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Religious co-existence has been given much attention in the new socio-political
almost all countries in the world. Unlike the past, the modern technological world has
different places. The barriers of distance and languages have been eliminated by the
modern science and almost all nations became a composite mixture of all races,
cultures and religions. Currently, Europe is no longer the land of Europeans only.
Indians, Chinese, Muslims and Hindus are there. America is no longer the land of
Christians only. But Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and atheists are parts of American
society. The situation makes great chances of social co-existence and inter-
It is a simple fact that every human and every individual has his/her own
religions, opinions, ideologies, perceptions and thoughts. Even the members of the
same religion or ideology may have different views. So, being different and diverse is
the nature of every human. It is because of this fact that we see many sects and inter-
opportunity to witness this peaceful nature in the contemporary world. Since it is the
Being different religions in the society is just like as the differences in colour, nature,
14
and appearance in the human body. By admitting the reality of Religious co-existence,
peaceful living of the different kinds of people, it is essential to enhance the awareness
of this notion and to impart harmonious lessons of the peaceful co-existence that
eventually lead all societies and communities to a world of peace and prosperity.
Co-existence is the state of being together in the same place at the same time, to live
in uneasy or peaceful coexistence with in one nation1or to exist together, at the same
time, or in the same place or to live in peace with each other, especially as a matter of
policy.2
persons or to two or more nations. Its range starts from a friendly and peaceful
two or more nations. Moularna Akbar Shah defines it as “peaceful coexistence means
two persons, two groups of people, two communities or two countries subscribing
different ideas, principles, concepts and religions living peacefully with mutual
striking feature of Malappuram. It is the only district in Kerala where Muslims are the
majority. Since the Muslims are the predominant community in the region, the
researcher hypothesizes that Islam is a decisive factor in creating such a peaceful co-
existence. The support and nature of the Hindu communities are also very crucial
1
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, New 8th Edition, (New York: Oxford University Press, 2010),
284.
2
Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, (Massachusetts: Merriam Webster Publishers, 1998),
256.
3
Moularna Akabar Shah,“Towards Establishing Peaceful Co-Existence between Buddhists and
Muslims in Myanmar”, (Master Thesis, International Islamic University, Malaysia, 2010), 38.
15
factors in this regard. The inhabitants of Kerala, the Hindus were the ones who had
earlier allowed the Arab Muslims to preach Islam in this land. The tradition of Hindus
in accommodating other religions in this land is praiseworthy and that situation made
possible for Islam to infiltrate into every nook and corner of this land.
The ideology or ism which lives in the minds of people very often influences the
attitude, approach and behavior of the people. In the history of Malappuram and its
religious culture, Islam plays a prominent role. The history of Malappuram and its
religious harmony would not be complete unless substantiated with the early Islamic
history of Kerala. At the time of Islam’s arrival in Kerala, though it came not directly
to the present Malappuram, it was in Malabar that Islam took shape, developed and
spread. The early Muslims of Kerala had settled at the shores of Malabar like
Malappuram, it is necessary to mention the advent of Islam in the region and early
Muslim settlement at the Malabar coastal area where the early elements of religious
co-existence had flourished and developed. Malappuram has a profound tradition and
great history of religious co-existence since the advent of Islam in the land. Here, the
researcher observes the ideological background of Islam and Hinduism may have
influenced the people of the land in order to build an amicable, peaceful mutually
4
Ponnani is a harbor town in Kerala situated in the west-southern part of Malappuram. It was an
ancient port of Kerala where early Arab Muslim travellers settled down.
5
Musiris was the old name of the present Kodungallur city situated in the sea shore of Trichur district
of central Kerala. It was an ancient seaport and the Capital of ChĕramÉn Dynasty who ruled Kerala
between 7th and 12th century.
6
A coastal town of Kerala and it was the capital of Malabar ruler Zamorin since 12th century to 18th
century.
