Daring centuries-old conventions of Islamic Shariat, a Muslim woman set a record of sorts on Friday by leading Juma prayers for a small group at a remote village in the district.
Jamida K., popularly called Jamida Teacher, became the first Indian Muslim woman to lead Juma prayers at Cherukode, near Wandoor, on Friday.
Never before has a woman in the country dared to break the Shariat convention of men leading the mass Juma prayers. “I did it knowing well about the consequences it is going to create,” Ms. Jamida told The Hindu .
Over 50 people present
She led the prayers for a 50-odd group comprising men and women at the Central committee office of the Quran Sunnath Society, a movement set up by Chekanur Moulavi, a radical Muslim scholar allegedly murdered by some orthodox sections more than three decades ago.
“We follow the Quran. It addresses the humankind as men and women, and does not discriminate between them. Both men and women have equal role in religion,” said Ms. Jamida.
She said her group had taken on a male-dominant religious practice followed for over 1,400 years.
“We will continue the practice of woman leading the prayers when it meets our convenience,” she said.
In other countries
Although her feat was a record in the country, scholarly Muslim women such as Ghazala Anwar and Amina Wadud had led Juma prayers in New York some years ago.
Notwithstanding Ms. Jamida’s fear of a backlash from the Muslim community, no religious groups or scholars have reacted to the event. But in social media, she is facing a barrage of criticism.
