The Emergence of Islam in Kerala in 20th Century

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The focus in this work is given to explore and highlight how the various complex mechanisms with which Islam and its ideology recently striving to seek fresh space in a pluralistic society as that of Kerala. This necessitates to view Islam and its nascent revivalist ideology functioning in manifold dimensions the world over, often described "aggressive" by the western power masters. If globalisation is an inexorable integration of markets. transport and communication, ideologies as that of Islam also have been marketed more successfully to the outcome of new products like terrorism globally more faster and cheapter than ever before. It is here both contradictions and conflicts arise out of a constant struggle for their mutual existence exposing the inherent weaknesses of traditionalism and revivalism. A religion which has taken the course of a "peaceful penetration" more than thirteen centuries ago, now seems to be struggling by becoming the victims of new revivalism. The knowledge of global Islam increased heavily in Kerala as a result of the import of Pan Islamic ideology and with the mass export of human resources into the heartland of Islam. No doubt that Islam in its formative period was so receptive and accommodative to the region that both the rulers and the ruled welcomed it without prejudice causing to evolve a syncretic culture to the fitment of the social milieu of Kerala. While revealing several such instances of reciprocity, powers of assimilation and synthesis, this volume tries to find out the present day crisis that the Muslims in kerala experience and make feel as strange and queer outside the orbit of its cultural ethos. The western antipathy towards Islam is extensively propagated in Kerala not only as a part of their fight against imperialism, but also to mobilise its followers on the basis of religion and its identity The neo-revivalists have no hesitation even to highlight oft-repeated 'Islam in danger', particularly in the context of the 'American war on terrorism' often translating it as a 'war on Islam'. The excessive pressure by Muslim radicals to keep the religious identity always alive to achieve their political goal also poses as a major danger in the body politic of Kerala. The problem that faces the community now is more from such concealed revivalists and radicals rather than from the traditionalists. This book will undoubtedly be a valuable asset for the individuals who wish to know more about Islam and for every library in India and all over the world.

Dr. K.K.N. Kurup: Formerly Professor and Head of the Dept. of History in the Universities of Mangalore and Calicut. Vice Chancellor, University of Calicut from 1998 to 2002. A prolific writer and author of more than thirty volumes on a variety of subjects including history, biography, culture, folklore and peasant studies. Honorary Director, Malabar Institute for Research & Development, Vatakara, Calicut. Presently, Director General, Centre for Heritage Studies, Dept. of Cultural Affairs, Government of Kerala, Cochin.

Prof. E. Ismail : Formerly Professor and Head of the Dept. of History, Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, Kannur University. Faculty, Dept. of Kunhali Marakkar Centre for West Asian Studies, University of Calicut, Co-author with Dr. K.K.N. Kurup, An Oral History of Gulf Emigrants The Keyis of Malabar A Cultural Study. Presently Associates Research Fellow, Malabar Institute re. Research and Development Vatakara, Calicut.

A study like this has been in my mind for several years and my fascination increased when I got a closer view of the subject as a teacher in the department of West Asian Studies in the University of Calicut. My intimate association with Kerala History and Culture for several years, also kindled my earnest desire to write a work of this kind, particularly in the light of the new trends developing in the Islamic frontiers. The Mappila Muslims of Kerala which constitute nearly 25 percent of the population is also passing through a period of transformation as a result of its inevitable confrontation with modernity on the one side and revivalism on the other.

By writing a work like this, my target is to explore and highlight the various complex mechanisms with which Islam and its ideology recently striving to seek space in a pluralistic society as that of Kerala. This also necessitates to view Islam and its nascent revivalist ideology functioning in manifold dimensions the world over often described 'aggressive' by the western power masters. If globalisation is an inexorable integration of markets, transport and communication, ideologies as that of Islam also have been marketed more successfully to the outcome of new products like terrorism globally more faster and cheaper than ever before. It is here both contradictions and conflicts arise struggling for their mutual existence exposing the inherent weakness of traditionalism and revivalism. A religion which has taken the course of a "peaceful penetration" more than thirteen centuries ago, now seems to be struggling to survive by becoming the victims of revivalism. The knowledge of global Islam increased heavily in Kerala as a result of the import of pan Islamic ideology and with the consequent export of human resources in the gulf zone, the heartland of Islam.

Like any other religion, Islam also found its footing in the frontier of Kerala in its early years itself. Kodungallur, being one of the ancient ports of the East, readily welcomed it as in the case of Christianity and Judaism. No doubt, the Islamic expansion was also the result of trade and religion which fully characterised the Islamisation of the region.

The persent study is to highlight the emergence of Islam in Kerala with a special thrust on its various struggles for identity in the long period of existence. Situated in the South West Coast of India, Kerala had the rare privilege of contact with almost all foreign religions including Islam. The confluence of religions in Kerala in the ancient past had made it a cultural and religious mosaic resulting in the transformation of a pluralistic society. Therefore, the content of Kerala culture is determined by various heterogenous factors of religion and culture with a syncretic fusion. The impact of Islamic society is no less important in this context. But the interactions of religions in Kerala did not give rise to religious confrontation due to eclecticism and accommodative nature and openness of Kerala society. In the analysis of Indian societies, writers like Max Weber has nullified the possibility of ethnocentrism and highlighted the pressures and functions of external cultural and religious realities citing several Indian social formations. This is more true of Kerala and its interaction with Islamic community which had made lasting contributions in framing a distinct cultural and social fabric from its very inception itself.

The evolution of Islamic society in Kerala was without any interruption till the arrival of the Portuguese This was mainly due to several socio-economic factors in addition to the hospitality of the rulers and the missionary activities of Sufis and Divines. The Mappila Muslims', as they are commonly called in Kerala, developed a peculiar personality with a distinct consciousness and psyche. The continuous animosity towards the Westerners made them reverse looking and 'pre-modern' forming a society fettered by orthodoxy and tradition. However, by the middle of the 20th century, new trends of hope could be seen in the Mappila societies particularly with the changing socio-economic situations. This must be viewed in the partial secularisation of the Mappilas of Kerala with the influence and pressures of affluence, education and urbanisation.

A good number of studies have come on Islam in Kerala. particularly dealing with their early settlement, social milieu, attempts of resistance and involvement in national movement and so on. No study in this field is complete without the masterly treatise of Shaikh Zein-ud-din IL the Tuhfat-ul- Mujahidin' written in 16th century. Its importance in the historiography of the Post Gama Epoch cannot be denied and that almost all scholars who have attempted on colonial Kerala made use of this work extensively. But Zain-ud-din's thesis mainly concentrated on the Portuguese atrocities and a call for 'Jihad'. Most of the traditional scholars after him also took the same track of religiosity with a fighting psyche of revenge and revolt against the colonial powers and their collaborative feudal lords.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages