Aboobakker siddhuique darul huda islamic university kerala, india

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ABSTRACT 4

ملخص البحث 5

ABSTRACT MALAYALAM 6

APPROVAL PAGE 7

DECLARATION 8

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 11

CHAPTER ONE 13

1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY 13

1.2 STATEMNT OF PROBLEM 16

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION 18

1.4 OBJECTIVES 18

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY 18

1.6 METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH 19

1.7 REVIEW OF LITERATURE 19

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY 23

CHAPTER TWO 25

A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF C.M USTHĀD: 25

2.1 TIME AND BACKGROUND 25

2.2 GEOGRAPHICAL AND POLITICAL HISTORY OF KASARAGOD 29

2. 3 IMPORTANT PERSONALITIES 34

2.4 HISTORY OF KIYOOR 36

2.5 CONTEMPORARY SCHOLARS OF C.M USTHĀD 38

2.6 BIOGRAPHY OF C.M USTHĀD 41

2.7 IMPORTANT TEACHERS 49

2.8 NATURE AND CHARACTER OF C.M USTHĀD 51

2.9 THE SHOCKING AND CONFUSED DEMISE OF C.M USTHĀD 54

CHAPTER THIRD: 57

EDUCATIONAL REFORMS OF C.M USTHĀD 57

3. 1 EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OF MALABAR IN THE PERIOD OF C.M USTHĀD 57

3.2 RECONCILIATION OF TRADITIONAL AND MODERN IN ISLAMIC EDUCATION 61

3.3 C.M USTHĀD AND ARĀBIC COLLEGES 64

3.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF ISLAMIC COLLEGES IN KERALA 64

3.5 CONTRIBUTIONS AS A QĀḌI 73

3.6 POSITIONS DECORATED IN ORGANIZATIONS 78

CHAPTER FOUR 79

LITARARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF C M USTHĀD 79

4.1 ANALYTICAL STUDY ABOUT HIS LITERARY CONTRIBUTION 79

4.2 WORKS ON DIFFERENT TOPICS 83

4. 3 JURISPRUDENTIAL WORKS. 90

4.4 C.M USTHĀD AND AND ILM AL- MĪQATH 92

4.3 INTRODUCTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF ASTRONOMY AND ILMAL- MĪQATH 95

4.4 ASTRONOMICAL WORKS OF C.M USTHĀD 104

4.5 OBSERVATORY AND EXPERIMENTS 108

CONCLUSION 108

GLOSSARY 111

BIBLIOGRAPHY 114

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY

This is the universal fact that in every part of the world there emerged some reformers and scholars who transformed community to the progressive world by dedicating their life and interests for the growth of community. In fact, they tried to discharge community from the manacles of ignorance to the world of knowledge and intelligence by imparting them appropriate educations and aware nesses.

As mentioned above, in the historical records of Kerala Muslims we can find out this brand of scholars and reformers who devoted their precious times and dexterities to the progress of the community.

In this case, this is an analytical study about C.M Abdulla Moulawi ¹ who was latterly come to be known as the “reformer of North Malabar” and his commendable contributions in various fields. This multi-tasked leader played an active role of an Islamic scholar and changed the history of Kasaragod by starting many religious educational and other institutions. In addition, he resolved the social and religious issues of thousands of people in hundreds of Muslim localities. He was a prolific writer who authored some ten noted books on various areas of knowledge in different languages.²

As the study about C.M Usthād implies that his life was magnificent and splendid, he was an exemplary leader of Kerala who tried to understand the pulses of community and scarified his unalloyed life to the progress of community. Loyalty, honesty, punctuality and spirituality made his life significant and effective. He was brilliant, versatile and distinguished scholar who laid foundation to the combined educational system, which worked as a beacon of educational movements in the history of Mid Malabar. Thus, he came to be known as the “father of combined education system” in north Malabar. This is his good quality of him that he never tried to make his restless efforts for the educating of the community a commodity that will carry him money or material facilities but he tried to popularize the combining educational system among the forthcoming generation to make them vigorous and active in the field of education and acculturating the community. As the study about him implies he was an unselfish and altruistic leader who dreamt always the progress of community and the elevation of Muslim community in every field whether it is religious or material.

He never tried to neglect and avoid material knowledge because every knowledge, which helps us to earn gratification of Allah, is helpful and allowed in Islam. Through his disinterested life we can witness many historical and significant events which was unparalleled and unrivalled in a scholar lived in his time and his life was like an open book which can be simply read without any risk or difficult.

