PROJECT

SADATH FAMILIES AND

BUKHARI QABEELA IN
KERALA

SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALICUT IN

PARTIAL
FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE
AWARD OF
DEGREE IN ARTS

Submitted by:
AYISHA NUZHA.O
(Reg. No: MPANADAR01)
 UNDER THE GUIDENCE OF
ABDUL VAHID.V
ASSISTANT Prof. IN DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC
HISTORY.
DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC HISTORY DGM MES
MAMPAD COLLEGE
2016-2017

DECLARATION
I AYISHA NUZHA.O, hereby declare that this project report entitled
‘SADATH FAMILIES AND BUKHARI QABEELA IN KERALA’ is
submitted to the University of Calicut in partial fulfilment of requirement
for the award of BA ARABIC AND ISLAMIC HISTORY.

I also declare that this is an original work done by me under the supervision
of ABDUL VAHID.V, ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF
HISTORY, DGM MES COLLEGE MAMPAD and it has not be submitted
before the award of any degree, diploma or any title or fellowship.

Place: Mampad
Date:

AYISHA NUZHA.O
DEPARTMENT OF ARABIC AND ISLAMIC
HISTORY
DGM MES MAMPAD COLLEGE
This is to certify that the project report entitled ‘SADATH FAMILIES
AND BUKHARI QABEELA IN KERALA’ by AYISHA NUZHA.O has
been prepared under my guidance and supervision. This work has been
satisfactory and is recommended for consideration towards the award of
ARABIC AND ISLAMIC HISTORY Degree of University of Calicut.

ABDUL VAHID.V

Place: Mampad
Date:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my sincere thanks to Allah, The most gracious and merciful.

I have taken efforts in this project. However, it would not have been
possible without the kind support and help of many individuals and
organizations. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of them.

I am highly indebted to Mr. ABDUL VAHID.V for his guidance and

constant supervision as well as for providing necessary information
regarding the project & also for their support in completing the project.
I would like to express my gratitude towards my parents & teachers for
their kind co-operation and encouragement which help me in completion of
this project.

My thanks and appreciations also go to my colleague in developing the

project and people who have willingly helped me out with their abilities.

AYISHA NUZHA.O
(Reg. No: MPANADAR01)

Place: Mampad
Date:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER TITLE PAGE
NUMBER NUMBER

CHAPTER- AN INTODUCTION TO 6
1 AHLUL BYT
CHAPTER-2 BUKHARI DIASPORA IN 8
KERALA

CHAPTER-3 HADRAMI DIASPORA 17

CHAPTER-4 INFLUENCED SAYYID 29

PERSONALITIES IN
KERALA

CHAPTER-5 SAYYIDS AND SPIRITUAL 37

TREATMENTS

CONCLUSION 38

BIBLIOGRAPHY 39

CHAPTER-1

AN INTODUCTION TO AHLUL BYT

Sayyid Family or Sadath Family known as Thangal family in kerala, are
descended from prophet Mohammed (pbuh). They are also known as Ahlul
byt. They descended through Prophet Mohammed (pubh)'s grandsons,
Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, who were the sons of his daughter
Fatima Zahra and son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.

The term Ahlul Bayt was endearingly used by the Prophet (pbuh) when he
was in his wife's house, Umm Salama. While busy with her chores,
Umm-Salama heard the Prophet say, “Bring them to me, bring them to me.”
He wanted to immediately see Fatima, Ali and their two sons, Al-Hasan and
Al-Husain. Muhammad (pbuh) asked Hasan, Husain, and their mother
Fatima to partially cover themselves with his mantle, then he asked Ali to
do likewise. He thereupon did the same. The mantle became a uniting
cover shared by all five, partly covering every one of them, thus becoming a
visible uniting bond, binding all five. Then the Prophet raised his hands in
supplication before the inquisitive audience, and said: “Dear Lord! this is
my Ahlul Bayt, I implore Thee to sanctifying them, and remove from them
all impurities.” After that, Prophet recited Quranic words which denote the
purity of Ahlu bayt:

“Verily, Allah has decreed to purify you, O' Ahlul Bayt, and sanctify you in
a perfect way” (Al-Ahzaab, Surah 33, Ayah 33).

The Ayah indicates that Allah Himself has honored Ahlul Bayt so
specifically, and He promised to keep them “pure, spotless, and sanctified”.
Allah had taken it upon Himself to safeguard Ahlul Bayt, to keep them
unblemished, untainted, upright, virtuous, and chaste. As events unfolded
through many years, the contributions Ahlul Bayt made to Islam has,
without doubt, verified the very essence of this Ayah and confirmed what
Allah promised. Ahlul Bayt sacrificed everything at hand for the sake of
teaching Islam in its pristine form.

The Ahlul Bayt families migrated to various parts of world. They reached
in India also. There are hundreds of Sayyid families residing in Kerala.
They migrated from historic city of Tarim, in Hadramawt Province, Yemen
and Bukhara in the former USSR (Now at Uzbekistan) to Kerala during
 17th century for business purpose as well as to propagate Islam. As per
historic records famous scholar Sayyid Ahammed Jalaudheen Bukhari is
the

first person from Thangal families, who reached at Kerala. He reached at

Valapattanam, a coastal city in Kannur District of Kerala, at AD 1521
(Hijra 928) from Bukhara. So his decedents know as Bukhari family.

Besides Bukhari Families, There are 40 above Sayyid dynasties known as

Qabeela1 living in kerala. Examples are Shihab, Jamalullailly, Hydroosy,
Jeelany, Aalu faqeeh, Al haddad, Hasanu Thurabi etc. Most of them
reached here at kerala from Hadramawt, Yeman. Malabar Muslims as well
as non-Muslim rulers of Kerala received them happily and in most cases,
they were gifted lands and houses. They politely called them as ‘Thangal’.
Then after Sayyid families in Kerala wholly transpired as ‘Thangal’. It can
be assumed that being the early migrants the Bukharis may be the first
group of Sayyids with the title thangals. Since the title was prevalent in
Kannur area the Bukharis of Valapatanam might have known as thangals
for the first time.

Sayyid families played a vital role in spreading Islamic thoughts in Kerala

through their spiritual power. Many rose to the fame through their
leadership qualities as many of them were big scholars, sheikhs or Mureeds
of Sufi thareeqas, or influential and pious umara.

1. Qabeela denotes dynasty of Sayyid familes

.
 CHAPTER-2

BUKHARI DIASPORA IN KERALA

(2.A) ISLAM IN KERALA

The migratory movements of Muslims started with historical movments of

Hijra by Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) from Holy city of Makkah to
Madeena. After which Muslims migrated to various parts of the world to
propagate Islam.

Kerala’s soil is honoured with Islam at the same era of Prophet Mohammed
(pbuh). As per historical facts, Islam reached at Kerala in 624 AD, through
the migration of Malik bin Deenar and 12 of his trade associates. They
landed in Kerala and continued the trade between India and Arabia. The
non-muslim ruler Cheraman Perumal (who converted to Islam
subsequently) peoples welcomed them with immense happy. They
established Mosques at various parts of Kerala which helped to spread
Islam throughout the state. Mudrooms are another Islamic migrates to
Kerala whom established Madrasa2 and Dars3 system which facilitated
Islamic study. Pennant and Thirurangad in Malappuram districts was their
main landscape. They lead Islamic missionary works as well.
 Another important migration related with Islam to Kerala is the arrival of
Sayyid scholars. They attracted people to Islam though their spiritual
leadership and personal quality. Mainly Sayyid scholars reached in Kerala
from two countries, One from Bukhara in former USSR and another from
Hadramawt of Yeman. They arrived here for trade purpose as well as to
lead missionary works of Islam. In fact, migratory movements among
Sayyids or descendants of Prophet can be replicated with the historical
movement of Hijra by Prophet. His descendants and his followers imitated
this model by migrating into far lands with the message of God.

(2.B) ORIGIN OF BUKHARI SADATHS

Bukhari Sayyids are first Ahlul Byt scholars who reached in Kerala. They
are very influential among the Muslims of Malabar. They trace their
lineage from Sayyid Ahmad Jalauddin Bukhari who settled at
Valapatanam, near Kannur in sixteenth century. Sayyid Jalauddin
belonged to Bukhara in the present state of Uzbekistan. The Bukharis
were also known as Kadimi, after Musa al Kadimi.

2. Madrasa denotes primary institution for Islamic study

3. Dars means higher educational institution works in Mosques

Musa al Kadim son of Jafar Sadiq(d.765) was imprisoned by Khalifa Harun

Rashid and brought to Baghdad where he was poisoned by the order of
Khalifa in 799. He was buried in Baghdad. His son Ali al RIda was also
poisoned by al Ma’mun, the successor of Khalifa Harun Rashid in 818. His
body was laid to rest at Mash-had in Iran. His successor Mohammed Tami
al Jawed was also poisoned by the Halifax in the age of twenty six (835)
and was buried at Baghdad near the grave of Musa al Cadim. His son and
successor Ali al Hade Al Naqi met the same faith as his father in 868 and
was buried at Baghdad in the premises of Askari mosque. The progeny
through his son Ja’far Zaki (d. 885)is known as Naqwis. Sayyid Ali Asghar
son of Ja’far migrated from Baghdad to Bukhara and died there according
to one version. His son Sayyid Abdullah(d.968) is buried at Bukhara. Sayid
 Ahmad Sulthan son of Abdullah died in 986 and was laid to rest at
Bukhara.

