Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (AP Sunnis) explained

Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (AP Sunnis)
Formation:1986[1]
Founder:Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar
Type:Sunni-Shafi'i scholarly council
Leader Title:President
Leader Name:E. Sulaiman Musliyar
Gen Sec:Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar
Leader Title2:Treasurer
Leader Name2:Kottur Kunjammu Musliyar
Leader Title3:Secretaries
Leader Name3:
Leader Title4:Vice Presidents
Leader Name4:
  • Sayyid Ali Bafaqi Thangal
  • P. A. Aidrus Musliyar Kollam
  • K. S. Attakoya Thangal Kumbol

Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (AP Sunnis) of A. P. Sunnis, also known as Samastha (AP Faction)[2] [3] and AP Samastha,[4] is a Sunni-Shafi'i Muslim scholarly body in Kerala.[5] [6] [7] [8] The council administers Shafi'ite mosques, institutes of higher religious learning (the equivalent of north Indian madrasas) and madrasas (institutions where children receive basic Islamic education) in India. There are two organisations known as Samastha, one named after E. K. Aboobacker Musliyar and the other after Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, both of which emerged in 1989, due to organisational disagreement in Samastha.[9] [10]

EK Sunnis have had supported IUML whereas AP Sunnis have had supported LDF and CPM.[11] There have been talks for rapprochement between these two Sunni groups.[12] As of 26 June 2023 there are around 10435 madrasas in India under Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (AP faction).

Similar to EK Sunnis, a forty-member council also known as the 'mushawara' functions a high command body of AP Sunnis.[13] As of December 2023 the council includes general secretary Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar; president E. Sulaiman Musliar; vice president Syed Attakoya Thangal; treasurer Kottur Kunjammu Musliyar;[14] secretaries Sayyid Ibraheem Khaleel Al Bukhari, Ponmala Abdul Khadir Musliar and Perod Abdurahman Saqafi;[15] vice presidents Syyid Ali Bafaqi Thangal, P. A. Aidrus Muslyar Kollam and K. S. Attakoya Thangal Kumbol.

Formation of Samastha

Samastha was founded with an aim to fight "deviant sects", including Wahhabis and Salafis, in 1926 by people including Varakkal Mullakoya Thangal, Pangil Ahmed Kutty Musliyar and Muhammad Abdul Bari Musliyar at a meeting in Kozhikode Town Hall. Later in 1934 Samastha got registered. Sunni scholars formed the organisation in response to—the reformist movement began in the 1920s that formed Kerala Muslim Aikya Sangam (1922–1934) driven by Vakkom Moulavi, Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (established 1924) and KNM (founded 1950). Mujahids derived from the Kerala Muslim Aikya Sangam. Since the 1920s though several organisations have participated in debates, Sunnis and Mujahids have had most frequent debates between them.[16] [17]

Population makeup

Traditionally Muslims of Kerala are Sunnis, predominantly Shafi'is where around two-thirds of the Muslim population is AP and EK Sunnis, respective Samasthas of which emerged in 1989 due to disagreement in Samastha. The reformist Mujahids, belonging to the Salafi movement, make up around 10 percent of the total Muslim population of Kerala. Though there is presence of groups like Tabligi Jamaat and Jamaate Islami, by far biggest groupings are Sunnis and Mujahids.

Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (AP faction), Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (EK faction), Dakshina Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama and Kerala Samsthna Jem-iyyathul Ulama are different factions of Sunnis in Kerala, while Dakshina Kerala Je-iyyathul Ulama is the dominant group in the southern part of the state.[18]

Ideological difference

Samastha began in 1926 to counter the Vakkom Moulavi's Kerala Muslim Aikya Sangam—the precursor of KNM and the wider Mujahid movement. Only traditionalist Sunnis are called Sunnis in Kerala in contrast to the reformist ones. The four different factions of Sunnis in Kerala have "almost the same ideology and beliefs". Haris Madani, a young scholar belonging to AP Sunnis, in 2022, said the difference between AP and EK Sunnis is purely organisational whereas Husain Madavoor, a Mujahid leader, considers fiqh to be irrelevant.

