KOZHIKODE: People from all faiths are flocking to the “all-religion juma” prayers organised on Fridays by C H Musthafa Moulavi, an Islamic scholar known for his unconventional and iconoclastic approach to the religion.
Swami Dharma Chaithanya, secretary of Advaita Ashram, Aluva, Swami Thyageeswaran of Sree Narayana Gurukulam, Gita Gayathri, a disciple of Guru Nitya Chaitanya Yati, and several others have attended the juma in the past few years. “I started the juma two years ago and shifted to Kozhikode city recently. I follow the model set by Prophet Muhammad, who asserted that mosques should be accessible to people of all religions,” Moulavi told the TNIE.
Citing the instance of a lady swooning at a marketplace in Madina, he said: “The Prophet took the woman to a mosque, where she spent three days. And the woman was not a Muslim. The incident was narrated by Imam Bukhari. It was the later rulers who made masjids exclusive to Muslims for political reasons,” Moulavi said.
He believes the term ‘mushirik’ has been misinterpreted to mean idolaters and polytheists. “But the actual meaning of the term is anti-social, those who should be isolated in society. It does not mean idolaters,” Moulavi said. He said his position is based on the Quran, authentic narrations of the life of the Prophet and his companions, holy scriptures before the Quran, and logical reasoning.
“I take into account holy books such as Vedas, Upanishads, Bible, texts of Confucius, and the works of Sree Narayana Guru, besides the Quran,” Moulavi said.
People who attend the juma can follow their own praying styles. “Muslims can continue with the style they have been following. Similarly, a person from a different faith can have his or her prayers,” he said. Gouriprasad Hari, a Sikh devotee, said it was a rare experience to participate in the Eid Gah organised by Moulavi in Kozhikode. “It is certainly a welcome move, especially at a time when the emotion of hate is increasing,” he said.
Moulavi has earned both admirers and adversaries with his way of interpreting Islam. He is currently engaged in writing a “humanistic” commentary of the Quran, titled ‘Akam Porul’, which is a reading of the holy text in the light of the teachings of Sree Narayana Guru.