Muslim girl treated as outcast by moque community

[nicols_john]

Muslim girl treated as outcast by moque community. It is sad that Mullahs are misusing their power...........


Muslim girl dances social divide
By John Mary in Malappuram, Kerala



Rubiya has danced from the age of three (Pics: Ali Kovoor)

The family of a young Muslim girl in India's southern state of Kerala say they are being shunned by the local mosque committee (mahallu) because she is practising Indian classical dance.


VP Rubiya, 16, came first in Bharatnatyam, Kerala natanam and folk dance competitions at the recent Kerala School Festival.

She also won the dance competition at the Veeran Haji Memorial Higher Secondary School at Morayur in the Muslim-dominated district of Malappuram.

It was Rubiya's 27 points that helped her home district move up from seventh to fifth position at the state school festival.

Now she has an offer from the celebrated Indian dancer Mrinalini Sarabhai's dance academy, Darpana, her father Syed Alavikutty says.

'Outcasts'

The local mosque committee at Valluvambram, however, is not impressed by Rubiya's feats, says her father, a clerk with a travel agency.



"If she had won prizes in 'oppana' and 'mappila pattu' [traditional Muslim art forms], she would have been flooded with gifts by now. The mahallu leaders would never openly admit that it is her dance that makes them treat us as virtual outcasts," says Mr Alavikutty.


Rubiya, who started learning music and dance when she was three, is busy preparing for school examinations due next month. But she snatches time in between for stage performances at local temples.


She has no choice because stage shows help her with some extra income to support her and her parents, as well as an elder brother and a younger sister.

"My fee ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 rupees ($22 to $66). I have performed at more than 50 temples," says Rubiya.

She has been fortunate to be trained by dance gurus like RLV Anand, who has never taken a rupee from her other than what she offers as gifts.

Both he and Bharatanjali Sasi, Rubiya's Kerala natanam dance teacher, even buy her costumes for her competitions.

"I'm confident that she will bring us laurels. That's all we need," says Mr Anand, extolling the virtues of the rare find from a community that still fights shy of classical dances.

Teachers' favourite

Rubiya is the darling of her teachers and friends at the Veeran Haji high school.

"God is one. When I pay ritualistic obeisance through mudras [hand signs], I am imploring not just the Hindu gods but the supreme creator, which we call by different names," she says.

It is the Hindu worship content in the classical dances that her family says has driven a chasm between her and conservative elements in the community.

KP Raihemath, a teacher who takes her to competitions, says there is nothing un-Islamic in Bharatnatyam dance.


Rubiya's parents have encouraged her to dance
"If she were my own daughter, I would still do the same."

Another teacher CP Sheena says Rubiya is a role model for her peers.

A class topper and a National Cadet Corps cadet, Rubiya has already scored 30 bonus marks which would enhance her exam scores and improve her chances of joining a professional course after secondary school.

At the moment, however, a professional degree is not what she wants to do.

"I will practice and excel as a classical dancer. My ambition is to do research in dance and contribute to society in my humble way," she says.

Membership of a particular mosque committee for Muslim families depends on where they live.


"If you are not a mahallu member, the kazi [priest] will not bless your child's marriage. Worse, you are even denied a slot in the local cemetery," said Mr Alavikutty, who has also dabbled in acting with a troupe in Kerala.



'Heavy price'

Rubiya's mother Amina says she does not regret sending her daughter to dance.

"But we had to pay a heavy price. I have even survived a bout of cancer only after well-wishers sent us money for treatment. But the parish leaders ensured that all official help bypassed us," she says, wiping her tears.


Rubiya has become a role model in school
"If I die today, where will my husband bury me? Would the parish endorse my daughter's marriage?"

Mohammed Unni Haji, secretary of the Valluvambram mosque committee, denies they are against Rubiya's dancing.

"We do not object to her artistic persuasions. If Rubiya and her family, living in a rented house, shift to a house on the road under our jurisdiction, we will admit them."

Local politician Nalakathu Asain says the mosque committee leaders are not speaking the truth.