Along with his action-packed life, he gave many historical contributions to the Islamic jurisprudence, because he served above 37 years as Qāḍi of Kiyoor and served for some years as Qāḍi of Mangalore. Along with this, he was a famous Islamic astronomer. He was also very interested in astronomical studies, which have great important in religious activities and very necessary to understand prayer times and timings for performing fast from dawn to dusk by observing the movements of moon and setting of sun in the horizon.

From the advent of Islam Muslims gave tried to focus on astronomical studies by observing sky and movements of stars and planets, to the purpose of rituals and worships and it is notable that the Muslims all over the world are compelled to face holy Qa’ba during prayers of five times and other prayers also. In addition, the times of fasting and breaking is based upon the movements of sun. Therefore, in Islam this branch of science is taken with much consideration and a great importance. To accomplish this branch of knowledge C.M Usthād spent lion share part of his life reviving and reshaping methodology and terminology of astronomy and ilm al mīqath.

Although his focus was on astronomy, Ilm-al mīqath,³ and the Qibla finding⁴ he was past master in astronomy, he made many contributions in astronomy and Qibla finding, and his knowledge in these areas was beyond limits. He used his own observatory rooms, labs and special tools that help to observe the sky and astronomical events occurring day by day. While he was a famous astronomer and expert in ilm al mīqāth, he was a historian, translator, brilliant in mathematics and logics along with a great scholar of Islamic jurisprudent. He wrote books, treatise and articles on Hadīth, Fiqh, history, lineage of his own family, literature, and even showed his literary skill writing down a stunning poem in Arabic-Malayalam language (which locally developed but rich-in-resource) More about, he also proved his enormous linguistic ability by translating various literatures to and from Arabic, Urdu, English and Malayalam languages. His translation into poetic Arabic of some of Allāma Iqbāl’s Urdu verses is worth mentioning. He used simple language, it was stunning, and the translation can be read with full sense of reading without missing any points from its original verses in Urdu.⁵

He wrote many books in astronomy in English Arabic and Malayalam languages, and some articles about fasting, marriage, zakāt, and contemporary issues. He translated the Qasīdath al Burda⁶ to Malayalam in attractive language without missing real meaning of originality. He has a main role in starting the institutions which combine material and religious knowledge, in North Malabar, especially; in the critical time of fading of the religious knowledge. He had main role in popularizing the Islamic jurisprudence in many parts of North Malabar and Mangalore, because he served as a Qāḍi⁷. Therefore, we have to discuss about C.M Usthād’s life and contributions, which have a vital role in reshaping and progressing the community. His achievements and contributions will survive until doomsday (May Allah bless us).

This research is a humble try to analyze about the biography of C.M Usthād and his contributions, including in Islamic jurisprudence. Like Qibla finding and determining the timings of prayers, along with his other contributions in different fields.

1.2 STATEMNT OF PROBLEM

Interests in the study about religious scholars and their contributions have increased recently. Many Muslim scholars have contributed various and prominent contributions in different fields.

Despite these prominent scholars, unfortunately, the pioneer of North –Malabar educational reformer C.M Usthād has not been discussed, as he deserves. The works dealing with C.M Usthād and his contributions in foreign languages like English are few. However, some works are published recently about CM Usthad in Malayalam language, but these are not the kind of an academic writing, these are collections of essays or biographies CM Usthad.

As much, there is a strong need for comprehensive study about the life of important Islamic scholars C.M Usthād and his prominent contributions in various fields especially in Islamic Jurisprudence such as the study of Qibla finding, prayer timings etc.

Actually, C.M Usthād has done many important contributions in astronomical fields, especially in Islamic jurisprudence and Ilm al mīqāth. Many of them were published and some of them were not published because he was not confident about his own works in his first times then after he realized the prominence of his works he permitted to make his works published. He wrote his many articles in magazines and periodicals so they are not kept in the form of books. So these articles are needed to be studied.

His books about astronomy and ilm al mīqath are being regarded as a primary step to understand the importance of astronomy and Qibla determining. The articles, he wrote in different times about various matters in Islamic jurisprudence, are the guidelines to understand the importance and the depth of Islamic Jurisprudence.

