An Islamic cleric in Kerala is getting flak from all sides after he compared women to gold ornaments and said that they need to be “kept safely inside a box.”
Kanthapurm AP Aboobacker Musliyar, regarded as the 10th Grand Mufti of India by Sunni Muslims, made the comments at the Hubbul Rasool conference in Kochi.
He cited a Quranic verse and then offered his interpretation of what it means for women at the event.
“Women should remain confined within their homes. They should not enter the public sphere. The Holy Quran says so," Kanthapuram said. He said the restriction was not intended to diminish women but to honour and protect them.
He also claimed that bringing women into public spaces would lead to “great destruction."
He said this was the reason Islam prescribed purdah."It is precisely recognising that bringing women onto public platforms in this manner causes great destruction that Islam mandated purdah for women," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.
The cleric then went on to support his argument by comparing women to gold ornaments. "If the necklace has to retain its beauty, it has to be kept safely inside a box," he said.
He then made a comparison to a nearby store that sold stone grinders and said that such items could be left outside long the road without concern.
In contrast a gold necklace could not be treated in the same manner he said. If it were left on the roadside, people would touch it as they passed, gradually damaging its appearance and diminishing its value.
"The Holy Quran states that women should live confined within their homes and must not make public appearances,’ the cleric said.
His statement came after a controversial circular was issued recently that said that "women should not be present on public platforms" alongside men. The circular drew criticism, with several women political leaders speaking out against it. The circular drew criticism as Muslim girls and women had recently participated in the Prophets day celebration ralies.
Responding to the controversial comments, Kerala Labour Minister Bindu Krishna said that while everyone has the right to freedom of expression, his views are not something that should be emulated.
“The Constitution treats everyone as equal. The President of the country herself is a woman. One can follow one’s religious beliefs, but the Constitution must also be respected,” she said.
Earlier in his speech, Kanthapuram said that Islam historically elevated the status of women. He referred to the practice of female infanticide in pre-Islamic Arabia and said Islam prohibited the killing of girl children. He also said Islam gave women property rights at a time when they did
Kanthapuram then argued that religious scholars particularly the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama taught this position for 100 years and that this enabled women in the country in the country to “maintain their dignity.”
"We have studied the religion. Therefore, it is our duty to say this. We will say it, and we will continue to say it. Nobody can stop it," he said.
He then said that his organisation does not interfere with the practices of followers of other religions and pointed out that Muslims religious scholars should similarly be allowed to address their own community.
"We have the right to speak to the Muslim community. We will continue to do so. Nobody here can stop it," he added.
