Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar known as Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad[b][3][4] (born as A. P. Aboobacker at Kanthapuram on 22 March 1931)[1][a] is the tenth and current
Grand Mufti of India.[5][6] and General Secretary of the
All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama (the Indian Muslim Scholars Association) and General Secretary of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama.
After his election conducted several receptions in various countries including
UAE,
Bahrain,
Kuwait,
Oman,
Malaysia and
Indonesia especially at his birthplace in India,
Kozhikode. Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Sri P. Sreeramakrishnan, Kerala Minister
TP Ramakrishnan, Karnataka Ministers
UT Khader and
Rahim Khan, and
A Pradeepkumar member of 14th Kerala Legislative Assembly, Kerala Haj Committee chairman C Mohammed Faizi, Tamil Nadu Haj Committee chairman Haji Abdul Jabbar,
Mayor of Kozhikode Thottathil Raveendran,
Zamorin K.C. Unniyanujan Raja and
Dr MGS Narayanan, politicians, religious and cultural leaders including from other Indian states participated in the civil reception.[15][16] In the function, Minister T. P. Ramakrishnan expressed appreciations to the Grand Mufti for the
Government of Kerala. You have got a golden visa for 10 years from the Dubai government, you are the first Muslim in India to get this honor.[17]
Peace and interfaith dialogue work
Musliyar has conducted and attended many national and international conferences for peace and interfaith dialogue.[18][19][20]
In 2014 he launched a campaign to plant 100,000 trees throughout India as part of preparations for the Sheikh Zayed International Peace Conference, held in New Delhi.[32]
Educational revivalist
Musliyar educated several scholars from different parts of India.[33][34] He is involved with Markaz Knowledge City, Unani Medical College, and with higher education and research.[35][36] He said in an interview with
Khaleej Times that the "Education is key to peace".[37]
Views
Musliyar has condemned
Islamic extremism. He says that "Militant groups such as the Islamic State (IS) are trying to defame a religion that advocates peace and tolerance."[38][39] In November 2015, he commented on gender equality, saying: "Gender equality is something which is never going to be a reality. It is against Islam, humanity and was intellectually wrong."[40][41][42][43][44] He said, "only woman can give birth." But some media misquoted him as saying women are capable only of childbirth.[45][46]
Fatwa against ISIS
Musliyar was the first to issue a
fatwa against ISIS.[47][48] Musliyar issued his Fatwa on ISIS on 27 August 2014 CE. This is the first
fatwa—a nonbinding legal opinion in
Islamic law—issued against
ISIS according to Ashwani Kumar writing in Khaleej Times.[49][50] The document, a copy of which is held in the
United Arab Emirates National Archives, was a commission to all
IndianSunni Jamiyyathul
Ulama to raise awareness against terrorism. At the time of the fatwa, Abubakr did not hold the title of
Grand Mufti since his election to the office came on 24 February 2019. He has also issued fatwas a second time against ISIS[51] and against other
terrorist groups.[52]
On CAB and CAA
Musliyar opposed the
Citizenship Amendment Bill[53][54] and
Citizenship Amendment Act,[55][56] and he organised and attended in many protests against the act.[57][58][59][60] Though he did not supported the
hartal organised by
SDPI[61][62][63][64] and said the hartal is needless.[65][66][67][68] He visited the family members of protesters killed in police firing at
Mangalore to express his condolences.[69] He was widely criticized for his stand on protesting women against the CAA. He stated that "women shouldn’t hit streets against CAA, and shouldn't raise slogans or clench fists."[70][71]
On Babri Masjid Verdict
Musliyar appealed to the Islamic Community of India to welcome the
Supreme Court verdict in the Babri Masjid dispute case before the verdict[72][73] and accepted after. He said "We respect the Supreme Court. Everyone must strive for peace in India.[74] The victory or defeat over the Babri Masjid incident may be significant to every party, but the protection of India and its sovereignty is much more important."[75][76] "Babri Masjid is a place of worship for Muslims,[77] but equally important is that all people live peacefully in India."[78]
In the late 1980 Musliyar was a leader of the Samastha Kerala Jamiat-ul-Ulema together with
E. K. Aboobacker Musliyar but due to personality differences chose to split off a group which came to be known as the AP Faction; the residual group becoming referred to as the EK Faction.[80]
Both factions, which are pre-dominately based in Kerela, have set up a set of broadly parallel organisations at both All India and state level, with Musliyar dominant in those of the AP Faction.
In January 2018 committees were formed to re-unite the factions with the objective of re-uniting the groups to achieve an improved political influence.[80] As of June 2020[update] there has been no merger.
At the time of his assumption of the title of Grand Mufti of India in February 2019 he was variously described as general secretary of the All-India Muslim Scholars Association for over 25 years,[8] and as general secretary of the
All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama.[7]
Honours, awards and international recognition
International Tokoh Maal Hijrah Award Malaysia honoured him with International Tokoh Maal Hijrah Award on the basis of his invaluable contribution to promoting the message of love in Islam on 20 July 2023 by the Malaysian King Al Sultan Abdulla Sultan Ahmad Shahat Kaula Lumpur World trade centre.[81][82][83][84]
Islamic Heritage Award for his service in the protection of Islamic culture and heritage from the Institute of Islamic Heritage, based in the
Saudi Arabia. The award was given by the then
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs,
Vayalar Ravi in January 2008.[85][86]
Jewels of World Muslim Biz Award by OIC Today in 2016 from then Malaysian Finance Minister,
Johari Abdul Ghani.[87][88][89]
Ras Al Khaimah Islamic Academy Award for the best Social Worker in 1992.[90]
Indian Islamic Centre Award for outstanding services in the field of Education and Social Services.[90]
Hamil Al Gaith International Holy Quran Award in 2005.[90]
^
abHis data of birth is given twice in the current and May 2019 versions of the source, once as 22 March 1931 and once as 22 March 1939. This was a change from a 2018 version of the same source, which said 22 March 1939 in both places that mentioned his date of birth.[1]
^Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad (Šayḫ Abūbakr ʾAḥmad) is the official name of the Grand Mufti. The Sheikh, the first part of the name like the name of
Prime Minister of Bangladesh,
Sheikh Hasina, is not a honorific prefix. His official website is also sheikhabubakrahmad.com
^Pickles, Katie (12 February 2020).
"A mufti day is enormous fun. But time to give it a new name". The Spinoff. Retrieved 4 April 2020. Grand Mufti Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad is the Indian Islamic community's current most senior religious authority. Mufti interpret Islamic law and then issue fatwa (legal opinion).
^Mulla, Malikarehana A.
"6"(PDF). Sects and sub sects among the Muslims of Karnataka with special reference to North Karnataka a study. p. 221. Retrieved 27 February 2020. In India, the Grand Mufti is traditionally from the Barelvi school of Sunni Islam presently Mihammad Akhtar Raza Khan is the Grand Mufti of India.
^Kumar, Ashwani.
"Fight terror with education". Khaleej Times.
Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2020. Education is the most powerful weapon in the fight against terrorism and also the best medicine against all social ills, feels Sheikh Aboobacker Ahmed, religious Muslim leader in India who is also the first scholar to issue a fatwa against the terror group
Daesh.