Malappuram: The Indian Union Muslim League is all set to foray into the anti-terrorism campaign with a one-day convention against extremism by bringing together Muslim organisations, including party rivals. The convention will be held at Town Hall in Ernakulam on August 24. This is an attempt to narrow down the differences of opinion among the Muslim outfits over the use some terminologies that have a link with Islamic extremism in the world. Besides, the party will also convene a second round of meeting with leaders of Muslim organisations soon to unify the anti-terrorism campaigns launched by various organisations. The party’s first attempt had failed after the majority of Sunnis stood firm on their campaign against Salafism.
“All likeminded organisations will join hands for the Muslim League’s proposed meet in Eranakulam to condemn and pass a strong message against the extremist elements within the community,” said Mr K.P.A Majeed, state general secretary of IUML. There will be representation from the the rival Kanthapuram Sunni faction also in the meet, he said. “The meet is not against Salafism but extremism in the name of religion. The Salafism in Kerala has nothing to do with the Gulf Salafism,” Mr Majeed said and shunned Sufism terming the practice was against Islamic tenets.
This argument does not have many takers within the party, including president Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, who is also the vice-president of Samastha Kerala Jamiyathul Ulema, the largest Sunni organisation in the state. The Salafi and Sufi disagreement had prompted the League to convene a meeting of both parties to reach an agreement to avoid clashes between each other. “This has been broken by the Salafi organisation, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM), with its campaign to bring Sufism close to Salafism. This forced the Samastha to launch a counter- campaign against Salafism,” said Mr Abdul Hameed Faizy, state joint secretary of SYS, an offshoot of Samastha.
