Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama

src: i.ytimg.com

Samastha Kerala Jam'eyyath ul-Ulama is the religious organisation of the Sunni Muslim scholars and clerics of the Indian state of Kerala.

Samastha is the largest Muslim organization in Kerala in terms of number of followers, number of mahals (territories divided into different areas) controlled, and the number of madrasas (religious schools), colleges and other institutes run by it . Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Ulama's supreme body and the working committee is called the Mushawara, constituted by the forty most prominent scholars of the time. Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama was formed in 1926 at Kozhikode, under the leadership of Varakkal Mullokoya Thangal, to resist the emerging Salafi organizations. Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukoya Thangal and K. Alikutty Musliyar respectively, are the current president and General Secretary of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama.

Video Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama

Introduction

Kerala Muslims, who constitute 26.56% of the total population of the state, have their own characteristics and peculiarities that distinguish them from other Muslim communities in India. Islam entered South India much early compared to the northern parts of the country. Arab traders and missionaries propagated their faith by their own ideal manners, persuasion and example. The direct relation of Kerala Muslims with Arabian Islam alienates them from what is called Indo-Persian Islam. In contrast to the rest of Muslims in India, Kerala Muslims observe the Shafi'i school of law. They never enjoyed ruling power unlike in North India, but remained as self-reliant merchants, fisherman or peasants throughout the centuries. There were no linguistic barriers to alienate Muslims from their non-Muslim counterparts, as the entire Keralites speak the Dravidian language of Malayalam, and Muslims never used Urdu as their mother tongue.

Kerala Muslims were gifted with a harmonious combination of multi-layered religious leadership. Eminent figures of Sayyid families, great religious scholars and exemplary personalities of Sufi missionaries jointly collectively rendered effective leadership to Kerala Muslims through centuries, despite the miseries and hardship they were undergoing. Ideological divisions seldom occurred to them prior to 20th century. though Muslims around the world witnessed emergence of various interpretation to Islam, thanks to religious leadership who successfully checked all onslaughts to the religious faiths and practices. It is remarkable that this spiritual leadership had developed a variety of educational systems to impart Islamic knowledge to each and every sections of the society in the best way suited and compatible with their period. There were Othupallies for primary education, Darses in the Masjids for higher education, and Wa'az (Wa'adh) programme's for universal education, though not without demerits.

With the onset of the 20th century and the introduction of modernist as well as Western trends in all walks of life, Kerala Muslims also saw waves of changes sweeping them along with other communities. The tragic incidents of 1921 Malabar Rebellion, which was culmination of almost four centuries long repression and anti Muslim cruelties by the colonial powers and which had made Muslims condition worse and pathetic in all fields, expedited the modern trends. However, the responses to the present situation took three different forms. The first group of some elites and so-called intellectuals braved to embrace the modernity and western culture in its full form and to discard religion seeing it as the major source of their backwardness. The second response was from some modern educated personalities and some religious edi=educated fellows, who are influenced by the modernist and reformist movements within Islam like Salafism and Wahabism.They called for reformed Islam by rejecting the entire traditional heritage, accusing the centuries-old religious leadership and their majority followers of deviation from Islamic tenets, and by reinterpreting the religion overshadowing all the intellectual traditions. They also rejected any form of esoteric interpretation (tawil) and criticized most of the transmitted knowledge, practices, customs and rituals.

The third response came from the traditional spiritual leadership of Sayyids, Ulema and Sheikhs of Thareeqas(leading esoteric figures). They had to protect the Muslim community from the infiltrartions and influence of the western un-Islamic culture on one hand, and to defend the traditional Islam from being absorbed by the modernist, fundamentalist, and the puritanical as well as reformist versions of religion on other hand. To face both the challenges simultaneously, the spiritual leadership thought of reinvigorating the Islamic education, of spreading the grand heritage of knowledge, of organizing to protect the traditional rites and rituals and of making the public more religious and more sensitive towards new interpretations. Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama was the result of this traditional response.

