Migrant workforce, which has been dominating various skilled and unskilled labour sectors for past few years, has started to take over the leading role in mosques of Malabar.
By Shafeeq Hudavi
Kozhikode: Nazeem Akhthar Qasimi, a pass out of Darul Uloom Deoband, came to Kerala last year in search of greener pastures as he failed to find a befitting career at his home in Tezpur district of Assam.
The Maulana, who memorized Quran, was confined to start his job in a coconut oil mill in Ponnani of Malappuram district. After having worked at the mill for almost one year, the holy month of Ramadan has brought cheers for Nazeem.
The young Hafiz is now working with the Salafi mosque in Ponnani as he got a call from mosque committee to lead the prayers.
Four kms away from Ponnani town, Mohammed Shehdad, a Hafiz from Chapra district of Bihar is working with Masjidu Salam at Chamravattam Junction while Mohammed Shafeel, Shehdad’s relative, is Imam at Maranchery, a nearby locality.
Migrant workforce, which has been dominating various skilled and unskilled labour sectors for past few years, has started to take over the leading role in mosques of Malabar. Hafizes from Assam, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are in great demand in mosques during Ramadan.
What drives Malabar towards these Imams is the need for Hafizes during Ramadan as Muslims wish to hear the Quran in sweet voice during the Taraweeh special prayers. The highlight of the prayer, which includes 20 ‘rakats’ (part of the Namaz), is the recitation of the whole 30 ‘Juzes’ of the Quran. The demand for migrant Hafiz trend started around five years ago but has not really picked up wide across the state.
Though Muslim community in Malabar is perceived as unique among their co-religionists in the country in terms of educational and financial status, the region is lagging behind while it comes to the number of Hafizes.
“The habit of memorizing Quran is in the primary stage in Malabar while hundreds of Hafizes pass out every year from madrassas in other states. Unlike the Keralite Imams, these Hafizes are blessed with the ability to recite entire Quran attractively with a sweet accent and voice,” said Nizar Olavanna, state president of Itihihadu Shubbanil Mujahideen (ISM).
Mosque functionaries say that the Imams are driven by the good payment and other privileges receive her during the holy month.
“The community is obliged to ensure comfortable living facilities and better payment (for them),” says P Ummerkoya, a committee member of Salafi Mosque on Kallayi road in Kozhikode city.
The Kozhikode based Qasi Foundation chairman E V Usmankoya says that Muslims extend them befitting consideration with delicious food from the households along with rewards.
According to Shahid Ahmed, a young Hafiz from Sidharth Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, the payment is high compared to that of other states. Shahid Ahmed is working with the Uttery mosque near Koyilandy in Kozhikode district.
“People are generous and we get due consideration. We get a decent income, says Quthubuddeen, a Hafiz hailing from Purniya district, Bihar. Mohammed Irfan, another Bihari Imam from Baghalpur shares the same opinion.
Taraweeh prayers are led by Imams from other state in Mohiyudheen, Shadhuli and Omar mosques in Kozhikode. Mosques in Muslim strongholds such as Kuttyadi, Nadapuram, Koyilandi, Vadakara and Koduvally present the same scenario with migrant Imams.
In Malappuram, mosques in Tirur and Ponnani seek the service of migrant Imams, according to Rafeeq Puthuponnani of Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF).
Kabeeer Kannadiparamba, a local journalist, says that mosques at Kakkad and Pallipram in Kannur district with dense Muslim population bring Hafizes for Ramadan. Hanafi strongholds like Uppala, Kumbala and Manjeswaram in Kasargod district have Hafizes from other states in addition to some of the mosques in Kasargod and Kanhangad towns.
Ashraf Koduvally, a local journalist with a Malayalam daily, says that the students, who are pursuing higher education in Islamic knowledge, also come here to earn to proceed their studies. For them, according to him, Ramadan is left without classes.
However, Nizar Olavanna and Usman Koya say that the flow of Hafizes will go up during the coming Ramadans as more mosques have started to opt Hafizes for Taraweeh prayers.