The postponement of the death sentence of Indian nurse Nimisha Priya in Yemen is being considered an unexpected event. On July 16, when the date for her death sentence was fixed, the efforts going on at the religious and diplomatic level of India and Yemen bore fruit. Meanwhile, one name is in the news the most—94-year-old Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musliar, also known as the 'Grand Mufti'.
Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musliar is a respected Muslim religious leader from Kerala. His image has been that of a leader who constantly advocates peace and dialogue in the Muslim society. In this case, he contacted influential religious leaders and sheikhs of Yemen on a personal level. He appealed to the local religious establishments of Yemen to intervene and show leniency in Nimisha Priya's case.
Nimisha Priya has been in a Yemeni jail for the last eight years, she was convicted in a murder case in 2017. She was sentenced to Qisas i.e. "blood for blood" under Sharia law, but Sharia also has a provision for "blood money" or pardon. It was the religious diplomacy of Grand Mufti Kanthapuram, along with efforts by the Indian government and social organisations, that convinced the Houthi administration to temporarily halt the execution.
However, the victim's family has currently rejected any compensation and apology and has strictly demanded Qisas. In such a situation, this round of dialogue initiated by Mufti Musliyar is important for the next step: will any compromise or blood money be possible on religious and humanitarian grounds?
This development has not only brought Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musliyar back into the limelight, but has also highlighted the power of India's religious diplomacy and humanitarian sensitivity.
"The name of 94-year-old Kanthapuram AP Abubakar Musliyar is in the news. To save Nimisha Priya from the death penalty, he contacted eminent sheikhs in Yemen, which helped get relief for Nimisha.