Sayyid Mahamud Bukhari (b.957), son of Sayyid Ahmad was a pious man
with miraculous powers. From his time onwards the family came to be
known as Bukharis. His burial place is at Bukhara. His son Mohammed
Bukhari also died at Bukhara. His son Jafar Bukhari died at the age of 82
and was also buried at Bukhara. His son Mu’yyad AI Bukhari, also known
as Kamaluddin died at the age of 88 and was buried at Baghdad. His son
Sayyid Husyn Jalaluddin migrated to India and lived in Uchch (Pakistan).
He always wore a red rob and was called as Mir Surkh and founded the
jalali Sufi order under Suhrawardi Tariqah. He died at the age of 100 and
he has been buried at Uchch. His son Ahmad Kabir lived in Bukhara and in
1232 migrated to Uchch. His son Sayyid Jalaluddin Makhdum Jahaniyan
also known as Jahangasht became famous through his travels and piety. He
was born in Uchch in Bhavalpur, Pakistan and travelled extensively for
acquiring knowledge.

Sayyid Jalaluddin Makhdum was very close to Firoz Shah Tughluq, the
Delhi Sulthan who paid him respect whenever he visited Delhi. He
belonged to Suhrawardi4 order of Sufism and people thronged to him for
his guidance and prayer. It is from the family of Makhdum I Jahaniyan,
Sayyid Ahmad Jalaluddin, the first Bukahari sayyid reached Malabar.

(2.C) BUKHARI SAYYIDS IN MALABAR

Sayyid Ahmad Jalaluddeen son of Ismail migrated to Malabar from

Bukhara in 1521. We have no information about his life at Bukhara.

4. Suhrawardi is considered one of the four prominent orders in Sufism

He was accompanied to Malabar by his wife, disciples and servants. He was

received by the Qazi Seethi Ibrahim and Muslims of Valapattanam near
Kannur. Valapatanam has been a Muslim centre at an early time under Qazi
Ramazan. Qazi Seethi Ibrahim belonged to this family. The family
belonged to the descendants of Hazrat Abubakkar, the first Kahlifa of
Islam. Sayyid Jalaluddeen was accommodated in a house near kunnummal
mosque. Meanwhile his wife fell ill and died afterwards. Now Qazi Seethi
gave his own daughter in marriage to the the sayyid and a house was
constructed for the couple and the house is known as ‘sayyidintakath’ till
this day. When Seethi Ibrahim died the elders appointed Jalaluddeen as the
qazi and the qazi ship remained in the hands of the Bukharis for long.

(2.D) BUKHARI SAYYIDS IN COCHIN

Sayyid Ismail Bukhari (1538-1612), son of Sayyid Jalaluddeen started The

Cochin Bukhari branch. He reached Ponnani, in the south Malabar for his
higher studies. Here he studied under Shaikh Abdul Aziz (d.1586). After his
studies he moved to Cochin where he stayed Chethuparambu in
Mattancheri. He died at an age of 76 and was buried at Chempittapalli,
Kochi. His mausoleum5 still stands on the northern side of the mosque.

Spayed Muhammad (1589-1676) son of Ismail Bukhara, was born and

brought up at Valapatanam. After his higher studies at Ponnani he went
back to his native place. However after few years he settled at Paravanna
near Tirur. He died there and buried near the Juma Masjid of Paravanna.

(2.E) BUKHARI SAYYIDS IN KARUVANTHIRUTHI &

CHALIYAM

Sayyid Ismail Bukhari son of Sayyid Mohammed (1638-1701) established

Bukhari Sayyids branch in Karuvathiruthi in Calicut District. He was born
at Valapatanam and had his studies at Ponnani. He settled for a while at
Paravanna where his father was laid to rest. Later he moved to Ponnani and
married from the family of Makhdums. Two children were born to him –
Sayyid Ahmad and Sayyid Abdu Rahman. When his wife died he moved to
Karuvanthuruthi and married from there. Though a daughter was born she
died as an infant. Later he returned to Ponnani and died there. His resting
place is near Ponnani Grand Juma Masjid. His son Sayyid Ahmad changed
his residence from Ponnani to Karuvanthuruthi.
5. mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment
space or burial chamber of a deceased person or people

Sayyid Ahmad later moved to Malappuram. Here he married from the qazi
family and a child Sayyid Ismail Akbar was born to him. Later he settled at
Chaliyam, near Calicut. His resting place is near Muhyaddin Masjid on the
Tipu Sultan road. Sayyid Abdu rahman (b.1754) brother of Sayyid Ahmad
settled at Karuvanthiruthi.

His house was near the Juma Masjid and he died there. His sons moved to
different places- Sayyid Ahmad moved to Puthanangadi near
Perinthalmanna and died there. His other sons moved to Chaliyam, Tanur,
Areecode and Malappuram.

Sayyid Ba Fakhruddin son of Sayyid Abdu Rahman settled at Malappuram

and died in 1742. His grave is in the Bukhari grave yard of Malappuram.
Sayyid Ba Fakhruddin son of Sayyid Ismail (Cochin) moved to Ponnani
and died there and his grave is on the northern side of Grand Juma Masjid.
Sayyid Muhammad (Mohammed Ponnani) son of Ba Fakhrudddin of
Ponnani moved to Valapatanam from where he went to Kavarathi Island
and died there. He is buried near Kavarathi Juma Masjid.

(2.F) BUKHARI SAYYIDS IN KAVARATHI

Sayyid Muhammad Maula Bukhari (1731-1792), son of Mohammed

Bukhari, a famous Sufi was born at Kavarathi. Later he moved to Malabar
and studied at Valapatanam. Then he moved to Cochin and South Kerala.
At Cochin he made Chembitta Palli as his centre. He renovated the mosque
with the help of one Jew called Shanjur. Sayyid Maula also preached at
Thiruvithamcode in Tamilnadu and it is said that the place got the name
from Thiru Vamcode where Maula performed Azan (Vanku). He died at the
age of sixty three and buried at the City Juama masjid at Kannur.

(2.G) BUKHARI SAYYIDS IN THRISSUR

Sayyid Ahmad al Bukhari, son Muhammad Bukahri started The
Kadappuram (Thrissur) baranch of Bukharis. He was born at Kavarathi and
later moved to Nettur where he lived with his uncle Maula Bukhari. Maula
gave his daughter in marriage to Ahmad and later he asked his nephew and
family to move to Kadappuram. When he reached at Chetwai near
Chavakkad he settled there and became famous among the people of all
religions. The place he settled belonged to three land lords. The Sayyid
cured the disease of one lady of the family of the lord called Mamjalai Nair
who donated land to the sayyid to construct his house and mosque. The
mosque is known as Masjid al Samadani. The sayyid purchased about 100
acres of land around the mosque and the land came to be called as Koyante

Awayil. He died on 19th Novemeber 1822. His mausoleum is on the eastern

side of Bukhara Masjid.

One of his sons Sayyid Mohammed Bukhari went to Madura for praching.
He died there and his grave is at Qazi Muqalla in Madura. Another son
Sayyid Ibrahim Kunhi Koya (Masthan Thangal) was famous due to his
piety and service. He lived at Nettur, Puthiya Kavu, Puthiyangadi and
Kannur. He died on 28 August 1840. He is buried in the city Juma Masjid
of Kannur near the grave of Maula Bukhari.

Musthafa Kochu Koya Thangal, the third son of Sayyid Ahmad, became a
great scholar and poet and healer. He studied at Nettur and Ponnani. He
married the daughter of Puthiyakath Ahmad al Haddad. After his death he
was buried near the grave of his father. Sayyid Ba Fakhruddin, the fourth
son of Sayyid Ahmad became a rich business man, who was responsible for
constructing the Bukhara house and he is the first to be buried at Bukhara
maqam of Kadappuram. He died at the life time of his father.

Sayyid Ismail Bukhari son of Sayyid Ba Fakhruddin of Malappuram had a

son called Sayyid Abdul Qadir who lived at Pazhamallur near Malappuram
and his family settled there. Sayyid Kunhutty Koya Bukhari son of Sayyid
Mohammed Koya son of Ismail Bukhari settled at Vadakkangara
(Malappuram). His son Imbichi Koya selected Nellikkuth (Malappuram).
The Pandikkad branch was started by Sayyid Abdu Rahman Unnikkouya
Thangal son of Imbichikoya.

At Uddaram inThrissur a branch was started by Sayyid Ismail Bukhari, the

son of Sayyid Ahmad, the grandson of Sayyid Ahmad Jalauddin of
Valapatanam. He had two sond, Ahmad and Muhammad. Their sons
spread at Kadappuram, Kochi, Pthiya kavu etc. The puthiya kavu branch is
called Srambikkal Thanganmar. Sayyid Mohammed Bukhari son of Sayyid
Husain son of Sayyid Hamid son of sayyid Muhammad and his offsprings
also settled at Vadakkangara near Malappuram.