7
A sea port in the Northern Malabar.
16
The Islamic doctrines have given much emphasis on the notion of peaceful co-
“If it had been the Lord’s Will, they would all have believed all who are
on earth! Wilt thou then compel mankind against their will, to believe!”9
“God forbid you not, with regard to those who fight you not for your
faith, nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly
with them: for God loveth those who are just.”10
“Mankind was one single nation, and God sent messengers with glad
tidings and warnings; and with them He sent the book in truth, to judge
between people in matters wherein they differed…”11
The above verses of the Qur’an clearly testify that mankind is originally made
of up of single nation and the Qur’an laid the foundational basis of the peaceful co-
existence accepting the diversity in religious faiths. Therefore, the non Muslims are
completely free to practice their own religions. Islam prohibits its followers to coerce
Perhaps the ideological basis of Islam itself may be the reason of such incidents. Islam
came and survived in the different corners of the world in different times due to its
nature of peaceful co-existence. One’s religion or the ideology is the main content that
determines the worldview of that person. It is the ideology of a religion that is the
foundational philosophy of how one deal with life and with other human beings.
When two people have different opinions, views, perceptions, answers to the
questions of life related matters, there is bound to be conflict of some sort. This
conflict or ideological clash can range from a friendly disagreement to a life and death
8
Qur’an (al- Baqarah: 256)
9
Qur’an (al- Yunus: 99)
10
Qur’an (al-Mumtahinah: 8)
11
Qur’an (al- Baqarah: 213)
17
Islam has a profound practical history of peaceful co-existence even from the
time of prophet in Medina. The prophet, upon migration to Medina had put in action
the Qur’anic ideals by encouraging cooperation and solidarity among all inhabitants of
Medina which comprised Muslims, Jews, Christians and others, through the famous
Medina constitution.12 The constitution which was put in writing ensured complete
freedom equality and justice. He and his Muslim community lived in Medina in close
contact with Jews and other communities amicably. Nothing detained the Prophet to
make peaceful agreements with those people. Islamic historians have identified the
Muslim cohabitants of Medina as first of its kind. The people of Medina were
composed of groups belonging to different religions and cultures. For the first time in
history, the Prophet enacted a system of values that aimed to maintain a peaceful co-
When Islam came to Spain and Africa; the same lessons of peaceful co-existence were
practiced. Islam has the history of peaceful co-existence with other communities in
which, Jews and Christians were fairly treated by the Muslim rulers. They had
enjoyed freedom of faith and worships as Muslims did. When the Roman conquered
Jerusalem, the Jews were expelled, reducing them to exiles across the world. The
Roman Christians imposed a complete ban on Jews. But when Caliph Umar ibn
KhattÉb conquered Jerusalem in 683 A.D the Christians and Jews are allowed to stay
in Jarusalem.14 Umer used to provide annual stipends from the public treasury, to the
elders and sick among the Christians and Jews. He was also reported have said to the
12
Syed Othman Alhabshi and Faisal Haji Othman, “Principles of Tolerance in Islam and the Historical
Practices” in Islam and Tolerance edited by Sayid Othman Alhabshi & Nik Musthapha Nik Hassan
(Kuala Lunpur: Institute of Islamic Understanding, 1994), 58.
13
Mehmet Enes Ergene, Tradition Witnessing the Modern Age: An Analysis of the Gulen Movement,
(New Jersey: Tughra Books, 2008), 21.
14
Syed Othman Alhabshi, 59.
18
effect that “we cannot simply take form you the Jizya when you were strong and
healthy and leave you alone in poverty when you are old and weak.”15
In Islamic history, there are incidents of Jews and Christians who wished to
live with Muslim neighbors as they were the best people at that time.16 When the
Muslims came in to Spain, they considered the Jews and Christians as 'People of the
Book' and to have the same message as Muslims. They built a society where all
What these historical documents show us is that the reciprocal rights and
responsibilities of different religious and cultural identities were clearly defined and
their religions, their way of life, and their way of worship. No one has the right to
interfere in matters of religion of others.19 The early Muslims have maintained good
relationships with other communities even though they are the minority in terms of
population.
humanity and brotherhood that is the core power of that society. They do not want to
15
Ibid., 61.
