SHAYKH ZAINUDDIN MAKHDUM'S
runiai
iH^mrnji
Translated from Arabic with annotations by
S
Muhammad Husayn Nainar
SHAYKH ZAINUDDIN MAKHDUM
t Mm
A Historical
Epic of the Sixteenth Century
Translated from Arabic with annotations by
S
Muhammad Husayn Nainar
Islamic
Book
Trust,
Kuala Lumpur
Other Books, Calicut
Contents List of Photographs and Illustrations
xi
Foreword
xiii
Short Biography of Shaykh
Zamuddm
xvii
Translator's Preface
xxv
Introduction
3
Section One:
A
Treatise
on the Necessity of Jihad and Instructions
thereof
13
Section Two: History of the Advent and Spread of Islam in Malabar....
29
Section Three: Certain Strange Customs of the Hindus in Malabar
39
Section Four:
Chapter One: The Arrival of the Portuguese
in
Malabar
and a Brief Account of their Shameful Deeds
49
Chapter Two: Certain Shameful Deeds of the Portuguese..
56
Chapter Three: The Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty and the Construction of the Portuguese Fort in Calicut
59
Chapter Four: The Rivalry between Zamorin and Portuguese, and the Capture of the Calicut Fort
62
Chapter Five: The Second Zamorin -Portuguese Treaty, and the Construction of the Portuguese Fort tx
at Chaliyam...
67
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
X
Chapter Six: The Third Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty
70
Chapter Seven: Conclusion of peace between Sultan
Bahadur Shah and the Portuguese; and the Surrender of
some of his
Ports to the Portuguese
71
Chapter Eight: Sulayman Basha's Visit to Diu and the
Neighbouring Places
74
Chapter Nine: The Fourth Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty....
75
Chapter Ten: Hostility between the Zamorin and the Portuguese
76
Chapter Eleven: The Fifth Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty
...
79
....
83
Chapter Twelve: Cause of the Zamorin and Portuguese Rivalry, and the Beginning of the Portuguese Setback
Chapter Thirteen: The
War
that
Ended
in the
Conquest
of the Chaliyam Fort
88
Chapter Fourteen; The State of the Portuguese after the
Loss of the Chaliyam Fort
End Notes Index
.
91
97 135
Foreword C^f he
l
Arab
acclaimed
for
historical
in
tradition
writings has been well
characteristic
its
of
features
minute
observation, narration and analysis. Since the days of Ibn
Khaldun, geography, history, ethics and theology had influenced the mindsets of the scholars in the vistas of culture and
Arab world and opened new
humanism. Such trends were gradually
spread to different countries and regions where the socio-cultural milieu of the Arabs were transplanted.
This Arab tradition significant
in
contributions
the
to
the
sixteenth
knowledge
system
reputed scholars and creative writers in theology, poetry, religion
the
from different regions. Kerala
Makhdum
theoretical
family
made
through art
and
one such region where
landmark by projecting
a
and pragmatic approach to counter the European
adventurers against Islam and
Makhdum
its
is
made
century had
its
followers.
Shaykh Zainuddin
the Junior, and the first Keralite historian gives an
ideological interpretation to the long struggle against Portuguese
expansion and
its
programme of
effecting colonial settlements.
His major historical work, Tuhfat al-Mujahidin (Glory to the Victory of Martyrs) written mainly after 1583
AD deals
chronological, political and military accounts of the
with the
Zamorms of
Calicut and their naval commandants, the ftunjalis, in their fight against the Portuguese.
The introduction by compelled him
the author sets forth the reasons
which
mainly
to stir
to write this historical xiii
work.
It is
X1V
TUHFATAL-MUJAHIDIN
the
Muslims
the
Muslims and natives of Malabar.
into a jihad against the Portuguese
traces the merits
who
oppressed
the first chapter, he
In
of jihad giving verses of the Qur'an. The
second chapter gives an account of the emergence of the Muslim
community
in
Malabar. In the
the author narrates the
third,
customs and manners of the indigenous people. After these three chapters, he gives a detailed account of the Portuguese advent in 1498
AD
1583
till
AD. Such
Muslims
conditions of the
details lead us
to the life
and
Before the arrival of the
in Kerala.
Portuguese, the Muslims enjoyed respect and prosperity in this region.
The Portuguese and monopoly
superiority also
lost
in coastal trade.
vigour for martial
their
end of their trade
arrival spelled the
As
a community, they
activities
including jihad.
Subsequently the Portuguese influence became dominant.
As such
work has
the
theme
a central
to initiate a
against the oppressors and enemies so that the live
in
community can
peace and prosperity. Here the concept of jihad
projected
not
territories,
but to seek a peaceful
in a
jihad
to
dethrone
Zamorin
the
life
or
capture
to
for the Islamic
is
his
community
dar al-harb (non-Islamic country). This historical work has been earlier translated into English
by
Lieut. M.J.
Rawlandson
work dealing with
in 1833.
The
fourth chapter of the
the Portuguese affairs had been translated into
Portuguese by David Lopez. Scholars such as Emerson and
James Briggs translated
An
Arabic
text
Shamsullah Qadiri
some portions
into
in
this
of
work
this
into English.
work
was
1931 from Hyderabad.
Urdu. The work
in
edited
He
by
Hakim
also translated
Arabic, which was already
published from Lisbon, also appeared in Latin, French, Spanish
and Czech.
It
also
came
out
in
the
Indian
Malayalam, Kanares and Tamil. In Malayalam,
Velayudhan Panikkasseri (with
languages like it
was done by
a modified title) in 1963 and
1
xv
Foreword C,
Hamza
in 1995,
As
early as in 1936, K,
Moossankutty Moulavi
brought out an Arabi-Malayalam text of this work.
Mohammed Quasim
1864) incorporated extracts from this
(Lucknow,
e-Ferishta
Ferishta in his Persian work, Tareekh-
work of Zainuddin, although
it
takes us back to the year 161
inclusions after 1583 might be the
AD, These
work of some one
(See James Briggs, trans. History of the Rise of the
else.
Mohammedan Power is
variations of the text
of
till
1612, IV).
used to teach the
students
community.
of Islamic
institutions
form
India
of the sixteenth
text, written in the last quarter
This Arabic century,
in
in
As such
were also available due
calligraph
manuscript.
or
translation into English
by
S.
Dars and other
In
several
local
to the spread in the
1942
an
Muhammad Husayn
authentic
Nainar was
published by the University of Madras based on the text edited
by Shamsullah
Qadiri.
The
notes, but did not alter or
translator
had also given extensive
add the names of places
in the
body of
the text. For instance they remained as Kalikut, Kashi (Cochin)
Purtukal (Portugal) Fakkanur (Barkur), Darmfatan
Banjala (Bengal)
etc, as originally
(Darmadam)
used by the author.
In the present edition, the liberty taken to replace those
names with readable.
the
modem names
The new
has rendered the
book more
elaborate and descriptive endnotes on men,
events, places, Islamic theology
and Qur*anic verses also help
the readers for a proper understanding of the narrative accounts
by Zainuddin;
the efforts taken in this direction has
made
this
edition to be praiseworthy. It
is
believed that Zainuddin tried his best to create a
confederacy
of
Muslim
rulers
against
the
Portuguese
incorporating the Sultans of Egypt, Gujarat and Bijapur alongside as kingpin of the allies. His diplomatic role
the
Zamorin of Calicut
as
a historian and as a defender of Islam
was evidently the
XVI
TlJHFAT AL-MUJAHlDlN
strength and inspiration for the prolonged maritime encounters of
commodores of
the ICunjali Marakkars, the veteran
always appreciated the
enthusiasm
Calicut.
of the Zamorin
He
devotion to the cause of the Muslims.
and
He his
could also see the lack
of enthusiasm among the Muslim rulers of the Deccan lighting against the Portuguese, the inveterate foes of the Muslims.
Zainuddin selected Ali Adil Shah (1558-1580) of Bijapur as his patron.
That
is
why
tribute to his patron
work was dedicated with
the
whom
a glorious
he considered "a zealous monarch,
hearty and persistent in his endeavour to propagate the Faith and root out the enemies of Islam".
The
legacy> of Islam finally elevated Zainuddin to the galaxy
of great Sufis of Malabar for his devotion to the propagation of Islam and his commitment
of Kerala. His tomb is
revered by
all
at
to the
Chombaf
when
conflicts
religion.
anti-colonial manifesto appears at a
among
different
and fundamentalists. The breeding ground of are
not religious
aspirations,
accumulate wealth and resources as superior
men
mosque of Kunhippalli,
global conflicts are taking place
religious groups
these
in the
communities irrespective of their
The republication of this time
cause of fellow religious
nations.
The
spirit
in
of
but
efforts
to
the sixteenth century by
Islam
resisted
those
encroachments on human dignity and culture. Such a valuable lesson
could never be gone
into
oblivion
and
it
demands
devotion and dedication by generations after generations.