This research is an attempt to understand C.M Usthād and his contributions in jurisprudence and other fields by comparatively analyzing his various works in these fields. This study will look into his works analytically as well as critically to find out his intellectual contributions to both Islamic Jurisprudence and to other fields. It will also elaborate his methodology in his writings and works and explain his terminology therein

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION

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  How was the life and background of C.M Usthād
  
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  What were the main qualities of C.M Usthād, which distinguished him from other contemporary scholars?
  
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  In which ways C.M Usthād served the community.
  
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  How he could develop a well-versed and well-structured educational system?
  
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  What were his contributions to Islamic jurisprudence? Specially, in Qibla direction finding and determining the timings of prayers?
  

1.4 OBJECTIVES

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  To study about the life and background of C.M Usthād.
  
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  To study about main qualities of C.M Usthād which distinguished him from contemporary scholars
  
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  To study about the services of C.M Usthād towards society
  
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  To study about educational institutions which were built under his supervision
  

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  To understand about C.M Usthād’s contributions in Islamic jurisprudence especially in determination of Qibla direction and prayer timings.
  

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The primary intention of this study is to explain the contributions of C.M Usthād by analyzing his various works in the Islamic jurisprudence and other fields. For the practical reasons the study will rely upon his different works in astronomy, ilm-al mīqath and other fields which have been so far published. Another part of the study will discuss his contributions to the educational fields and development of the society. The importance of this study is that it is the first attempt to the best knowledge of researcher to understand C.M Usthād’s contributions by using the scientific methods and researches.

1.6 METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH

The work will include a brief study about C.M Usthād and his biography. The study will base on the authentic works like reliable books, souvenirs, articles and the information collected from C.M Usthād’s colleagues and friends. For better understanding of his contributions, thoughts and methods, the researcher will rely upon his major and minor works, especially in the field of astronomy. It will use new methods utilizing primary sources, which include both modern and classical works and articles on ilm al mīqath and C.M Usthād and his contributions.

As this study focuse on the biography and contributions of C.M Usthād including contributions in Islamic jurisprudence, especially in the field of Qibla determination and the time schedule of prayers. Because these are basic factors in jurisprudence that help to perform prayer and other religious activities. The researcher relies upon both analyzing and researching methodologies by interviewing his colleagues and friends. Further, it will also explore his other important works in various fields. The study will follow the critical approach to identify the intellectual contributions of C.M Usthād especially in Islamic Jurisprudence.

1.7 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

As this study is limited to, a scrutinized area there is no any study or work, which covers all area of this subject. Nevertheless, there are some important books written about C.M Usthād and his contributions. Most of them are included only a brief sketch of his life and his contributions. In these works there is no any single book dealing his biography and contributions in single work. Therefore, this is an attempt to explain his studies and contributions in an academic way by using scientific methodologies.

There are some articles written by C.M Usthād in many magazines, souvenirs, and newspapers.⁸ Moreover, there are some souvenirs published during the anniversaries of MIC. Fortunately, unlike many other scholars in Kerala C.M Usthād has recorded his own life and his various reforms in his autobiography called “ente katha; vidyabhyasathindeyum” (My story the story of education).⁹ In this book, C.M Usthād describes his educational reforms and valuable contributions to community especially in astronomy. In addition, gives an account of his life. Autobiography stands as if a primary source for those who want to know about C.M Usthād and his biography.

The major book about C.M Usthād is “Qāḍi C.M Abdulla Moulawi: Uthara Malabarinte Navothananayagan¹⁰ written by Moin Malyamma Hudawi. In this book, the author describes the life of C.M Usthād and the important events of his life in attractive style. In addition, the author describes C.M Usthād’s astronomical studies and his contributions in various fields like religious and material. The author says, “C.M Usthād was interested in astronomy and he used to read many English journals and reports of NASA, and other related books to astronomy.”¹¹ Furthermore, the author describes the biography of C.M Usthād and his contributions to North Malabar especially to combined education and he says that C.M Usthad has initiated to number of Islamic institutions and Arabic colleges as a part of reforming the society. Therefore, this book also is a dependable source to get idea about his life and contributions especially in educational and religious fields.

The articles written by C.M Usthād are published in different magazines, papers and souvenirs. Some of them are collected in the form of books. Among his works, important work is “C.M Usthādinde golashasthtra padanangal” this book is a collection of the articles written by C.M Usthād in different times and finally it was published as a book under supervision of Moin Malayamma Hudawi. Therefore, in this book, the reader can get idea about the history of astronomy and ilm-al mīqath. There is no eloquent information about the life of C.M Usthād and his other contributions. Because the author focused on the astronomic studies of C.M Usthād and his contributions in this field. This book is a major source and dependable book to who study about astronomical studies of C.M Usthād and his contributions in this field (ilm-al mīqath).¹²

This article tells that C.M Usthād was not only a mere religious scholar but also the man of powerful thinking and analyzing who was master in material knowledge also. This work is really monumental and superb work, which is discussing the central theme of subject, astronomy and his studies about astronomy.

