MALAPPURAM: Kerala’s political landscape is fast witnessing a shift in alliances within Muslim communities. Different conservative Islamic groups and clergy are into political activism giving a tough challenge to the dominant Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) by influencing the Muslim communities at large.Of late, the differences of opinion came out in the open after questions were raised about the manner in which the young breed of Thangal leaders from the Panakkad family is giving consideration to a fringe group named Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM).
The move is unacceptable to the EK faction of Samastha Kerala Jemiyyathul Ulama, which the family adheres to. The Samastha EK faction is the supreme religious body of Sunni Muslims in the state. As a political outfit, things are also not smooth for the IUML with the AP faction of Samastha led by Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliar, which has been taking an outright stand against the IUML for the past few years. For all these years, the IUML has been enjoying the warmth of the Samastha EK faction which brought in large votes from the community. But the recent developments indicate the EK faction has now started attempts to form a cadre group by unleashing an attack on the IUML.
The IUML leadership was in for a surprise when leaders of the EK and the AP factions together took on IUML senior leader and MP E T Mohammed Basheer for hailing the contributions by Salafis, known as Mujahids in Kerala, for Muslim renaissance in the state in a video that was made as part of a campaign for the Mujahid State Conference. The video showed Basheer saying Mujahids played a crucial role in the Islamic renaissance and preaching Thouheed (monotheism).
Further, adding insult to injury, the EK faction came out against Panakkad scions Syed Rasheed Ali Shihab Thangal and Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal after they attended a conference of KNM at Kooriyad in Malappuram.Both the Samastha factions unleashed an attack against the IUML, alleging the party was appeasing Salafis and endorsing their ideology. But totally ignoring the protests, both Syed Rasheed Ali Shihab Thangal and Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal attended the Mujahid conference. Even leaders of Samastha EK faction’s feeder organisations like Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF) criticised the Thangal scions.
Samastha EK faction leaders said the issue started after the IUML leadership failed in controlling some of its young leaders, who are taking an anti-Sharia stand. “Neither the Samastha EK faction nor its feeder organisation is anti-IUML. We are against some leaders and their acts, not the IUML. But, we are being portrayed as anti-IUML,” said Nasar Faizy Koodthai of Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS), a prominent feeder organisation of the EK faction.
He said there have been attempts by a Mujahid lobby to create cracks between the Samastha and the IUML. “Some of the IUML leaders deliberately provoke the Samastha EK faction after falling prey to the influence of the Salafi lobby,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mujahid leaders alleged a section of Samastha E K faction was turning rebels in order to make a show and grab attention. “Samastha EK faction is a mass movement. It’s not an organisation. But, a section of leaders of its feeder organisations is making an attempt to make it a cadre organisation,” said Ithihadu Shubbanil Mujahideen (ISM) state vice-president Nisar Olavanna. ISM is the youth outfit of KNM. He alleged a section of Samastha EK leaders is in favour of the Left because they are not getting due acceptance from the IUML.
Political commentators say the IUML has now landed in a catch-22 situation as the Samastha EK and AP factions have become hostile.It was to appease the Samastha EK faction that IUML gave up its soft stand on Mujahids and distanced itself from the AP faction. Even the IUML called for an open boycott of the AP faction’s major event at Markaz in Karanthur in which prominent Congress leaders did not turn up.
“The IUML hasn’t extended any kind of consideration towards us,” said one of the state-level leaders of Kerala Muslim Jamath, undertaken by the AP faction. “And we are not going to miss anything if they boycott us. The IUML is a party, which terms itself as a common platform for Muslim organisations. By not attending programmes at Markaz in Karanthur, it has lost an opportunity to address a section of Muslims in the state.”
Mujahids
Those following the Salafi ideology are known as Mujahids in Kerala. Mujahids are derived from Kerala Muslim Aikya Sangham, which was formed by a group of leaders in 1922. Later, it gave way to another organisation and Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) came into existence in 1950. KNM follows the Salafi ideology. Salafism is a conservative reform movement that demands return to the first three generations of Prophet Mohammed and it concentrates on the preaching of Thouheed (monotheism). Mujahids in Kerala oppose certain customs among Muslims like visiting dargahs, which they term idolatry or polytheism. KNM was divided into three groups after 2000. Two groups, led by Kunhi Muhammad Madani Parappur and Hussain Madavoor, reunited last year. But, another splinter group Wisdom Global Islamic Mission is keeping away from KNM.
Soft target
A section of IUML leaders believes Muslim groups have started taking a stand against the party because it has turned weak. “The IUML has to stand as a common platform and lead Sunnis and other sects together as it had done earlier. But, the party faces criticism if such moves are made,” said critic M C Vadakara. A state committee member said the party failed to control the clergy.
EK Faction
Samastha Kerala Jemiyyathul Ulama came into existence in 1926. The largest body of Sunni clerics and scholars, it has a supreme council of 40 selected members. Decisions are taken by the supreme council known as Mushawara. This faction is named after late scholar Shamsul Ulama E K Abubacker Musaliyar. Headquartered at Chelari in Malappuram district, the
EK group claims control over 10,000 madrasas. It has control over most of the mosques in the state, especially in Malabar. The group is politically affiliated to the IUML and both Samastha and IUML have Thangals from Panakkad as its leaders.
AP Faction
The AP faction of Samastha was formed after a split occurred in the Samastha in the late 80s. Various issues, including support given to the IUML and the approach towards Salafis, led to the split. Led by Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar, ten members broke away from the 40-member supreme council, forming a parallel organisation. The group claimed their organisation is the real Samastha. The group is named after A P Aboobacker Musliyar. Samastha AP faction also has a 40-member supreme council. This group claims control over more than 8,000 madrasas in Kerala and it runs educational institutions outside the state. Dispute is prevalent between EK and AP factions over the running of some mosques and madrasas in Malabar. The AP faction is often seen affiliated to the CPM and the LDF.