DrK.K,N. Kurup (Former Vice Chancellor University of Calicut) Director, Malabar Institute for Research
Vatakara, July 2005,
&
Development,
Short Biography of Shaykh Zainuddin uhfat al-Miijahtdln
in the ninth century
survived in
AH
original shape.
its
(sixteenth century
work on
authentic
first
work
a pioneering historical
is
AD),
written the
It is
the history of Kerala and
has
has been naturally subjected to
It
meticulous and judicious evaluations by academic historians,
Shaykh Zainuddin Makhdum, the author of Tuhfat
known
Mujahidin, also
born
at
as
Chombal, near Mahe, Northern Malabar,
AH. He was
ninth century
Makhdum
I,
a well
known
vehement champion of the
The
etc., in
India, in the
scholar of HadTth, author, poet, and a anti-imperialist struggles.
family were
in
Ma'bar,
in
Tamil Nadu, This family had a big role
of Islam
spread
the
was
they arrived at places like Keelakkara,
there,
Kayal Pattanam,
II,
Shaykh Zainuddin
the grandson of
Makhdum
of the
roots
Yemen. From
in
Shaykh Zainuddin Makhdum
al-
places
in
like
Madurai,
Tanjaur,
Tiruchirapally, Nagur, etc.
The Makhdum family arrived there in the early ninth century to
arrive
at
Ponnani
Ahmad, He was L Ponnani had times.
It
came
ever since the activities
to
leadership of the
first
w as Shaykh Zayn r
down
of the Makhdums
al-Din Ibrahim bin
Shaykh Zainuddin
Makhdum
with the Arabs through trade since ancient
be
known
as the
Makhdums began
there.
Ponnani and settled
AH, The
a paternal uncle of ties
at
Makkah of Kerala Muslims
their religious
and educational
Before long, Ponnani occupied the religious
Muslims of Kerala, xvii
It
was Shaykh Zainuddin
I
TUHFAT al-MujahidTn
xviii
who
c
built the
famous big jum ah mosque of Ponnani and began
there the reputed centre of religious learning.
Makhdum II was the first son of the famous scholar Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali, the third son of Zainuddin I, Shaykh Muhammad al-Ghazali was the mufti (scholar who gives religious verdicts and opinions) and qadi Shaykh Zainuddin
qudah (judge of judges or chief of religious judges) of Northern Malabar.
was he who
It
He was
near Mahe,
built the big Jum 'ah
mosque
Chombal
in
who
the first qadi as well as khatih (one
gives Friday sermons) of this mosque.
His wife, Zainuddin's
was an extremely pious and virtuous lady of the
mother,
Waliyakat Taraketti Tarawad of Chombal. There are those believe that Zainuddin
was born
in
However, no documental evidence
who
Ponnani, his father's place. is
available for establishing
either of these opinions,
Zainuddin was brought up in the religious environment of the family. his
He had
home
his primary education at
at the
hands of
scholarly parents. After his primaiy education at
Zainuddin was enrolled
at
the Ponnani
(class) for further education.
He was
Shaykh Abdul Aziz Makhdum,
known
jum ah mosque's
become
daras
taught there mainly
his paternal uncle
scholar. Besides other subjects,
here the whole Qur'an to
home,
by
and a well-
Zainuddin memorised
a hafiz.
After completing his education at Ponnani, Zainuddin set out to
Makkah
cargo ship to perform the hajj and seek further
in a
education. After performing the hajj and visiting MadTnab, he
spent nearly ten years in
was able
to
the well
known
master
ahadtth earned teachers at
all
Makkah pursuing
He
branches of Islamic learning directly from
scholars of
him
higher learning.
the
title
Makkah. His deep knowledge
of muhaddith.
Makkah was Imam Shihab
in
One of his
important
Ahmad
bin Hajar
al-DTn
xix
Short Biography of Shaykh Zainuddin
al-TIaytaml al-MakkT
?
renowned author and scholar of
a
Shaykh
Shaft '7 school of Islamic jurisprudence.
the
c
ak
lzz
al-lslara
Din bin 'Abd al-'AzIz akZumarT, 'Ailamah Wajlh al-DTn 'Abd
al-Rahman bin Ziyad, and Shaykh al-Islam 'Abd Safa were
among
al-
Rahman
bin
his other important teachers there.
Shaykh Zainuddin learned tasawwuf from Abu a]-Hasan Siddlq al-Bakan in
It is
t
said that
Shaykh al-Bakar! honoured him
way and made him
special
Qadiriyyah
an accepted shaykh of the
sufi order.
Back from Makkah, Shaykh Zainuddin began
to strive for
cause of education and reformation within the
the
community and education (teacher)
al-
teaching at the madrasah for higher
started
the
at
Muslim
Ponnani
mosque,
serving
as
its
mudarris
even during the lifetime of Shaykh Abdul
Makhdum,
second
Makhdum L He
son
of
his
Zainuddin
uncle
paternal
Aziz
taught there for 36 years. Besides being a great
scholar and inspiring teacher, Zainuddin
was
also a powerful
orator.
Another important aspect of Zainuddin's personality
is
revealed from his continuing rapport with the great scholars of the Islamic world of the time.
The most eminent among them
was 'Allamah Ibn Hajar al-Haytami, said that al-Haytami
Ponnani
all
the
are
whom
still
Makkah.
honoured Zainuddin by making a
way from Makkah and
period. Manuscripts of visit
his teacher at
staying with
It is
trip to
him
for a
al-Haytamf s fatwas issued during the
preserved carefully. Other great scholars with
he maintained contact through regular correspondence
were some of his friends and fellow students
Muhammad Rami!
and Imam
Muhammad
were among them. Zainuddin was used in verses in Arabic.
at
Makkah. Imam
Khatib al-SarwTnl
to writing letters to
His circle of friends included
them
state leaders
XX
TUHFAT AL-MlUAHIDlN
and men of consequences from personal relationship with the Sultan Ibrahim Ali Adil Shah,
Zamorin of Calicut, to the rulers
etc.
He had
all
over the world.
He had
close
Mughal King Akbar, Bijapur
Muhammad
Aii Adil Shah, the
often been the Zamorin's envoy
of the Islamic countries, like Egypt and Turkey,
with the king's requests for military help against the Portuguese.
The Zamorin
often depended on Zainuddin to correspond in
Arabic with the Arab rulers of the time,
Shaykh Zainuddin IPs contribution that of his grandfather
several erudite
Zainuddin
I,
works on many topics
on Islamic jurisprudence Faih al-Mu is
to Islamic learning, like
was immense. He wrote related to Islam. His
work
Sharahi Qurratil-
'in ft
Ayn
well-known. Published from several parts of the Islamic
world
in
many
editions, the
book
is
an enlarged and revised
version of his earlier work Qurratul 'Ayn which had fascinated several Islamic scholars of the time.
Many
men of
learned
subsequent generations had written lengthy volumes interpretting if
It
is
even today used as a textbook
in
many
Islamic
institutes in India.
Another eminent work by Zainuddin
II is
Irshad
al-
Ibadah,
a book on tasawwuf, published several times from Egypt. Al-
Ajwibatul Ajlbah^
Ahkam
al-Nikah and al-Manhaj al-Wadih^
published in various editions from Malabar, are
among
his other
renowned works. There
is
no
authentic
information
as
to
the
date
of
Zainuddin' s death. The famous Egyptian scholar and historian
Shaykh
Muhammad 'Abd
al-Mun'in al-Numayri documents
his Tarlkh al-Islam fi al-Hind that
George Zaidan's work on
Zainuddin died
in
991
in
AH.
TarTkh
al-Adahi
Lughatil Arabiyyah, however, places his death in 978
AH. That
Shaykh Zainuddin and
his
literary
history
wife were buried in the graveyard
Short Biography o/Shaykh Zainuddin
attached to the
mosque of Chombal and
little
that they
(Abu Dakar, Abdul Aziz and Fatimah)
children the
xxi
documents with the
had three
are clear
from
local historians,
Tuhfat al-Mujahidm, the historical work in Arabic language, is
his best
among
known work.
It is
noted for
its
unique significance
the studies and works on Portuguese colonialism,
It
talks
mainly about the Portuguese attempts to colonise the coastal territories
of Kerala and
a
century long resistance to
by the Muslim community It is
the first
led
it
mainly
in the region.
book ever written on the history of Kerala.
based on the author's own
first
hand information of events and
things and what he could gather
author makes clear
in
It is
from
the Preface,
it
reliable sources.
was
As
the
written with the object
of motivating the Muslims for the struggle against the invading Portuguese.
It
also explains at length the philosophical grounds
of jihad, and, quoting Qur'an and Hadith, the necessity lor the
Muslim community
to
one can see a brave,
patriotic
be prepared for
it
Here,
in
Zainuddin,
and level-headed scholar who
rises
to the occasion giving his people the right kind of leadership that is
expected of a great scholar with a historical mission.
The book
also talks about the early history of the advent
spread of Islam in Malabar. that
It is
the earliest historical
document
could be relied on for learning about the customs and
practices of the section of the
Hindu society of Malabar. The most important
book
is
(he fourth, consisting of fourteen chapters,
that truthfully describes the
Malabar people's heroic resistance
the Portuguese invasion under the
They
and
are
among
Zamorins and
to
the Kunhalis.
the glorious episodes of the history of the global
Muslim community.
Its
influence on the historic beginning of
the Indian struggle for independence can be seen
from the
fact
that the struggles against the British colonizers in the region
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIIJIN
xxii
sought inspiration by singing eulogies
in
admiration of the brave
resistance of the Kunhalis to the Portuguese invasion.
As
a
document,
historical
inestimable value.
was
It
A copy of
from Lisbon.
it
published in
first is
al-MujahidTn
Tuhfat
translations
preserved in the library of AI-Azhar
on various occasions,
French, German, translated into
of
Arabic original
its
University, Cairo, Egypt. Several sections of the in
is
in
book appeared
Portuguese,
Spanish, Persian, English
etc.
