Orthodoxy redux: On Keralam, religion and Muslim women’s rights

Veteran Islamic cleric Kanthapuram A.P. Aboobacker Musliar ’s directive to restrict Muslim women’s participation in public celebrations has unsettled Keralam because it strikes at a fundamental question: women’s right to participate in public life. This is not merely a quarrel over how Muslims should mark Prophet Muhammad’s 1,501st birth anniversary. It is a test of how far religious authority can intrude into the lives of women in a State that takes pride in its progressive social history. Kanthapuram says he is merely reminding followers of established religious norms. His supporters argue Milad celebrations have moved beyond mosques and madrasas into large public events, and that scholars have a duty to caution against such departures. That argument holds no weight. Communities have the right to preserve traditions and regulate religious practices, but they have to conform to the values enshrined in the Constitution.