Kanthapuram Sunnis Restore Madrassa Text: No Salaam to Salafis, Jamaat

Samastha Kerala Jam-Iyyathul Ulema had decided way back in the 1930s that Sunnis should not say ‘salaam’ to Salafis and Jamaat-e-Islami. When Sunnis divided into two factions in 1989, EK faction removed the reference.

The Sunni faction led by Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musaliar has restored the reference in their madrassa textbooks about Sunnis not allowed to say ‘salaam’ to Salafis and Jamaat-e-Islami.

The Samastha had boycotted Jamaat and Salafis from other aspects of life, like marriages and social gatherings.

When Sunnis split into two factions, Kanthapuram and EK, in 1989, EK faction removed the reference from the madrassa textbooks.

The Kanthapuram faction had alleged that it was done under pressure from the IUML as the top leadership of the IUML was Salafi and jamaat.

The Kanthapuram faction also alleged that it showed the political subservience of the EK faction.

The EK faction had removed the word ‘Salafi’ and ‘Jamaat-e-Islami’ with ‘innovators’/’reformists’...

Sunnis consider that Salafis and Jamaa’at-e-Islami smuggled practices that are alien to Islam. ‘Innovators’ and ‘reformists’ are derogatory words in Islam.

In a meeting of the consultative body on Friday, it was decided that the reference to Salafis and Jamat would be restored.

E Sulaiman Musaliar, president of the decision-making body of the Kanthapuram faction, said the reference would be restored as removing the reference created confusion in the minds of the students in particular and the public at large.