Kerala sets model for yet another success,IUML plays big role
siyasat.net news desk By Ashiq C. K
Starting from the advent of Islam during the same time it imprinted in Arabian peninsula, Muslims of Kerala, the southernmost state of India, who constitute one fourth of its total population continue to stride forward in the way of ground breaking achievements and contributing to the advancement of the society. Historical documents of Archeological Survey of India unfold the presence of Arab missionaries consisted of the holy companions of Prophet Muhammed (PBUH) in paving the way for Islam to this agrarian and mostly pastoral land which has witnessed many ups and downs in terms of living conditions but barely affecting the communal harmony maintained by the Muslims rubbing their shoulders with followers of fellow religions of this land.
What made Muslims of Kerala place themselves in the upfront of the mainstream society is their active involvement in the democratic practices of modern times and assimilation same as imbibing of local culture starting from bygone days.
Though the Muslim community here keeps its strong bonds lively strengthened with its Arab counterparts even in present days, the way it gave shape to a local Islam that is totally co- existing with age-old pagan bound culture of the state is remarkable and unparalleled in its uniqueness. What noticeably this community, whose members are migrants workers at various levels in large numbers that also mostly in Persian Gulf countries, has habituated to is to import whatever they came across varying from culture to education and politics to Sufism and give it a local tinge before it’s put in practice. Notably no basic practices of Islam including mandatory rituals of high accuracies (Like Namaz, Jumua and Congregations) have not been spared of this tinging process of taming by the local scholars.
The peculiarity of the Kearla society as a whole lies in the traditionality of its basements and modernity of its appearance. The same duo concept of socio cultural shaping is deliberately followed and maintained by the Muslim community under its single leadership it resorted in to from time to time for solution of political and religious impasse it got stuck in.
Roughly saying Syed Abdurahiman Bafaqy , a descendant of Prophet (PBUH) having Yemeni lineage can be named after the modern architect of this community as it maintains its say in all walks of life including power politics and socio cultural engagements. The religious body namely Samatha Kerala Jamiyyatul Ulema, the champion of traditionalist stream of Islam clubbed with modern sophistications, showcases its vernacular sense in the name itself which is a blend of both Arabic and Malayalam (Local) languages. The vernacular version of Arabic language (Arabimalayalam) used widely among the Muslims of Kerala starting from the mid of 16th century for the religious communications and practices. It’s a deft wedding of Malayalam sounds and Arabic alphabets adding some variants suiting the sounds to the basic form of Arabic language. In short, its written in Arabic with some additional alphabets but read in Malayalam.
Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is the mainstream political platform which the majority of Muslims in the state rallying behind, could enjoy the confidence of the fellow communities hitherto for its time tested and uninterrupted commitments towards the communal harmony and positive and creative interferences in the society albeit the communal identity politics it stands for.
IUML is totally indebted for its popularity among the Muslims of Kerala to the sacrifices endured by Syed Abdurahiman Bafaqy in his efforts to upgrade Muslim society which was trailing behind due to its political invisibility and educational deprivation. Syed Bafaqy lead the community from the front and started establishing educational institutes ranging from primary to University levels. If this was in secular stream of education, on the parallel, he could break the grounds on all parts of the state for an umbrella shape of madrassas following same curricula and academic calendarthat ensured religious education of moderate Islamic thoughts to the following generationson a par with the state run educational institutes. Now the number of madrassas under Samastha Kerala Jamiyathul Ulema exceeds ten thousands as a whole. The staunch support lent by Samastha Kerala Jamiyathul Ulema to the efforts of mobilizing Muslim political premises made Bafaqy’s path to success at ease and smooth. History of Kerala Muslims marked Syed Bafaqy as its king maker for his symbolic coronation of PMSA Pookoya thangal as the chieftain of IUML with whom Muslimmass had been emotionally affiliatedto for his admirable piety and sufi life. PMSA Pokkoya thangal was succeeded by his son Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab in the presidency of IUML which could obtain second position among the parties of coalition state government banking on five ministry berth in all intermittent terms, more than what it deserves proportionally to the number of population.
The regional religious rituals given shape by eminent Islamic scholars starting from Imam Maqdum of Ponnani are key in ensuring the regionality of the local Islamic rituals of Kerala such as Moulid and Malappatu (while the first eulogizes the prophets and their companions the men of high religiosities especially from sufi backgrounds are subjected to the latter, it’s a collection of lyrics sung in crowd at special occasions followed by sweet distributions) as in practicing level the better halves of the society had great stakes, even some of them compile the braveries of sufi women like Nafeesathul misiya and Rabiyatul Adawiya.
Albeit the intra community differences prevailing over the community the political unity Under one leadership puts aside the shadows of insecurity being crept in and deprivation hovering over the other Muslim dominated regions world over.
