On Thursday, 4th January, Kerala’s Kozhikode city police registered an FIR against Muslim cleric and Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama leader Mukkam Umar Faizi over his alleged remark “Muslim women who did not wear hijab were persons of loose morals” during a television debate. The accused Islamic scholar has been booked under sections 295A (outraging the religious sentiments) and 298 (uttering words to insult religious feelings). The Nadakavvu Police registered an FIR against Faizi based on the complaint filed by VP Zuhara, president of NISA, a forum of progressive Muslim women on 9th October 2023.
Faizi allegedly made comments about women who do not wear the ‘thattam’ (headscarf worn by Muslim ladies in Kerala) during a television programme last year, sparking a major controversy in the state as a large number of women leaders and activists spoke out against it. According to the Samastha leader, women who do not wear hijab are of “questionable character”.
During the Television debate on 7th October 2023, Faizi was asked to respond to CPM leader K Anilkumar’s comment that no one can force a Muslim woman to wear a purdah (thattam), on Umer Faizi said: “Muslim women have to wear a purdah, they should not exhibit their bodies in front of other men….letting a Muslim woman lead a debauched life in front of other men is not a progressive thing. Muslim women shouldn’t exhibit such debauchery. You may call us old-fashioned, but we stick to that belief.”
Following this, VP Zuhara lodged a complaint against the Samastha leader two days after the outrageous comments were made. However, reports say that the police commissionerate told Zuhra that it needs to take a legal opinion on the matter. The women’s rights activist was allegedly abused for filing a complaint against Umar Faizi.
Notably, VP Zuhara had hit out at Faizi’s remark during the inaugural session of the Kudumbashree’s “Thirike Schoolil” (back to school) campaign at Mallalam in the city in October last year. She stated that it was a woman’s personal choice whether or not to cover her head. A few attendees, including some office-bearers of the school’s parent-teacher association (PTA), held a protest as she addressed the alleged statement by removing her hijab. Zuhara then left the venue.
On Friday (5th January 2024), Zuhara welcomed the filing of an FIR against Umar Faizi as she said, “We have had several such incidents. They want to paint the Muslim community and women in a poor light. They want to create tension in the community by dividing the women into those wearing veils and those not wearing it. Faizi has insulted all the women who do not wear the headscarf.’’