Maps Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama

Formation

Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama (All Kerala Ulama Organization), known as Samastha, is an association of eminent Sunni scholars who enjoy the highest support base among Kerala Muslims.The formation of Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Ulama was the response of the traditional to the conditions of post 1921 Malabar Rebellion period in which Kerala Muslim community generally witnessed a radical shift from the folds of individual leadership to the folds of organizations.

The new ideologists first came out through the Kerala Muslim Aikya Sangham(group for unity among Kerala Muslims), which was found at Kodungallur of Cochin state in 1922 by leaders like KM Seethi Sahib, KM Moulavi, and EK Moulavi. It tried to bring the scattered and unorganized reformist activist together. Later, they formed a Ulama organization, Kerala Jamiyathul Ulama, at a two-day conference of Aikya Sangham held at Alwaye in 1924 where a large number of scholars were invited. It is a fact that outstanding members of the traditional Ulama did not openly reject the Kerala Jamiyathul Ulama at first. However, gradually, the platform of the organization started to be utilized to attack the traditional Islam that was followed unopposed for centuries and which was nurtured under the guidance of eminent scholars headed by Makhdhums of Ponnani. They declared a host of Islamic cultural traditions as shirk and bid'ah, and alleged the century old scholarly and intellectual tradition of Kerala Muslims with deviations and alterations.

The Ulama felt the need to organize to defend and protect Kerala's Islamic tradition and to wage a revivalist movement against the new interpretations. Moulana Pangil Ahmed Kutty Musliyar, who had already started counter campaigns against the 'Wahhabi Ideology', along with some other scholars met Marhum Varakkal Sayyid Abdurahman Ba Alawi Mullokoya Thangal, who was a Sufi Sheikh, religious scholar, and a prominent figure of Sayyed family, to discuss the need of an organizational movement to defend the true spirit of the religion. Tangal suggested convening a meeting of the eminent scholars to discuss the suitable situation.

In 1925, some major Ulamas and other society leaders gathered at Calicut Valiya Juma Masjid and formed an Ulama organization after prolonged and serious discussions.KP Muhammed Meeran Musliayar and Parol Hussain Moulavi was named the President and Secretary of the organization respectively. The newly formed Ulama organization convened within a year many conferences and they traveled throughout the state to convey the message of the Ulama organization to maximum religious scholars who were living in the mosques or religious centers serving the Islamic knowledge.

A year later on June 26, 1926, a bigger convention was called at Calicut Town hall, where eminent scholars from across the state participated, under the chairmanship of Sayyid Shihabuddhin Cherukunchikkoya Thangal. The convention reorganized the previously formed temporary organization and adopted a full-fledged organizational set up in the name of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama. The convention nominated Varakkal Mullokoya Thangal as Samastha's first president, while Pangil Ahmed Kutty Musliyar, Muhammed Abdul Bari Musliyar, KP Muhammed Meeran Musliyar and KM Abdul Qadir Musliyar became vice-presidents, and PV Muhammed Musliyar and PK Muhammed Musliyar became secretaries in the first committee.

src: 3.bp.blogspot.com

Registration

Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama was formed on June 26, 1926, but it was officially registered on November 14, 1934, as the government approved its bylaw, which was agreed upon after deep and wide scholarly discussions held in various Mushawara meets and in consultation with law experts. It promulgated the propagation of true Islam, impart of religious education and activities against superstitions and un-Islamic traditions as its primary and supreme objectives. Its bylaw also included encouragement for secular education compatible with religious beliefs, and calls for religious tolerance, interfaith friendship, peaceful existence and national progress. The registration number is S1.1934/35 at office of the Kozhikode district registrar.

Aims and objectives

According to the bylaw, the main aims and objectives of the organization are:

• To propagate and spread the rites and beliefs of Islam according to real view of Ahlu Sunnah Wal-Jama'a
• To legally prevent the organizations and campaigns which are against the rites and beliefs of Ahlu Sunnah Wal-Jama'a
• To look after all rights and powers of Muslim community
• To promote and encourage religious education and do the needful for the secular education that will be compatible with religious beliefs and culture
• To work for the welfare and progress of the Muslim society in general by eliminating superstitions, anarchy, immorality and disunity.