One Sayyid Ibrahim Thangal (d.1855) born in Valapatanam left for Nettur.
He had his education from Pennant and after that his family left for Padur
where he constructed a monastery (Thakyav). His son Sayyid Hamza Kunhi
koya thangal constructed a mosque called Manaluppali. One Sayyid
Mohammed Kochu Koya Thangal, born at Valapatanam, after studying
twelve years at Pennant, settled at Kochangadi. He was a contemporary of
famous Umer Qazi and was very close to him. Koch Koya Thangal wrote
many poems and books on Jurisprudence of which the poem on rites after
death is very important. He died on 12th August 1854 and is buried in front
of Kochangadi Juma Masjid.

One Sayyid Hamid al Bukhari Koyakkutty Thangal (d.1851) migrated from

valapatanam and after studying at Pennant Juma Masjid, settled at Padur,
Kadappuram. Sayyid Mohammed Fakhruddin Thangal, son of Sayyid
Ibrahim Masthan Thangal, born at Kottathara house, Vettath Puthiyangadi,
was famous for his scholarship and devotion. He wrote the famous
Vaithulyam an Arabic Malayalam work on Jurisprudence. Besides, he
wrote a number of books on history and Sufism.

He settled at Padur in Chavakkad and constructed the Masjid al Wustha or

Valappil Palli. He died on 5 March 1881. His grave is on the southern side
of Valappil Palli. His son Sayyid Mohammed Isa Kunhi Seethi Thangal
(d.1915) was also an author many books. Sayyid Hamid Koya thangal son
of Sayyid Mohammed Cheriya Koya Thangal was an eminent scholar in
genealogy and wrote the history of the Bukhari sayyids known as Matla’al
Huda. His work Tuhfat al Zuhara was famous among the scholars of Tamil
Nadu. He died on 9 January 1934. Another Bukhari scholar Sayyid
Mohammed Busthani Koyakkutty Thangal also excelled in his scholarship
by producing many books and disciples. He died on 1 December 1960 at
the age of 80.

(2.H) BUKHARI SAYYIDS IN VALLUVANGAD

The Valluvangad branch of Bukharis was started by Sayyid Mohammed

Koya Kutty Thangal (1823-1879)who comes from Sayyid Mohammed
Ismail Akbar through his son Sayyid Mohammed Paravanna; his son
Sayyid ahmad Karuvanthuruthi, his son Sayyid Ahmad Chaliyam, his son
sayyid Muhammad and his son Sayyid Ismail. He was an eminent scholar
having close relationship with the leaders of the time like Sayyid Fazal
Thangal of Mampuram, Sayyid Attakkoya Thangal of Panakkad. He was
revered by the people due to his power of healing and his grave at
Valluvangad (Manjeri) is still a place of visitation. His son Sayyid
Jalaluddin Ahmad (1859-1922) and his son Sayyid Ismail
Kunhikkoyakkutty (d.1977) were also influential persons.

(2.G) KONNARA SAYYIDS AND THEIR ANTI BRITISH

MOVEMENTS

The Konnara branch of Bukahris became famous due to their involvement

in the anti British struggles and their devotion to God and close relationship
with the people. The founder of this branch Sayyid Muhammad was the son
of Sayyid Abdu Rahman Bukahri of Karuvanthiruthi. Sayyid Mohammed
came to be called as Konnara Thangal. He actively participated in the
struggles against the British for which he was imprisoned. The leadership of
the struggle in Eranad area was under Konnara Thangal, Karat Moideen
Haji, Avokkar Musliyar and Koyamu Haji.
Thangal was held responsible for spreading the rebellion to the parts of
Kozhikode and by September 1922 many of his followers including
Avokkar Musliyar were arrested. In the statement released by the Chief
Secretary RA Graham, it is understood that Konnara Thagal was arrested
from Talassery at the end of August 1922. According to the British records
he was hanged by the authorities at Coimbatore.

The Chaliyam branch of Bukharis came into being through the sons of
Sayyid Baba Fakhruddin son of Sayyid Abdurahman of Karuvanthiruthi.

A group of Bukhari sayyids in Kerala claims that a Bukhari branch existed

at Mampuram, Thirurangadi, through Musthafa Habib, a son of Sayyid
Fakhruddin of Chaliyam. Sayyid Fakhruddin is said to have married from
Mampuram and Sayyid Musthafa Habib was born to him. When Sayyid
Hasan Jifri settled at Mampuram he married Fathima the only daughter of
Musthafa Habib. (Jifri’s daugher was also named Fathima and she had been
married to the famous Sayyid Alavi Thangal of Mampuram). Musthafa
Habib resided at Valiyakkathodu near the Mampuram Masjid and his
family came to be known as Valiyakkathodu Thanganmar. The sons of
Musthafa Habib settled at different places. One Taqiyyul Bukhari moved to
Wandoor and Sayyid Ahmad to Parappur near Kottakkal. Sayyid Ahmad
Darvesh, son of Mohammed Habib sent his sons to Kodinhi and other
places at the instructions of Mampuram thangal who had constructed
mosques at different places. (However, another group of Bukhari sayyids
and also the famous Malabar scholar Pangil Ahmad Kutty Musliyar reject
the existence of Valiyakkathodi Thanganmar by saying that no sayyids
lived in Valiyakkathodi. They also deny that Sayyid Hasan Jifri married
fathima, not the daughter of any one belonging to sayyid family, but the
daughter of Valiyakkathodi Kammu Molla who never belonged to a Sayyid
family)

Sayyid Habib Bukhari son of Sayyid Darvesh son of Sayyid Habib was sent
to Ponmundam near Tirur, as qazi by Sayyid Alavi Thangal in 1883 and
Hasan, his grand son was sent to Kananchery, near Randathani, where
Sayyid Alawi Thangal paved way for the construction of a mosque. Sayyid
Habib son of Musthafa Habib had four sons and from them Sayyid
Mohammed Bukhari became the qazi of Palappura Juma Masjid, Kottakkal.
He had a son called Sayyid Abdullah Bukhari. His son Sayyid Ali Bukhari
had a son, Sayyid Abdullah Bukhari whose son Sayyid Ali Bukhari moved
to Vettichira near Valanchery. Sayyid Habib of Ponmundam had a son
called Sayyid Ali, resided at Edarikkode, near Kottakkal. Sayyid Ismail
Bukhari, grandson of Sayyid Habib through Sayyid Muhyaddin came to
Moonnakkal, near Valanchery.

Sayyid Musthafa Habib had a son Sayyid Habib whose son Sayyid
Zainuddin Bukhari, moved from Mampuram to Kizhakkepuram, near
Randathani. He, after long meditation on a hill called Kelan Kurunhi
reached miraculously in the presence of Sayyid Alawi who directed him to
move to Randathani. Kizhakkepuram got the name because of its position
on the east of Kananchery Juma Masjid which was constructed by Sayyid
Alavi himself. Sayyid Zainuddin reached here at the age of thirty five. He
had twenty two sons. Most of them settled in the surrounding areas
involving in the spiritual healing and service of the people.

(2.H) BUKHARI SAYYIDS AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Bukhari sayyids are active in the community service through their

scholarship and spirituality. They are humble in nature and keep a pious
and pure life. They are mostly engaged in religious pursuits and few are in
politics. They generally follow the qadiri line of Sufism, but like the
Hadrami sayyids many of them are inclined to Ba Alawi and Shadili
branch. Like the hadramis, the mausoleums of the Bukharis are still a
centre of relief and meditation to the common people who visit the darghas
to invoke the blessings of the deceased. It is an interesting feature that the
sayyids whether those of Hadarmawt h or of Bukhara became indigenized
when accepting Malabari culture and way of life. Though most of them
married from sayyid families alone to avoid mixing their blood, some
preferred Malayalis as their wives.
(2.I) FAMILY TREE OF BUKHARI SADATH

Sayyid Jalauddin (d. 1569)

Sayyid Ismail

Sayyid Mahamud

Sayyid Husain

Sayyid Salim

Sayyid Jalaluddin Mahammad

Sayyid Zainuddin Mahamud

Sayyid Tajuddin Yunus

Sayyid Ismail Nasaruddin

Sayyid Husain Makhdum (1308-1384)

Sayyid Ahmad al Kabeer

Sayyid Husain Jamauddin (1063-1160)

Sayyid Muayyad Ali (1039-1144)

Sayyid Ja’far(1009-1089)

Sayyid Muhamad (990-1045)

Sayyid Mahamud Bukhari (951-1014)

Sayyid Ahmad(930-986)

Sayyid Abdullah(884-968)

Sayyid Ali asghar (865-913)

Sayyid Ja’far Zaki (841-885)

Sayyid Ali al Hadi (827-868)

Sayyid Mohammed Taqi al Jawad (811-835)

Sayyid Ali Riza (766-818)

Sayyid Musa al Kadim (745-799)

Sayyid Ja’far Sadiq (702-765)

Sayyid Muhammad Baqir(676-733)

Sayyid Zain al Abideen (657-713)

Imam Husain (626-680)

Fathima (605-634 0

Prophet Mohammed (571-632)

CHAPTER-3

HADRAMI DIASPORA
After Bukhari Sayyids, Hadrami Sayyids also reached and situated in
Kerala. There are 40 above Qabeelas of Sayyids in Kerala. Most of them
have Hadrami pedigree. Hadrami Sadaths reached here from Tarim, in
Hadramawt Province, Yeman. So they knew as Hadrami Sadaths.