Latin,
has been
It
Malayalam, Urdu, Gujarati, Kannada, Tamil and
other Indian languages.
It
used to be a textbook for study
in
the
Islamic institutes of Malabar for several years. Its
importance as a unique historical document dealing with
the rise of
Malabar as a medieval naval force under the Kunhalis
and the Malabar-Portuguese struggles between 1498 and 1583 has been unanimously acclaimed by scholars and historians. The
book has been uniquely noted
absolute honesty and
for the
objectivity that the author maintained in reporting the events.
For the global Muslim community, the book importance in another way.
It
of unique
is
drawn out
talks about a long
heroic and successful struggle against Portuguese imperialism at a time their future looked very bleak and they had been facing
setbacks and failures
all
over the world. The success of the
Malabar Muslims, a negligible force struggles
against
power of
the time, will
the
insha Allah. Further,
Islam and the
it
Portuguese,
establishes,
Portuguese and the British
modern
Islamic
foremost
in
their
imperialistic
to the present generation,
once and for
all,
the fact that
Muslim community have always been considered
an obstacle to the imperialistic
the
the
be inspiring
comparison,
in
times.
in the
The book
historiography
and
is
a
ambitions of
times,
all
past or the U.S. and
its allies in
an invaluable achievement rich
addition
to
the
its
in
glorious
Short Biography ofShaykh Zainuddin tradition. Tuhfat al-Mujahidin, thus, is
anybody trying
to learn
Vilayathullah
compulsory reading for
about the post-Cordova episodes of the
history of the global Islamic
DrA.L
xxiii
movement.
Introduction name of Allah, most
In the 11
May
time.
who paved
peace be on His Messenger
And may
the religion of Islam
other religions and raised
all
by stages over
dignity
truth!
Who made
praises are due to Allah
superior to
Gracious, most Merciful
Allah's blessings and
the path to the religion of 1
till
the
Judgement Day.
man
Allah, exalted be He, has bestowed on for
physical
his
needs,
important blessings to man, discretion.
supreme
ie.,
Also He explained
felicity
messengers
to
adherents in
His blessings and peace be on his family, on his
descendants and his Companions
provision
its
in
To
life.
mankind
but
His other most
also
intelligence,
to this
man
the
end,
He
not only his
judgement and
way
of achieving
sent innumerable
—messengers who were
the great leaders
and guides, harbingers of glad tidings and warners, and who guided the people to the true knowledge about Allah. Allah has conferred on us Muslims a special honour that other communities do not enjoy. That
by being the community of creation.
reason.
2
He
raised
Allah says:
raised up for
mankind/
The Prophet
Adam. And
it
is
Muhammad
them above
"You
is,
all
they have been exalted (s),
the noblest of His
other communities for this
are the best
community
that has
been
5
(s) said:
not that
am the leader of the children of am saying this out of pride/' 4 That
"I I
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHJDlN
4
Muhammad
Prophet
means be the
(s).
leader of
uniquely superior to
is
community
Prophet
(s) is the
is
That
all
all
Adam
children of
of them. The superiority of
the natural corollary of the superiority of the is
why Muslims
are, as a
community, superior
to the rest.
Imam Ahmad of the Prophet
(s):
5
(r)
reports quoting
The Prophet
Miqdad
(s) said:
6
(r),
a
companion
"Allah will not leave out
any mansion or hut on earth without causing the message {kalimah) of Islam enter
it
either with the glory of the honoured,
or with baseness of the mean. Either Allah will exalt
bring them within
submit to
Now
7
it," it
I
its
exalted be He,
demean them and make them
say religion, the whole of it,
known
a well
is
fold or
made
force
and
in
some
is
for Allah.
fact that Allah, glory
be to
the faith of Islam spread to
inhabited regions of the earth; in 8
just
them and
many
Him
and
most of the
countries by swords and
by preaching. But Allah has been
gracious to the people of Malabar in Hind in making them accept the faith of Islam willingly, not out of fear or compulsion.
9
This
happened as follows:
A party
of foreign Muslims entered some of the seaports of
Malabar and
settled there. In course
of time, the inhabitants of
these towns began to embrace Islam day by day. Before long,
Islam spread
all
over the region
at great
pace and the Muslim
population began to grow, and soon in the heralded the settlement of Muslims
cities
of Malabar
big numbers. In those
in
days, they did not face any kind of opposition or oppression
from the non-Muslim rulers
who were
then in power.
As
these rulers, they continued to live adhering fully to their
ancient religion and
its rites
and practices.
Thus Muslims continued the boundless grace
to live in
for
own
10
peace and prosperity by
and blessings of Allah, But
this
condition
Introduction
5
did not last for long.
The Muslims began
living, forgetting the blessings
to deviate into sinful
of Allah and disobeying Him, and
then Allah sent the cruel and wicked Portuguese Europeans to
dominate over them.
11
The Portuguese invaded them
to all kinds
the
Muslim abodes and subjected
of oppressions. The abominable atrocities and
cruelties the Portuguese openly unleashed
on the Muslims were
countless. This Portuguese reign lasted for years,
12
By
that time, the condition of the
more than eighty
Muslims had become
extremely pathetic. They had become impoverished,
They could not
powerless.
And
hole.
the militarily
find a
way
weak and
of this wretched
to get out
and economically powerful Muslim
Sultans and Emirs reigning elsewhere did not
come forward
to
rescue the Malabar Muslims from the calamity that had befallen
on them. The reason was little
interest in religion
that these Sultans
and who loved
this transient
than the Next, would not struggle (jihad)
spend 1
their
have undertaken the composition of T
have composed
inspiration to the believers to
worshipping
13
waging
individual the
in the
world more
path of Allah and
wealth in His cause.
circumstances,
that
and Emirs, having
Portuguese. a
this
wage war
The occasion
as the Portuguese
Muslim abodes. They
book
in these
with the intention of giving (jihad) against the crossfor this effort is the fact
holy war has become
Muslims
this
an obligation
of
all
had invaded and occupied
killed innumerable
Muslims. Those
who were caught, bound and confined were countless in number. Many were forcefully converted to Christianity. Kidnapping Muslim women and children
raping
them
was rampant. Their
in
custody to produce Christian
intention behind these deeds
prepare these children to harass and fight the Muslims are
grown up.
was
when
to
they
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDTN
6
have entitled
I
this
book "Tuhfat al-Mujahidin
Akhbar al-Burtughaliyyin"* (Tribute
to the
respect of a brief account of the Portuguese),
some of the
cruelties
I
ft ba'd
holy warriors
have narrated
done by the Portuguese against the
Islam in the land of Malabar; besides,
it
in
in
faith
it
of
about the history of
tells
the advent and spread of Islam in Malabar, brief account of the
laws
pertaining
to jihad,
importance given to (Hadlth)
b
it
the
in the
reward for
great
it
and the
Qur'an and the Prophetic Traditions
and the strange customs and practices of the Hindus
;
in
Malabar. I
dedicate this
rulers,
all
one
disbelievers
book
who
to the noblest
takes
delight
and regards fighting
great honour.
He
in
the
the
servants of Allah. His lofty courage disposes
enemies of Allah.
He
is
against
struggle
uphold the divine word as a
to
mind towards
his
sets
and the most respected of
of the
service
him
to destroy the
the reviver of the Faith, eradicating
heresy and error from the territories of Allah. His main purpose is to
He
love the learned, and to help the strangers and weak.
great
ruler,
whom
and
days
the
notwithstanding his young age; he
is
nights
have
is
a
refined,
the possessor of eternal
glory, in spite of great jealousies of his enemies.
The noble
acts
of his generosity have covered the whole of the earth, and the character of his
good deeds has permeated through
quarters of the universe.
a.
The meaning of the
title is:
The necks of
"A
the mighty
all
the
bow down
gratuitous gift to the holy warriors in respect
of a brief account of the Portuguese/' b.
During the life-time of Prophet
custom
that
when two Muslims
Muhammad
(peace be on him)
il
was the
met, one should ask for news (hadith) and the
other should relate a saying or anecdote of the Prophet. After his demise this
—
custom continued and the name Hadith' which primarily denoted a narrative or a report has come to mean, in the Islamic theological usage, the records of the sayings and doings of the Prophet, and is translated in English as the ;
—
Traditions.
'
Introduction
before him; the nobles from the Arabs and non-Arabs submit to
He
his authority.
whose palms shower
a noble sovereign,
is
who come from
of gems upon the learned
distant lands; a gentle
king whose kindness elevates the dignity of the noble
preceded him. He
is
and takes delights
a ruler
in
who meets
all
He
wrong
endeavours
doers.
of justice and mercy and stretches out is
with victory and success,
and towns, while the annals of his
climes.
heretics and to extirpate the
and favour. Such
He
to root
spreads the banner
hand of benevolence
his
14
May
Allah exalt and strengthen
by means of
the foundation of the Faith
his
power.
subdue the impious with his blaze and disperse
kingdom extend over
his
out the
the mighty, victorious and compassionate
Sultan, Sultan Ali Adil Shah.
May
men who
pure and sincere deeds, and exploits which
are counted in all assemblies
generosity spread in
rain
the east
May
he
their parties.
and the west;
may
he
exercise his authority over land and sea and over the Arabs and
non- Arabs; for he
is
the leader to
whose noble
and the west have given testimony, and and jinns godliness
15
is
are
diligent.
Lover
for
in
men
qualities the east
whose
service
of knowledge and
his innate nature; his exaltation of their ranks
respect for their words are as stated in the
men
Law.