16
Ibid,. 60.
17
Habeeb Salloum, Islamic Tolerance in al-Andalus,
<http://www.alhewar.com/habeeb_salloum_islamic_tolerance_in_al-andalus.htm> (accessed on 2
September 2013)
18
Ibid,
19
Mehmet Enes Ergene, 21.
19
see the people discriminated. They do not want to discriminate against the religion of
their friends, neighbours, colleagues but they know only the religion of humanity.
Their traditions, culture and religions may have inspired them to enact upon the
It is claimed that Malabar was founded 1000 years before Christ. In the time of
Prophet Sulaiman, the spices which had been used in the Jew temple, 1000 years prior
to Christ, 20 were believed to be brought from Malabar. So, the trade relationship
between Malabar with the Arab peninsula can be traced back to many years. Perhaps
the name of Malabar is older than the name ‘Kerala’. Malabar is an ancient name for
the entire Malayalam Territory.21 Malabar is a vast area which comprises six northern
districts of today’s Kerala; they are Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and
There is inscriptional evidence that the name was used by foreigners since C.E. 545
and what they denoted in the name of Malabar is the whole region of Kerala.
2.2.2. Name
From the very beginning, the name of ‘Kerala’ was already in use, so, Kerala is the
original name of the place. This name is thousands of years old.22 It is assumed that
the name is used for the first time in classical Tamil books. The Sanskrit word Chĕran
became ‘Keralam’ later. The term ‘Keralam’ is derived from the two words “Chera’
20
William Logan, Malabar Manual, Translated from English to Malayalam by T. V. Krishnan,
(Kozhicode: Mathrubhumi Books, 2007), 178.
21
Roland Eric Miller, “The Mappila Muslims of Southwest India- A study in Islamic Trends”, (Ph.D
Thesis, The Hartford Seminary Foundation, 1974), 36.
22
P.A. Saidu Muhammed, Kerala Muslim Charithram, (Kozhikode: Al Huda Book Stall, 1996), 13.
20
denotes ‘mountain’ and ‘lam’ denotes ‘land’. So ‘Chera land’ means the land of
mountains because of the mountains which divide Kerala and Tamil Nadu.23
As such, the word Malabar is al so derived from the Sanskrit word. It is the
two words ‘Malay’ and ‘par’. The word ‘Malay’ means mountain and the second word
is Persian word ‘par’. It means ‘a lot of’. That means the land of many mountains. The
first people to ever use this name were the foreign traders. It is assumed that the
Arabs who came to the Kerala shores called it Malabar. Sheikh IdrÊs, an Arab
geographical scientist and traveller is the first person who wrote this name in a book.
His book is the first inscriptional evidence in which the word Malabar is found and is
Malappuram did not exist in the previous history of Kerala. However, there are many
indications of Malabar in the ancient Kerala history. Perhaps the region of Malabar
may have a greater and longer history than Kerala because the name of Malabar itself
was the name of Kerala in several ancient records. The present Malappuram is the
central part of old Malabar, so the history of Malabar is itself the history of
Malappuram. The history of Malabar begins from the time of Prophet SulaimÉn. His
ships and traders had arrived at the Kerala shores and bought Indian spices from this
land. During that period, India was known outside as a center of Gold and silver.25
Region of Madras presidency. It was ruled by British East India Company. It was in
1956 that the Kerala state was formed. The Malabar district was merged with
23
Adjacent state of Kerala
24
Saidu Muhammed, 14.
25
Ibid., 16.