"This talk about jurisdiction is an alibi. There are several families outside the Valluvambram jurisdiction that enjoy mahallu membership," he says.

Mr Alavikutty says that his cousins who live outside Valluvambram are members of the mosque committee.

But the family is not deterred by this.

"The parish doors might never open for us, but the world is not too small for the brave," he says.

[Lajawab]

Serves her right...

[nicols_john]

Serves her right...

Why?

[shweetdreamz]

you mean serves her PARENTS right??? how wrong of them to not let her learn only the dances revered by the muslim community....how very worng.

""If she had won prizes in 'oppana' and 'mappila pattu' [traditional Muslim art forms], she would have been flooded with gifts by now. The mahallu leaders would never openly admit that it is her dance that makes them treat us as virtual outcasts," says Mr Alavikutty. "

[nia_khan]

abey yar alot of these mullah people enjoy every single curve of her probably... Its amazing behind those shut doors they do alot *grin

i am surprise they didnt protest when Ms. Afghanistan muslim woman took some nice shots with bikini.. and now poor girl is trying to make a living...

abey yar rules should be same for everyone...

[Lajawab]

Why?

Would you be ostracised or socially an outcast if you eat beef Pulao and Nihari with mutton chops in a Hindu neighbourhood? Obviously yes...

It is only today's Muslims that are shameless and baighairat enough to overlook dancers and gays in their midst and accept them as OK because our religion, our values and our lifestyles are dictated by the United States of America :as:...Not by the Prophet Mohammed :saw:...

So, we say, let us have more dancers and appreciate them, have more gays and be OK with it...

Trust me...Muslims are supposed to be loyal and upstanding for what they know and believe is wrong...Not like todays wishy washy kind whose faith can topple from the mere stare of someone..


Gar jo bantay hain Mussulman, Mussulman hotay,
Kis liye khaak basar chaak garebaan hotay...

[Mal1k]

Would you be ostracised or socially an outcast if you eat beef Pulao and Nihari with mutton chops in a Hindu neighbourhood? Obviously yes...

It is only today's Muslims that are shameless and baighairat enough to overlook dancers and gays in their midst and accept them as OK because our religion, our values and our lifestyles are dictated by the United States of America :as:...Not by the Prophet Mohammed :saw:...

So, we say, let us have more dancers and appreciate them, have more gays and be OK with it...

Trust me...Muslims are supposed to be loyal and upstanding for what they know and believe is wrong...Not like todays wishy washy kind whose faith can topple from the mere stare of someone..


Gar jo bantay hain Mussulman, Mussulman hotay,
Kis liye khaak basar chaak garebaan hotay...

Agreed, ye wishy washy muslims hi aaj ki sub se bari meseebat hain...liberal muslims is just another word for baygairat muslims

[Sortazik]

Good for her, her religion should never conflict with her culture, stay true to your roots.

[Das Reich]

Muslim girl treated as outcast by moque community. It is sad that Mullahs are misusing their power...........


Muslim girl dances social divide
By John Mary in Malappuram, Kerala



s.

misusing??? what do you want them to do start taking dancing lessons from an insolent girl
they should condemn clearly the actions of this girl

[Lajawab]

Good for her, her religion should never conflict with her culture, stay true to your roots.

Right...A woman who is born in a brothel to a lineage of prostitutes should stay true to her roots...

[Kaleem]

you mean serves her PARENTS right??? how wrong of them to not let her learn only the dances revered by the muslim community....how very worng.

""If she had won prizes in 'oppana' and 'mappila pattu' [traditional Muslim art forms], she would have been flooded with gifts by now. The mahallu leaders would never openly admit that it is her dance that makes them treat us as virtual outcasts," says Mr Alavikutty. "

Shweety, there is no defintion of what those art forms are. Second, it is the opinion of a bayghariat father who is living off of her duaghter's income. Income generated through dancing in front of other men.
It is the support of such acts that makes me disgusted with so called feminazi women of today.
Nia, you sure have developed a disappointing personality.

[Sadiyah]

I'm sort of confused. She's learned to dance and she charges people. Is this the mujra kind of stuff?