May
and
Allah grant
perpetuity to his kindness and justice in the universe and enable
him
to
pour on the people of the world his generosity and
Muhammad and his posterity.
benevolence with the help of
This book consists of four sections and the fourth section has
been divided -
Section
into fourteen chapters.
one:
A
treatise
on the necessity of jihad and
instructions thereof.
Section two:
Malabar.
The
history-
of the advent and spread of Islam in
TlJl.ll'AT
AL-MU.IAH.IDlN
Section three: Certain strange customs of the Hindus in
Malabar. Section four: This section, divided into fourteen chapters,
speaks about the advent of the Portuguese to Malabar and the atrocities that followed:
Chapter
The advent of
one:
Portuguese
the
in
Malabar; their enmity towards the Muslims and the
Zamorin;
construction
their
Kannur, Kollam, and
of
forts
their capture
of the
Chapter two: The Portuguese atrocities Chapter
The
three:
Portuguese
and
Zamorin' s
Goa
port.
Malabar.
treaty
construction
their
in
Kochi,
in
with
of a
the
fort
in
Calicut.
Chapter four: The rivalry between the Zamorin and the Portuguese and the
Calicut
fort,
Chapter
and
Zamorin 's capture of the
five:
the
The second
Portuguese
Portuguese fort
Chapter
six:
in
the
treaty
and
the
between the Zamorin construction
of a
Chliyam.
Zamorin' s
third
treaty
with the
Portuguese. -
Chapter seven: The treaty of the Sultan of Gujarat,
Bahadur Shah bin Muzaffar, with and the ceding of certain ports
the Portuguese
to Portuguese.
The visit to Diu and the neighbouring places by Sulayman Basha, the viceroy of the Turkey Caliph Sulayman Shah in Egypt, and his
Chapter
eight:
return to
Egypt without success.
Chapter nine: The fourth treaty between the Zamorin
and the Portuguese. Chapter ten: A new rift between the Zamorin and the Portuguese.
Introduction
Chapter eleven: The
fifth treaty
between the Zamorin
and the Portuguese. Chapter twelve: The causes of the
between the Zamorin and the Portuguese and the naval attack on rift
the Portuguese.
The conquest of
Chaliyam fort and the regaining the dignity Islam and the Muslims. Chapter fourteen: The predicament of the Portuguese after their loss of the Chaliyam fort. Chapter
thirteen:
the
The Author
A Treatise on the Necessity of Jihad and Instructions thereof now
then: there are
1
two
sets
of unbelievers.
group that permanently dwells against them
among
is
means
is
the 1
Jihad
in their countries.
a collective duty, that
Muslims discharge
the
One
if
some
that responsibility, then, the rest
of them will be released from that duty. If nobody undertakes to
do
the
it ?
committing
community
entire
set
invade Muslim
we
are facing now.
Engaging them
in such circumstances is the responsibility of every able-
bodied individual adult Muslim, male and female living 4
city.
for
who
of unbelievers are those
territories as is the situation
war
be held responsible
sin of negligence.
The other
in
will
For
this,
no slave
5
in the
has to wait for the permission of his
master, nor a wife that of her husband, nor the borrower that of the lender
on
all
and nor the children that of their parents.
who
are not entitled to qasr in prayer.
incumbent on others (who are
number of territory
regular
is
fighters
the
is
responsibility will
not sufficient, (Here what
during fall
to the next territory,
But
it
binding will be
entitled to qasr in prayer) if the
area considered essential
prayers
6
It is
travels.
And
if
for
is
shortening the
they
on the people beyond that
and so on.)
13
meant by a
too
fail,
the
territory,
then
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDlN
14
The leader (amir) of the Muslim forces has matters concerning
Then he must
war with
war
is
its
fair
distribution
over, the task of accumulating the spoils of is
killed
—such
purse and the
riding animal, killed him.
its
bound
is
in
it,
as
to give the spoils taken
saddle and harness string
The remainder of the
etc,
to the
one who
war
is
to
be divided
five shares
is
to
be divided
spoils of
One of these
—
Out of these
five portions,
one
be used for the public welfare of the Muslims such
to
is
8
war and
bangles, arms and war weapons,
further into another five portions.
portion
Once
as his clothes, boots or foot gears, waist
money
into five equal shares.
7
the responsibility of the leader or the
commander. The commander
belt,
in the struggles.
get the forces ready in well-disciplined rows.
the
from the
companions
his
discuss
to
fortifying
boundaries of the country,
the
building
forts,
bridges, mosques, and for paying the remunerations of the qadls
and imams relatives
Muttalib.
9
The second portion
of the Prophet 10
The
and the
fifth
the
to
Hashim and
the descendants of
(s),
third, fourth
be distributed
to
is
portions are to be set
apart for the orphans, the poor, and the wayfarers.
The remaining four main shares
who were present It
all
shall
the time of the battle
supplicate to Allah and beseech
and
(piety
everything
Him,
in
remembrance
fear
in
mind. Verily
fight
commence
in
it.
against the fighting, to
Him for victory. They must have
of Allah)
exalted
to the fighters
and were engaged
must be the practice of those who
unbelievers that they must, before they
taqwa
belong
be
it is
and must be He,
Allah
always
Who
entrusting
keeping
His
helps to realize
all
our aspirations and intentions. The fighters must beware of any
kind of perfidy in the distribution of the spoils of war. This
something
to
be feared most, as
this
is
is
a matter concerning
which warnings of severe punishments have come. 11
5
A
Treatise on the Necessity of Jihad
It is
leader
well
known
that the
1
Muslims of Malabar do not have a
possesses power and can exercise authority over
who
them and be mindful of their the rulers
and Instructions thereof
welfare. All of them are subjects of
on
are non-believers. Notwithstanding, they kept
who
fighting their foreign enemies
who were
trying to dominate over
them. They have already spent their wealth to the extent of their
means
in the cause
of
Zamorin,
Muslim-friendly
the
with the generous help from
this struggle, 12
who
been
has
generously
spending his wealth from the beginning. Yet, the enemies have
been able rout
to
cause the Muslims large scale loss of lives and to
them out of
their
commercial and
to destroy their houses, as a result
their poverty
industrial enterprises
and
of which they became weaker,
and destitution became intense and they became
helpless and powerless.
The Muslim Sultans and Emirs— may Allah heighten glory of the helpful affairs
among them—did
not take any interest in the
Muslims of Malabar, although jihad
of the
the
an
is
upon them. Whoever from among the Sultans
obligatory duty
comes forward with wealth and
sufficient
preparations
to
challenge these non-believers and drive them out of Malabar and
have occupied, he
liberate the ports they
will
be a fortunate
deserving Allah's help and support. For, he
is,
by doing
man this
noble deed, fulfilling his moral responsibility of obeying Allah's
command all
and, at the
Muslims of
a
same
time, doing a deed that will absolve
most grievous
earn the pleasure of Allah, His angels, those all
who
are close to
Him
ls
Thus he
sin of negligence. 14
will
His messengers and
and also the boundless praise from
the people of cast and west.
He
countless rewards in the Hereafter.
will, further,
The weak and
be bestowed
the poor in the
society and the other noble and pious slaves of Allah will pray
1
6
TlJI.IFAT
AL-MUJAHIDIN
sincerely for him. Besides being rewarded for struggling in the
cause of Allah and spending one's wealth for
rewarded for liberating the oppressed from plight.
Imam Muslim
'Tf ever
anybody
16
he
it,
miserable
their
has reported the Prophet
be
will
have
(s) to
said:
relieves a believer of a distress in this world,
Allah will relieve him of his grief on the
Day of Judgement."
therefore, such rewards awaits a
for relieving a believer
of a single
him
grief, then,
how
Muslim
great might be the reward awaiting
for relieving innumerable poor souls
by waging war
in the
Muslims
to take
Him
in the
ill-treated
cry
is:
and exalted be He, has urged the
up the struggle
in the
cause of the liberation of
Our Lord, rescue us from
oppressors; and raise for us from
Besides
"And why should you
cause of Allah and of those who, being weak, are
(and oppressed)?— Men,
raise for us
from You one who this,
there are
women, and this
will help."
many
forces,
"Fighting
is
other verses (s),
that
in
and
17
the Qur'an,
show
are
and
the merits of
of keeping guard of
and of martyrdom. Here are a few:
prescribed for you, and you dislike
possible that you dislike a thing which
you love a thing which
know
whose
will protect;
(Qur'an 4:75)
jihad, of spending one's wealth in that cause
Muslim
children,
town whose people
You one who
likewise in the sayings of the Prophet
the
None but
it.
the oppressed. Allah says in the Qur'an:
not fight
of their grave miseries
cause of Allah! Subhanallah\
Allah can evaluate and weigh Allah, glory be to
If,
is
is
good
it.
But
it is
for you, and that
bad for you. But Allah knows and you
not." (Qur'an, 2:21 6)
,s
"Allah has purchased of the believers their persons and their goods, for theirs in
is
the (garden of paradise) in return
His cause, and slay and are slain
in truth,
-a
they light
promise binding on Him
through the Torah, the Gospel, and the Qur'an; and
who
A is
Treatise on the Necessity of Jihad
more
faithful to his
achievement.*' (Qur'an, 9:11
in the
supreme
the
is
19
it
their substance in the
grows seven
ears,
pleases; and Allah cares for
(Qur'an,2:261)
whom
live, finding their
Lord. They rejoice
regard to those
in
who have
and Muslim
(r)
report in their SahJhs:
deeds,
the
Prophet
When
messenger."
the cause of Allah.
