Mosque to preserve ‘Prophet’s hair’: controversies continue----KANTHAPURAM
ahmed nizar
Kozhikode: While Kanthapuram AP Aboobaker Musliyar and the Samastha Kerala Jam’iyathul Ulema (AP faction) are moving forward in their mission to build the largest mosque in the country to preserve the ‘Prophet’s hair’, controversies continue to follow. The most recent one is a letter reportedly from the family which handed over the 'hair' to Kanthapuram saying that the hair is not actually the Prophet’s.
Dr Ahmed Qasraji of Abu Dhabi handed over the ‘Prophet’s hair’ to Kanthapuram Musliyar at a function held at the Markaz, centre of the Samastha AP group, during the last Milad-e Sherif. Kanthapuram then announced that a huge mosque, namely Sha’re Mubarak Grand Masjid, would be constructed in the Kozhikode district to preserve the hair, spending a sum of Rs 40 crores which would be collected from people through contributions. The structure measuring 2.5 lakh square feet would accommodate 25000 to 30000 devotees at a time. A township also would be built near the mosque.
The proposed mosque [Photo: http://nooruonline.blogspot.com]
Dr Bahaudheen Muhammed Nadwi, vice-chancellor of the Darul Huda Islamic University, Chemmad, and member of the international Muslim scholars’ body, said on Saturday in a press conference that a member of the Qasraji family had written to him stating that the hair with Kanthapuram Musliyar was not really the prophet’s. Sheikh Hassan Muhammed Qasraji, brother of Dr Ahmed Qasraji who handed over the hair to Kanthapuram Musliyar, wrote to Mr Nadwi that the hairs with his brother were not the ancestral property of the family. His father has not mentioned about such hair. Mr Qasraji wrote to Mr Nadwi as a reply to the latter’s letter of April 21 regarding the matter. Mr Nadwi said that the prophet has not asked anybody to build mosques to preserve his hair. He added that the ‘sanad’ (the list of persons who passed the hair over generations, by which it can be known how the hair reached Mr Qasraji) of the hair also was not clear.
Meanwhile, Kanthapuram Musliyar reportedly denied the allegations suggesting that the Qasraji family had stated the hair was fake. Only a member of the family has denied the fact, and he is not a popular figure. Dr Ahmed Qasraji who handed over the hair to me is the son of Muhammed Qasraji, former Director of the Heritage Department and Waqf Minister in Abu Dhabi. The prophet’s hair with Mr Ahmed Qasraji is exhibited every year under his leadership, he added.
In another instance, Kanthapuram Musliyar is reported to have said that Dr Ahmed Qasraji is closely related to the Panakkad Thangal family. Late Panakkad Muhammedali Shihab Thangal had made all arrangements when Muhammed Qasraji, father of Ahmed Qasraji, visited Kerala for medical treatment. Mr Qasraji was a minister then and his family stayed for a month in the house of Muslim League general secretary PK Kunjalikkutty. There is a special room in the Qasrajis house to preserve the ‘Prophet’s hair’. Scholars from different parts of the world are invited when the hair is exhibited to the public twice a year. In such circumstances, it is hard to believe when somebody says something pointing to a letter by a brother. He added that he had understood the origin of the letter and would reveal it if needed later. Kanthapuram also said that those who make this a controversy are disappointed that they cannot build such a mosque.
Muslim League president and leader of the EK Sunni group, Panakkad Syed Hyderali Shihab Thangal reportedly said today that business motives were behind the ‘fake Prophet’s hair’ and that some are cheating people in its name. There have been reports that Thangal was earlier approached by some people for contributions to build the mosque. The people recorded on mobile camera Thangal contributing money for the mosque, and used it for popularizing the collection of funds. It was later condemned by the Samastha EK faction, whose Mushawara, higher body of scholars, then passed a resolution condemning the building of mosque to preserve the hair and raised doubts that the hair was fake. It also raised doubts on the ‘sanad’ as to how the hair of prophet reached its present care-takers after 14 centuries.
Some reports point towards bigger real estate business motives behind the construction of the new mosque. The plan of the Kanthapuram Sunni group is to build a mosque and a township surrounding it in the name of Knowledge City. They plan to collect Rs 1000 each from four lakh people for the construction of the mosque, thus collecting Rs 40 crores. Coupons of Rs 1000 as reportedly available in the mosques run by the Samastha AP faction. Advertisements are also on inviting people to be part of the various ventures to come up in the township surrounding the mosque. The township reportedly consists of business centre, villas, flats, educational institutions, hospital and other medical institutions etc. However, the builders have not yet revealed where this huge project is coming up.
However, the Samastha (AP faction) denied the reports that the real estate business was behind the project, explaining that the mosque and the Knowledge City were different projects. Students from different states learn in the Karanthur Markaz education complex run by the organisation and 80% students study there free of costes. The Knowledge City aims to collect funds for the running of the education institution also. The exact place of the building of the mosque would be announced only after everything is clear, so as not to help the real estate lobby. The construction will begin in six months, said Mr Abdul Hakkeem Azhari on behalf of the organisation.
The move to construct a huge mosque, said to preserve the prophet’s
hair, is being condemned by all major Muslim organizations in the state.
The two Mujahid groups began their campaign against the project as soon
as it was announced, explaining that preserving prophet’s hair was not
in the basics of the religion. The Samastha EK group also came up
against the move, asking the AP group to return the money collected in
the name of the mosque as it was a way of cheating people. Jamat e
Islami Amir T Arifali also spoke against the construction of mosque to
preserve the hair. In spite of this stringent criticism, Kanthapuram is
going forward with the construction. It is said that the organisation
wishes to keep the mosque as a pilgrimage centre like the Hazratbal
Mosque and Ajmer Dargah. Kanthapuram Musliyar is the supremo of the
organisation since its formation, and the mosque would act as a binding
unit for the organisation even after the death of Musliyar.