KOZHIKODE: Sunni leader and Indian Grand Mufti Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musaliyar has asked his detractors not to misinterpret his words and divide the society. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Kanthapuram said that the basis of Islamic faith is affection and respect towards Prophet Muhammad.
“Islamic belief would become complete only when one accepts all the issues brought by the Prophet in its entirety,” he said.
The statement was issued here after his remarks that the Mujahids and Jama’at-e-Islami are not Muslims created a controversy in the community. The Ithihadu Shubbanil Mujahideen (ISM), the youth wing of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM), had asked Kanthapuram to tender an apology. The Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS) had asked him to exercise caution while branding anyone as ‘not Muslim.’
In the statement, Kanthapuram said that the publications of the Mujahids and Jama’at-e-Islami have recorded that the body of the Prophet was buried to prevent it from getting decayed and causing a nuisance for other people. “What I asked at the speech was how such persons can be considered as real Muslims. All should desist from taking the words out of context and create division in the society,” he said. Kanthapuram added that throwing the accusations of polytheism (shirk) and negation of religion (kufr) on Muslims is not the practice of the Sunnis. But right from its inception, Mujahids have been following the practice.
Meanwhile, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) Markazudawa has asked Kanthapuram to end the practice of trying to gain something by dividing the Muslim community. In a statement issued here, Markazudawa general secretary C P Umar Sullami said that Muslims and other communities are trying to unite against the fascist threat. Trying to drive a wedge in the Muslim community at this juncture is unpardonable, he said.
“No one has entrusted Kanthapuram to pass judgment on who all are Muslims. Mujahids will question all attempts of spiritual cheating. There is no point in coming out with Kafir fatwa against Mujahid and Jama’at-e-Islami when the spiritual business is adversely affected,” Sullami said, adding that Kanthapuram should end his affinity with the Sangh Parivar and should join the Muslim mainstream.