JEDDAH, 26 November 2002 — The state conferences of Kerala Nadwatul Mujahedeen (KNM) and its breakaway group scheduled for next month are expected to draw record crowds as the two rival organizations are campaigning intensely to show off their strength in the community.
Abdul Rahman Salafi, KNM’s secretary, told Arab News that he expected 500,000 people to attend his organization’s conference, which will be held in Ernakulam from Dec. 26 to 29. Salafi said about 100 foreign delegates from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states as well as Europe and the United States will take part in the four-day conference whose main theme is “Toward Tawheed (Oneness of God) and Sunnah (Tradition of the Prophet).” He said there will be separate sessions focusing on human rights and Islamic economy.
An organizing committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Dr. Ali Ajman. “We have been holding a variety of programs to reach the organization’s message to all people in the state,” he said.
Hussein Madawoor, secretary of the breakaway KNM group, also claimed that more than 500,000 people will attend his group’s conference in Calicut from Dec. 19 to 22. “To Creator, to peace” is the message of the Calicut conference.
“This message is relevant at a time when the world, especially India, is witnessing religious unrest and intolerance,” Madawoor said in a statement.
Speaking about the conference’s programs, Madawoor said there will be an all-India Islahi get-together and a health seminar. “Several writers in the Arab world will take part in an Arabic literary seminar,” he added. Madawoor said 50,000 delegates from different parts of Kerala will attend the whole proceedings. A large number of delegates from Saudi Arabia and other countries will also take part in the conference.
