Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-9, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in De-Persianaization of Islam: The Cultural Shifts after Hadhrami Migration in Malabar Anas Edoli Research Scholar, Department of History Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady. Abstract: Hadhrami migration to Malabar in the These reasons were enough to Hadhrami Sayyids to seventeenth century was a land mark issue in the oppose the Kondotty Thangals and their followers. history of Mappila Muslims and they influenced Hadhrami Sayyids started the campaign in early their socio-cultural life. They participated in the years of their migration against the views of religious affairs of Mappila Muslims as well as the Kondotty Thangal. Sheikh Jifri issued many anti colonial struggle against the British. It is Fatwas against them. In later years there emerged a worth mentioning that their role in De- constant dispute between Kondotty and Ponnani Persianaization of Islam in Malabar. In 17 the sect which was commonly known as Ponnani- century there was strong influence of the Kondotty Kondotty Kaitharam. Ponnani sect was of the Sunni Thangal in Malabar who propagated many Shia followers. Therefore Hadhrami Sayyids supported (Persian Islam) ideologies. Hadhrami Sayyids the Ponnani sect. fought against this ideology using their nail and teeth. Sheikh Jifri of Hadhramaut wrote a book 2. Influence of Persian Islam in Malabar against the Kondotty faction and Persian Islam lashing out at their rituals. This paper will analyze Muhammed Sha and his elder son and the activities of Hadhrami Sayyids towards the De- their followers started to propagate the Persian Persianaization of Islam in Malabar. Islam in Malabar which was under Arabian influence for long years from days of its emergence 1. Introduction its emergence in early medieval period. Contradictory to the advance of Islam in north Hadhrami migration in Malabar paved India, Islam in Kerala was completely under the way for many socio-cultural changes in eighteenth influence of Arabs who came here for the trade and nineteenth century. Though it was a gradual purposes. On this ground, Kerala Muslims imitate process there took place a sea change in Islamic more or less Arabian culture and their religious practices which were followed by the Mappila practices. On the other hand, Islam in north India Muslims before the advancement of Hadhramies. reached here through the influence of Persian At the time of Hadhrami migration Muhammed scholars. Due to this there was the influence of Sha Thangal of Kondotty was the main Islamic Persian Islam from the beginning onwards. propagator and preacher who disseminated Persian i ii Islam among the Mappila Muslims of Malabar In the case of Malabar, Shia influence who got many staunch supporters across Malabar touched the ground only after the settlement of and started to work from Kondotty in Malappuram. Kondotty Thangal at Kondotty. Malappuram district gazteer mentions that “ in the eighteenth After a short while Kondotty Thangal got century a schism was created by the introduction of a laudable position in Malabar and many Muslims new forms worship by a foreign (Persian) from every walks of life started to visit the Muhammedan, who settled at Kondotti in Eranad Thangal. Against this background Shiekh Jifri who Taluk. His followers are called Shias by the was an ardent follower of Shafi school of orthodox party. But they themselves, when Jurisprudence migrated to Malabar and he strongly questioned, object to the use of the name and assert condemned Persian Islamiii from his early iv that they are as much Sunnis as the other party. childhood for several reasons. The most important This sect though still numerous, does not seem to Shia vi amongst them was that the attacks of Muslims be increasing in numbers”. They preached the towards the descendants of Prophet at Basra when succession of Ali following the prophet they were forced to flee from there to different Muhammed. Shia Muslims thinks that Ali was the parts of the world. Secondly, they always opposed real successor of the Prophet but that Aboobacker tooth and nail the concept of Sunnism which snatched it from him with the support of the Hadhrami Sayyids followed. In the same manner majority. For this, Shia scholars cited a hadeeth they objected to all the schools of jurisprudences.v Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Page 693 Imperial Journal of Interdisciplinary Research (IJIR) Vol-3, Issue-9, 2017 ISSN: 2454-1362, http://www.onlinejournal.in that was delivered in the last speech of prophetvii was one amongst them. In later years the Hadhrami that “Oh people! Reflect on the Quran and Sayyids themselves started to practice the uruk for comprehend its verses. Look into its clear verses the medicinal purposes. Nowadays, the