The Influence of Islam in Kerala life

//This article is translated from the book "Mappilasaili" written by N K A Latheef and published by Vachanam books Calicut.//

Kerala heard the message of Islam during prophet's lifetime itself and received one of the first task forces of Islam in its soil. The ancient trade relations with the Arabs lead to this early beginning of Islam. The simple lifestyle and humble behavior of Malik Deenar's group attracted the the people. The historian Sheikh Sainudheen Makhdoom in his Thuhfathul Mujahidheen describes about the freedom Muslim missionaries received to spread their religion- "No other Hindu will attack a converted muslim. Even if he belonged to a lower caste, other Hindus will treat him like any other Muslim. The kings encouraged conversion to Islam. Logan describes it- " The Muslims are increasing in their number. The main reason for it is the religious conversion of lower cast Hindus. The conversion is not only allowed but also encouraged and ordered by the Zamorine(name for the early Kings of Calicut) Kings. One or more members of a fishermen family was required to be rised as Muslim to serve as sailors in Arabian ships. This tradition had been continuing till recent time.".

It is not only the encouragement from the high levels of society that lead thousands of the downtrodden people to Islam but also the strong desire to escape from the dark prisons of the evil cast system which was present in kerala society. Islam was the call for that rebellion. In Islam an Arab is not greater than a non-Arab, a white man is not greater than a black man. When in his last speech the prophet said that "only the one who is very careful in his affairs will be loved by God", the Muslims of Kerala rose to a new dawn. Jawahar Lal Nehru points out the impact of Islam in India "It points out and reveals the evils crept into the Hindu society. The dogmas of caste, untouchability, the horrifying distancing".The brotherliness and philosophical equality in islam was very attractive. Especially for the Hindus for whom a conduct even with a hint of equality was denied.

The belief that there is only one creator God is the basis for human equality and brotherhood. Only the one God is worthy of worship. This concept called "Thouheed" is the foundation stone for Islam. For the Kerala society who worshipped a thousand Gods, this idea was revolutionary. Among the thousand of Gods, the low castes who were the majority in Kerala were not allowed to worship the good-looking and merciful Gods. They were allowed to worship only the symbols of rage and cruelty. Chatthan, Chamundy, Chudalamadan and Bhadhrakali, ferocious Gods of such sort. The low castes were not even allowed to pass by the temples which worshiped the Gods of high castes. They had to attain punya by offering chicken's blood and toddy. Islam's invitation from these ancient tradition to the modern monotheism gave birth to a thought revolution. Monoethism doesn't support inequality. The equality in front of God reflects in the social life also. The Mappilas of Vadakkan Pattu (folk song tradition in Northern Kerala) who stopped Chirakkal Thampuran(a native king in northern Kerala)'s procession is a symbolic representation of this influence in belief. The chieftain of the King after hearing people's reason for not to follow old rules couldn't say anything in return and explains to the King-

എല്ലാരേയും പടച്ച തമ്പുരാനോ  

ഓരക്ക് വ്യത്യാസമില്ലല്ലോളി
ചാളക്കും വെയിലറിക്കുന്നല്ലോ
കോലോത്തും വെയിലറിക്കുന്നല്ലോ
രണ്ടുമോരുപോലറിക്കുന്നല്ലോ
പടചോനോ വ്യത്യാസമൊന്നുമില്ല
കോലോത്തും ചാളക്കും ഒരു പോലെയാണ്
മഴയുമെ തന്നെയത് പെയുന്നില്ലേ?
അങ്ങനെയുള്ള നിലക്കെങ്ങാണ്
എന്തിനു തമ്പുരാൻ പോകുന്നേരം
ഞാളങ്ങേതറ്റിട്ടു നില്ക്കുന്നത്?

(The God doesn't have any differences. The sun sheds light on the King's palace and the peasants hut alike, it rains on them alike, but then why do we have to keep away yards from you when you come?)
This courageous proclamation that there is no difference between the King and the subject reflects the great ideals of Islam.

Those who came to Islam believe in the life after and strived for success in it. Trade was one of the major livelihoods. Quranic verses prohibiting interest and promoting trade encouraged them. It was a time when Arabs had monopoly in world trade. After the commencement of Islam, the relation with the Arabs strengthened. Goods which were considered more valuable than gold and jewels from the Indonasean islands in Europe started to be shipped from Kerala. Historian K M Panickar points out that it was the Kerala Muslims who lived in the shores who lead this trade. It was due to the interest showen by the Muslim traders in the beginning of the 14th century that Kozhikode became an international port. Ibn Batutah records about traders from all around the world were seen in kozhikode. Muslims had the control over food and cereal distribution. K P Padmanabha Menon records in Kochirajyacharithram (History of the country of Kochi)- "There won't be enough rice to feed the whole country. Mappila traders bought rice from outside the country and sold them in the towns and the countrysides. It won't be difficult for the Mappilas to create a famine if they wish to", but being followers of Quran which strongly prohibits and condemns black-marketing, extortion and cheating in measurements, they were always honest traders. Ethics were respected in trade and the monopoly in trade made Muslims a decisive force in the society.