(s)
(r)
When
(r) 5
on them
3:
169-170)
Abu
quoting
asked about what
replied:
"Believe
asked what was after
them no
fear,
21
Hurayrah,
23
the best of
Allah and His
in
that,
is
is
(in
he
said: ''Jihad in a
55
'Then what?" they asked. "Hajj accepted
by God," he replied/ Al-Bukharl
24
as dead.
by Allah: and with
not yet joined
nor have they (cause to) grieve," (Quran, 22
way
sustenance in the presence of their
the bounty provided
behind,
left
are slain in Allah's
their bliss), the (martyrs) glory in the fact that
Al-BukharT
things."
all
20
"Think not of those who May, they
and He knows
all
way
and each
ear has a hundred grains, Allah gives manifold increase to
He
7
1)
that of a grain of corn:
is
That
concluded.
"The parable of those who spend of Allah
1
covenant than Allah? Then rejoice
which you have
bargain
and Instructions thereof
5
and Muslim
The messenger of Allah
said:
(r)
report from
'Those who
Abu Hurayrah:
set out
for
2h
jihad
inspired by faith in Allah and His Messenger, have only to gain
a.
Pilgrimage (Hajj,
lit.
selling mil). In (he technical sense
it
means: to
set out
Bayt Allah (House of Allah) in Makkah. The pilgrimage to performed in the month oTPhii ul-IJijjah, the twelfth month of the
for visiting the
Makkah
is
Muslim
year.
The
hajj
is
the
fifth
pillar u(
the religion of Islam,
It
is
an
Incumbent religious duty founded upon express injunctions of the Qur'am This duty is incumbent on every Muslim, once in his life time, if he be an adult, free, sane,
healthy and has sufficient
money
for the
for the support of his family during his absence.
expenses of the journey and
8
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
1
He
profits.
have gained plenty of spoils of war, and
will
he dies and does not
According
come
Whose
back, he can be sure of paradise
from Abu Hurayrah
to another report
Messenger of Allah possession
my
swear
"I
(s) said:
is
in
soul,
had
it
case
" the
(r),
name of Him
in the
my
not for
in
my
fear that
absence from the city might distress the believers and they might dislike continue living here in
my
absence
—
as
anything with
me
not have kept
away from any of the expeditions
Allah. is
my
back
I
further swear in the
soul, I desire to to life
and then
and then
life,
keep them persuaded
to
be
to
name of Him
slain in the cause
of Allah
(s) said:
"A mujahid who
who
one
is
Abu Hurayrah
(r)
Whose
in
of
possession
of Allah and brought
(r)
is
as follows: in the
until
The
cause
he returns from the battle."
"The Messenger of Allah
Allah takes notice of every wound or injury caused
to
(s)
one
of Allah. The injured will appear on
day of resurrection with blood gushing forth from his
injuries. its
in the cause
goes forth to fight
reports again:
in the struggle in the cause
the
I
perpetually standing in prayer, fasting
and reciting the divine verses,
said:
here— would
be slain again,"
to
is like
do not have
be slain again, and then brought back to
Another report from Abu Hurayrah Prophet
to stay
I
The colour of his blood
will be the colour of blood, but
odour that of musk/' 30
Anas
(r)
Anas
all that is (r)
contained in
reports further:
None of those admitted earth,
even
Messenger of Allah
of Allah or a dusk
in the cause
world and
reports the
if
in
His cause
better than this
'The Messenger of Allah
to the
He would
is
"A dawn
it."
heaven would
every valuable thing on earth
except the martyr.
(s) said:
(s) said:
like to return to the is
going to be
his,
aspire to return to this world, and
i
A
Treatise on the Necessity of Jihad and Instructions thereof
thus be killed ten times. This great/'
33
battle? 'In the
he ran
"On
says;
asked the Prophet
his
\
because he holds martyrdom so
is
32
Jabir (r)
this,
19
heaven/ he
hand and fought
shall
he was
get killed in this
I
man
as that
heard in
slain/'
one day against the enemy
the valuables
reports:
(r)
if
man
a
reports the Prophet (s) to have said:
*
vigil for
all
be
34
of Uhud,
ground throwing away the date he had
(r)
"Keeping guard and
I
battle
As soon
replied.
fiercely until
Sahl bin Sa'd
than this world and
day of the
Where
(s):
to the battle
Abu Musa
the
contains/'
it
"Once a man came
Who
better
36
to the presence
of the Prophet and asked: There are people who achieving fame and wealth.
is
fight
for
the one that fights in the
is
cause of Allah?' The messenger of Allah
'The one
(s) replied: TO
who
fights for holding the
Abii Sa'Id al-Khudn believer
who
(r)
says:
The Prophet
best of mankind/
is
authority of
(s) said:
(r),
al-Bukhari
Allah has
grades of distinction in heaven for those
The
Firdaws.
It
is
in
earth.
who
When you
the centre of paradise
throne of Allah, the most merciful,
is
life
and
(r) reports:
set apart a
fight in
distance between one grade and the other
between the heaven and
'The
540
Abu Hurayrah
"The Messenger of Allah
(s) said:
of Allah trusting his
fights in the cause
wealth with Allah
On the
words of Allah high'/'
is
hundred
His cause.
the distance
ask Allah, ask for
and most grand. The
above
it
From
it
spring the
11
rivers of paradise/''
Abu *Abs
42
(r)
says:
The Prophet
(s)
has said: "The fire of
Hell will not touch the one whose feet were soiled with dust in the cause of Allah."
43
"
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDlN
20
Abu Qays the first
among
We
Allah.
44
reports that he heard Sa'd
(r)
to shoot
we were
Then, as
(s).
we
am
saying: "I
an arrow in the cause of
were fighting together
Messenger of Allah to eat,
Arabs
the
(r)
the
in
company of
the
did not have anything else
feeding ourselves on leaves of
trees.
Therefore,
our excrement looked like the excrement of camels and sheep,"
Abu Hurayrah shall
(r) relates;
engage his horse
in the
"The Prophet
has said:
(s)
way of Allah with
faith in
45
He who Him and
belief in His promise, the food and drink he gives to the horse
and the
its
excrement will
7'
Day of Resurrection. Quoting
said: If
weigh
all
in his favour in the Balance
Abu Hurayrah
(r),
Muslim
(r)
reports:
"The Prophet
ever any body dies without ever fighting, without even
ever thinking about
in his
it
some kind of hypocrisy/
Abu Hurayrah
(r)
mind, his death will be a death of
547
reports again:
The Prophet
non-believer and his slayer in battle will not
hell"
on
46
has said:
(s)
come
"A
together in
48
Abu Hurayrah
(r)
The Prophet
reports further:
'Tor anyone the best of vocation
in
life
is
(s)
has said:
that he holds the
harness of a horse in his hands in the cause of Allah; he rushes to
every noisy and tumultuous spot on his horse yearning for death or meaning to
kill;
or that of one
who
lives
on
this hill or valley
grazing his sheep, performing the prayers regularly and giving
zakdh (obligatory charity)
to those
who
are eligible for
thus remains in the worship of Allah until his death. will be successful. Jabir bin
it
and
Such people
49
Samurah
50
(r)
reports:
The Prophet
(s)
has said:
"This religion will surely survive. There will always be a group
among Muslims
to fight for
it
until the last day."
51
A
Treatise on the Necessity ofJihad
Salman "Keeping
in
prayer
2
1
L
said that he heard the Prophet (s) say:
al-FarisT (r)
enemies one whole night and one
vigil against the
whole day
and Instructions thereof
is
greater in virtue than fasting for a
month and being
he gets killed while doing
all night. If
so, the
reward
and grade of distinction he gets will be the same as what he
might have got for carrying out his mission
provisions are certain and he will be free from
'Uqbah bin 'Amir say from the pulpit,
54
reports;
(r)
"Make
as
Once
much
against your enemies. Hark, archery
archery
power"
is
the Prophet (s) to
abandoned
it
In
have
Abu Mas'ud
said:
heard the Prophet
power, archery
(s)
you can is
power,
"One who learned archery and
al-Ansarl
56
We
relates:
Once
reports:
(s) told
said:
'I
a
Day
man came
submit
him: 'For
seven hundred mares harnessed on the 58
later
55
(r)
cause of Allah/ The Prophet
(r)
miseries.""
preparations as
is
Prophet with a harnessed mare and
Masruq
all
another place, 'Uqbah bin 'Amir reports
not one of us."
is
I
His
to full success.
this,
to the
this in the
you will get
of Resurrection.'
asked 'Abdullah bin Mas'ud
57 59
(r)
about the following verse of the Qur'an: "Think not of those
who
are slain in Allah's
way
as dead.
their sustenance in the presence
Nay, they
in the
not yet joined
fact that
I
on them
grieve." 'Abdullah bin
hem is
MasTid
fear, (r)
what he learned from the Prophet
(martyrs) glory
nor have they (cause to)
explained (s):
in the
to those left behind,
(in their bliss), the
no
finding
of their Lord. They rejoice
bounty provided by Allah: and with regard
who have
live,
it
as follows from
'The souls of those who
died in the cause of Allah arc cheerfully flying and fluttering
about
in the
Some lamps
I
leaven taking the shape of green-coloured birds.
are
hung down from
the divine throne for them.