Other sources are some souvenirs dealing with Qāḍi C.M Usthād, among them important one is named as “Qāḍi C.M Usthād Smaraga Grandham” published following the 19th anniversary of M.I.C¹³. This souvenir is a memoir about C.M Usthād and it includes valuable accounts and details about C M Usthād and his contributions in deferent field. This souvenir includes writings of famous scholars and leaders about C.M Ustahad. In addition, some interviews with C.M Usthād by many writers have been included in it. Many leading scholars of Kerala and another states have written about C.M Usthād in this souvenir by describing their relations with C.M Usthād and his attitudes by giving more idea about C.M Usthād and his contributions both Islamic and material fields. This souvenir is divided into some three parts and one part is collection of some interviews with prominent leaders and detailed information about Qāḍi C.M Usthād and his life, in second part there is some works about combined knowledge system and its progresses by mainly discussing the role of Qāḍi C.M Usthād in establishing a new system of education.

Another souvenir is MIC 15^th 2008 April conference souvenir. In this souvenir, Qāḍi C.M Usthād. In addition, mainly focused on academic writings and dealing about Islamic subjects and importance of education both religious and material.

Moreover, another source is a souvenir issued as the part of fifth anniversary MIC in 1999. In short, this souvenir also gives information about Qāḍi C.M Usthād and his restless works to build the combined institutions like M.I.C.and other educational institutions.

In Another source named as Samanvaya vidyabhyasam souvenir (2012 MIC publication) also, we can get many points about C.M Usthād. In this book, many famous and celebrated scholars wrote about C.M Usthād and his contributions, but all these books are describing general facts and events occurred in the life C.M Usthād. The researcher found that the most of the works done about C.M Usthād are written in Malayalam language. Therefore, this may be difficult to who don’t know Malayalam to get idea about C.M Usthād. Therefore, the researcher has the duty to search for his major works and analyze them in English language. Moyin Malayamma Hudawi's books are written in Malayalam language and there are no other books in English and other languages about C.M Usthād and his contributions.

C.M Usthād wrote many of his articles in Malayalam. Therefore, non-Malayalite people cannot understand his works and contributions. Nevertheless, all these works are very brief and limited, their main goal is to introduce C.M Usthād and provide a general overview of his works and contributions.

In short, there are few studies about C.M Usthād and his works most of them are only discussing his biography or contributions shortly without focusing on his contributions with detail, so this work is a try to comminute and collect the studies about his contributions especially in Islamic jurisprudence.

1.8 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY

The research is focused on the life and contributions of CM Usthād, so, this work is divided into four chapters. The first chapter is introductory chapters including scope of the study, research questions, objectives, methodology of research, and literature review.

The second chapter is the descriptions about the social, cultural, educational background of Kasaragod and Chemberikka(the native place of CM Usthād), and his biography, including his child life, educational life,marital life, important teachers, contemporary important personalities, and his bewildered murder¹⁴ which is not proven so far by the legal activities.

The third chapter describes the variety of his contributions in the field of education and his restless efforts to start the Islamic colleges for spreading his idea of combined educations. To this purpose, we suffered plenty of predicaments and difficulties. In addition, describes his services, as a Qazi to hundreds of Mahals (territories) by including his contributions in this field and his positions in different organizations.

The fourth chapter is about his literal contributions in various fields. Including linguistic, historical, Mappila literatures, like mala, moulid, and his special interested field astronomy and ilm al mīqāth. In addition, the descriptions about available works of him are added concisely. Moreover, the histories of astronomy and ilm al mīqāth are included in brief to get better and easy understanding to readers. At last, the major events occurred in this field, important scholars and major works of C.M Usthād in ilm al mīqāthand astronomy are included in brief.

CHAPTER TWO

A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF C.M USTHĀD:

2.1 TIME AND BACKGROUND

Before starting about the biography of C.M Abdulla Moulawi and his contributions, it is better to have an idea about his background and situations of his community and their history briefly,¹⁵ so the following information are given to be a general idea about Kerala and its presence in the course of world history.