AP Sunnis' Samastha in their own words

Change of name

Kanthapuram, a leader of AP Sunnis says Sunnis formed an organisation to counter the religious reformists with the name Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama. But the reformist people had registered the same name. So Sunnis had to add the term "Samastha" to the name of the organisation at the conference held at Kozhikode Town Hall on 26 June 1926.[19]

Presently Mujahids have an organisation named Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama founded in 1924.[20] [21]

Flag

According to AP Sunnis, Samastha for the first time adopted the Samastha's flag on 29 December 1963, at a meeting of Samastha held at the Thalankara Malik Dinar Valiya Jumuath Mosque in Kasaragod. The flag was adopted with minor modification including the removal of the script from the flag that was then in use by the All India Sunni Jem-iyyathul Ulama.[22]

Reorganisation

Kanthapuram further says Samastha was reorganised and went ahead with the interests Samastha had at the time of its formation, when there were attempts to join with the reformists and deviate in Samastha around 1989.

Success

Kanthapuram explains people unitedly supported Samastha after its formation. He also says after the reorganisation in 1989, the Samastha went ahead with strong force, with all policies and ideologies of Samastha all over India and outside.

Subsidiaries

Samastha of AP Sunnis have several subsidiaries.[23] [24] They include:

Other entities of AP Sunnis

Organisations

Periodicals

Notable institutions

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2023/Jul/04/by-revisiting-unity-talks-sunni-groups-look-to-bury-differences-2591117.html
  2. Web site: 2024-07-12 . Increase in suicides linked to ignorance, says Kanthapuram . 2024-08-20 . mathrubhumi.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20240713042736/https://english.mathrubhumi.com/news/kerala/increase-in-suicides-linked-to-ignorance-says-kanthapuram-1.9718644 . 2024-07-13 . en.
  3. Web site: 2023-01-28 . No freedom for Islamic activities in any country like that in India, says Keralite Muslim scholar . 2024-08-20 . ThePrint . https://web.archive.org/web/20240726160345/https://theprint.in/india/no-freedom-for-islamic-activities-in-any-country-like-that-in-india-says-keralite-muslim-scholar/1340475/ . 2024-07-26 . en.
  4. News: 2023-12-31 . Kanthapuram Samastha kicks off centenary celebrations . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114162725/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kanthapuram-samastha-kicks-off-centenary-celebrations/article67692731.ece . 2024-01-14 . 2024-06-22 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  5. Osella . Filippo . Osella . Caroline . 2008 . Islamism and Social Reform in Kerala, South India . SOAS Research Online . Modern Asian Studies . 42 . 2–3 . 317–346 . 10.1017/S0026749X07003198 . free . 143932405 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240324084357/https://eprints.soas.ac.uk/5176/1/osella_ModAsianStuds.PDF . Mar 24, 2024 .
  6. Santhosh . R. . Visakh . M. S. . 2020 . Muslim League in Kerala: Exploring the Question of 'Being Secular' . Economic and Political Weekly . 55 . 7 . 7–8.
  7. Kooria . Mahmood . 2018 . An Ethno-History of Islamic Legal Texts . Oxford Journal of Law and Religion . 7 . 2 . 313–338 . 10.1093/ojlr/rwy034 . 2047-0770.
  8. News: 2023-12-31 . Kanthapuram Samastha kicks off centenary celebrations . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114162725/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kanthapuram-samastha-kicks-off-centenary-celebrations/article67692731.ece . 2024-01-14 . 2024-06-22 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  9. News: 2023-12-31 . Kanthapuram Samastha kicks off centenary celebrations . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114162725/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kanthapuram-samastha-kicks-off-centenary-celebrations/article67692731.ece . 2024-01-14 . 2024-06-22 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  10. News: 2022-02-12 . Sunni factions bury their differences . https://web.archive.org/web/20230828182004/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/sunni-factions-bury-their-differences/article38419837.ece . 2023-08-28 . 2024-06-22 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  11. News: Alingal . Shafeeq . 2018-01-07 . Kerala: League of Factions . https://web.archive.org/web/20200611054152/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/jan/07/kerala-league-of-factions-1746566.html . 2020-06-11 . The New Indian Express .
