The Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad Kanthapuram on Tuesday said that he spoke to scholars in Yemen to urge them for the release of 37-year-old Kerala nurse Nimish Priya, convicted of murder and set to be executed.
The Grand Mufti claims that after his talks, the news of the execution being postponed also came in.
The execution, originally scheduled for July 16, has been postponed, sources in New Delhi said on Tuesday. Priya, who hails from Kollengode in Kerala's Palakkad district, was found guilty of murdering a Yemeni citizen in July 2017.
He said that while he does not know the victim’s family, he contacted the scholars in Yemen and urged them to talk to the family.
"Islam has another law. If the murderer is sentenced to death, the family of the victim has the right to pardon. I don’t know who this family is, but from a long distance, I contacted the responsible scholars in Yemen. I made them understand the issues," the Grand Mufti told ANI.
"Islam is a religion that places a lot of importance on humanity. After I requested that they intervene and take action, the scholars met, discussed, and stated that they would do what they could. They have officially informed us and sent a document stating that the date of execution has been postponed, which will help facilitate the ongoing discussions," he added.
Sheikh Abubakr said that he sent a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office regarding the issue.
"I have also informed the Central government about the discussions and the process. I have also sent a letter to the Prime Minister’s Office. We don’t look for religion or caste in public issues. You all know that," he said.
While talking about the postponement, Kanthapuram said that in Islam, there is a law which allows the victim’s family to pardon the murderer.
"In Islam, instead of killing, there is also a practice of giving Diyaat (compensation). I requested them to accept Diyaat as the party is ready here for it. There are talks going on about whether my request has to be accepted. The date of execution was tomorrow, but it has now been postponed for some days," he said.
The Grand Mufti said that he is not considering the religion of Priya, but rather her humanity as he requested for her release.
"We have demanded this as human beings. If such a demand is accepted, then it will be very easy for Muslims in India. Muslims and Hindus all live on the same platform here," he said.
Nimisha Priya's husband expressed relief and satisfaction over the postponement of her execution and hoped that the united efforts will continue to avert her execution altogether.
In 2020, a Yemeni court handed Priya the death sentence and the country's Supreme Judicial Council dismissed her appeal in November 2023. The 38-year-old nurse is presently lodged in a jail in Sana'a, the Yemeni capital city that is under the control of Iran-backed Houthis.