Migrant muezzins for Kerala mosques

KOZHIKODE: There is shortage of labour not only in the material world, but also in the spiritual field  in Kerala. This is acutely being felt in the mosques in Malabar where the job of muezzin  (the person who calls the faithful to prayer five times a day) is now performed by migrants.  

The local youngsters in the community are no longer interested in this holy work and,  therefore, the mosques  have begun employing those from other states, including Bengal, Bihar and Odisha, who are ready to work for meagre salaries.

The Muslim youths of  Malabar have turned to   business and other  jobs to make money.   The  divinity and spiritual benefits of being a muezzin no longer  attract them, say  mosque committee members.

“This is a real  issue and we are not getting new muezzins from Kerala. Traditional muezzins, who were engaged in  this profession for  the last several decades, continue with it as they find it spiritually rewarding. But the new generation is not coming  forward to take up this job,” Mr Mannil Muhammed, president of the Perinthalmanna Big Masjid, told Deccan Chronicle.

The language is no barrier as the prayer call is done in Arabic, and Muslim youths from other states  are good in  rendering the prayers.

The  salary structure for a muezzin in bigger mosques ranges between RS 7,000  and  Rs 8,500.

In mosques with madrassas, muezzins have to teach the children in the morning and be present  in the mosque throughout the day.

“They cannot do anything else outside,” Mr Muhammed added. The trend of appointing migrant muezzins started during Ramzan months.

The Beypore Mosque had a North Indian muezzin during Ramzan and he continued even after the holy months.  

When the mosque committees found them adaptable, the practice  continued and several mosques now have migrant muezzins.  

Religious leaders say that most of the mosques in Kerala may soon have non-Malayali muezzins when the present generation of native muezzins is gone.