21
Travancore-Cochin to form the Kerala State. Until the formation of Malappuram
Distirct on 16th June, 1969, Malabar was a vast area comprising of present Palakkad in
the east and Kannur in the north and Kodungallur in the south. Now, Malappuram
figure 2.1 illustrates the present Malappuram district and its geographical boundaries.
26
The official website of Malappuram district,
<www.mlp.kerala.gov.in/index,php?option=comcontent&view=article&id=73&itemid=18> (accessed
on 23 March, 2013)
22
2.2.4. Mappilas
The Muslims in Kerala is generally known Mappilas. The term Mappila was derived
from ‘mÉ falÉh’()ﻣﺎ ﻓﻼح.27 It means “one who is not a farmer.” The others in Kerala
were farmers. The name MÉppila is sometimes used as MÉpila and Moplah. The
origin of the term is not known. It is believed that the term appears to have been
basically a title of respect. In support of the view, the name MÉppila is an honorific
name.28 The word Mappila is derived from two Malayalam words Maha and Pilla.
‘Maha’means ‘great’ and ‘Pillai’means men. The term ‘Pillai’is the honorific name of
“Nayar” in Thiruvathamkore.29 The local Hindu rulers gave the title to the Muslims as
husband-to-be. To this day, the newly married Muslims in Kerala are called “Puthiya
Mappila” (new bridegroom). 31 The precise origin and development of the term
There were Mappila in the Malabar even before the advent of Islam. The trade
relation between Arabs and the indigenous people in Malabar had gradually grown to
a level where they could marry indigenous women in the land. The descendants of the
Arabs were primarily known as ‘Mappila’ because of the Arab lineage. However, they
were not Muslims at that time. These Mappila were the first Keralites who received
27
Roland Eric Miller,58
28
Ibid.
29
The old name of the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthpuram
30
Roland Eric Miller,58.
31
Ibid.,59.
23
the message of Islam. Later on, the inhabitants of Kerala embraced Islam especially
amongst the low class people. Though the Muslim presence has been proven through
circumstantial and historical evidences, there is no written evidence about the origin
The Arabs were probably the carriers and merchants of the Indian Ocean
before anybody else. These Arabs were the progenitors of the Moplah32as Eric Miller
indicated. Mappilas are either the descendants of Arab traders or of Hindu converts to
Islam. The Arab trade with Malabar dates from as early as fourth century CE, when,
with the decline of the Roman Empire, the Arabs came to dominate the Indian
Arabs to this land and it was the center of their trading activities and by the seventh
century several Arabs had taken permanent residents in some of its ports. It is believed
that the earliest Islamic influences came to Malabar through the Arabs almost
immediately after the faith was founded, at any rate before the end of the seventh
Malabar.
Malappuram is the most populated district of Kerala, covering an area of 3000 square
population of Kerala is in Malappuram. The district has the highest population growth
rate during the last decade 2001-2010 with 13.39 %.34 More than 4 million people live
in the district. Among them, Muslims are the majority. According to the 2001 census
32
Ibid.,70.
33
K.N. Panikker, Against Lord and State Religion and Peasant Uprisings in Malabar, (1836-1921),
(Bombay: Oxford University Press, 1989), 50.
34
Census of India (2011), Provisional Population Totals, Kerala Series. 33, 24.
24
report, 66.83% of the total populations of Malappuram district are Muslims, 28.44%
are Hindus and 8% are Christians.35 Since the Christians are very low in population,
the major interactions are between Muslims and Hindus. The state of Religious co-
existence is determined mainly by these two religious groups. Though the Religious
co-existence among the Muslims and Christians are also in a good position, it is not a
matter of concern in this research. According to the census of 2001, a total number of
Muslims of the district is 24, 84,576 while Hindus and Christians are 10,57,418 and
represents the possibility of conglomeration of all religious groups under one umbrella
of one district. They make contact with all communities in all walks of their social
life. Educational institutions, offices, markets and other job oriented fields, festivals,
celebrations, football matches, cultural programmes are the occasions where they
mingle and interact. All these occasions allow great chances of co-habitation and
co-existence to a great extent. Here all communities live in the same colony sharing
facilities and infrastructure. There are neither Muslim villages nor Hindu villages. All
kinds of people are seen everywhere. Muslim households have Hindu neighbours and
vice versa.
