Kithaab facts for kids

Kithaab, also known as Kitab (Malayalam: കിത്താബ്), is a play from Kerala, India. It's about a young Muslim girl who dreams of doing something usually done only by men: calling out the Azaan. The Azaan is the special call to prayer in Islam. This call is normally made by a man called a muezzin.

The play uses humor to show how the girl questions unfair rules for women in her community. She shows her rebellion by dancing with friends and taking food that was kept from her. Most importantly, she demands the chance to make the call to prayer herself.

The play was written and directed by Rafeeq Mangalassery. It first came out in November 2018 in the Indian state of Kerala. At that time, many people were talking about women's rights. They wanted women to have equal chances in religious places. This included women being able to lead prayers or participate in religious events.

What Inspired the Play?

Rafeeq Mangalassery said his play Kithaab was not a direct copy of another story. It was inspired by a story called Vaangu by Unni R. However, Unni R. said that Mangalassery's play was different from his original ideas. He felt it didn't have the same spiritual meaning.

Another director, V. K. Prakash, also planned to make a movie based on Unni R.'s story Vaangu.

The Story of Kithaab

The play is about a Muslim girl who wants to be a muezzin, just like her father. She wants to be the one who calls out the Azaan for prayers.

One day, she secretly takes some fried fish that her mother cooked for the men in the house. She believes it's not wrong because she thinks God (Padachon) would understand. She feels girls are not given enough food. Her father scolds her, saying that women should only get half of what men have. The girl cleverly asks why women shouldn't then wear only half of what men wear.

Amidst these arguments, she tells her father she wants to call out the Azaan. Her father answers all her questions by referring to a big book, which is the Kithab. He even locks her away to stop her from acting in a school play. He tells her she won't go to heaven if she keeps doing such things.

The girl bravely replies, "If I'd lose entry to heaven because I sing and dance, then I don't want that heaven." Her father even considers hurting her when she performs in the school play despite his wishes. But her mother reminds him that he is not just a muezzin, but also a loving father.

In the end, her father allows her to call out the Azaan. The play finishes with the girl making the call to prayer, and everyone else joining in prayer.

About Rafeeq Mangalassery

Rafeeq Mangalassery is a writer and director from Chettippadi, Kerala, India. He writes and directs plays in the Malayalam language.

One of his plays, Annaperuna, talks about how food is wasted while many people are hungry. He also directed a play called Kottem Kareem. Rafeeq Mangalassery has won awards for his plays, including the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for Drama for Jinnu Krishnan in 2013. He also won an award for best script for his play Iratta Jeevithangaliloode (Through the Twin Lives). He is well-known for his work in children's theatre.

See also

In Spanish: Kithaab para niños