Founder of Sayyid line in Hadarmawt, Ahmad bin Isa al Muhajir (The

Migrant), a 9th-generation descendant of Prophet, entered Hadramawt,
travelling from Iraq through Hijaz and Yemen. Muhammad bin Ali, Sahib
Mirbat (d. 1161 in Oman), is the ancestor in whom all Hadhrami Sayyid
genealogical ascent lines meet. His grandson, Muhammad bin Ali the First
Jurist (al Faqih al Muqaddam, d. 1255), is the initiator of the Sayyid, Sufi
Alawi way. Sahib Mirbat's son Alawi b Muhammad is called Uncle of the
Jurist (Amm al Faqih). Al Hadhrami Sayyids trace their ancestry to one of
these two men – Muhammad bin Ali (Al Faqih al Muqaddam) and Alawi
bin Muhammad (‘Amm al Faqih).

Migration from Hadarmawt was always a result of many different factors. It

was initiated by drought and tribal wars at home in Hadarmawt, but was
also the result of people pursuing trading opportunities in the Indian Ociean
region. Some Hadramis travelled as Islamic missionaries. The Migration
has brought the Hadramis to South East Asia, parts of India the Comoro
Islands in the Indian Ocean, the Swahili and Somali Coasts as well as
African Countries bordering the Red Sea.

(3.A) HADRAMI SAYYID DIASPORA IN MALABAR

The first focus of Sayyid emigrants eastwards from the Middle Ages was
Malabar. The Malabar Coast or Kerala attracted Hadhrami migrants for the
same reasons that had attracted Mediterranean and Near Eastern merchants
to this narrow coastal littoral since Roamn times. Malabar was the centre of
Indian spice production as well as a principal source of aromatic woods and
hardwoods. Its coastal towns functioned as collection points for these exotic
commodities, and as distribution centres for the cotton cloth that, Indian
merchants brought from weaving towns to the east.

Jewish and Christian merchants had been drawn to and then settled in such
coastal commercial centres as Calicut, Cochin and Quilon, leaving behind
Diaspora communities that persist to the present day. Muslim merchants
from the Persian Gulf, South Arabia and

the Red Sea followed as Islam spread throughout the Near East and by the
Early Modern period they constituted the predominant Near Eastern
mercantile community in Kerala.

In the eighteenth century, members of two Hadhrami Sayyid families

arrived in Kerala to serve as religious teaches and authorities in religious
law. The Hadhrami sadaths were respected by local Muslims because of
their linguistic ability in Arabic, the language of scripture, their Knowledge
of religious scholarship and their desecent from the Prophet.

The migration of Hadrami sayyids to Malabar region of Kerala produced

tremendous changes in the life and culture of Muslims of Kerala as
happened elsewhere in the Indian Ocean coasts. Their migration was mainly
to the Malabar region, the north of Kerala where the rulers have been very
cordial towards the immigrants from the Middle East. The Zamorins, rulers
of Calicut and later the Vellatiris, the rulers of Valluvanad, and the
Kolathiris of the Northern Malabar accorded all facilities to the migrants
particularly those from Arab lands in order to develop foreign trade in their
respective principalities. The friendship developed between the Zamorins
and the Arabs became so close that in the ninth century a Zmorins is said
to have embraced Islam and presented a rob of honour (khil’a) to Ka’ba.

Many Hadrami traders and preachers had settled themselves at Calicut.

When Sufism developed into tariqas many sufis from Arab lands migrated
here and maintained their hospices. Ibn Battuta says that, a monastery was
maintained in Calicut to reside for the spiritual leaders and Arab Muslims.
Here offerings were made in the name of Shaikh Abu Ishaq Gazeruni
(d.1034). Shaikh Shihabuddin Gazeruni was the head of the monastery.
Abu Ishaq Ibrahim Gazeruni belonged to Shiraz in Persia and died at
Gazerun. The sufi order called Gazeruniyya was started in his name. It was
believed that the offerings in his name were effective safeguard against the
perils in seatravel to India and China. A monastery in his name was also
maintained at Zaitun in China.

It was the tolerance and respect shown by the Zamorin towards the Muslims
that attracted Shaikh Sayyid Jifri, a prominent Ba Alawi Sufi of Hadarmawt
to come and settle at Calicut in 1746 A.D. He was received by
Manavikraman, the Zamorin along with Muhyaddin b. Abdussalam, the
qazi of Calicut.

The king requested the shaikh to settle at Calicut and granted him a coconut
grove on the banks of the Kallai river and a land and a house near the pond
at Kuttichira. He was exempted from all the taxes. Following Shaikh Jifri
his brother Hasan Jifri reached

Calicut in 1754 AD. He later settled at Tirurangadi. More members from

the Jifri and other Ba Alawi sayyid families migrated to Malabar and settled
at various parts.

Koilandy became a centre of sayyid families from Hadarmawt. Other

centres of Ba Alawi migration were Koilandy, Pantalayani, Kadalundi,
Ponnani, Malappuram, Parappanangadi, Thirurangadi, Chaliyam, Kuttayi,
Chavakkad, Kannur, Valapatanam, Kappad and Cochin. In all the places
the sayyids started Sufi centres and served the common people by giving
them spiritual relief.

The importance of Hadhrami Sayyids and scholars is evident in the nature

of Islamic life and culture they spread in the regions they settled in. It starts
in the common tradition of following Shafi’i school of jurisprudence, but it
becomes more apparent in the healthy and creative synthesis of Islamic
scholarship (‘Ilm) and Tasawwuf (which is called Islamic Mysticism or
Sufism by western scholars of Islam). Shafi’is legal school, the Ash’ari
school of theology and the purified or reconciliatory form of Tasawwuf or
Sufi orders and practices (which is called neo-Sufism by Fazlur Rahman)
are the common traditions imparted by Hadhrami Diaspora in their host
societies.

(3.B) HADRAMI SAYYIDS IN LITERATURE

Hadramis themselves have produced rich literature which has played

greatly in making their cultural adaptation easier in receiving societies.
Along with their migratory movements, Hadrami Sayyids have carried
genealogical texts that mobilize genealogy toward many narrative ends.
Genealogy combines with poetry, biography, history, law, novels, and
prayers in the Diaspora (Ho 2006). The movement of lineage through
genealogical texts enabled them easy and improved trans-cultural
occurrences, through marriages often with nobles, kings and people of high
cultural spectrum whom they selected as wives from the host societies.
There are hagiographical works also on forefathers like Bustan al Qulub al
Jawahir by Abd al Rahaman al Khatib contains five hundred stories of
preternatural instances from late Sayyids (Ho, Engsang, 2006, p. 46).

Besides Mawlids and Ansabs, there we will find historiographies written on

the religious and social services rendered to the community. Sayyids in
Diaspora possess huge collections of Hadrami literatures that would
substantiate the greatness of their lineage and would link them into the large
Sayyid family. Mawlids remind the young generations the hagiographic
qualities of the late fathers, which also helps in maintaining the prestigious
position of Sayyids. These huge collections have indeed worked in making
sound researches on Hadrami traditions possible and much easier.

Besides these collections, thoroughly researched works have been produced

in the genealogies of Hadrami Sayyids like Shams al- d’ahira fi nasab ahl al
bayt min Bani Alawi Furu’ Fatwima al-Zahira wa Amir al Mu’minin H`ali
radiya Allah anhu by al-Mashhur (1911), Al Muhjam al Lateef Li asbab il
alqabi wal kuni li qabai’l wa butwuni al sadati Bani Alawi by al-Shatwiri
(1986), and ‘Kawkab al-Durriyya fi nasab al-Sada aal Ba Alawi (the
brilliant stars concerning the pedigree of the Alawi Saada), a book on
Sayyid genealogy by Sayyid Shaykh al Jifri (d 1807). The hagiographies
like al Mashrah` al- rawi fi manaqib al sada al kiram Al Abi Alawi, Iqd al
Jawahir wa al durar fi akhbar al qarn al

hadi ashar both by al-Shilli, (1989, 2009) and Rihlat al ashwaq al qawiyya
ila mawatin al sada al Alawiyya by Ba Kathir al Kindi (1985) Iqd al
Yawaqit al jawhariyya wa simt al ayn al dhahabiyya bi dhikri tariq sadatil
alawiya by al Hibshi (1900), also provide a clear hagiographic descriptioin
of Hadrami Sayyids especially Alawis.