Malappuram is the only Muslim dominated district in Kerala situated in the north-
western parts of Kerala. The district was formed on 16th June 1969 in the time of
E.M.S Namputhiripad’s ministerial tenure. The Muslims in this region are generally
35
Ibid.
36
Demographics of Kerala Hindus, <http://www.vaikhari.org/demography.html> (accessed on 30,
March 2013)
25
known as Mappila or Moplah. According to the 2001 census report, 66.83 % of the
total population of Malappuram district is Muslims, 28.44 % are Hindus and 8% are
Christians.
during the reign of Zamorin (12-18thcenturies) Malabar became well known and its
port of Calicut was one of the most important and busiest international ports. During
the time of Zamorin’s rule its geographical boundaries were interchanging. Under the
British East India Company rule since 1792-1947 Malabar was under Madras
presidency and its geographical area remained unchanged. Then, it had a wide area
including Palakkad in eastern side and Thrissur in the southern side and Kannur was
its border in the northern side. In west it has a long coast line of Arabian Sea.
However, after the Indian independence in 1947 and particularly Kerala state
formation in 1956, the province came under the administration of Kerala state
Government and the Malabar region divided into three newly formed districts namely
Kozhikode, Palakkad and Kannur. Only in 1969, that the district Malappuram was
formed.
The present social situation of Malappuram and its old traditions have lessons
researcher understands that the social life of the different religious communities in
at the epitome of harmony and it deserves more attention to enhance its similar
features. Malappuram has a prominent place in the social and religious history of
Kerala. It was the land of classic medieval Vedic Center. Ponnani,37 one of the major
37
Ponnani is a harbor town in Kerala situated in the west-southern part of Malappuram. it was an
ancient port of Kerala where Early Arab Muslim Travellers settled down.
26
centers of Islamic education in medieval period, Kottakkal, the land of KunjÉli
MarakkÉr, the first naval chief of the Indian coast; and Thiru Navaya temple, a Hindu
religious center etc. all belong in Malappuram. It is the land of communal harmony
and religious co-existence where people live peacefully. It is the land of freedom
fighters of both Muslims and Hindus who fought collectively against the British rule.
In spite of these glaring features, Malappuram is the subject of severe criticism from
certain corners.
views on Malappuram district and its inhabitants, mostly Muslims. The reasons for
focusing on this aspect is because of some Hindu extremists argue that the increase in
Though the Hindu extremists are a small group, their campaign affects the peaceful
effectively in the social realm of Kerala and at the academic level since all these
accusations are posed by not only politicians but also some historians as well.
In India, there are some threats to polarize its people communally. It has created
agendas take momentum even in the soil of Kerala. They disseminate the spores of
communalism and extremism in the minds of people and somehow have succeeded in
creating suspicion in the minds of ordinary people about other communities. There are
some dangerous allegations being posed by the Hindu extremist organizations like
27
religious fanatics and center of terrorism, will endanger the social atmosphere of the
whole Kerala. The growing tendency of such campaigns and baseless allegations to
break the communal harmony will lead to endanger the Hindu-Muslim peaceful co-
existence in the district. The facts and realities of their charges are to be revealed to
the public. This study proves that the allegations and claims against Malappuram
district are baseless and semi-truth and therefore should be rejected. Here, the
researcher points out the accusations posed against the Malappuram district and
Muslims in Malappuram.
