New Delhi: Controversy has arisen over the statement given by Kerala's well-known Islamic scholar Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musaliar regarding women. During an Islamic conference held in Kochi, he said that women should be confined to home and should not have any presence in public life. He cited the Holy Quran in support of his statement.
'Women should stay within the four walls of the house'
Kanthapuram said that women's stay at home is related to their dignity and respect. He claimed that the purdah system has been prescribed in Islam for the safety and respect of women. According to him, women should avoid coming to public forums and public places with men.
He also said that bringing women into public life in large numbers can create serious problems in the society. To explain his idea he compared women to gold jewellery.
Example of gold chain
Kanthapuram said that when a person buys a gold chain, it is kept in a box for safe keeping. It is usually taken out carefully, while things like stone grinding mill can also be kept on the roadside.
Through this example, he argued that just as gold jewelery is kept in a box for safe keeping, women should also stay at home so that their dignity and respect are protected.
Political controversy over statement
This statement came at a time when a section of the entire Kerala Jamiatul Ulema had advised women to avoid sharing the stage with men and appearing with them in public functions. This instruction was criticized by many women leaders.
Senior CPI(M) leader PK Srimati described Kanthapuram's statement as discriminatory against women and old-fashioned. While defending his views, Kanthapuram said that religious scholars have explained these things for a long time and he has the right to speak on the religious matters of his community. He also said that Islam had improved the social status of women by giving them rights like property and inheritance.