The Marakkars built a strong naval force for Kerala and they were well known in sea trade. Based on this domination in land and sea trade, historian Dr. Ayyappan records, "In creating the backbone of the wealth here, the Mappilas who shared blood and religion with the Arabs had a big role". The improvement in trade through them helped Kerala to develop. New towns were born in the coastal lines. Buildings were built with corner tiles and rectangular brings like in the Middle Easter countries. Wood trading centers were started. Timber export from kallayi started during that time. Pottery, hat-making and dyeing industries also started during that time because of the contact with the Arabs. City systems were built around jama-at mosques with importance to trade. remains of this could be seen in places like Chaliyam and Dharmmadam. Wide roads were built in villages. Arabs had started to exchange coins from the 7th century. It lead to the end of barter system in Kerala. Arab-Persian words which are still used in the field of trade are examples of the Muslim influence. Nikuthi(tax), bakki(rest), vasool(attain), inaam(prize), anamath(), badal(instead), tariff, rokkam(ready money), karaar(agreement), dallal(brocker), khabool(agree), sraappu(coin exchanger), hammali(porter), khalasi- all these words are from Arabic. Bazzar, samanam(goods), nirakku(rate), sumaar(about), sharashari(average), kammi(less), gudaam(godown), thrass(balance), aasami(cunning fellow), bakshippu, thayyar(ready)- all these are Persian words. Among the goods of trade, bathaka(water melon), vazhuthina, musambi, sabarjal, sakkoon pazham, uruman pazham(pomegranate), masala, uluva, kunthirikum, saboon(soap), neelam(blue substance), aalathu, kadalas(paper), makkacholam(maze from Mekka), surka(vinegar) are Arabic. Thakkali(tomato), koorka(a ground tuber), karakka(dates), badam(almond), pista, kismis(raisins), angoor, chakkara, gothambu(wheet) and achar(pickle) are Persian.

The Arab-Persian words used in the fields of administration and judicial system makes evident the the Muslim influence in the modernization of those fields.sarkar, jilla, thalook, thasildar, farkka, jamedar, havildar, kavathu, subedar, dafedar, jagirdar, inamdar, husoor, jameendar, inaam, thasthika, kisth, chalaan, rasheethi, nikuthi, huntika, avadhi, shuparsha, vakeel, vakalathu, haajar, harji, asal, nakal, munsif, aameen, mukthyar, ousiyathu, radhu, japthi, jamyam, mahsar, naajar, katthu, tharjama, paraathi, and the list continues.

Muslim invasion also influenced the dressing style and the food habits. Before Muslim invasion happened, the male dress was only an ottamundu(a single clothe). The caste system had that no women except Brahmin could cover above their weist. Swami Vivekananda had praised Muslims for their contribution for the change from that shameful situation  to wearing tailored dresses. The world encyclopedia records that interesting facts could be gathered about the socio-economic developments in India due to the spread of Islam from the phonetic origins of the names of different silks and other clothes. Jubba, Kammees, shammies, pajama, lungi, rumal, shall, kalmeja, papas, shervani- all these are Arab- Persian words. Conversion to Islam was also called "Kuppayamideekkal"(to put on a clothe). Historian P Balakrishnan points out the influence of the dressing style of Muslim hoories in the female costumes in kathakali.

Muslims contributed to the Kerala cuisine through a variety of Arab-Persian dishes and mixing of their recipes with those which were present here. It ranges from the Persian king's biriyani to the nadan kanji (rice porridge). chicken biriyani, egg biriyani, fish biriyani, prawns biriyani, kanji, rava kanji, dal kanji, jeer kanji, beans kanji, marunnu kanji(medicinal kanji), coconut kanji, jagiri kanji. Rice dishes- biriyani, ghee rice, irachi choru, thenga choru, chakkara choru. Pathiri- kuzhal pathiri, thurtki pathiri, kay pathiri, chuttu pathiri, mutta pathri, madakku pathiri, net pathiri. Appom- muttayappam, maniyappam, cheeppappom, chakkareppam, madakkappam, idiyappam, chakkareppam, calthappam, ottappam, neyyappam, arrerappam. Mutta surkka, muttamala, manda and unnakka are special dishes. Chaps, kuruma, pidi and samosa are made of meat. drinks like sarbath, falooda, tea and coffee are Persian and Arabic. Mappila cooking is an art.

Even though Muslim influence could be seen in every aspect of the cultural life in Kerala, above everything, the desire for freedom and human right consciousness which Islam arose were of key importance in the fights against the feudal system and imperial powers in Kerala.