“Malappuram is the land of Muslim fanatics and therefore no security for non-
Muslims. Hindus living in the Malabar regions are experiencing persecutions.”38 This
kind of criticism has been posed by the Hindu extremists since the formation of the
district. It is clear that neither the geographical nor the political reasons have prompted
them to pose such accusations; rather, as we can understand form their claim, the
accusations. Such denunciations will endanger the peaceful atmosphere of the region
human who lives in this situation to sustain peaceful co-existence of the people around
“Hindus are under siege in the Muslim majority district of Malappuram – Kerala.”
This is the beginning of an article published on the extreme Hindu website referring
38
Kerala’s Muslim Majority district Malappuram-A Mini Pakistan, Islamic Terrorism In India,
http://islamicterrorism.wordpress.com/2008/09/06/keralas-muslim-majority-district-malappuram-a-
mini-pakistan-strangling-hindus-there/ (accessed on 23 March 2013)
28
about Islamic terrorism.39 The articles points out that the Hindus in Malappuram are
marginalized and controlled by Muslim fundamentalists and they deny the rights of
Hindu people. In the article, the writer pointed several accusations against the
Even the main political party in Kerala, the Congress Party (Kerala Pradesh Congress
Committee) also has charged the district with terrorism. The district, according to
Since the inception of the district of Malappuram, the Muslims in the district
and those who support the Malappuram district formation have faced attacks from the
Hindu extremist groups and their publications. Though the district of Malppuram is
generally known for its religious harmony and peaceful co-existence, some Hindu
The dominance of Muslims in strength in the region has been made use by the anti-
Muslim forces as a symbol of threat to Hindu people. They always try to convince the
people that the Muslims are a threat to the Hindus and if the number of Muslims
outnumbered Hindus, Hindus cannot live peacefully. It is the same campaign that had
39
Ibid.
40
Ibid.
41
Congress’ anti terrorism campaign in Malappuram
<http://www.hindu.com/2006/11/01/stories/2006110101850400.htm> (accessed September1, 2013)
29
been propagated by the Hindu extremist parties during the period of Malappuram
district formation. It says that “the Malappuram district was carved out to create a
very alarming.”42
which the writer pointed out that the Muslim dominance in Malappuram will be
alarming for Hindus and that will endanger the whole of Kerala. It says;
42
Upananda Brahmachari, Is Kerala posed as second Kashmir in Southern India
<http://hinduexistence.org/tag/malappuram/> (accessed on 9 March 2013).
43
Haindava Keralam website, <http://www.haindavakeralam.com/HKPage.aspx?PageID=13549>
(accessed on 23 March 2013).
44
Sreevals and Priyesh CA, The Religious Census Data-2001: With special Reference to Kerala
<http://organiser.org/archives/historic/dynamic/modules2ba8.html?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid
=71&page=37> (accessed on 23 March 2013)
30
2.3.4. The Claim of Islamic Fundamentalism45 in Malappuram
Another criticism raised against the Malappuram district is that it is the center of
growing inside Malappuram. According to them, the Muslim organizations sow the
claim, the Muslim terror groups try to implement sharʑa laws in the multi-religious
society and protest against cinema theatres and liquor shops. Several attacks took
place on such institutions, according to them, are the evidence of the powerful
network of these Islamic fundamental groups. A Hindu communal writer G.K. Suresh
Babu sees setting of fire to the Theatre and liquor shops in Malappuram is the result of
Islamic fundamentalism which has tremendously grown in the region.47 Along with
this accusation, the Inter Service Intelligence relation of Malappuram also has been
Malappuram district alleging that the district has deep connections with Kashmir
where, in their view, is the center of terrorism. Since the Kashmir is the center of
organizations in the region have been trained by the Kashmiri terrorist groups.
