Indian woman leads Friday prayers in a first
Jamitha Teacher told NDTV that she got death threats and criticised by male clerics but she believes the honour given to her is “empowering”
January 29, 2018
A woman for the first time in India led the Friday prayers in northern Kerala, the Quran Sunnat Society said.
Jamitha Teacher told NDTV that she got death threats and was criticised by male clerics but she believes the honour given to her is “empowering”.
Jamitha was boycotted in Kerala previously too for her unconventional views, and had to flee.
Later, the Quran Sunnat Society invited her to a session and she was eventually appointed secretary of the society.
While a woman leading prayers is relatively unheard of in this part of the world, many Muslim women in the West are changing the trend.
The first ever instance of a woman leading prayers was in Toronto in 2005, amid protests and boycotts. The prayers were led by American scholar Pamela Taylor, who converted to Islam 19 years ago.
Pakistani Ulema’s stance
Pakistani Islamic scholars (ulema) declared the woman’s act of leading prayers against Shariah (Islamic law).
Ulema council’s Chairman Allama Tahir-ul Ashrafi said only a man has the right to lead prayers.
Allama Shabbir Mesami said that there is no such instance found in history where a woman has led prayers in the presence of men, adding that women have not been granted the right to lead prayers.
He added that if only women are part of prayers, then a woman can lead.
Jamia Naeemia Lahore’s Administrator Mufti Raghib Naeemi also said that women cannot lead prayers where men and women are participating and Shariah has granted men the right to lead prayers.
