KOZHIKODE: The stand-off between Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema and IUML-backed Coordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC) has further vitiated with the former rejecting the CIC’s views on marriage of girls who are doing degree courses in Islamic studies.
Samastha mushawara (consultative body) meeting held here on Tuesday suggested that the girls who are doing its five-year courses can get married, if they willed, during the time of studies. The mushawara also exhorted all educational institutions under it to allow such girls to continue their studies after marriage.
CIC is the apex body of educational institutions that run the Islamic courses Wafy (for boys) and Wafiyya (for girls). It had proposed that the girls who study for the Wafiyya courses should not be allowed to marry during the tenure of the course as it was found to be hampering their studies.
Wafiyya is a five-year course in Islamic studies after the SSLC - comprising two-year preparatory and three year under-graduate courses- that leads to a recognised university degree in any secular discipline. It is said that the stipulation would make it impossible for students to enter into wedlock before reaching 21 years of age.
Samastha had raised its objection to such a strict stipulation and had suggested that CIC can create awareness among students on the importance of studies but there should not be a blanket ban on marriages during studies.
TNIE had reported the estranged relationship between the Samastha and CIC after the latter’s move to amend its constitution to declare independence from Samastha. It is believed that the developments were the outcome of the ongoing tussle between IUML and Samastha.
Samastha sees the amendment as an attempt to set up a parallel Islamic education system and has sought clarifications from the CIC. But CIC had denied the allegations saying that Samastha will continue to be its guiding principle. It had alleged that the controversy is only meant to divide the well-wishers of the institution between ‘supporters of IUML and Samastha.’
CIC PROPOSAL
IUML-backed Coordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC) is the apex body of educational institutions that run the Islamic courses Wafy (for boys) and Wafiyya (for girls). It had proposed the girls in the Wafiyya courses should not be allowed to marry during the tenure of the course as it was found to be hampering their studies