Police officials admit that the ISI trains youths from the pre-dominantly
Muslim areas of north Kerala, especially the Malappuram district. It is
not in Jammu and Kashmir alone that the ISI is fomenting trouble. Our
intelligence reports and a number of arrests that we made indicate that it
has spread its influence to parts of Kerala too.48
31
According to the Kerala home department, more than 150 people in the
Malappuram and Kozhikode districts were connected to the Coimbatore
blasts. The police arrested a number of them; some admitted that they
had been to Jammu and Kashmir for training.49
In 1969, when the Muslim populated Malappuram district was formed, Hindu
extremists and communalists stood against the decision of the erstwhile government
and they made a huge propaganda against the district formation. They accused the
Government of trying to appease the Muslim community and that Muslim dominance
would be a threat for the peaceful living of the Hindus. The district was formed by
Communalists, 72 % of the District’s population was Muslims at that time. The Hindu
extremist party then, Hindu Janasangam addressed the issue and lead huge protest.
Hindu communal groups took over the issue and made a wide propaganda against the
district formation. Media propaganda was also efficiently engaged. Newspaper like
formation. It alleges that the formation of Muslim populated district would have an
Hindu extremist groups against the district formation. Even recently, such accusations
still continue even after the district was formed and became a reality, and even when
its social atmosphere is far better than the other districts of Kerala. However, the
extremist Hindu organizations and printed & electronics medias which are mentioned
earlier, circulate the message of hostility and enmity against the Muslims in general
49
Ibid.
50
Mathrubhumi, 17 June 1969, a Malayalam daily Newspaper published in Kerala.
32
and Malappuram in particular. In the article “Kerala’s Muslim Majority District
All the schools and colleges are controlled by Muslims and special
privileges are accorded to them, enabling them to neutralize Hindus.
Hindu students are an easy target for psychological indoctrination. One
of the most telling examples of such policy in action is the cancellation
of educational classes on Friday and Muslim holidays including the
month of Muslim Ramadan. By using such psychological manipulation,
Muslims succeed in creating anxiety, fear and panic among young
Hindus. The atmosphere created by such acts casts a great shadow over
Hindu society. Hindus also felt unsafe in their own homes and work
places; daily life is disrupted, causing considerable harm to personal and
family morale. Hindus in general are depressed marginalized and
demoralized. Suicide rate among Hindus are increasing in Malappuram.
Suicide rate among Hindus are increasing in Malappuram. The Muslim
message is: Until you leave Malappuram district, you will not be safe.51
The Malabar riots or Malabar revolt which took place in 1921 in several regions of old
This incident has been viewed by Hindu extremists as an event of religious fanaticism.
They call it Moplah Rebellion, which was in fact, a peasant rebellion in which
Muslims and Hindus were included. According to their views, it was a series of
communal attacks of Muslims against Hindus. An extremist Hindu website sees the
33
Kottayam, Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Kollam and
Thiruvananthapuram in the southern part.52
A Hindu extremist writes;
The Moplahs of Malabar did not need any Pakistani inspiration when
they launched into the terrible riots of 1921 (the Moplah Rebellion)
when they, without provocation, murdered, raped, and forcibly
converted thousands of Hindus, just because of distant Turkey had
abolished the Caliphate.53
Narayan54 have also expressed that the history of Malabar is not free from communal
tension and the earlier history of Malabar is the testimony of Muslim extremism. He
says;
writers. Stephen Frederic Dale is one of them. He portrays the Muslim community as
religious fanatic and to be militant is their cultural habit. He says; “The Islamic
termed the Mappila outbreak as Muslim jihÉd. According to him, it is a war for the
faith. He sees that the Moplah Riots occurred by the religious motivation of Mappilas
52
Upananda Brahmachari, Is Kerala posed as Second Kashmir in Southern India.
<http://hinduexistence.org/tag/malappuram/> (accessed on 9 March 2013)
53
Rajeev Srinivasan, Moplah Rebellion, Part II: Hindu massacred on Maraad Beach,
<http://www.rediff.com/news/2003/may/09rajeev.htm> (accessed on March 22, 2013)
54
He is a well known Indian historian, academician and former chairman of the Indian Council of
Historical research.