Presidents

General secretaries

src: i.ytimg.com

Mushawara (consulate body)

Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Ulama's supreme body and the working committee is called the Mushawara. It consists of 40 eminent scholars of the time who are drawn purely on the basis of their scholarship in Islam, religious piety, faithfulness and devoutness. The word mushawara, "consultation", is drawn from the Qur'anic order to seek scholarly advice in matters. From its inception, Samastha often convenes the Mushawara meeting to discuss various issues concerning the religion and community and almost all the meeting deal with the host of questions received from across the state and from outside where Malayali Muslims reside seeking Fatwas on a variety of issues.Later Samastha formed a Fatwa Committee from within the Mushawara to specially look in to the increasing queries on religion issues.

Current members of Mushawara

src: static.toiimg.com

Public conferences

Samastha leaders organised a host of public conferences at various places to spread their messages. Facing an opposition of secularly educated people, journalists, advocates and neo-scholars who had been fruitfully utilizing all means from public meetings to publications to propagate their reformist ideologies and to brand traditionalists as courting shirk, Samastha leaders were compelled to come out to defend themselves against allegations and to explain its views. Systematically held public conferences and anniversaries increased Samastha's popularity, kept the majority of Mappila Muslims in their fold, and restricted the inroads of reformist ideologies. In the first 25 years, Samastha focused its agenda on conducting public conferences, dialogues and ideological conflicts. Between 1927 and 1944 it convened 15 annual conferences at various places attracting immense public attention. The 16th conference held at Karyavattam was important as since then Samastha started to keep records and registers of all activities, resolutions and decisions scientifically. After that, the frequency of the huge public conferences decreased mainly because the organization had tightened its foundation ad fortress by 1950s and it had formed many subcommittees and subordinate organizations to deal with different issues. In the next 40 years, it conducted the next 8 conferences. The 24th and 25th conferences held at Calicut seashore in 1985 and 1996 were widely appreciated for the largest gatherings the town has ever witnessed. In 2002, Samastha celebrated its platinum jubilee holding public conferences at five major cities across the state. The 90th anniversary ceremony was attended by lakhs of people which was held at the Alappuzha Beach on 11 to 14 February 2016.

src: i.ytimg.com

History

Founding Mushawara members

Early years (1926-1957)

Former leaders

src: static.toiimg.com

Sub organizations

Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Ulama (S. K. J. U.) have separate feeder organizations for each layer of the society:

1. Samastha Kerala Islamic Education Board (coordination of around 10,000 madrassas)
2. Sunni Yuvajana Sangham (SYS)
3. Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF - for higher students)
4. Samastha Kerala Sunni Bala Vedi(SKSBV - for children)
5. Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Mu'allimeen (SKJM - for religious school teachers)
6. Samastha Kerala Sunni Mahallu Federation (SKSMF)

Samastha Kerala Islamic Education Board

Samastha Kerala Islamic Education Board or Samastha Kerala Islam Matha Vidhyabhyasa Board, known as SKIMVB was Samastha's first sub-organization. The run-up to the formation of the board started when Marhoom Sayyid AbduRahman Bafakhi Thangal drew the attention of thee Ulema in 1945, at the 16th conference of Samastha held at Karyavattom. SKIMVB runs a primary religious education programme that has more than nine thousand Madrasas under it. Understanding the requirement of a sub organization exclusively to focus on imparting primary Islamic education, Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Ulama (S. K. J. U.) formed Samastha Kerala Islam Matha Vidhyabhyasa Board (SKIMVB). The board carried out its main objective of setting op madrassas across the state from its very initial stage and the educational system was made systematic through the preparation of syllabus for students until 12th grade and students found time to attend madrassas along with their regular schooling. It was in 1952 the board called applications for madrassa recognition and recognized 10 madrassas that year.

Sunni Yuvajana Sangham

Sunni yuvajana sangam Samastha decided to form a youth organization under its fold at its 20th public conference held at Tanur on April 25, 1954 to organize the youth and public under Samastha and to give Samastha an organizational set up at grassroots level. The Yuvajan Sangam, known as SYS was formed a day later on April 26 at the office of Calicut Ansar ul-Islam. Now the organization has committees in all Kerala districts and branches in a number of Kerala villages as well as outside Kerala. Samastha recognized SYS as its official sub-faction at its 21st public conference held at Kakkad in 1961.

Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation

Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federations, known as SKSSF, is one of the largest students'; organization of Kerala. The organization was formed on February 19, 1989 as a part of the attempt to organize all Muslim students under its fold and to nurture them into a good moral life. SKSSF has been actively involving in all community related issues and struggling for their rights. Calicut-based Islamic Centre and Islamic Sahithya academy are its major achievement. Sayyid Hameed Ali Shihab Thangal is the president and Sathar Panthalloor is the current general secretary. SKSSF has various other activities under different wings namely:

• IBAD - Da'wa and working among the society to keep them in Islamic way of life.
• TREND - Services in field of education and career guidance.
• Higher Education Programme (H.E.P)
• Sahachari (Relief Cell)
• Quran Study Center
• Thwalabha Wing
• Campus Wing
• Islamic Center
• Students Hostel
• Kafila
• Islamic Sahithya Academy (ISA)
• Sarghalayam
• Manushyajalika

Samastha Kerala Jam'eyyatul Mu'allimeen Central Council

Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Mu'allimeen Central Council (SKJMCC) is a teachers' association under the board, which has 19 districts and 411 range level committees other than the central committee. SKJMCC has been doing creative and appreciable services in providing various kinds of benefits and welfare projects for its thousands of mostly poor teaching community. There are 14 kinds of service benefit schemes and 6 types of welfare funds under SKJMCC. As of 2001, 110,820 are studying under SKIMVB recognized madrasas and 80,906 teachers, who have been officially by opening and maintaining Mu'allim Service Register (MSR) at SKIMVB office, are working in these madrasas. A special institute was set up near Samastha's headquarters to give training for madrasa teachers in 2001. The Mu'allim Training Center under SKJMCC offers a one-year course for aspiring teachers. SKJMCC has also set up a women's Sharia college, which offers a five-year course for girl students who passed SSLC. The magazines Al Mu'allim, Santhustha Kudumbam, and Kurunnukal are published under SKJMCC. The madrasa students wing named SBV is also working under the auspices of SKJMCC.

Samastha Kerala Sunni Mahallu Federation

In a bid to give an organized form for the functioning of Muslim Mahallu's in the state, Samastha leaders formed Samstha Kerala Sunni mahallu Federation (SKSMF) at the tirur taluk Samastha Conference held at Chemmad in April 26, 1976. The wing has done a number of remarkable works, especially in coordinating Mahallu's by giving registration ad rendering essential services.

src: i.ytimg.com

Educational Activities

Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Ulama owns one of the prime higher learning centers of Islamic theology in Kerala. Darul Huda Islamic University and [[Co-ordination of Islamic Colleges (CIC)]] are universities under which more 100 Islamic colleges work, there are other colleges started much earlier and still provide quality education in their respective fields. Most of these institutions educate the students in religious and material fields of education while a few concentrates only in religious subjects.

src: i.ytimg.com

Publications

Samastha's message is spread among the community through a number of publications. The educational board came to the publication field with the launch of Al-Bayan monthly, first in Arabic Malayalam and then in Malayalam in 1954. The magazine ceased to exist after few years. In 1959, the Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Mu'allimeen (SKJM) started its mouthpiece Al Mu'allim magazine. It was started as thrimasika (quarterly), did not last long, but in 1977 it was restarted as monthly as it still continues.It is sent free of cost to all Madrarsas. The other publications are:

1. Sathyadhara Fortnightly (Malayalam, Kannada & Gulf editions)
2. Thelitcham Monthly
3. Sunni Afkhar Weekly
4. Kudumbam family magazine
5. Kurunnukal children's magazine
6. Al Mu'allim
7. Al Ahsan (Kannada)
8. Annahda Arabic magazine
9. Anoor Arabic magazine
10. Suprabhaatham daily newspaper

src: upload.wikimedia.org

See also

• Kanniyath Usthad Islamic Academy

src: i.ytimg.com

References

src: 2.bp.blogspot.com

External links

• Official website

Source of the article : Wikipedia