system of and do not follow its ambiguous parts, for by Allah, uruk is very common in Malabar. Majority of none shall be able to explain to you its warnings people who used to go to the religious scholars to and its mysteries, nor shall anyone clarify its get their blessing and uruk on which they chanted interpretation, other than the one that I have some dikr (praising of gods). Besides this there grasped his hand, brought up beside myself, the were many other practices which was imbibed from one about whom I inform you that whomever I am Persian Islam, and these practices still exist in his master (mawla), then Ali is his master and he is Malabar. However Hadhrami Sayyids tried to fight Ali ibn abi Talib, my brother, the executor of your against soe practices which is very similar to the will (wasiyyath), whose appointment as your shia culture using their nail and teeth. As a result guardian and leader has been sent down to me from there emerged constant fight between two sects in Allah, the mighty and majestic”.viii Monique the name of Ponnani Kondotti Kai issue. Bernads gives different meaning for the word ‘mawla’. He argues that the word ‘mawla’ refers to 3.Ponnani-Kondotty Conflict his succession, he writes “ when mawla is glossed (Kaitharkkam) by halif, it is in fact a shortened form of mawla bil halif. One of the types of relationships between After the death of Muhammad Sha, his non- agnates is wala bi halif (a tie by oath by sons and grandsons started to propagate Persian alliance) this term is recorded as one of the types of Islam in Malabar in a systematic manner which ix wala without explanation”. attracted many Muslims to the view of ‘sha’ of Kondotty. This became the bone of contention The Kondotty Thangal tried to spread this between Ponaani and Kondotty sect. C.A. Innes ideology to the common people, but this was not writes “in south Malabar they are divided into two happen apparently, however it was done very divisions, preferring allegiance to the Valiya systematically and strategically by them, because Jarathingal Tangal of Ponnani and Kondotty Tngal they were aware of Sunni influence of Malabar and respectively. The followers of the latter are said by understood that it could not change the belief at a those of the former to be Shias, but they themselves stretch. At the first instance of Persian Islam in claim to be Sunnis. The difference between the two Malabar many Sunni scholars strongly opposed parties sometimes become acute and lead to their views and ideology. Many books were being disturbances”.xii In the same manner William written by the regional scholars. In the same Logan also says that the advance of Muhammed manner they tried to spread the concept of sha caused for the separation of Muslims into two Imamates of Shia. They believe that their ten groups.xiiiMany scholars started to criticize each imamas are the path finder to them and it is very other. When Tipu invaded Malabar elite people essential to follow them in all aspects of their life. took the issue to his court. As Tipu was pro Persian The tenth one will come only in the time of to islamist he gave the verdict in favor of the doomsday. Kondotty sect. The invasion of Tipu was a golden opportunity to the Kondotty sect. When Tipu However there are many apparent established a fort at Farookabad, he invited all influences of Persian Islam in Malabar. Mainly the scholars to his court. However he gave due celebration of nercha in the memory of a respected importance to the Kondotty Faqirxiv and gave the person or a scholar which would be amalgamated x title of Inamdar to the Kondotty Thangal and with regional art forms. It had become very allotted many lands for the need of propagation and popular and got common attention only after the to build mosques at Kondotty. coming of Kondotty Thangal. Though it was Persian culture Mappila Muslims started to Veneration was continued even after the celebrate the nercha with due importance. One can coming of British in Malabar. The British respected see the beginnings of many nerchas in the second Kondotty Faqir and recognized their Inamdar title half of eighteenth and the beginning of nineteenth and extended all help which they wanted. Kondotty century. The Mamburam and Veiyankode nerchas xi Faqirs also supported British activities in Malabar are best examples for it. this caused very strong opposition from the ulema of Malabar. Conrad Wood writes, “in the period of System of uruk (amulet) tying also 1836- 1919 the Kondotty Tangals were generally introduced by the Persians. Even though the successful in ensuring that none of their adherents Hadhrami Sayyids tried to wash out the Persian were implicated in the periodic Mopilah Outbreaks culture they could not remove many practices in the suppression of which the Kondotty faction which were deep rooted in the society.