The renaissance of the ancient Sunni Muslim community in the Kerala state, South India mostly owes to the rise of Salafi ideas and scholars in the early 20th century, referred as Islahi movements of Kerala. Salafism is a puritanical and legalistic Islamic movement under the Sunni umbrella, and is the dominant form of Islam in Saudi Arabia. This movement coincided with the renaissance movements in Hindu, Christian societies in Kerala.
Sayyid Sanaulla Makti Thangal, Shaykh Muhammad Maheen Hamadani Thangal, Vakkom Moulavi were the main leaders of the renaissance in the Muslim community of Kerala. Sayyid Sanaulla Makti Thangal was a cleric, who tried to uproot the dreadful practices. Both Shaykh Muhammad Maheen, Hamadani Thangal and Vakkom Moulavi tried hard to provide education realising that the cause backwardness of Muslim community is absence of proper education. As a part of it, Hamadani Thangal formed an organisation based at Kodungallur.
To highlight illiteracy in the community, Vakkom Moulavi began to print newspapers, magazines and books. The newspaper Swadeshabhimani by Vakkom Moulavi became a part of history of the entire region. But the newspaper was banned later. Then he began two more publications, calling for the education of Muslim children. He worked in many organisations like Travancore Muslim Mahasabha, Chirayinkil Taluk Muslim Samajam and the Muslim Aikya Sanghom (Muslim Unity Forum) of Kodungallur. The community owes Vakkom Moulavi for most of its early social and educational leaps.
Vakkom Abdul Qader, son of Vakkom Moulavi, began his career as editor of the newspaper Al-Ameen. Then, he became the editor of the newspaper Moplah Review. As a leader, Vakkom Abdul Qader formed two organisations called Navayuga Samskarika Samiti at Varkala and Iqbal Study Centre at Punalur.
Organisations like Ma'unat ul-Islam Sabha at Ponnani, Lajnat ul-Islam Sabha at Alappuzha, and the Muslim Aikya Sanghom (Muslim Unity Forum) of Kodungallur tried their best in improving educational and social status of the Muslims. Muslim Aikya Sanghom is the prototype of present day Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM).
An organisation called Muslim Educational Society (MES) played an important role in the development of higher education in Malabar. A member of Muslim Educational Society may or may not be a "mujahid" by the simple reason that Muslim Educational Society is not a religious outfit.
The birth anniversary of Mohammed is only celebrated by various Sunni faction mahal committees and madrasas in Kerala. A mass ziyarat (visit) to the graves of martyrs and Syeds will be held. Even when majority Sunnis are celebrating the Milad day, Salafi groups have been critical of the celebrations. According to Salafi scholars, celebrating Prophet Mohammed's birth anniversary is ‘un-Islamic' and against the tenets of the Koran and the Hadith.
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“To write well, to have style ... is to paint. The master faculty of style is therefore the visual memory. If a writer does not see what he describes—countrysides and figures, movements and gestures—how could he have a style, that is originality?”
—Rémy De Gourmont (1858–1915)