55
Book on Malabar Revolt released; Historians differ on the nature of the revolt.
http://twocircles.net/2009nov07/book_malabar_revolt_released_historians_differ_nature_revolt.html
(accessed May 22, 2013).
56
Dale, Stephen Frederic, Islamic society on the South Asian frontier : the Mappilas of Malabar 1498-
1922, (Oxford, England :Clarendon Press. 1980), 1
34
and further depicts that the tenets of Islam teach social violence and he writes; “British
rule left as a legacy an armed society with a militant religious ideology, a society, that
is, with the means to use violence in social disputes and a disposition to perceive
social violence as religious conflict which was sanctioned by the tenets of Islamic
Law.”57
The Moplah or Mappila riots which took place in 1921 and the conquer of Hydar Ali58
and his son Tipu Sultan59 over Malabar were claimed as the historical evidences of
having had the elements of communalism and religious fanaticism among Malabar
renowned for its peaceful co-existence of the Hindu-Muslim people. The relationship
between Muslims and Malabar ruler Zamorin 60 is a good example of the friendly
relationship of both communities. However, the advent of Mysore King, Hydar Ali, in
1763 in the Malabar region disturbed the peaceful atmosphere. Until the period of
Hydar Ali, Malabar was peaceful. Since the coming of Hydar Ali, the Nayars and
William Logan also described in his renowned work Malabar Manual about
The soldiers of Hydar Ali obeyed and executed Hydar Ali’s commands
and brutally murdered many Hindus. The cavalry of Moplah terrorists
57
Stephen Dale, 34.
58
He was the Sultan and de facto ruler of Mysore from 1762 to 1782.
59
Son of Mysore king, Hydar Ali and after the death of his father became the ruler of vast Kingdom of
Mysore.
60
Zamorin was the title name of the Malabar ruler; though each king has their own name are called
Zamorin as reverence.
61
William Logan, Malabar Manual, Translated from English to Malayalam by T.V. Krishnan,
(Kozhikode: Mathrubhumi Books, 2007), 271.
35
came after the horse army murdered all those who escaped. Their
swords did not leave even the women and children62
Another Writer, Ravi Varma writes about Hydar Ali in his article about Mysore
invasion of Kerala,
According to them, the military expedition of Hydar Ali was motivated truly by the
religion rather than political intentions. Despite political and anti-British elements
being emphasized by the early Kerala historians in Hydar Ali’s military expedition,
they wanted to ignore the truth and historical facts. So they refused to accept the
Writer like Suresh Babu, in his Vargeeyatha Keralathil,64 portrays Hydar Ali as
an invader and sometimes more dangerous than the colonial powers. According to
him, Hydar Ali has committed brutal massacres of Hindu Nayar society and did not
leave out even women and children. The Hindus had no room, either to convert to
Islam or to die. And he continues; “when Hydar Ali invaded Malabar, his troop
murdered many men and throughout the roads their dead bodies were laid.”65
Logan and Suresh Babu as a religious fanatic who compelled the Hindus in the
62
Ibid.,
63
Ravi Varma, Tipu Sultan: as known in Kerala, <http://voiceofdharma.org/books/tipu/ch04.htm>
(accessed on 2 September, 2013).
64
G.K. Suresh Babu, Vargeeyatha Keralathil, (Kochi: Kurukshethra Prakashan, 2002), 68
65
Suresh Babu, 68.
36
Malabar region to revert to Islam. 66 Those who denied his command had been
67
severely tortured. According to them, the Military expedition and coercive
conversion of Hydar Ali and his son Tipu Sultan are the basic factors of Hindu-
Muslim aggression.68
the elements that disturb the communal harmony should be identified and be rejected.
following chapters, the researcher answers and responds to the criticism with
historical evidences.
66
William Logan, 303, 273.
67
Suresh Babu, 75.
68
Ibid., 77.
37