They flock together around those lamps, Allah appears before
TUHFAT AL-MlJJAHIDIN
22
them and asks whether they do wish anything. They
'What
we wish
do
else
We
for?
reply:
are already in the blissful
Heaven and go about wherever we choose/ They were asked this
not
question three times. Thus finally perceiving that Allah will let
them go without asking
We wish our souls were back to once more
our bodies, so that
debt."
in the
other
61
The Prophet has
reports:
(r)
cause of £llah will redeem everything except
62
Anas
gives an account of the scene of the Prophet
(r)
companions confronting the polytheists
his
get killed
60
'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin al-'As
"Death
we
Your cause/ Since they did not have any
in
wish, Allah disappears/'
said:
'O Lord!
for a favour, they pray:
Prophet told his companions: "Rise to the heaven! the skies and the earth/'
Hamam (r)
64
It's
as
wide
'Umayr bin
Bravo!'
'Bravo!
The
Badr:
in
and
(s)
as al-
cried out.
'"What makes you shout like that?/ the Prophet (s) asked, "'0 Messenger of Allah, by Allah! I say so for no other
my
reason than
he
hope of being one of the dwellers of paradise!'
said. 'Yes, certainly
replied.
He
time
is
the enemies and
Al-TirmidhI
*Ubayd
66
(r)
:
who
too long a time of life!'
was (r)
killed."
and
He
little
quiver.
As soon
he threw aside
all his
eating this date, for
me
Thus he fought against
63
Abu Dawud
The Prophet
(s)
by
(r)
said:
report
from FudalahT bin
"The deeds of every
his death except
m
the case of
has been keeping vigil against the enemies in the cause
of Allah and day.
(s),
life until I finish
individual will be terminated
one
one of them/ the Prophet
words of the Prophet
Tf T have
dates, saying:
much
are already
has been eating dates from his
as he heard these
that
you
is killed.
will be safe
His deeds will keep growing
from
all
until the final
the miseries of the grave too/'
A
and Instructions thereof
Treatise on the Necessity of Jihad
Prophet
(s)
6
Umamah
Quoting Abu
has said;
(r)
"J fever
\
there
Abu Dawfld is a man who
(r)
23
reports:
The
does not fight in
a battle or help a fighter to get ready for a struggle, or co-operate in the effort, or at least
do the best service
itself before the
69
(r)
The Prophet has
reports:
who
always have a group of followers
killed in the end."
Al-TirmidhT
"The
said:
weep
that
in this
Day of Resurrection." 68
Tmran bin Husayn remain brave and
family of a
come upon him
fighter in his absence, divine wrath will
world
to the
said: "I will
fight for the truth
and
stern before the enemies, until al-Dajjal is
70
quotes Ibn 'Abbas
(r)
hell-fire will not
71
(r)
The Prophet
:
(s)
has
touch two kinds of eyes. The eyes
out of fear of Allah and the eyes that keep vigil in the
cause of Allah,"'""
Abu Hurayrah
Once one of
(r) reports:
the
Companions
73 ,
while travelling along a mountain valley, came across a river with crystal clear water flowing to settle
about
down
man who
greater than
home
it.
Allured by
away from
the Prophet (s) responded:
this,
grade of a
in that locality,
in
what
a
for seventy years.
and enters you
who
has (ought
for a
camel
to the in the
Abu Hurayrah
(r):
told
"Nay, the reward and
achieve by performing prayers
at
in the
Don't you wish Allah pardons your sins
heaven? Fight
way of Allah
in the
as
cause of Allah!'
much
time as
is
One
required
having been milked once, can be
assured of entering the heaven?""' (r)
When
is
to secrete milk after
Al-TirmidhT
his people.
he wished
cause of Allah
sets out fox
man can
jihad
that,
4
and al-NasaT
(r) report,
The Prophet has
said:
on the authority of
"The martyr does not
experience pangs of death but as light as that of a bite?'
75
TlJHFATAL-MWAHlDlN
24
Khurayra bin Fatik
"Whoever spends
?6
The Prophet
reports:
(r)
has said:
(a)
his wealth in the cause of Allah will find
it
accounted with Allah seven hundred times." Ibn
Majah
records quoting from 'AIT
(r)
Abu Hurayrah
(r),
8) (r),
(r),
Abu Umartiah
Tmran
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (r) and
Prophet
has
(s)
said:
"Whoever
is
donated his wealth for the struggle seven hundred fold
Whoever in the
in
(r),
78 (r),
Abu ahDarda'
'Abdullah bin 'Umar
Husayn
bin
The
(r):
home having
staying at
cause of Allah, will get
in the
return for every dirham he has spent.
takes part in the struggle, besides spending his wealth
cause of Allah, will get seven hundred thousand fold for
every dirham/' Then the Prophet
read out this verse from the
(s)
Qur'an: "Allah gives manifold increase to
whom He
pleases; and n
Allah cares for
and He knows
all
Abu Dawud
reports quoting Ibn 'Abbas:
advised his companions, "Allah
martyred
They
in
the battle of
cheerfully
heaven and
flutter
Uhud
The Prophet
take the shape of green birds. fly
over the rivers of the
and take
rest near the
lamps hung down from beneath the divine throne.
came
to realise the taste
may
they
struggle? this that
those
7
who
(r),
know
and
arc slain in Allah's
that the
it
feel
for
frightened
you/
It
c
way
as dead..//'
reports, quoting
Messenger of Allah
under the shadow of the sword.
(s)
from
of the
was following
revealed the Qur'anic verse beginning:
(r)
'Who
about our being in the heaven that
Allah replied: T will do
Al-Hakim
they
of the food and the drinks there, and the
not shim the heaven
He
golden
When
comfort of their resting place, they spoke to each other: will let our brothers
(s)
the souls of your brothers
lets
about and
eat the fruits there
i
things/' (Qur'an, 2:261)
all
Think not
oi^
"
Abu Musa
al-Ash/ari
has said that the heaven
is
A
Treatise on the Necessity of. Jihad
Anas (s)
reports from Ibn
Majah
(r):
the
25
Messenger of Allah
has said: "The dust and soil that gathers on the body of one
who the
(r)
and Instructions thereof
travels for jihad
m
the cause of Allah will turn into
musk on
Day of Resurrection." 83
Al-TabaranT
The Prophet
(r)
writes in al-Kabir quoting Ibn
has said:
(s)
"Who
breaks his head
'Umar
in the
(r):
cause of
Allah will be forgiven for whatever his previous sins."
Wa'ifah
86
(r)
says:
The Prophet
(s) said:
"Whoever
did not
me shall fight at sea." 87 Musnad al-Firdaws quoting AbQ
get a chance to fight together with hK
Al-DaylamT Hurayrah
(r)
(r) that
writes
in
the Prophet (s) said: "Fighting in the cause of
Allah for one hour
is
greater in virtue than performing hajj
fifteen times."
The
much
situation of
different
cause of Allah self
and
from is
one who takes part
that of a hajj pilgrim.
setting out
his wealth.
in the
on a journey
to
The warrior
is
how one hour
is
in the
Allah renouncing his
The benefit of his engaging
society as a whole. This
holy struggle
in
war
is
for the
fighting in the cause of
Allah becomes more virtuous than performing hajj fifteen times.
'
History of the Advent and
Spread of Islam in Malabar party of Jews and Christians with their families arrived in a
big
ship
in
Kodungallur,
the
port
Kodungallur was then also the capital
of Malabar.
city
city
of the king. They
secured from the king grants of lands, plantations and houses
and thus they
settled there.
Some
later,
Muslims,
years
who were
there arrived at Kodungallur a party of
poor, with a shaykh.
to visit the footprint
of our father
king heard about their
arrival,
They were on
Adam
in Ceylon.
2
their
way
When
the
he sent for them, entertained them,
and treated them hospitably. The leader of the group, the shaykh,
Muhammad
informed the king about Prophet
(s)
and the religion
of Islam, They also talked about the miraculous incident of the splitting of the
3
moon. Allah, glory be
to
Him and
exalted be Me,
caused to enter in his mind the truth of the Prophet's mission. heartily
acknowledged him and
possession of his heart. to call
his love for the Prophet took
the shaykh and his
on him on their return journey from
footprint of
Adam
commanded
the
let
He asked
anyone
in
for the reason he
shaykh
to
keep
He
this
Malabar know about
companions
their visit to the
might go with them.
He
very confidential and not to
his secret intention.
Thus, on their return journey from Ceylon, they called on the king.
The king asked
the shaykh to arrange, without any one's
29
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDl^
30
knowledge, the ship and other things necessary for his journey with them.
There were laying foreign traders.
ship.
The shaykh requested the owner of one of the
him and
ships to let
The ship owner
As
day fixed
the
to the effect that visit
him
kingdom
ships belonging to
in the port several
group of poor people travel on board his
a
readily,
for the
none of
for seven
and with pleasure, agreed.
voyage neared, the king gave orders
his family or ministers shall
Then he
days.
and
into several provinces
come
to
himself dividing his
set
boundaries for each
set clear
of them; then appointing governors for each province and wrote out detailed instructions defining the limits of territories of each
might not encroach upon the
so that one
other. This incident
Malabar.
4
He was
is
quite
limits specified for the
well-known among the Hindus
the sovereign
monarch of
of Malabar with Kumhuri (Kanyakumari) as
the its
whole
in
territory
boundary
in the
south and Kanjarakut (Kasaragod) in the north/
Then king embarked with
the shaykh and his people during
night time and reached Pantalayani
stayed
for
day
a
7
Darmadam where
and
6
where they landed and
Thence
night.
they
proceeded
they stayed three days. Then they set a
they reached Shuhr (Shahar al-Mukalla), for several days with the
B
where
to
sail till
the king stayed
shaykh and his people. There, another
party of travellers joined them.