[Das Reich]

you mean serves her PARENTS right??? how wrong of them to not let her learn only the dances revered by the muslim community....how very worng.

. "

In Islam all kind of dancing is absolutely forbidden ....what is a dance revered by the muslim community?

[hiccup]

Das, I want to see references, ce vous pleut. This dancing - the type that is classical in nature is simply an art form. Its not what you men-folk have been watching on Zee-TV. Its not gyrating hips and low-cut blouses or dancing in the rain. It is beautiful.

There was a time in the muslim ummah - that we were open-minded and intelligent enough to appreciate art. The mughals and so forth were great connisieurs were they not? Now that we happen to have regressed so far as a community - we simply chastise all those who do things that deviate from the norm. As though we ourselves were infalliable.

[Das Reich]

[quote=hiccup]

Das, I want to see references, ce vous pleut. This dancing - the type that is classical in nature is simply an art form

I cant give you any refs right now but it is a wellknown fact that dancing is forbidden in all its forms.
Even if these dances are not openly vulger it is not something that is encouraged in anyway
read about the laws against sexual laxity that were enforced at the time of Umar(ra)

. Its not what you men-folk have been watching on Zee-TV. Its not gyrating hips and low-cut blouses or dancing in the rain. It is beautiful

I can say for myself I never watch any indian films/TV.

There was a time in the muslim ummah - that we were open-minded and intelligent enough to appreciate art

Decadence is not open-mindedness.The time that you are refering too are the dark ages of the ummah. But purely from a worldly perspective they are known as the "golden age"

.

The mughals and so forth were great connisieurs were they not? Now that we happen to have regressed so far as a community

Mughals hardly represent the ideal islamic govt.
I dont recall that the pious caliphs ever appreciated such "art forms".The regression started when we adopted these roman,persian.hindu practices as part of "our culture"
-

we simply chastise all those who do things that deviate from the norm. As though we ourselves were infalliable

We all have flaws, and no one is infalliable maybe others will point out our own.But this dosent mean we cannot criticize something that we know for sure is wrong.

[Sortazik]

Right...A woman who is born in a brothel to a lineage of prostitutes should stay true to her roots...

What a typical response. Where does it say she was born in a brothel? This girl dances at her temples and gets paid for her talent. Just like artists here in western societies perform on stages and get paidd for there service. This does not make her a hooker. Dancing is not haram, since you mullahs are so used to following your arab gods, what about their bellydancers? its all a double standard. A women becomes a whore and a sinner because she dances? To hell with a god that has nothing better to do than put to sin girls who dance, theres far worse going on this world. Grow up, get educated

[Lajawab]

What a typical response. Where does it say she was born in a brothel? This girl dances at her temples and gets paid for her talent. Just like artists here in western societies perform on stages and get paidd for there service. This does not make her a hooker. Dancing is not haram, since you mullahs are so used to following your arab gods, what about their bellydancers? its all a double standard. A women becomes a whore and a sinner because she dances? To hell with a god that has nothing better to do than put to sin girls who dance, theres far worse going on this world. Grow up, get educated

Not talking about this girl...Talking about any girl...

And bellydancers are as much a part of Islam as Muslims who don't pray 5 times a day...That's not me or any Mullah talking, that's the God of Muslims who says that...

And if the education you speak of makes one throw away the teachings of Islam for 'art', then may I remain uneducated all my life...

[Lajawab]

Das, I want to see references, ce vous pleut. This dancing - the type that is classical in nature is simply an art form. Its not what you men-folk have been watching on Zee-TV. Its not gyrating hips and low-cut blouses or dancing in the rain. It is beautiful.

There was a time in the muslim ummah - that we were open-minded and intelligent enough to appreciate art. The mughals and so forth were great connisieurs were they not? Now that we happen to have regressed so far as a community - we simply chastise all those who do things that deviate from the norm. As though we ourselves were infalliable.

Some people have considered nudity as a beautiful art form for thousands of years...Doesn't make it Kosher in Islam, does it?