A female imam who led a mixed congregation in prayer last Friday has vowed not to be scared by death threats received from hardliners over the act.
Jamida Beevi led the prayer in the Indian village of Wandoor Cherukod in Malappuram on Friday, January 26, Guardian UK reported.
The 34-year-old mother of two said she has been receiving death threats on social media since the act.
It is generally regarded as forbidden in Islam for a woman to lead men in prayers.
But Beevi, who belongs to a small sect called the Qur’an Sunnah Sect, said this notion was a construct of men without basis in the Qur’an.
She said, I believe in the Qur’an and the Qur’an teaches equality between the sexes. All this discrimination against women is man-made, imposed by the male clergy and I want to change it.
“The Qur’an says all human beings are equal and anyone can lead prayers. The Qur’an is the basis of Islam, not the hadith, which were created by men after the prophet’s death. For 1,400 years, men have decided things, only men have made decisions. It is time for all that to change now.”
Elaborating on the threats, Beevi said, “These are extremists who cannot tolerate any reform. I have had threats on WhatsApp, on YouTube, on Facebook, but I am not scared.”
However, she added that she would not hesitate to apply for police protection if she considers it necessary.