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During the first decades of the 21st century Kerala Muslims were a community dwelling in illiteracy and false beliefs. It stood isolated from the main stream of the society. The people remained illiterate even in their mother tongue. The Muslims were seen a down trodden community within the depths of backwardness.
This state of the community was not just in social life but also in the religious field. The followers of Islam knew very little about Islam. The holy Quran was read without knowing its meaning. The Sunnah [the Prophet’s life style] were not even heard of. The religious life of the community was limited to certain customs and the recitation of a few so called ’maalas’.
It is during such a circumstance that certain scholars who had good knowledge of the Quran and the Sunnah came forward to guide and lead the community into the right path. Renaissance activities that had begun in many parts of the world were initiated in Kerala also. The Kerala Muslim United front was formed at Kodungallur and it laid the foundation stone for Kerala renaissance.
The United Front worked systematically and its 2nd annual conference was held at Aluva in 1924. As part of this conference an ulama conference for Muslim scholars and a scholars committee was formed. This committee contained almost all the scholars of Kerala .and it was called the Kerala Jamiatul Ulama. It was the first one of its kind in Kerala.
For 10 years the Kerala Jamiathul Ulama [K.J.U] worked as the advisory committee to the United Front which propagated Islam and the Sunnah among the lay men. In 1934 when the Kerala Muslim United Front was dispersed and K.J.U became the only working organization. In 1935 the AL MURSHID magazine was published which initiated revolutionary thoughts and intellectual debates. The activities were strengthened with the establishment of the Madeenathul uloom Arabic college in 1947.The K.J.U’s responsibilities were reduced when in 1950 KERALA NADUVATHUL MUJAHIDEEN (K.N.M) was formed which had a greater span of people participating. Since then the K.J.U. lead the Islamic movement intellectually. The 75th anniversary of K.J.U. was celebrated with various programmes.
When the K.J.U. was formed in 1924 Hazrath Abduljabbar principle of Vellore Bagiyatu Swaliheen Arabic college, who was the teacher of most of the scholars ,headed it. Though K.J.U. was accepted unanimously there still remained a section of priests and scholars who hung on to the orthodox feelings. Recognizing that the value of priesthood would be nullified they formed a parallel committee under the leadership of people like Shihabudeen Ahmed Koya. It was named Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulama in 1926.It got registered in 1934.They held on to false beliefs and kept the people away from the Holy Quran.
Kerala Naduvathul Mujahideen was formed in 1950.With this Kerala became alert in the path of renaissance. Muslims gained strength and they saw its growth through Islahi conferences. K.J.U. which was becoming inert as an organization powered by the Ulama conference held at Calicut Tagore centenary hall in 2002.It was a big union of about thousand scholars.
Though at the unfortunate incidents that took place within the movement , K.J.U. tried to handle the accusations from the public ,it was not successful in delivering the message correctly .Hence the organization split into two and at this venture most scholars stood on the side of justice.
Under the advisory committee with foremost leaders like M.T.Abdurahiman [vazhakkad] Hydermaulavi [muttil] and T.M.Ishaq maulavi [malappuram] K.J.U. was reorganized in 2002 September 15.Activities were boosted with C.P.Umer sullami as president, A.Abdulhameed madeeni as general secretary and K.K.Mohammed sullami as treasurer.
K.J.U. has responsibly performed the duties of scholars towards the society during the past 5 years. Its activities include creating scholars form the new generation, helping existing scholars fortify their Islamic knowledge, facing the protests against Islam systematically ,exposing the virtual nature of false and orthodox beliefs and finding out religious solutions to modern issues.
K.J.U. took initiative in conducting scholarly talks on controversial topics like sighting of the new moon ect. It also conducts refresher courses for young Khatibs.
From among the Kerala Islahi scholars a selected 20 people participated at the ‘Daurashariya’ held at Makkah under renowned scholars of Saudi Arabia. Following this 4 scholar camps [daura] were held in Kerala for around 200 scholars.
All these were outstanding in the field of religious propagation and helped the Kerala scholars to unite with scholars from different parts of India and exchange ideas and evaluate the activities in their corresponding societies.
Dr. Abdullatheef and Dr. Sahadsuhaibani from Saudiarabia’s Ummalqura and Alqasim universities headed the Dauras..
Kerala Jamiatul Ulama has been lead from time to time by renowned scholars. K.M.moulavi, K.Umarmoulavi, P.Syedmaulavi,K.N.Ibrahim maulavi and C.P. Umarmoulavi are some among them.K.K.Mohammed sullamiand Amankoth Aboobacker moulavi who passed away lately had also dedicated valuable contributions to K.J.U. K.P.Mohammed madeeni who was treasurer of K.J.U. also passed away.
Though K.J.U. district committees were formed aimed at extending its service it was not much successful. K.J.U. consists of advisory committee, activity committee, fatwa board and general body. The islamic bi monthly "Athouheed" is edited and compiled by K.J.U
The duty of scholars remains to lead the society in the light of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah as was done by the last prophet. May ALLAH help them to guide us.
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