them on praying mat

Offering of juma Friday prayers by students of a women8217;s college has sparked off debate among Muslim groups across the state. While o...

Offering of juma Friday prayers by students of a women8217;s college has sparked off debate among Muslim groups across the state. While orthodox Sunni organisations have threatened to hit the streets in protest, the liberal groups are rustling up public support for the move. At Unity Women8217;s College, Manjeri, however, juma is no issue. Students have been offering prayers at the mosque on the campus for a long time now and it had not mattered so far. 8216;8216;We are not compelling anyone in this regard as the issue of offering prayers was a matter of personal choice,8217;8217; says principal Dr P.N. Muhammed. 8216;8216;Those who don8217;t wish to go for prayers are free to do so.8217;8217;

The Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation SKSSF, owing allegiance to the orthodox E.K. Sunni faction, has launched a public agitation against allowing women to offer Friday prayers at the mosque on the college campus. The SKSSF is headed by Syed Sadikkali Shihab Thangal, brother of IUML chief Panakkad Muhammedali Shihab Thangal.

The SKSSF has demanded that college authorities stop allowing women from offering Friday prayers at the mosque as the practice is 8220;against Islam8221;. The Federation8217;s members will hold a protest march to the college on June 17 on the issue. The SKSSF even called an emergency meeting of its state secretariat to discuss the issue. The resolution 8212; there is no religious sanctity for the practice of Friday prayers by women.

The Mujahid organisations, however, have come out strongly against the proposed agitation by the SKSSF. The organisations came together at a meeting in Manjeri to support the practice and condemn the SKSSF8217;s stand against a practice that has been going on for long. The Mujahid Girls Movement MGM district secretariat said the society will eventually expose the vested interests behind the move to curb the freedom of worship for women.

State Haj Committee chairman and Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulema general secretary Prof K. Alikutty Musaliar countered the allegations, saying women are not entitled to hold Friday prayers. 8216;8216;There is no question of juma being held for women alone8230;It is not a welcome thing at all,8217;8217; he said.