Kochi: The Samastha Kerala Jem’iyyathul Ulema, a leading Muslim scholarly body in Kerala, has adopted a resolution expressing concern over what it describes as increasing efforts to draw Muslim women into public life in ways that could “distract them from their fundamental responsibilities.”

The resolution, passed at the organisation’s recent conference, reiterated the view that “nobility and modesty are the adornment of women,” and stressed that adherence to boundaries outlined by traditional Islamic scholarship is essential for both “material and spiritual success.”

While the body acknowledged that Islam grants women the right to education, employment, inheritance and spiritual autonomy, it warned against what it termed the “influence of modernity and liberalism,” suggesting that these forces may lead women to “cross the boundaries of morality in public places.”

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“The tendency to drag Muslim women into public activities that distract them from their fundamental responsibilities should not be encouraged,” the resolution stated.

The scholars also called for safeguarding what they described as Islam’s special emphasis on the dignity and safety of women. They urged Muslim women to follow the example of the “women of the Companions” of Prophet Muhammad and their “pious predecessors,” while cautioning against “distorted progressive arguments.”

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The resolution has prompted debate in social and religious circles. Supporters say it reaffirms traditional values, while critics argue it risks restricting women’s participation in public life. Samastha leaders maintain the resolution aims to balance the rights Islam grants women with the moral and social responsibilities emphasised by traditional scholarship.