  12. News: Naha . Abdul Latheef . 2018-01-18 . Sunni factions to bury the hatchet . https://web.archive.org/web/20230528192856/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/sunni-factions-to-bury-the-hatchet/article22466086.ece . 2023-05-28 . 2024-07-07 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  13. News: Alingal . Shafeeq . 2018-01-07 . Kerala: League of Factions . The New Indian Express . https://web.archive.org/web/20200611054152/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/jan/07/kerala-league-of-factions-1746566.html . 2020-06-11 .
  14. Web site: 2024-02-23 . Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama: Kanthapuram again general secretary; E. Sulaiman Musliyar president . https://web.archive.org/web/20240307223416/https://www.thejasnews.com/sublead/samastha-kerala-jamiyyathul-ulama-kanthapuram-again-general-secretary-228627 . 2024-03-07 . 2024-07-10 . www.thejasnews.com . ml.
  15. News: 2023-12-31 . Kanthapuram Samastha kicks off centenary celebrations . https://web.archive.org/web/20240114162725/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kanthapuram-samastha-kicks-off-centenary-celebrations/article67692731.ece . 2024-01-14 . 2024-06-22 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  16. Web site: 2023-07-04 . By revisiting unity talks, Sunni groups look to bury differences . https://web.archive.org/web/20240707121834/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2023/Jul/04/by-revisiting-unity-talks-sunni-groups-look-to-bury-differences-2591117.html . 2024-07-07 . 2024-07-19 . The New Indian Express . en.
  17. Menon . Nandagopal R. . 2018 . What Do Polemics Do? Religion, Citizenship, and Secularism in South Indian Islam . History of Religions . 58 . 2 . 128–164 . 10.2307/26548200 . 0018-2710.
  18. Web site: 2023-07-04 . By revisiting unity talks, Sunni groups look to bury differences . https://web.archive.org/web/20240707121834/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2023/Jul/04/by-revisiting-unity-talks-sunni-groups-look-to-bury-differences-2591117.html . 2024-07-07 . 2024-07-07 . The New Indian Express . en.
  19. Web site: Musliyar . Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker . 2024-06-26 . Samastha: legacy of a century . https://web.archive.org/web/20240720095416/https://www.sirajlive.com/samasta-legacy-of-the-century.html?s . 2024-07-20 . 2024-07-20 . Sirajlive.com . ml.
  20. Web site: Meethal . Amiya . 2016-12-07 . Kerala: Islamic State concerns oiled wheels of Mujahid merger . https://web.archive.org/web/20230127111349/https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/in-other-news/071216/kerala-islamic-state-concerns-oiled-wheels-of-mujahid-merger.html . 2023-01-27 . 2024-07-20 . www.deccanchronicle.com . en.
  21. Menon . Nandagopal R. . 2018 . What Do Polemics Do? Religion, Citizenship, and Secularism in South Indian Islam . History of Religions . 58 . 2 . 128–164 . 10.2307/26548200 . 0018-2710.
  22. Web site: Samastha's tricolour flag turns 60 today . https://web.archive.org/web/20240724024318/https://www.sirajlive.com/samasta-39-s-tricolor-is-60-years-old-today.html?s . 2024-07-24 . 2024-07-20 . Sirajlive.com . ml.
  23. Web site: Musliyar . Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker . 2024-06-26 . Samastha: legacy of a century . https://web.archive.org/web/20240720095416/https://www.sirajlive.com/samasta-legacy-of-the-century.html?s . 2024-07-20 . 2024-07-20 . Sirajlive.com . ml.
  24. Thadathil . Hashim . 2020 . Constructing Authenticity in Discourse(s): Debates among the Mappila Muslims of Malabar, South India . Asian Journal of Social Science . 48 . 5/6 . 449–467 . 1568-4849.
  25. News: Alingal . Shafeeq . 2018-01-07 . Kerala: League of Factions . The New Indian Express . https://web.archive.org/web/20200611054152/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/jan/07/kerala-league-of-factions-1746566.html . 2020-06-11.
  26. Web site: Action plan against drugs through madrasas . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710072842/https://www.sirajlive.com/action-plan-against-drunkenness-by-madrasahs.html?s . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-08 . Sirajlive.com . ml.
  27. Web site: Samastha Kerala Sunni Jam-iyyathul Muallimeen . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502070553/https://sjmindia.org/#collapse . 2024-05-02 . 2024-07-09 . sjmindia.org.
  28. Web site: Samastha Kerala Sunni Jam-iyyathul Muallimeen . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710025412/https://sjmindia.org/post/3 . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-10 . sjmindia.org.
  29. Web site: Action plan against drugs through madrasas . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710072842/https://www.sirajlive.com/action-plan-against-drunkenness-by-madrasahs.html?s . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-08 . Sirajlive.com . ml.
  30. News: 2023-12-31 . Kanthapuram Samastha kicks off centenary celebrations . https://web.archive.org/web/20240622160615/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kanthapuram-samastha-kicks-off-centenary-celebrations/article67692731.ece . 2024-06-22 . 2024-07-15 . The Hindu . en-IN . 0971-751X.
