Kamal Ghorui
Kerala’s Muslims have come far since 1921. The harder task is deciding where they go next
The Muslim community in Kerala stands at a pivotal historical threshold. It has just navigated a century of organised social resurgence—an odyssey that began in the shadow of the 1921 Mappila resistance and the crushing weight of colonial repression. Since then, the community has undergone a transformation so profound that it is almost unrecognisable.
Yet, as it looks ahead, a pressing question looms: Is it prepared to shape its future in the next century? Does it have a roadmap for the path ahead? When TOI posed these questions to sections of the community leadership, the response was largely unconvincing. Even those who claimed to have a vision struggled to move beyond the familiar terrain of educational empowerment. This suggests that while the community has survived the last hundred years, it may not yet be equipped to meet the next.
The brutal British repression of the Mappila resistance was a death blow, an era where the dream of a social bounceback seemed not just improbable, but delusional. Yet in 1922, the Muslim Aikya Sangham in Kodungallur, the pioneer movement in reforming the community, emerged as a catalyst, breathing life into a battered society. Through remarkable foresight, it laid the foundations of a new social order.
Though the Sangham met an untimely end, a series of organizations sprouted, leading the community in myriad directions. Kerala Jam’iyyathul Ulama (1924) spearheaded the renaissance, while Samastha Kerala Jam’iyyathul Ulama (1926) built one of the world’s most effective parallel religious education systems, with thousands of madrasas alongside schools and colleges. Dakshina Kerala Jam’iyyathul Ulama also played a role in this forward march.
Established in 1956, Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) challenged entrenched superstitions and championed secular education. The Muslim League gave the community political representation, while Jama-ate-Islami shaped its engagement with media, literature, and public discourse.
Together, these forces transformed Kerala Muslims into what is often described as a model of community empowerment. A distinct cultural ecosystem emerged—from ArabiMalayalam and Mappila arts to experiments in Islamic finance and home-grown media—while remaining embedded within India’s secular framework.
Despite this progress, new complexities have surfaced. The historical specter of the Mappila resistance has given way to contemporary anxieties over a rising Hindutva politics. Even in Kerala, long shielded from communal vitriol, the undercurrents are shifting and a sense of profound insecurity is taking root.
A century after its resurgence, the community once again stands at a crossroads. It is no longer enough to celebrate past achievements; it must critically examine its limitations and craft a roadmap for the future—one defined not merely by survival, but by vision.
While organisations have played a decisive role in shaping the community, they are also constrained by internal challenges—fragmentation, competition for theological and political control, and difficulty in adapting to Kerala’s rapidly evolving social landscape.
A key hurdle lies in organisational structure. Many lack transparent, meritbased succession systems. Leadership remains largely gerontocratic and though respected, it often struggles to address the concerns of a Gen Z navigating rapidly evolving technology and global culture.
There is also a need to move beyond theological disputes toward data-based assessments of community needs. As future challenges increasingly unfold in legal, media, and narrative domains, investment in expertise in these areas is essential.
At the same time, a new creative and professional class is emerging, even as sections of the old guard remain rooted in older frameworks. Senior journalist NP Chekkutty notes that since the 1960s, the community has made decisive strides in engaging with modernity. “Today, Muslims are more open to change. The social status of Muslim women has substantially improved, creating powerful internal pressure for reform. Very soon, this social capital will become the driving force behind total transformation.”
Dr Shylujas, associate professor of sociology at Farook College, points to the rise of a highly educated and socially aware younger generation—particularly women—as a transformative force. “This phenomenon presents a dynamic interplay of significant benefits and acute social challenges. The future will depend largely on how we navigate these tensions,” he said.
To keep pace, organisations must modernise their structures and mandates. This includes adopting greater transparency, professional management and strategic resource allocation. It also requires decentralising authority by integrating young professionals and women into leadership roles—talent that remains underutilised.
Equally important is a shift from sectarian priorities to collective welfare. Shared platforms that pool resources for common goals could help overcome fragmentation. The community must also recalibrate its engagement with Kerala’s pluralistic society by framing its actions through universal human values rather than narrow religious obligations.
This moment calls for a transition from defensive protectionism to constructive participation. The focus must move from safeguarding religion and tradition alone to producing knowledge and influencing policy. Professional communication and public engagement are now central to this shift.
The g ap between inter nal organisational culture and Kerala’s broader democratic ethos is becoming increasingly visible. When institutions fail to reflect transparency and inclusivity, they risk losing legitimacy among educated youth.
Historically, the ulama played a crucial role in maintaining social cohesion, acting not just as religious authorities but as mediators in times of change. The question today, as Dr P K Yasser Arafath of the University of Delhi notes, is whether existing leadership structures can respond to transformations driven by globalisation, migration, and digital knowledge systems. “Kerala’s Muslim intellectual tradition has shown adaptability before; the challenge is to sustain that openness.”
Gender remains a critical issue. Dr Sharnas Muthu of the Women Education and Empowerment Trust points out that while women’s underrepresentation reflects broader societal barriers, institutionalising inclusive structures and elevating women to decisive leadership roles would align organizational practice with the egalitarian essence of Islamic ideology. Echoing a similar view, Yasser adds that greater inclusion of women is essential not just for representation but for sustaining intellectual vitality.
Another persistent challenge is fragmentation. Multiple organisations and factions—often divided along theological, political, or personal lines—have diluted collective energy. What were once doctrinal differences are now frequently entangled with leadership struggles and resource control.
Authors like Mujeeb Rahman Kinaloor argue that sections of reform movements took a narrow turn the 1990s under the influence of petro-dollar Salafism, undermining Kerala’s syncretic traditions. At the same time, conservative positions on gender, personal law, and interfaith engagement followed by certain segments of the community continue to limit fuller integration into the state’s social fabric.
Educationally, the community faces the task of reconciling religious instruction with modern professional demands. While secular education has expanded, debates over the relevance and reform of madrasa curricula persist. As AK Abdul Majeed notes, past progress was not always driven by deliberate strategy. “The future, however, requires a shared vision and coordinated action rather than fragmented agendas,” he says.
Economic foundations are also shifting. Historically shaped by trade and migration, the community’s growth has been sustained by Gulf remittances, points out AP Kunhamu, author and social commentator. As these flows decline, there is an urgent need to build sustainable, income-generating institutions.
Criticism of investments in dead assets, like palatial buildings and mosques and extravagant weddings must also be seen in context. As Yasser observes, these can reflect aspirations and social mobility. The challenge is to redirect future resources toward strengthening intellectual, civic, and institutional capacities, enabling the community to contribute more meaningfully to Kerala’s plural and democratic public sphere.
END OF ARTICLE
