Muslim Family Boycotted in Kerala for Letting Daughter Marry a Christian

In the middle of contention over inter-religious marriages, a Kerala Muslim family is facing boycott in their community for allowing their daughter to marry a man from Christianity.

The Mahallu committee (Mosque’s administrative committee) named “Madarul Islam Sangham” at Kondiparamba in Malappuram district issued a circular urging the community not to cooperate with Kunnummal Yousuf and his family after their daughter Jaseela’s marriage with Tiso Tomy who hails from a Christian family.

The circular which is in Malayalam reads “Since the Mahallu committee member Kunnummal Yusuf, son of Mohammed Kutty, has agreed to his daughter’s wedding to a non-Muslim, the committee has decided on October 10, 2018, that people need not cooperate with his family, neither for mosque-related affairs nor for other matters.”

Jaseela and Tiso, both IT professionals in the Middle East, had tied their knot under special marriage act at an office of the Registration Department on last Thursday. Jaseela was the member of Democratic Youth Federation of India Manjeri block committee before she had left for the job in abroad.

While Jaseela’s mother Najma said that the family hasn’t got such circular in person. "But, the committee has published it on Masjid board and announced during Namaz and we were informed by some persons who were there," she added.

While talking about the marriage, Najma made it clear that her 27-year old daughter has her own choice and both the families of Jaseela and Tiso supported the decision.

Najma, however, said the masjid committee’s decision had pained the family because none of the families under Kondiparamba masjid turned up for marriage fearing the rule of the community leadership.

“However, our other Muslim friends, a section of relatives, party workers and a lot of non-Muslims attended the function,” she added.

Though, the family plans to file a lawsuit against the social boycott. “We could not even go to Muslim homes to invite people. In the future, no family should be humiliated over an inter-faith marriage. We would move a complaint with police against the boycott,” she said.

The masjid committee has reportedly consisted of activists from Indian Union Muslim League and Social Democratic Party of India members.