Having a lot of socio-cultural and religious importance Sayyids have been

matter of serious academic concern for scholars of different disciplines. The
seminal work of R.B. Sergeant ‘Sayyids of Hadramawt’ details not only
diverse Sayyid families but also provides a historical sketch of the Wadi
Hadramawt. With its Islamic Sufi heritage and religious learning centres,
Hadramawt indeed represents a medieval Islamic land which produced one
of world’s largest Diaspora. Bujra’s (1971) ‘The Politics of Stratification: A
Study of Political Change in a South Arabian Town’, outlines the social
scenario prevailed in Hadramawt and how this social hierarchy controls the
political turnings. Hadramawt’s old learning centres and scholarly linkages
with other Islamic centres was exposed through Frietag’s (1999, 2002)
works ‘Hadarmawt : A Religious Centre for the Indian Ocean in the late
19th and early 20th century’ and ‘Hadhrami Traders, Scholars and
Statesmen in the Indian Ocean’. Coppens (1989, 1997) has provided the
Hadrami tradition and settlement in the East African region and the socio-
cultural integration in the indigenous community. Martin’s (1971) article
‘Migrations from Hadramawt to East Africa and Indonesia c. 1200-1900’,
depicts the emergence and development of Diaspora in both East Africa and
Indonesia. Ingram’s ‘Zanzibar: Its History and its Peoples’, Berg’s (1887)
Hadhramut and the Arab Colonies in the Indian Archipelago, Al Atas’
(1994) ‘The Twareeqat al Alawiyya and the Emergence of the Shi'i School
in Indonesia and Malaysia’ also describe Hadrami diasporas from Zanzibar,
Dutch East Indies, to Indonesia and Malaysia. Ann K Bang’s work ‘Sufis
and Scholars of Sea: Family Networks in East Africa 1860-1925’ has drawn
the family sufi scholarly linkages of a East African and in this meticulous
study Bang talks about one of the most influential Hadhrami-East African
scholars of the period, Ahmad b

Abi Bakr b Sumayt (1861-1925). The socio political presence of Hadrami

Sayyids in India except Kerala has been put by Omar Khalidi (1997) in his
The Hadhrami Role in the Politics and Society of Colonial India, 1750-
1950s Stephen Dale’s (1997) article ‘The Hadhrami Diaspora in South
Western India: The Role of the Sayyids of the Malabar Coast’ represents
the lone work on Hadrami Diaspora in Malabar.

(3.C) BA ALAWI SAYYIDS AND MALABAR

The Ba-Alawi Sayyids of Hadarmawt has a vital role in the socio-cultural
reform of Mappila Muslims of Malabar. Having laid down their arms and
given up political struggle, the Alawiyun became the carriers of a family
sufi tariqa called Ba Alawi tariqa.

From Seventeenth century onwards the Alawi ulama and Sufi saints, came
to be known by the title of Habib. This was the period of emigration to
India and Southeast Asia. Hadrami Arab and Indian Muslim traders has
been engaging trade and missionary activities in the region for centuries and
constituted an integral part of ithe Muslim trade diasporas which streached
from Egypt to the Malay world. There are numerous and often significant
examples of their influence in the political domain also.

The ancestor of Ba Alawi is one Sayyid Ahammed bin Isa who migrated to
Hadarmawt in 952 AD. The Ba Alawi ascendancy over other Sufi orders in
Malabar was brought with the arrival of Shaikh Jifri of Hadarmawt at
Calicut in 1748. It was Shaikh Jifri who introduced the Ba ‘Alawi tariqa in
the region. About the same time Sayyid Abdul Rahman ‘Aidarus
(d.1164/1751) also migrated to Malabar and settled at Ponnani. He also
maintained the Ba Alawi tariqa with a slight difference that his way was
very close to Kubrawiyya order, an off shoot of the Qadiri tariqa.

Both Jifri and Aidarus held influence over the common people, particularly
the fishermen folk of the coast. These people found the sayyids as saviours
when they were neglected by the upper castes and this led to the conversion
of a large number of fishermen community to Islam. The Valiya Tangals,
as the successors of ‘Abdurahman Aidarus were known, continued as the
spiritual leaders while the line of Shaikh Jifri was continued by his nephew
Sayyid ‘Alawi (d.1260/1844) who established his centre at Mambram near
Tirurangadi. (See: (4.A) SAYYID ALAVI THANGAL MAMPURAM, P.26
also)

About forty branches of Ba Alawis had migrated to Malabar and most of

them settled on the coastal areas. How ever many of them took pains to
migrate to the interior regions. They established their centers among the
peasants and downtrodden.
The important Families who settled in Malabar are the following:

Ba Faqih (Koyilandy)

Al Faqih (Koyilandy)

Bil Faqih (Koyilandy),

Al Haddad (Kannur)

Shihabudhin (Panakkad)

Mashhur (Eranad)

Idid (Thirurangadi)

Jilani (Eranad)

Jamalullaili (Chaliyam)

Mushayyaq (Tanur)

Ahdal (Calicut)

Jifri (Calicut)

Musava (Ponnani)

Aydarus (Ponnani)

Saqaf (Chavakkad)

Alu Junaid (Tanur)

Al Manafur (Calicut)

Ba Shaiban (Chavakkad)

Hamdun (North Malabar)

Mauladdavila (Mampuram)

Maula Kaila (Eranad)

Habshi (Kuttippuram)

Alu Dahab (North Malabar)

Juhum (Mahi)

Shatiri (Koyilandy)

Thurabi (Tirurangadi)

Ba Hasan (Koyilandy)

Al Aqil (Kasargod)

Fadhaq (Kannur)

Ba Hashim (Malabar)

Ba Hasan (Chaliyam)

Banu Sahl (North Malabar)

Ba Salim (North Malabar)

The saintly life and service of the Ba Alawis brought them adherents
wherever they went. The deciples used to the kiss the hands (tagbil) of the
Sayyids. This practice was also come from Hadarmawt, which is called
Shmma there.

The Ba Alawis maintained strict morality in their life. They followed the
footsteps of the prophet in every walk of life. In the early period the
Sayyids protected the purity of their blood. They never gave their daughter
in marriage except to the sayyid families though they took wives from out
side.

They erected tombs over their sufi masters. Muslims in general visited the
tombs and offerings are made to the tombs in order to invoke the dead to
fulfill their needs. Vows for visiting the shrines or promising offerings to
them for fulfilling desires are the common tradition among the Mappila
Muslims. A living or dead Sufi played an important role in the social and
cultural life of the common people that the Sufi shrines or mausoleums
became a centre of hope and refuge.

For sufficient rain, to get rid of the locusts, to get a fine harvest, to get
profits in the business, the people, despite their religious differences, gave
offerings in the name of the Sufi saint and made prayers at his dargah.
According to the belief the saints while alive were endowed with barakah, a
beneficent supernatural potential or virtue and this force emanates from
their tombs, so that a visit to a shrine can benefit the supplicant. In Malabar
tombs have been erected over all the important Ba Alawi Sayyids.

The tombs of Shaikh Jifri at Calicut and that of Sayyid Alawi at Mampuram
are still famous. The tombs are decorated with lamps and green silk clothes
and Muslims even believed that covering the tomb with a new cloth a
sacred deed. Sometimes some oil is kept in a bronze lamp as sacred and the
lamp is lit throughout the day and night. People take oil from the lamp and
smear it on their head and moustache as a mark of respect. At

Mambram tomb the custodian keep a flag with him and it is waved over the
head of the visitors as a mark of healing their mental and physical
problems.

At Mampuram tomb weekly prayer congregations (salat) are held and the
devotees assemble there after evening prayers on every Thursday. The
Quranic chapter, Yasin is recited three times and followed by tahleel
(repetition of the words of profession of faith or kalimah). Then the leader
of the congregation will raise his hands and seek blessings of God through
the intercession of Sayyid Alawi Tangal.

People throng to the tomb during the annual ceremony which is held in the
first seven days of the Arabic month of Muharram. Flag is hoisted on the
first day and every day moulid in the name of Prophet Muhammad and
Sayyid Alawi is recited. People from all parts of Malabar participate in the
annual ceremony. Food is served to all the participants.
At Jifri house the annual ceremony is held from eighth to tenth Dil Q’ad
month of Arabic. During these days Quran is recited at full length (khatm)
and there after maulid written by Jafar bin Hasan al Barzanji is also recited.
Food is served to all the participants. Mostly the annual celebrations of at
Jifri maqam are held as a family affair by the sayyids. The Ba Alawis
accepted a large number of disciples from among the ulama and the
common people alike.

The sufis and their tombs played a very significant role in the religious in
the social reforms and religious amity in Malabar. They fought against the
caste system through the propagation of the Islamic ideals among the
people, particularly among the lower class. The sixteenth century
Portuguese writer, Gaspar Correa reports that, “by becoming Moors they
(the lower class) could go wherever they liked and eat as they pleased.
When they became Moors, the Moors gave them clothes and robe with
which to cloth themselves.” When the lower castes realised that conversion
to Islam accorded them higher status in the society and they would surpass
many vexations and discriminations, they accepted Islam in large scale.
C.A. Innes has pointed out that a “number of recruits come from time to

time from the ranks of Tiyyans and from the Cherumans and the serf caste
to whom the ‘honour of Islam’, bring franchisement from all the disabilities
of an out caste.”

(3.D) ARRIVAL SHIKH JIFRI IN MALABAR

With the arrival of Shikh Jifri (d.1807-08) and his successors at Calicut,
There came a Chance in the religious leadership. Though the Makhdum
remained as the head of religious educaiton and scholarship, the sayyid
lineage and the mystic approach of the Jifri family earned them reverence
and popularity. Shikh Jifri and his successors spread the message of Ba
Alwi Sufi order in Malabar. Shikh Hasan Jifri (d. 1764-65), the cousin of
Shikh Jifri, reached Malabar in 1754-55 and after completing his studies at
ponnani, setteled ath Tirurangadi, one of the main Mappila centers in
Ernad.