  31. Web site: 2022-11-21 . Kanthapuram A P Muhammad Musliar passes away at 72 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710131924/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2022/Nov/21/kanthapuram-a-p-muhammad-musliar-passes-away-at-72-2520414.html . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-15 . The New Indian Express . en.
  32. Web site: Ameerudheen . T. A. . 2018-01-23 . Big deal: Merger of two factions of a Muslim group could realign political forces in Kerala . https://web.archive.org/web/20240328212107/https://scroll.in/article/865455/big-deal-merger-of-two-factions-of-a-muslim-group-could-realign-political-forces-in-kerala . 2024-03-28 . 2024-07-15 . Scroll.in . en.
  33. News: 2024-06-27 . Publish community representation data in key posts: Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musaliyar . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710114612/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kozhikode/publish-community-representation-data-in-key-posts-kanthapuram-ap-aboobacker-musaliyar/articleshow/111302160.cms . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-15 . The Times of India . 0971-8257.
  34. Web site: 2011-04-28 . Dubai Grand Mufti praises religious tolerance in India . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710121340/https://www.arabnews.com/node/375822 . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-15 . Arab News . en.
  35. Web site: 2019-03-06 . Kerala's Warring Sunni Groups Now in Tussle Over Appointment of First South Indian as Grand Mufti of Muslims . https://web.archive.org/web/20221122090327/https://www.news18.com/news/india/ek-faction-calls-appointment-of-ap-factions-musliyar-as-grand-mufti-a-farce-says-will-elect-a-new-one-2058557.html . 2022-11-22 . 2024-07-15 . News18 . en.
  36. Web site: Samastha will develop 10,000 model villages in three years, says Kanthapuram . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710115538/https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2023/12/31/samatha-kerala-jem-iyyathul-ulama-to-develop-10000-model-villages-says-kanthapuram.amp.html . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-15 . www.onmanorama.com.
  37. Web site: Samastha is a model of co-existence: Kanthapuram . https://web.archive.org/web/20240715181809/https://keralakaumudi.com/news/news.php?id=1095059&u=local-news-kozhikode . 2024-07-15 . 2024-07-15 . Keralakaumudi Daily . en.
  38. Web site: Action plan against drugs through madrasas . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710072842/https://www.sirajlive.com/action-plan-against-drunkenness-by-madrasahs.html?s . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-08 . Sirajlive.com . ml.
  39. Thadathil . Hashim . 2020 . Constructing Authenticity in Discourse(s): Debates among the Mappila Muslims of Malabar, South India . Asian Journal of Social Science . 48 . 5/6 . 449–467 . 1568-4849.
  40. Web site: Risala weekly . https://web.archive.org/web/20240708203952/https://ssfkerala.org/risala/ . 2024-07-08 . 2024-07-08 . en.
  41. Web site: 2023-01-29 . Muslims in India have more religious freedom: Sunni leader . https://web.archive.org/web/20230131005828/https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2023/Jan/29/muslims-in-india-have-more-religious-freedom-sunni-leader-2542318.html . 2023-01-31 . 2024-07-15 . The New Indian Express . en.
  42. Web site: Sunni Voice campaign activities to begin on sixth . https://web.archive.org/web/20240708204943/https://www.sirajlive.com/2013/11/05/65482.html?s . 2024-07-08 . 2024-07-08 . Sirajlive.com . ml.
  43. Web site: About us – SUNNIVOICE . 21 August 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240627061941/https://sunnivoice.net/about-us/?amp=1 . 2024-06-27 . 2024-07-09 . en-US.
  44. Web site: Samastha Kerala Sunni Jam-iyyathul Muallimeen . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502070553/https://sjmindia.org/#collapse . 2024-05-02 . 2024-07-09 . sjmindia.org.
  45. Web site: Action plan against drugs through madrasas . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710072842/https://www.sirajlive.com/action-plan-against-drunkenness-by-madrasahs.html?s . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-08 . Sirajlive.com . ml.
  46. Web site: Samastha Kerala Sunni Jam-iyyathul Muallimeen . https://web.archive.org/web/20240502070553/https://sjmindia.org/#collapse . 2024-05-02 . 2024-07-09 . sjmindia.org.
  47. Web site: Action plan against drugs through madrasas . https://web.archive.org/web/20240710072842/https://www.sirajlive.com/action-plan-against-drunkenness-by-madrasahs.html?s . 2024-07-10 . 2024-07-08 . Sirajlive.com . ml.

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