'Stop Spreading Misinformation': AIMPLB Member on Row Over Entry of Women in Mosques

Lucknow: A day after a Kerala-based Muslim women's outfit decided to move the top court for getting entry into Sunni mosques, AIMPLB member and Aishbagh Eidgah Imam Khalid Rasheed Farangi Mahali on Thursday hit out at the body, clarifying that woman are allowed in mosques. He said that some people were trying to spread misinformation, which is not good.

"Islam allows both men and women to offer namaz in mosques. Some people are spreading misinformation that women are prohibited from offering namaz in mosques, which is not good. Spreading such misinformation about the basics of any religion, be it Islam or Hinduism is wrong. It has become a fashion nowadays to raise irrelevant questions on basics of any religion and then drag it to court, this should be stopped," he said while speaking to News18.

Earlier in January, a Muslim woman in Kerala, associated with a progressive religious organisation, had created a history of sorts by leading Friday namaz at a mosque in Kerala's Malappuram district.

"The Quran does not differentiate between man and woman. It speaks only about the faithful. But Islam has become a religion in which women are being oppressed. By leading the namaz, I wanted to fight against the dominance of priesthood in the community," 34-year-old K Jamitha, who had led the prayer, said.

Social Activist VP Zuhra, President of Kozhikode-based progressive Muslim women’s forum NISA, had reportedly decided to petition the Supreme Court, praying that Sunni mosques across the country must allow entry to women.

Speaking to News18 from Kozhikode, Zuhra said that the prime reason for her decision to move court is the “apparent gender discrimination” at mosques. She added that the move will help the cause of “equality”. “I am doing this for equality. Women are never allowed inside Sunni mosques to pray and they, too, have the right. Women were allowed to enter mosques even during the time of the Prophet,” said Zuhra.

The NISA chief on Wednesday said that Advocate Venkita Subramoniam will be filing the Muslim women’s plea in the top court this week itself or by next week. The Supreme Court had on September 28 opened the doors of Sabarimala temple to women of all age groups. The court called the practice a form of discrimination, smacking of gender bias and prejudice against a natural biological process that every woman has to go through.