In Malabar Shaikh Jifri and his followers had to confront with a sufi order
preached by one Mohammed Shah, known as the faqir who had settled at
Kondotti near Calicut. Muhammad Shah was not a hadrami and his
forefathers belonged to Persia. When Tipu Sultan conquered Malabar
certain Muslim scholars complained to him of the heretic beliefs of the faqir
and his successor. There upon the sultan brought him to his presence and
the faqir answered the questions posed by the Muslim scholars. The faqir
denied the allegations and asserted that he was true in his belief and
followed the Qadiri order of sufism. Then he recited a poem before the
Sultan and it bears the following meaning: “Islam is my religion,
Muhammad is my prophet, the Qur-ān is my guide and Karam 'Ali is my
shaikh. I belong to the mystic orders of Shaikh Mu'inuddin Chishti and
'Abdul Qadir Jilani.” Thus the Shah could convince the sultan that he was a
true sufi. When Tipu Sultan was constructing his headquarters at Feroke he
invited sufis and ‘ulama there and requested them to pray for success in his
campaigns. He made Mohammed Shah an lnamdar and granted him
extensive lands as tax free.

Loyalty to the British and the Shia practices of the faqir and his successors
brought him the enmity of the majority of the 'ulama including the Ba
Alawi sayyids who anathematized the faqir and his disciples as heretics. So
the faqir was never able to attract more than a relatively small proportion of
the total Muslim population of interior south Malabar.

When Tipu Sultan came to Malabar, he visited Shaikh Jifri at Māliyakkal

house and accepted his discipleship. Tipu invited Jifri along with faqir of
Kondotti to his head quarters at Feroke. A number of Mappilas had joined
the order of Jifri and spread his message far and wide from the north to the
south of Malabar. Among his murids there
were eminent 'ulama and sayyids. He had close relation with the
Makhdūms, the Muslim scholars at Ponnani in Malabar. Makhdums also,
like the jifiris, had migrated from south Arabia. Besides, 'Abdurahman
Hydross (d.1751), his disciple, relative and a native of Hadramaut had
married from the family of Makhdūms and had acquired considerable
influence among the Mappilas. The Makhdūms and the 'ulama who had
their studies at Ponnani accepted Sayyid Jifri as their spiritual leader.
Through the Ponnani 'ulama who had been leaders of the religious activites
of Mappilas, the message of Jifri, reached every nuck and corner of
Malabar.

The mystic path of Sayyid Jifri was made popular in Malabar by his
nephew Sayyid 'Alawi. Jifri was a learned shaikh, and had produced a
number of scholarly works, among which the Kanz-al Barahin, the
Kawkab-al Durriyya, the Natija and Al Karbat wal Asrar are the most
important. He died at Calicut on Thursday 8 Dil-Qa-'ad 1222/Feb. 1807 at
the age of eighty three and was buried near the Maliyakkal house.

Shaikh Jifri had met the faqir at Kondotti and had realised that he belonged
to the Shia sect, though the faqir himself had vehemently denied any
connection with Shiism and claimed himself to be a Shafi Sunni. In his
Kanz-al Barahin Shaikh Jifri declares Muhammad Shah as a pseudo-sufi
“moving in wrong path and misleading others. Jifri points out his irreligious
and heretical activities like discouraging namāz and hajj, preventing the
people going to mosques and making permissible the mixing of men freely
with women." He criticised the two 'self styled' qāzis of the takiyya-
Musliyarakath 'Abdul 'Aziz and Koyamutti who were justifying the faqir in
the name of the shari'ath, whatever the 'ignorant' faqir had said and did. He
says:

Look to the faqirs like those of Kondotti

Who are absolutely the worst

Indulged in the smoking of hashish

Wouldn't you see any one of them

Except with intoxication.

And they say, if walked naked

One can reach God.

Shaikh Jifri depicts the qāzis as fools and kāfirs moving in wrong path and
leading the people to infidelity. Qāzi 'Abdul'Aziz Musliyar who was also
known as Awdilichi Musliyār composed verses against Jifri and justified
the path of the faqir. Quoting the

statement of Imam Shāfi, the renowned Muslim jurist, 'Abdul 'Aziz stated
that the theologians had nothing to do with the actions and methods of the
sufis who moves outside the purview of the shari’ath. Shaikh Jifri, in the
same coin, brought out the blunders and errors in the statements of 'Abdul
'Aziz and asserted that the methods adopted by the faqir is un Islamic and
against the shari'ath which all the Muslims including the sufis are bound to
follow.

Shaikh Jifri points out the the unIslamic practices of the faqir and his
followers:

Oh, the people who

Smoke hashish, always

Neglect the House of God.

Abandon the prayer and fasting

And reject what God has made obligatory.

In the talks and in the deeds

They surpass the limits, and

Create trouble among the people

They embrace the Iblis

And become intoxicated.

Shaikh Jifri criticises both the qāzis for neglecting the Book of God and the
tradition of Prophet Muhammad and blames them for following the heretic
faqir, and leading the people astray. He cautioned them with great perdition
if they didn't repent for their wrongs.

The 'ulama who issued verdicts against Muhammad Shah and his sufi
practices along with the other rituals, highlighted the Shia practices
followed in the takiyya. Sayyid 'Alawi of Mambram depicted the Shah as a
Shia belonging to the Bohra sect. He says: “Among the Pathāns there are
four groups belonging to Sunnis; Shaikhs, Sayyids, Mughals and Pathans.
The Kondotti faqir belonged to none of these groups but to the Bohra sect
which come under an extreme heretic Shia group called Rawafiz”

Sayyid 'Alawi of Mambram after calling the faqir as a Rafizi and a Shia of
the Bohra sect, mentions one of their strange customs of making models of
Prophet Muhammad and his three caliphs - Abubakkar,'Umar and ’Uthman.
A cavity is made in each of the model and honey is poured into them. They
abuse these models for snatching away the prophet-hood from ’Ali and
after breaking them they suck the honey as sucking the blood of the Prophet
and the caliphs. Sayyid ‘Alawi also mentions that Rafizi leaders like
'Abdullah b. Sabbah, Ibn Sam'a, Mughira b. Said and Abi Khatab al Asadi
had also recommended prostration before the Shaikh.

The joined criticism of Ba Alawis, Maqdums and the ulama of Malabar

against the faqir, affected the activities of the faqir, though they were
helped by the British authorities in most of the cases. Later the successors
of faqir set for a compromise with the ulama under the maqdums and
cleared the taqiyya of all un Islamic practices. Thus the ascendancy of
Hadramis was established in religious affairs of Malabar.
The Ba Alawi tradition is still followed in the religious affairs of Malabar.
Most often the sayyid leads the community in religio-political affairs. The
sayyids who migrated from Bukhara region of Central Asia- the Bukhari
sayyids- also follow the way of the Ba Alawis and in all respects the sway
of the sayyids in all matters is still firmly held.

CHAPTER-4

INFLUENCED SAYYID
PERSONALITIES IN KERALA
In Kerala, there were many Sayyid personalities whom influenced peoples
with their spiritual power. Some of such leaders’ short biography is penned
down here. It is essential to mention these leaders in this study.
(4.A) SAYYID ALAVI THANGAL MAMPURAM

Popularly called as khutubussaman was born at Hadermouth in Yemen in

1753.he is said to be the descendents of fathima the beloved daughter of
Prophet Mohammed (pubh). in 1769 he arrived at calicut by ship and later
proceeded to tirurangadi and settled at Mampuram to complete the mission
work left incomplete by his late uncle sheik hassan jifri.

Hasan Jifri, the family member of Sayyid Alavi, reached Malabar Coast for
propagation and fetched high popularity by his idle life. During his last time
he said to Jamaludin Maqdoomi, then Quazi of Tirur, to marry his daughter
to a youth that will come from Tarim. After the arrival of Sayyid Alavi,
Jamaludin Maqdoomi married Fatima to this charismatic young prodigy
hailing from Tarim after attracting in his personal qualification in Hijra
1183 Rabeel Avval. He stayed for a short period in his bride house but later
shifted to permanent maliyakal house nearby Mampuram Juma Masjid. he
had two daughter in this spouse, Sharifa Alaviya and Sharifa, later known
as Kunhbivi. After the demise of Fatima he tied the knot with Fatima, the
daughter of Sayyid Aboobacker Madani of Kovl Kandi Ambarkand of
Koyilandy. He had sole son in this relation, Fazal Pookoya Thangal. In his
50th age he married Ayisha from Tanur and had two daughters, Swaliha
and Fathima. His three spouses left this mortal world in his lifetime and he
then married Swalaiha, from Sile of Indonesia.

This was a time when British were trying to suppress the Muslim
community. He composed a poem titled “saiful bathar”. it was in the form
of “fatwas” (religious edict) instructing the muslim mass to fight against the
british as a religious duty. This poem had an ever lasting influence on
Muslim community during and after the time of that great
saint. In 1841 British officials made use of some antisocial elements to
create skirmishes at muttichira. Eleven Muslims who sought asylum at
muttichira mosque was shot dead by British troops. This incident increased
the Muslim hostility against the British.

