Author:
Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdoom II
Publisher:
Islamic Book Trust, KL 2009 (First published 2006)
ISBN:
9789839154801
Pages:
139
It is well known that India excelled in arts, mathematics
and scientific knowledge in ancient times. The just pride an Indian is entitled
to feel is nowadays widely exceeded by flamboyant claims of air travel,
advanced surgery and nuclear devices to have been in use in ancient India. Amid
this confusion, one fact is quite undisputed – that the Indians were not at all
mindful of writing history. The country which boasts of such legendary poets as
Kalidasa, or playwrights like Bhasa, and astronomical masters like Aryabhata,
has no historian in its bosom to match Herodotus. We have only Kalhana to show
off. His Rajatarangini was the first
historical work written in the twelfth century about the kings of Kashmir.
There is much to be desired in the memoirs and commemorative anecdotes that
came afterwards. Tuhfat al-Mujahidin is a historical narrative that originated
in Kerala, dealing with Portuguese invasions and consolidation in the period
1498 – 1583 CE. Written in Arabic by a religious scholar, it portrays the
incessant warfare between the Europeans and the Muslims on the western coast of
India. Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdoom was a writer, orator, historian, jurisprudent
and spiritual leader. He was born in the illustrious Makhdoom family at Chombal
near Mahe. He did his studies at Mecca for ten years. Returning to Kerala, he
took charge as chief mufti in the grand mosque of Ponnani, a position he
occupied for 36 years. He is the author of many books, mostly on religion. Written
around the author’s death in 1583, the book’s title means ‘Glory to the Victory
of the Martyrs’. Its first English translation was done by Lieut. M J
Rowlandson, the Persian interpreter to the British army at Madras in 1841. This
book is a translation from the original Arabic by Muhammad Husayn Nainar.
The Malabar Coast was the hub of maritime trade that
connected the Middle East with the Far East. Except for pepper and ginger,
Kerala coast was barren of other spices. The Indonesian islands which had all
the spices in the world, made Malabar an emporium for onward trade to Arabia
and then to Europe. However, the Hindus in Malabar were averse to cross the
seas in search of trade, fearing religious injunction. Consequently, the entire
Indian Ocean shipping was handled by Muslims. The sudden appearance of a rival
in foreign trade made them the sworn enemies of the Portuguese. Even though the
book keeps silent about the disturbed trade monopoly, it extols the battles
fought with the Portuguese and its outcome. The heavy setbacks faced by the
Muslims because of better organization and tactics of the Europeans enrages the
author to no end, who then exhorts his coreligionists to wage jihad (holy war)
against the infidels. This constitutes the first section of the book.
There are apologists of Islamic terrorism who claim that
jihad really means ‘inner struggle’. However, this blatant lie is exposed in
the chapter on jihad which quotes extensively from the Quran and prophetic
traditions, and clearly specifies a bloody battle against the enemies of the
faith. What counterargument can the apologists offer in the face of the
author’s claim that ‘a glorious reward
awaits for those who take part in jihad, who suffer martyrdom, and endure with
patience all misfortunes’ (p.92)? The author accepts that Islam was spread
by the sword in some countries (p.4), but praises Allah ‘who made the religion superior to all other religions’. Sometimes,
the author’s hatred surpasses all limits as in his cry to wage jihad against
the ‘cross-worshipping Portuguese’. Makhdoom was a religious scholar of great
merit and his mastery over its philosophy is clearly evidenced in the numerous
references he cites in support of jihad. The author mean it to be a violent
struggle, at the end of which, martyrdom is the coveted objective if the enemy
can’t be defeated. He claims upon religious authority that the martyr does not
experience the pangs of death, but as light as that of a bite. Curiously, this
is the psychology imparted by ISIS in its fighters in Syria and Iraq.
Malabar was a land of tolerance which welcomed all religions
to its lap, without discrimination or placing hurdles in their path. Makhdoom
admits that Hindu kings of Malabar respected the Muslim community and customs
because of the trade they facilitated. Even the remuneration of the muezzins (those
who call to prayer) and the qadis (religious judges) were paid by the king.
Those who neglected the jumah (Friday congregation) was punished or made to pay
a fine. The bodies of Muslim criminals, who were condemned to death, were
handed over to his relatives for a religious burial, while Hindu criminals were
hanged and the body was left there to be devoured by dogs and jackals. Such a
permissive society would be like paradise to any group who are favoured so
liberally, but the author seems not to be content even with all these
privileges. This book is dedicated to Sultan Ali Adil Shah of Bijapur and not
to the Zamorin of Calicut who had fought all the wars for the Muslims.
Makhdoom’s dedication to the shah is because ‘he takes delight in the struggle against disbelievers and regards
fighting to uphold the divine word as a great honour’! The author’s
contempt for other religions is expressed in his outburst that Islam’s spread
in Kerala was amid ‘the abysmal darkness
of disbelief’ (p.32). Besides, the Muslim kings’ names are mentioned with a
praise while the others are simply referred matter of fact. Blind communal
clashes occurred frequently in the sixteenth century as well. In 1524, a Jew
killed a Muslim at Kodungallur on some pretext. The Muslims of Malabar
assembled a large attacking force comprising 100 vessels and sacked the place. After
subjugating the Jews, they were reported to have turned against the Christians
and Hindus as well. This incident looks to me as the first recorded instance of
a communal riot in Kerala.
The publishers claim ‘that republication of this
anti-colonial manifesto couldn’t have been timelier at a time when Muslims
continue to be the only obstacle to the Western imperialistic ambitions’. Tall
claim, but entirely unfounded on facts and which animates jihadis worldwide.
What we perceive in the book is the reaction of a monopolistic trade cartel
against another foreign trading power who intruded upon their sphere of
influence. And the author utilizes the tools of religion to counter the
newcomers’ superior naval might. Muslim defeat at the hands of the Portuguese
is reasoned to be due to deviation of the Muslims to sinful ways and divine
retribution. It is a classic case of the invincibility of the truly faithful. If
you are defeated, it means your devotion was not completely selfless.
Portuguese chroniclers refer to their Muslim enemies as pirates. There is a
remark in the book which corroborates this allegation against the Marakkars.
Makhdoom argues that the Muslim owners of corvettes were not rich and their
ships jointly owned by several people. Thus, they were compelled to seek the
means to recover as much money as they had spent when they set out to sea and
had to target native vessels also (p.84). This was because ‘they didn’t have a leader with power to pass
judgment over them’.
The book contains four major sections – the necessity of
jihad and its instructions thereof, history of the advent and spread of Islam
in Malabar, some strange customs of the Hindus of Malabar and the story of the
battles with the Portuguese. It includes a good number of colour photographs of
the places and monuments related to Makhdoom and the Muslim resistance against
the European invaders.
The book is highly recommended.
Rating: 3 Star
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