Samastha Kerala Jamiat-ul-Ulema

Samastha Kerala Jamiat-ul-Ulema, or the Samastha, was organised in 1926 as a response to the growing Salafi movement in Kerala.[7][1][14]

A nascent form of the Ulema was formed in Kozhikode in 1925.[2] This was organised by Maulana Pangil Ahmad Kutti Musliyar and Varakkal Ba Alavi Mullakkoya Tangal with K. P. Muhammad Miran Musliyar as the President and Parol Husain Maulavi as the Secretary.[2] The Ulema was formally constituited on 26 June 1926 at Town Hall, Kozhikode.[2]

• 1925 — a nascent form of the Ulema formed at Valiya Juma Masjid, Kozhikode.[2]
• 1926 June 26 — S. K. J. U. formed at Kozhikode Town Hall in the presence of Sayyid Shihabuddin Cherukunjikkoya Thangal[2]
• 1927 Feb 7 — First conference at Tanur in the presence of Liyauddeen Hazrath (Nalir Bakhiyath)
• 1929 Dec — S. K. J. U. published its first periodical al-Bayan.[14]
• 1932 June — Pangil Ahmad Kutti Musliyar appointed as the President of S. K. J. U. (succeeding Varakkal Mullakkoya Tangal)
• 1934 Nov 14 — S. K. J. U. officially registered by law at Kozhikode district registrar office.
• 1951 March 24 — Paravanna Mohiyadheen Kutty Musliyar appointed as S. K. J. U. General Secretary
• 1951 Sep 17 — Samastha Kerala Islam Matha Vidhyabhyasa Board (S. K. I. M. V. B) formed
• 1954 April 26 — S. K. J. U. formed a youth wing under its fold "Samastha Kerala Sunni Yuvajana Samgham (SYS)"
• 1965 — Jamia Nooriyya Arabiyya established at Pattikkad (near Perintalmanna).[9]
• 1978 — Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar forms Jamia Markazu Saquafathi Sunniyya at Karanthur, near Kozhikode.[15]
• 1989 — Organisational division.[8]

Madrasa in Kerala refers to institution where children receive basic Arabic language and Islamic instruction.[7] As of 2008, the Samastha run over 10,000 Kerala madrasas with around one million students (the Salafi movement-oriented groups run around 500 Kerala madrasas).[7] Around 72,000 teachers are registered with these madrasas.[7] The Samastha also run a chain of Arabic Colleges in Kerala (equivalent of north Indian madrasas).[7]

Both the Sunni organisations are running regular Malayalam and English medium arts-and-science and technology ("professional") colleges also.[7] Both groups run educational institutions outside the Kerala state too.[12]

The Samastha is known for publishing a short-lived Malayalam monthly magazine in the late 1920s.[14] The periodical — known as al-Bayan — was first printed in 1929 (Arabic-Malayalam script).[14] The magazine reinvented itself in Malayalam Script for a short period in the 1950s.[14]

• al-Bayan (1929, 1950)[14]
• Sunni Times or Sunni Voice (1964)[14]
• Muslim (1987)[14]

The two 'traditional' Sunni groups are named after the initials of leading scholars of each group.[8] Both of them were the leading scholars of Samastha Kerala Jamiat-ul-Ulema, until they were divided in 1989 over some political (such as the support to the Indian Union Muslim League and approach towards the Salafi movement), organizational and legalistic issues.[8][12]

Led by A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar ten members separated themselves from the 40-member mushawara in 1989, forming a parallel organisation. The scholars claimed their organisation is the 'original' Samastha.[12]

• The E. K. group is named after E. K. Aboobacker Musliyar.[8]
• The A. P. group is named after A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar.[8]

The E. K. group, in general, is politically aligned with the Indian Union Muslim League (a major member of the United Democratic Front) while the A. P. group generally supports the none of the parties.[16][17] The A. P. group has also tilted and shifted its political support several times in the past.[18]

• Varakkal Mullakkoya Thangal (1924—1933)
• Pangil Ahmad Kutti Musliyar (1933—1945)
• Valakkulam Abdul Bari Musliyar (1945—1965)
• K K Sadakkathullah Musliyar (1965—1967)
• Kanniyath Ahmed Musliyar (1967—1993)
• K K Aboobacker Hazrath(1993-1995)
• Sayyid Abdurrahman Imbichikkoya Thangal Al Azhari (1995-2004)
• Kalambadi Muhammad Musliyar
• Anakkara Koyakutty Musliyar
• Kumaramputhur A.P. Muhammed Musliyar
• Sayyid Muhammad Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal(2017—present)

• P. V. Muhammed Musliyar (1924—1951)
• Paravanna Mohiyadheen Kutty Musliyar (1951—1957)
• E. K. Aboobacker Musliyar[14] (1957—1996)
• Cherussery Zainuddeen Musliyar (1996-2016)
• K. Ali Kutty Musliyar( 2016 —present)