Syed alavi thangal instigated the Muslim populace to boycott the British
rulers, politically, financially and socially. The cherur battle (1843) was was
the result of a Muslim uprising to avenge the disgracing of a dalit woman
by the local land lord. In those days, the dalit women had no freedom to
cover her breast. A recently converted dalit woman violated this unwritten
social code .It enraged the jenmi (land lord) one kaprat Krishna panicker,
who arrogantly removed the dress by which she had covered her breast and
chest. In the ensuing violence seven Muslims were killed and from British
side one subedar and three soldiers were the causalities, and eight of them
were seriously injured. British officers decided to burn the dead body of the
Muslims killed in the battle. But the Muslims under the leader ship of
Mampuram Thangal foiled the plan. The British had to flee from
tirurangadi leaving the dead bodies behind. Thangal was a great exponent
of hindu-muslim unity and brother hood. One kontu nair was his steward
till his death.

Sayyid Alavi Mauladaveela followed the Bualawi Thareeqath, sub branch

of Quadriya Thareeqath, related to the saint Abdul Quadir Aljeelani. He
was recognised as Qutub Zaman (leader of valiyes, saint in century) by the
Sunni world. He suggested spiritual treatment for his disciple as well as
infidel that consulted him. He was being consulted for personal issues as
well as social and was considered as greatest leader in the horizon of
spiritual world. There was a huge crowd follower for this prodigy.

The popularity of Sayyid ‘Alawi became increased so much so that he came

to be regarded as the Qutb-al Zaman (the Pivot of the Age) by his
contemporaries. The famous ‘ulama and sufis of the time became his
spiritual disciples. He gave leadership to the Mappilas in the period of
troubles and his presence became a great relief to the tenents.
Sayyid Alavi Mouladaveela became ill in Hijra 1259 following to an injury
in his leg. Many He left this mortal world in Sunday Hijra 1260 Muharram
7 (AD1845) and was buried in Mambaram.

After his death his son Sayyid Fazl (d. H.1318/ A.D 1901) continued the
work of his father and inaugurated an era of reformation in the society
along with the Ba Alawi lines. The Makhdums of Ponnani, and the
renowned ‘ulama of Malabar like ‘Umar Qazi of Veliyamcode and
Aukoya Musliyar of Parappanangadi actively assisted the proselytizing

and reforming endeavour of Sayyid ‘Alawi and his son. A number of

mosques in southern Malabar were constructed at their behest.

The litanies and devotional songs belonging to the Ba Alwi order became
common among the Mappilas in nineteenth century. Ratib of ‘Abdullah
b.‘Alawi al Haddad and qutubiyyat are chief among them. Ratib of Haddad
was the common invocation among the Mappila Muslims as it was the
tradition of the Ba Alawis. Rituals like māla and maulūd recitations
provided a feeling of oneness to the community. The Mappila festivals
called nērchas also played an important role in providing solidarity to the
community. The nērchas were generally held to commemorate the heroic
deeds of sufis and martyrs. The commemoration included not only of the
local martyrs but also of the martyrs of battles of Islam like those at Badr
and Karbala.

(4.B) ABDUR RAHMN BAFAQI THANGAL KOYILANDY

Sayyid Abdur Rahman Bafaqi Thangal, popularly known as Bafaqi Thangal

or Qaid al Qawm was born at Koyilandy Puthiya Maliyekkal house as the
son of Abdul Qadir Bafaqi and Fathima Mulla Beevi on 19 February 1906.

After primary education, Bafaqy thangal joined a Dars at Veliyankode Juma

Masjid. Then he entered to business filed. He was a trader who exchanged
goods between different countries. Sayyid Abdul Qadir had six sons and
three daughters.
Bafaqi Thangal entered in politics in 1938. He appointed as president on
Indian Union Muslim League in 1956. He also shined in religious field. He
was the leader Samastha Kerala Jam'iyyathul Ulama.

Bafaqi Thangal died on Friday 19 January 1973 in Makkat al-Mukarramah.

He was buried at Jannatul Mualla in Makkah.

(4.B) SAYYID FAZAL POOKOYA THANGAL

Syed fazal pookkoya thangal was another great scholar and mass leader of
the time. He was born at Mampuram (tirurangadi) in 1824.his father was
Mampuram syed alavi thangal and mother fathima the daughter of sheik
Hassan jiffri. After completing his studies at holy land of Mecca he
returned to native Mampuram in 1849. He under took the social and
political works left incomplete by his illustrious father.

He was a silver tongued orator. In those days the Hindu genmis (land lords)
were very powerful. Their oppressions and exploitations were beyond
human tolerance. They were

not communal, but harmed both muslim and hindu kudiyans (tenants) alike.
British rulers helped and supported this wealthy and influential land lords.
Fazal instigated the public and Hindu Muslim tenants to take arms against
foreign rule.

He penned a book titled” uddathul umarah” to warn the people of the

danger of British rule and to convince the need of defeating them. The
British rulers were worried naturally, by his increasing influence and his
anti-british stance. The British annoyance is clear from the letter written by
then malabar collector h.v.canolly to British governor .it said “thangal is
very dangerous opponent in all aspects. He is an empire himself within the
British Empire and our police are helpless in his case”.

Fearing the reprisal from the public british rulers didn’t dare to arrest syed
fazal for his help and support in manjeri riot of 1849, kolathur riot of
1851, and mattannur riot of 1852.But british rulers took a soft policy by
informing him - through his supporters in the government- to leave the
country peace fully.

At last he decided to leave India to save the life of his beloved followers
and country men. In 1901 he expired in Istanbul after an eventful life
dedicated to the welfare of his community and mother land.

(4.C) SAYYID P.M.S.A POOKOYA THANGAL PANAKKAD

Sayyid P.M.S.A Pookoya Thangal was a Muslim spiritual leader hailing

from Kerala veteran leader of Indian Union Muslim League and respected
member of Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama. He is 39th grandson of the
Islamic prophet, Mohammed, and his lineage goes to the house
‘’BA'ALAWI’’ from Yemen.

Pookoya is a historical person who was the son of Sayyid Mohammed

Kunnikoya Thangal from his wife Sayyidath Ummuhani. His full name is
Pathiya Maliyekkal Sayyid Ahmed

Pookoya Thangal. His uncle Sayyid Ali Pookoya brought up in his younger
age after the demise of his father. Sayyid Ali possessed good piety and was
famous Ayurvedic doctor of that locality. So the young Pokkoya gathered
the fetched the skill in the treatment. His family settled in a house later
became famous and so called the Kodappanakkal Tharavad.

In Malabar revolution of 1921, many Mappilas were brutally arrested and

attacked. Seeing this bestial deeds of cruel British he prayed the almighty to
never see such cruelty in his life and later he became blind and known as
eyeless Thangal Uppapa.

In 1932 Sayyid Ali died and he survived none so he offered all legacies
including the Kodappanakkal Tharavad for his foster son, Sayyid Pookoya,
then 19 years old. In this time Sayyid Pookoya settled in Kodappanakkal
Tharavad and later it became more popular after his settlement. Sayyid
Pookoya added Ali after the names of his five children in order to pay the
gratitude to his father.

Pookoya Thangal’s primary religious education was carried under his foster
father Sayyid Ali Pookoya. His primary education was from Panakkad
School. In very childhood he attracted his teacher by his excellent
performance in daily studies. He also studied from the Dars in Panakkad
and also builds good reputation among his colleague and his teachers.

Sayyid P.M.S.A Pookoya married firstly Ayisha Cherakunhi Beevi, the

daughter of Sayyid Hamid Shihabudden Kunchikooya from Pazhamallur
Sayyid Shihab’s family. He has six children in this matrimonial relation:
Late Sayyid Mohammed Ali Shihab, Sayyid Hyder Ali Shihab, Late Sayyid
Umarali Shihab, Sayyidath Khadeeja beevi and Sayyidath Shareefa Mulla
beevi. After the demise of his first life partner, he tied the knot Sayyidath
Khadeeja Embichi beevi from Pazhaya Maliyekkal Nahri family Calicut.
He has three children in this relation: Sayyid Sadique Ali Shihab and
Sayyid Abbas Ali Shihab and Late Sayyid Siddiq Ali Shihab Thangal.

His personality and his ideal life were amazing and role model to everyone.
Many religious, political, social and cultural leaders have admired Pookoya
Thangal’s life and they have written about Thangal with their open hearts in
chandrika magazine publish after his demise. He always followed the
systematic life of punctuality and arrangement. He preferred to wear wite
clothes and used to wear black Turkey made cap and half shoes. He never
liked to trouble others even in his last moment of time. He was very keen in
religious affairs and gave it more priority throughout his life. Shamsul
Ulama, prominent sunni leader said about him:” Panakkad Thangal brought
up his son in Islamic ways and compelled them to serve the public “. Even
non Muslims also admired in his charismatic life style and many of them
remembered his lifestyle in their condolence.

