KOZHIKODE: Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema state president Syed Muhammad Jiffiri Muthukoya Thangal’s speech at the golden jubilee celebrations of the Malappuram unit of the organisation on Sunday brought an interesting twist to the ties between the Sunni outfit and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).
Throughout the speech, Thangal reiterated the need to resist the ‘deviant groups’ like the Wahhabis that pose a threat to the true faith. This assertion assumes importance in the backdrop of the debate raging among the Muslim community whether Communism poses more danger than Wahhabism.
The Samastha conference passed a resolution cautioning the community about the dangers of Communism. But Thangal did not say anything about atheists, Communists, or liberals, whom the IUML and Jama’at-e-Islami brand as a threat to Islam.
Instead, Thangal cautioned Sunni leaders not to attend the meetings of the ‘deviant groups’ because it would lend them credibility. (It may be recalled that some IUML leaders used to participate in the meetings of the Wahhabis or the Mujahids).
IUML, Jama’at-e-Islami, and the Mujahid groups are holding numerous campaigns against Communism with a political aim to corner the CPM. Some Samastha leaders who are loyal to the IUML, like Bahaudeen Muhammad Nadvi Kooriyad, have also jumped on the bandwagon against the CPM.
In his latest Facebook post, Kooriyad alleged that the Communists and the rationalists are planning to create an ‘irreligious society’ by promoting living together and interfaith marriages. He cautioned the Muslim community against the machinations of the Communists to spread their ideology surreptitiously.
Meanwhile, Sufi scholar Rehmathullah Qasimi is leading the attack against Wahhabism from the Sunni side. Qasimi said Wahhabis had unleashed terror in Mecca before they conquered the city. He said Wahhabis laid siege to the holy city, leaving the people to die in hunger.
In a speech titled ‘Wahhabism is more dangerous than Communism’ on December 17, Qasimi said the former is the enemy within the community. A Communist cannot mislead Muslims by quoting Quran but a Wahhabi can, he said. All dangers to Islam such as Al Qaeda, Jaish-e-Muhammad, and Lashkar-e-Taiba are Wahhabis, he added. Supporters of Jiffiri Thangal believe that his detractors are portraying him as a ‘Communist fellow-traveller’ because he was ready to talk to the government led by Communists. Refuting the allegations, Thangal said in his speech that it is Samastha’s policy to cooperate with the ruling dispensation to address the community’s grievances.
Resolution against Communism passed without his knowledge: Thangal
Thangal has clarified that the resolution passed at the Samastha conference, which cautioned the Muslim community against cooperating with Communism, was introduced without his knowledge. In a statement, Thangal resented that some TV channels and online portals were spreading the news related to the resolution with his photograph. He said using his photo along with the news item was ill-motivated.