It
was a group bound
for
Malabar
with the mission of preaching Islam and constructing mosques
and establishing regular prayers
there.'
mentioned in the book it appears to be the name of a particular place rather than the Arabian Court as Rowlandson would have it. The Keralolpatfi says that Cheraman Perumai landed at the port of Sahar Mukhal on the Arabian coast. (Padmanabha Menem, Hisioiy oj Kerala, Vol. 1, a.
From
p.
433).
the
It is
way
it
is
possible that both refer to the
same
place.
1
History of the Advent
The King
and Spread of Islam
fell
while
ill
in
Malabar
staying
3
Shahar al-Mukalla.
in
Realising that illness was getting worse and his recoveiy very
remote, the king beckoned to his side Sharaf bin Malik, a
member of the group bound his half brother
from
his
for Malabar,
and Malik bin Dinar,
mother's side and others, and
not give up the idea of travelling to India even if
die
T
"Do
said:
of
this
illness."
and
"We
do not know anything about your country, where
how
vast
We
it is.
had intended
to
come with you/' was
it
is
their
reply to the king. Hearing this, the king thought for a while and
then gave them a
information
detailed
members of rest
about
in
Malayalam, The
kingdom,
his
to
He
anybody
provinces,
its
details
the
of the
Malabar, The king further advised them to go
ashore anywhere off Kodungallur.
Kollam.
contained
letter
and the names and other
his family,
of the kings
in
letter
Darmadam, Pantalayani
or
further instructed them, specifically, not to disclose
Malabar anything about
in
about his death in case
it
so happens.
his
serious illness or
10
Before long, the king passed away,
May
the
Almighty Allah
shower on him His abundant blessings! 11
A
few years
later, the
7
party consisting of Sharaf bin Malik,
Malik bin Dinar, and Malik bin HabTb,
his wife
Qamariyyah,
their children
and friends
They reached
the coast of Kodungallur after several days of
voyage.
12
They handed
then ruler of the place.
set out
on
their
voyage
the letter the king had given
They did not
disclose the
to
them
this,
they settled
gave lands and estates for
down and
built a
mosque
their use. 14
there,
to the
news of
king's death to them. Obliging the directions in the ruler of the place
Malabar,
letter,
the the
Following
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDlN
32
Malik bin Dinar decided
down
to settle
Kodungallur and
in
assigned Malik bin Hablb, his nephew, to the rest of the regions
of Malabar
to build
mosques and preach
his belongings,
HablK, taking
all
and some of
his children.
settled
there,
down he
his wife
moved
He
built a
and children
Then he reached Barkur/
and
built
mosques
he returned
7
16
]5
mosque
and
Thus Malik bin
Kollam with
his wife
Kollam, and
in
Leaving them behind built a
Mangalore,
in all these places.
to
to
there.
further to Ezbimala,
too.
these,
moved
Islam.
18
mosque
there,
and Kasaragod
Having accomplished
Ezhimala and stayed there
19
all
for three months.
Then, he visited Sreekandapuram, Darmadam, Pantalayani, and
Chaliyam
20
and
Chaliyam for
five months.
and stayed with
made
mosques
built
his uncle
in all
these places.
Then he went back
He
to
stayed
in
Kodungallur
Malik bin Dinar. In the meanwhile he
a second trip visiting
all
the
mosques he had
various parts of Malabar and performed prayers in Praising Allah and expressing deep gratitude to
in
of them.
all
Him
built
he returned
overjoyed to find the divine light of Islam having taken over so
much
space in the abysmal darkness of disbelief
Then Malik bin Dinar and Malik bin Hablb with and servants went few others settled in
to
their friends
Kollam. From there, Malik bin Dinar and a
set sail to
Shahar al-Mukalla, and the
rest
of them
Kollam, In Shahar al-Miikalla, he visited the tomb of
the deceased king, and then travelled to Khurasan,
where he
eventually died. Malik bin Hablb, after making arrangements for
some of his children with his wife. breathed their
This
Malabar.
is
was while
in
Kollam, returned
to
Kodungallur
Kodungallur that he and his wife
22
last.
the history of the advent and spread of Islam in
We
which year
It
to settle in
do not have any clear evidence this
to say for sure
happened. The majority opinion
is
that
it
V
and Spread of Islam
History of the Advent
happened
Muslims
Malabar
33
200 AH. However, the general impression with the
in
Malabar
in
in
is
that the aforesaid king's conversion to
Islam took place during the time of the Prophet that the king
one night saw
(s).
They believe
in person the splitting
of the moon,
following which he set out to meet the Prophet
meeting the Prophet
back
(s),
he died
at
known
local people.
but
way little
Yemen and
Samurl
as
is
is
that this
looked upon as a holy place by the
24
story of the king's disappearance
people
in
Malabar, Muslims
come down one
day.
it is
is
well-known among
and Hindus.
however, say that the king ascended
wooden
his
23
not in Shahar al-Mukalla, but at Zafar in
all
is
after
a widely accepted belief today that the king's grave
It is
The
and
Shahar al-Mukalla on
Malabar with a group of Muslims. There
to
truth in this.
grave
(s)
to the
based on
The Hindus,
sky and that he will
this belief that a pair
sandals and a pitcher of water are kept ready, with
lamps and decorations,
at a particular location in
of lit
Kodungallur on
a certain night. It is
also well
distributed his
Zamorin,
who
any share
as
When
a.
known among them
territory later
According
and power; and
became
late,
at the
the king gave
to the local tradition,
it
king divided and is
said
that
the
the first king of Calicut, did not get
he was not present there
he turned up
that the
him
time of the partition. his
a
sword and
when Cheraman Perumal
said:
retired in his old
age he assigned a small area to his nephew and gave him a sword instructing him to "kill and annex", This nephew later on became famous as the Zamorin of Calicut. He kept the sword given by his uncle with great veneration. This
sword was burnt to cinders when the Dutch sacked the temporary residence of the Zamorin at Tiruvaneikkulam in 1671 AD. The sword which the Zamorin has now in his possession with an inscription on it in Malayalam characters,
TUHFAT AL-.MUJAHIDIN
34
"Grab power fighting with
2
this."
'
Thus the Zamorin fought and
took possession of Calicut After
some
time,
Muslims began
to
settle
down
there.
Traders and craftsmen flocked there from various regions. Thus Calicut trade
was transformed
into a big city,
where, with prospering
and job opportunities, various kinds of people, Muslims as
well as unbelievers, collected. influential
The Zamorin,
and powerful than the
rest
thus,
of the rulers
became more
m Malabar,
All the rulers of Malabar are Hindus. There are are powerful and
some comparatively weak. But
some who
the strong, as a
matter of fact, will not attack or occupy the territory of the weak.
who
This might be the result of the final advice of their king
embraced Islam and of
his supplications to this effect to
This was also because of the blessings of the Prophet
God.
(s)
and the
territories
do not
religion of Islam he founded.
There are
in
Malabar chieftains whose
exceed one parasang (about three and a half square miles or than
while
that),
Of
territories.
have powers over more extensive
others
some have
at their
command one hundred
two hundred
to three
hundred, thousand, five
these
soldiers or less, or
less
thousand, ten thousand, thirty thousand, hundred thousand and
more, and so on.
Some
territories
join
in
league
and are
governed by two or three persons together. And of them some
have greater power and bigger army. Quarrels and skirmishes take place occasionally
among them,
but this does not affect
their coalition rule.
Of
the kings in Malabar, Tiruwadi,
all
territories
26
the ruler of the
between Kollam and Kanyakumari, has the largest
number of
troops.
Next
to
him comes
Kolattiri, the
was made subsequently. See Logan, Malabar Manual\ same
ruler of
for a picture
of the
History of the Advent
and Spread of Islam
in
Malabar
Ezhimala, Sreekandapuram, Kannur, Edakkad, other
27
Darmadam and
But the Zamorin enjoyed greater power and
cities.
reputation than the the kings.
35
He
rest.
quite influential
is
The Zamorin came
the rest of
enjoy this distinction on account
to
He
of the greatness of Islam.
among
Muslims, especially the
treats the
foreign Muslims, with great affection and respect. However, the
Hindus believe
this to be
on account of the greatness of the
sword he got from the aforesaid king. They claim the sword
which
kept preserved in the Zamorin's palace
is
the
is
same
sword. They have great adoration and respect towards that
When
sword.
Zamorin goes
the
assembly, a servant carrying
Whenever a
weak
ruler
the
Zamorin
this
altogether.
a
sword walks
fights for
If the
in front.
.
one reason or other against
and subdues him, the tradition
Zamorin an annual
give the
forth to battle or to a big
is
for that ruler to
tribute or, at times, his
kingdom
subdued king does not give, he would not be
forced to do so though a long time
may
lapse in waiting. This
is
because people of Malabar honour and cherish die traditions and
customs dearly. They do not violate
it
deliberately, except
some
unintentional violations which take place rarely. But the kings
other than the
Zamorin do not follow
they can do
to fight to destroy the
is
during the war and
a.