Pookoya Thangal made his debut in political career by membership in

Indian National Congress. Mohammed Abdul Rahman Sahib and E. Moidu
Moulavi were main co-activists during his early period in political career.
Sayyid Pookoya took a membership in Congress in 1937 and chased the
national service done by the legends of congress. In theMadras legislative
assembly election of 1937, Abdul Rahman Sahib won with massive
majority by the election campaign under the Pookoya Thangal.

Muslim league came to existence under the leadership of Qaeda Millaht in

independent India at leagud council meeting held at RTaji hall In Madras
on 10 March 1948. Pookoya Thangal entered in Malabar, Muslim league,
the branch of Indian Union Muslim league. He was accompanied with close
relatives in this new political party like Qaeda Qaum Sayyid Bafaqi and
Haji Abdul Sathar Settu. He was later elected as president of Eranad Thaluk
and in 1948 as chairman of Malabar district Muslim League. His arrival in
the I.U.M.L helped the organization to popularize in very short period.

Following of establishment of Kerala state on 1 November 1956, IUML

held representatives meeting on 18 November at Eranakulam. Bafaqi
Thangal was elected as president of state level and meanwhile K.M Seethi
Sahib as the general secretary. After service of long period (1956–1973) as
the president, Sayyid Bafaqi left the mortal world. The blank erupted after
the demise of Bafaqi Thangal was filled by P.M.S.A Pookoya Thangal. In
the meeting held after the demise of Bafaqi Thangal, P.M Mannikunhinahu
Sahib nominated his name and later elected as president.

The last political conference which he participated was on 4 th July 1975 and
religious conference was in Ullal Sayyid Arabic College on 25 th April 1975.
He fell ill during a trip to Bangalore on April 27. In July his condition
deteriorated. He died on 6 July 1975 (Hijra- 1395 Jumadul Akhir 25).

(4.D) SAYYID MOHAMMED ALI SHIHAB THANGAL,

PANAKKAD

Panakkad Syed Mohammedali Shihab Ba-Alawi Al-Hussainy was a

Muslim religious leader and politician from Kerala, and one of the most
famous Islamic scholars from the. He was the President of the Kerala state
committee of the Indian Union Muslim League.
Shihab Thangal was born as the eldest son of Panakkad Syed Ahmed
Pookoya Thangal, who was a renowned Islamic leader of Kerala. He had
his primary education at the M.M. High School, Kozhikode. He continued
his religious education at Thalakkadathur and Kananchery Dars under
Ponmala Moideen Musliar. In 1958, he left for Egypt for further studies and
obtained his master's degree in Arabic literature from Al Azhar University
in 1961. He continued his studies in Cairo University and pursued a
Doctorate in Arabic Literature in 1966. After spending about eight years in
Egypt he returned home in 1966. In 1967, Thangal married Shareefa
Fathima Beevi, daughter of Syed Abdur Rahman Bafaqui Thangal, one of
the founder leaders of the Muslim League. After her death in 2006, he
married Aysha Beevi.

Shihab Thangal was appointed as the president of the Kerala state

committee of Indian Union Muslim League subsequent to his father's death
in 1975. Shihab Thangal remained President until his death in 2009. He was
a very influential leader of the Muslim community in Kerala and was Qazi
to hundreds of mahals in Kerala.

Shihab Thangal died on 1 August 2009 following a cardiac arrest. Thangal

was admitted to a private hospital after he slipped and fell down at his
home, Panakkad Kodappanakkal. His body was buried at the Panakkad
Juma Masjid on 2 August 2009. He was succeeded by his younger brother
Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal.

(3.D) SAYYID UMAR BAFAQY THANGAL KOYILANDY

Sayyid Umar Bafaqy thangal was another infuluential leader who lived in
kerala. He was born at Koyilandy on 1921 July 24, as son of Sayyid
Hashim Bafaqy and Shareefa Roula Beevi. He studied at Himayathul Islam
Highschool Calicut. After completing secondary school, he went to Makkah
for higher studies. In 1980 He returned to his native place and joined with
his uncle Sayyid Abdurahman Bafaqy, who was a trader.
He has also played a vital role in politics and religious field. He served as
Tressurer of Indian Union Muslim League. He was the president of Nandi
Darussalam Arabi College. He left his sole on 2008, August 1at Calicut.

(3.D) SAYYID ABDUR-RAHMAN KUNHIKOYA THANGAL

ULLAL

Sayd Abdur-rahman Kunhikkoya Thangal known as Ullal Thangal was a

Sunni Muslim scholar and spiritual leader from Kerala. Ullal thangal was
born as son of Sayyid Aboobacker Kunhikoya thangal in 25th Rabeeul
Awal, H 1341. His leanage goes thrugh Konnara Bukhari Sadaths. After
completing primary educations at Karuvanthiruthi, He studied in various
Darses at Ponnani, Koduvally, and Parambath etc. He completed his higher
studies at Bakhiyathu Swalihath, Vellur. He got Maulavi Fazil Baqavi
sanad from there. After that he lead Dars at Ullal, Near Kasargod for
longtime.

He was the President of Samastha Kerala Sunni Jam'iyyathul Ulama, the

organization of scholars and clerics of Kerala. He also knew as the Crown
among the Clerics ("Taj-ul Ulama"). Ullal Thangal was a prominent
member of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama before the split of the
Sunnis in 1989.

Sayyid Abdu Rahman Al Bukhari, who formerly known as Kunhi Koya

Thangal was the leading spirit of Sunni Ulama under the Sunni Markaz
movement of Kanthapuram

Abubakkar Musliyar who had united with him the leading sayyids of
Kerala. Sayyid al Bukhari, is also known as Ullal Thangal due to his long
service as a theologian at the seminary of the famous mausoleum of Sayyid
Shareef Madani of Ullal in Karnatalka. Another Bukhari sayyid, Sayyid
Khalil Bukhari, belonging to Chaliyam, and Kadalundi branch of the
Bukharis has now become a leading figure in Malabar by establishing an
academia called Ma’din Saqafai al Islamiyya at Malappuram. His prayer
congregation at Malappuram Salat Nagar on the 27 day of Ramzan had
brought wide attention of Muslims all over Kerala and even abroad.

Ullal Thangal died on 1st February 2014. He was buried at Edamuttam, in

Kannur District of Kerala.
 CHAPTER-5

SAYYIDS AND SPIRITUAL

TREATMENTS
The sufis or tangals, as the sayyids are called in Kerala, practiced spiritual
treatment called white magic (al ruqya or simiya) which is a branch of
spiritualism (ilm al Ruhani) to cure physical and mental diseases. It is a
kind of secret knowledge transmitted through the family members. One has
to get a consent or ijaza from the elders or the guide (murshid) to practice
white magic. The practitioners should adhere to the rules of religion and
should abstain from vices. The common people visited these sufis to save
themselves from mental agonies and worries or physical problems. The
sufis gave them some divine threads after chanting some Quranic verses or
names of God and blowing on them, a practice which was observed by most
of the Ba Alawis.

Water also was provided after chanting some verses over it and asking the
patients to drink them with utmost reverence. Some times Quranic verses
were written on porcelain plates or on some leaves, often on the leaf of Jack
fruit tree, with some black ink often called as Arabic ink and the patient was
asked to wash the writings with water and drink. Some sufis chant some
verses on the head of the patients to get rid of evils. The sufis also asked the
patients to recite certain Quranic chapter, mostly the Yasin, the thirty sixth
chapter of the Quran or the Quranic verse called Ayat al Kursiyy to get rid
of the diseases. Selected prayers from the Quran and the incantations using
the names of God also are prescribed for fulfilling various needs.
Repetition of certain words or verses of the Quran is always prescribed by
the thangals. Sometimes some mysterious verses were written on paper of
zink plates(takidu) and put it in aluminum or copper cases (amulets) and
the patients were asked to tie them around their neck or on the wrist.
Different types of squares are drawn in papers or in metal plates, some
Arabic alphabets are written in the squires and they are kept in some
particular places to drive away the devil or to fulfill desires. The numerical
system based on Arabic letters(abjad) is followed for calculations in white
magic. The sufis followed astrology and other classical methods to cure the
diseases or knowing the fate or the future. Different calculations called pal
kanakku or Qurrat al Anbiya or mashi nottam are used different prurposes.

CONCLUSION
In the above pages, we have made a humble attempt to picturise Sayyid
families in Kerala. Our study goes detailed through the history and facts of
Sayyid families. The chapters will help to understand about Sayyid familes
and theire spiritual influence. We have tried to brought all important
aspectos of Sayyid Families in Kerala under this study. We hope this study
will be a wick-fire for those whom interested to do a deep study about
Sayyids. Thanks God.

******
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Mappila Muslims: A Study on Society and Anti Colonial Struggles
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3. On the Edge of Empire: Hadhramawt, Emigration, and the Indian
Ocean, 1880s-1930s By Linda Boxberger
4. Hadhrami Traders, Scholars and Statesmen in the Indian Ocean,
1750s to 1960s edited by Ulrike Freitag, William G. Clarence-
Smith
5. Keralathile Sayyid Kudumangal, A malayalam book by
Rahmathullah Saqafi
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Hussain Randathani.
7. Keralathile Pravachaka Kudumbangal: Udbhava Charitham, by
Mujeeb Thangal Konnara.
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