Draft:Parappur Abdu Rahman Moulavi

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Parappur Abdu Rahman Moulavi was a key player in Kerala's Muslim Renaissance as a social reformer, educationist, and Salafi scholar who laid down a legacy. He was born in 1903 in Parappur, which is a village close to Kottakkal in Malappuram district. He was from the prominent Thottiyil family and was the son of Ahmed Moulavi and Mammathutti. His reformist and educational momentum as a reformer was especially evident in Edathanattukara.

While the community was largely averse to formal education when Abdu Rahman Moulavi arrived, those in Parappur were able to receive leadership as they stressed the importance of at least having some education for the future generations, which began in Othu Palli's (Islamic religious schools) that also served as classes for primary school system. The reformist plant that was sowed by those leaders impacted Parappur Abdu Rahman Moulavi greatly and he sought knowledge through religion and impacted his community through education. After finishing primary education, he traveled to many Darses (Islamic schools) for the sake of religious studies of the Othu (Islamic religious schools) including Darses in Kodungallur, Chemmankadavu, Vadakara, Malappuram, and Vazhakkad. It was after his study at a Dars in Malappuram that Moulavi decided to further his education at the famous Velloor Bakhafi Swalihaat. Moulavi hoped to pursue higher studies at Velloor Baqiyaathu Swalihath in Tamil Nadu, but his family advised against doing so for two main reasons: their economic condition and their will for him to teach in any one of the Darses (Islamic Study Centres) in Parappur or any of the towns around it. Regardless of the objections from his family he was determined to pursue his studies at an institution he dreamed about from the beginning. Despite the predicament of the family's financial means, Moulavi's family, in person of his father Thottiyil Ahmed Musliyar, advised him to push forward his studies in Velloor Bakhafi Swalihat. Abdu Rehman Moulavi's father was his biggest inspiration and motivated him deeply, himself having been a student at the parent institution of Bakhafi Swalihat - Lathifiya College. Moulavi's fascination for studies was built from a young age, having watched his father who was only pursuing knowledge. His journey was long and tiring. First he walked, then he traveled in a bullock cart, and finally by train, leaving Coimbatore and arrived at his destination on the third day in 1942, and by studying hard earned the Baqavi degree. Graduates received a certificate and long black overcoats, which he valued as a fine possession.

When he finished his eduction, he returned to his birthplace, Parappur, and first taught in the Urakam and Keezhmuri Jumua mosques. Although he had a plan to centralize his intellectual energy in a prestigious institution, after Moulavi's mother passed away, that spirit was abandoned when his uncle invited him to Edathanattukara, the next chapter in his exceptional journey. Ultimately, Edathanattukara became the centre of his activity in 1947. He first arrived in Edathanattukara to visit a relative, and was persuaded to stay and give religious lectures instead. Moulavi held his sermons in an open field for two weeks, and over that time, the people of Edathanattukara recognized that Moulavi's works provided them, at least, with a version of Islam that was nothing like the prior versions they had experienced. This was the start of his goal to advocate for Islamic monotheism (Tawheed) and rectify religious misunderstandings. His style was not heavily rooted in any scholarly research tradition but nevertheless he was successful in spreading accurate Islamic education across the Kerala state and in others communities in Edathanattukara, Edavanna, Areekode, Kozhikode, Feroke, Tirurangadi, Kannur, and Kochi. Parappur Abdu Rahman Moulavi was famous for having debates with some of the conservative scholars of his time. His intellectual debates with prominent figures sparked to challenge beliefs and universities that transcended into deeper understanding among the Muslims in Kerala. It is of great note that like many other reformers in that time who faced opposition, boycotts and threats to their lives, Moulavi, encountered hearts filled with love and respect. The people of Edathanattukara and locality seemed to trust and believe strongly in his message. Influenced by the Islahi (reformist) movement and with the guidance of K.M. Moulavi, Parappur Abdu Rahman Moulavi was initially indirect in his work to release Muslims from superstitious beliefs and return them to the core foundation of Islam. He became more obvious over time with his public debates with influential Sufi scholars such as Pathiyil Abdul Rehman Musliyar, Pangil Ahmed Kutty Musliyar and E.K. Abubakkar Musliyar. These debates contributed to establishing Abdu Rahman Moulavi's reputation as one of the primary intellectuals of the reform movement in Kerala.

One of Moulavi's significant interventions occurred while attempting to set up the Tirurangadi Orphanage. When opposition to the orphanage was at its highest, M.K. Haji invited Moulavi to speak against the detractors of the orphanage. Moulavi's support helped us to overcome the opposition. Moulavi's relationship with Abu Sabbah, the founder of Farook College had a substantial influence in every respect. Discussions that they had about contemporary society and culture were the basis for the foundation of Farook College. Indeed, Moulavi was also instrumental in getting the land where the college was constructed. Parappur Abdu Rahman Moulavi took part in the establishment of the Kerala Muslim Aikya Sangham, which was started to unite the Muslims 'Kerala with Islam as the focal point of their faith. The first meetings of the organization took place at the house of Manappad Ibrahim Haji in Kodungallur, along with Moulavi; representatives and activists from Kannur attended the first meetings. Later, Seethi [Sahib] and K.M, Moulavi continued the organization and expanded its vision and efforts. Moulavi's activities were also related to development work, both in the physical and social sense. He and his colleagues saw that the community also needed some form of physical and social development. To this end, one of their highest achievements was the establishment of the Edathanattukara Orphanage in 1940 (it was the third Orphanage in Kerala after the JDT and the Tirurangadi Orphanage), which had educated and housed thousands of orphans from Kerala, and abroad. Furthermore, in 1975, under the guidance of M. Ahmad Maulavi, the Sharaf-ul-Muslimeen Arabic College was established in Pookkad. The college had, in basic terms, just started, and although there were logistical problems for it to get started, it could easily be termed a very significant landmark in the growth of Islamic education in the region. It is worth saying that this development resulted in the emergence of the Sharaf-ul-Muslimeen Educational and Cultural Centre — a complete conglomerate of different institutions. Parappur Abdu Rahman Moulavi died in January 1962, creating an extensive legacy of a social reformer, educator, and religious scholar. His distinctive contributions to Kerala's Muslim Renaissance, particularly the advancement of the Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) movement demonstrate the lasting influence of intellectual indigence, religious reform, and social consciousness on the community's development trajectory.

References

• 1. KNM PUBLICATION- THE HSTORY OF ISLAHI MOVEMENT- FIRST VOLUME
• 2. EDATHANATTUKARA ORPHANAGE MAGAZINE
• 3. THE LEGENDARY LIFE FOR THOUHEED- ARTICLE BY BASHEER RANDATHANI
• 4. THE LIFE STORY OF PARAPPUR ABDU RAHMAN MOULAVI- PUBLISHED BY MARKAZ DA'WVA CALICUT