This
is
quite
in
kill
particular
to
if
the opponent
they can.
the vanquished king
pay an annual
about
if
kingdom of
Only thing
accordance with the practice of the kings of ancient
The conqueror was content and agreed
people
this tradition.
the
tribute.
confiscation
dethronement of the defeated
chief.
acknowledged
The ancient kings of of
the
conquered
India.
his suzerainty
India
country
were not and the
Certain Strange Customs of the
Hindus C^f> now
1
in
Malabar
then;
some very
strange and unique customs are
Hindus in Malabar, such
prevalent
among
anywhere
else in the world.
the
If a ruler is killed in a battle,
all
as not
his troops will
seen
come
together to fight against his adversary, his forces and his country, till
they have killed them
all
or laid desolate the entire land of his
a enemy. They will not turn back
until
and unless either one of
these happens. Therefore, both sides dread the idea of killing the
leader of the forces of the other side. This has been one of their
ancient customs, although not so
The
rulers of
much
in
vogue
in these days.
Malabar are mainly of two groups: supporters
of the Zamorin and supporters of the king of Kochi. Normally they do not change sides except on some temporary issues.
When back
the issue
is
settled the ruler
who changed
his side will
go
to his original side.
People of Malabar are never treacherous
in their wars.
war was found unavoidable, they fixed a date
Nobody
acts against the terms of this
in this respect
is
for
it
in
When
advance.
mutual agreement. Deceit
looked upon as undignified and base.
Year long abstinence
is
observed by the Brahmins, the
carpenters and others of the patriarchal system to
For details given by Arab writers on the subject see Knowledge of Southern India, pp. 106-7. a.
39
my
mourn
the
book, Arabs'
40
TUHFAT AL-MlJJAI ODIN
members of
death of elder
the clan such as father,
elder brother; and for the Nairs,
system, abstinence
is
who
are of the matriarchal
on the death of mother, uncle and elder
During the period of abstinence,
brother.
mother or
trim their hair or nails, eat fish or meat,
it is
taboo for them to
chew
betel leaves, or
have intercourse with women. They never deviate from such practice as they believe that the deceased are blessed
doing
by
their
so.
In the matriarchal communities like the Nairs, the deceased will be inherited children, aunts right,
weather
by
and other it is
on the mother
his/her brothers relatives
side, sisters'
of his or her mother. Inheritance
the right to property or to the political
power of
kingship, does not go to one's children, but to one's nieces and
nephews. This custom* of denying inheritance right to male children,
following the Hindu practice,
families
of
Muslim
the
community
has in
crept
Kannur
neighbouring places. They read the Qur'an; they learn they recite
and it
by
beautifully; they acquire religious learning; they yet,
strange and surprising that this custom prevails
among them. 2
in
the
blacksmith,
the
Marriage
customs
man
among
Thiyya
and
the
communities
these
to be followed.
fishermen has
is
others.
rules
But marriage among the Nairs
same
as before.
is
and
only a 3
woman. After
For her, practically there
no difference between the one who has
This
for his
communities.
certain
tying a string of thread around the neck of a
neck and the
is
Brahmin, the goldsmith, the carpenter, the
that, things are the
a.
extremely
it is
the right for inheritance of the deceased father
children
the
heart;
perform prayers and other forms of worship;
But
v
it
most
into
tied the string
is
around her
4
a reference to the system of Marumakkatlayam obtaining in Malabar.
Certain Strange Customs of the Hindus in Malabar
In the
Brahmin community,
many
there are
if
41
brothers in a
The next
family, only the eldest ever takes a wife in marriage.
when
gets married only
This
is to
the eldest
is
not likely to have an issue.
when
avoid quarrels and disputes over inheritance
number of
heirs multiplies.
engage in
illicit
children born of
The younger
the
brothers, as a rule,
sexual relationship with Nair
them by Nair women thus
women. The
are not entitled to
inherit their father's wealth.
The women of communities close
to
Nair community as well
the it
in hierarchy usually
as
those
have two or four or
sometimes more husbands, each in turn passing the night just as a
Muslim husband
divides his night
The
practice
among
family. This
custom
to be, if not brothers, at least of the
is
followed
over inheritance of properties or
their
strictly to
at least to
The Hindus of Malabar expose wear a short piece of cloth
marry just one
for all brothers to
is
woman. All husbands ought
minimise
their bodies.
that covers
avoid disputes
from
5 it.
They usually
their waist to just
knees and keep the rest of the body bare. All are
alike in this regard:
men and women,
rich and the poor, the kings
women
will
women,
as -a rule,
rest
Enmity or
the communities, such as carpenters,
Karuvas and goldsmiths,
below
his wives.
does not come into their mind on that account
ill-will
same
among
elders
and the subjects,
and youngsters, the all alike!
Generally
appear before anybody. However, the Brahmin 6
remain indoors. They do not go out 7
of the women, Nairs
let their
women
like the
adorn themselves with
expensive clothes and ornaments and attend big festivals so that their
beauty
is
seen and enjoyed by men.
In Malabar, the eldest, even though senior
succeeds to the throne, no matter whether he
is
by a minute,
blind, stupid or
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
42
disabled or be from sons of maternal aunts. However, nothing so far heard about anybody killing a senior person to grab
is
power
in haste.
The
when
practice of adopting from another clan,
case that there
kingdom,
is
is
very few or none to inherit a family property or
among
prevalent
the people in Malabar, Adoption
not always of children. Sometimes even adults are adopted.
adopted person is
the
it is
is
nephew
treated like a real son,
is
The
or brother and
given inheritance, power and position, without discrimination.
This custom of adoption
Hindu
society,
among
high and the low. succession
is
is
Thus, through
this
sections of the
all
common
the rulers and
people,
among
the
custom, the line of
never broken,
The Hindus of Malabar Because of
among
prevalent
this,
loyally maintain their caste system.
they encounter
many
difficulties. Yet,
they do
not attempt to violate the norms of the caste system or to do
away with castes.
the system.
The Hindus here belong
the
many
different
There are among them high castes, low castes and castes
of other degrees in between.
Hindu
to
in the
A
bath
is
obligatory on high cast
members of
event of any physical contact with the
low castes or they happen
to
be together within the
boundaries and limits prescribed for intercourse.
It is
take food before the compulsory bath that washes
him
taboo to clean. If
\
I
he will be degraded from his rank
he takes food before doing
so,
and
excommunicated.
will result in his being
[
In that case,
have no option other than leave the place and go
to a
he will
remote and j
unknown
place,
where he
will not be recognized, to spend the j
remainder of his
him a
to
life.
Else, the local ruler wall seize
him and
one of the inferior rank, whether the purchaser
woman. Or
else,
is
a
sell
boy or
he comes to us and embraces Islam, or
becomes a yogi or turns a
Christian.
The same
fate awaits a high
|
Certain Strange Customs of the Hindus in
caste
member
if
Malabar
43
he or she eats the food prepared by the low
caste.
Those who wear Poonool are considered of high
They usually wear a
string
d
castes.
suspended from their shoulders.
There are further hierarchical divisions within them: low, higher
and highest. The highest among the wearers of Poonool axe the Nambootiris. After the Poonool wearers comes Nair caste. This caste,
known
for their physical strength
They too have many
martial caste of Malabar. high, middle and
low
The Thiyyas
are
Their customary job
and larger in numbers,
ranks.
the
subdivisions,
9
below the Nairs is
is
in the caste hierarchy.
climbing the coconut trees to extract a
kind of juice from them. This liquid could be fermented to
make
toddy or used for making a sort of sugar {shakkra).
The
carpenters,
the
Karuvas,
the
goldsmiths
and
the
fishermen are below the Thiyyas on the caste ladder. There are several castes in other all
below these
works related
these castes, If a
castes.
to farming.
They work
as
ploughmen and
There are sub-castes even in
b
woman
of a higher caste, on certain particular nights of
the year, happens to be hit with a stone or something else from the hands of a
man of inferior
accompanied by any man, she
caste
and she was not
at that
time
will be turned out of her caste. In
such circumstances, she has no alternative other than embracing
a.
The
classification of the wearers of thread into three grades appears to be
after the
to
communities of Brahmans, Ksatriyas and Vaisyas who are
wear the sacred
thread.
Of them
the
Brahmans rank
first,
then
all entitled
come
the
Ksatriyas, and then the Vaisyas.
They were probably the ancestors of the Eluvas, Parayas and Pulayas of the modern day. b.
44
TtJHFAT AL-MlJJAHJDlN
Islam, Christianity or
by
the local ruler.
The same
is
become
a yogi. Otherwise she will be sold
10
the case
when
a person
of the higher caste had
sex with a person of the lower caste."
The man or
the higher caste, in such cases, will
become
have
to accept
have no other
Brahmins
is
any of the above mentioned alternative.
different.
But
the
woman and
will
and they
will
outcaste, fates
of
of the Poonool wearing
the case
They may have sex with
the
womenfolk
of the Nair community. They will not become outcastes because
of
this, as this is
an accepted custom.
As was
explained earlier,
only the eldest of the sons of the Nambootiri families ever get
married and the younger sons, as a
Nair women.
How many their
were
may keep company
with
such detestable customs! Due to their ignorance
and stupidity, tbey is
rule,
11
strictly
follow these customs believing that
moral responsibility to uphold them.
It
it
was while they
living in these social conditions that the religion of Islam
reached them by the grace of Allah.
And
this
was
also the
main
reason for their being easily attracted to Islam.
These issues are
not, in fact, our subject.
Only a digression
so that certain information of great values the readers
Now we
know.
As
shall return to the subject
told before, people
to sporadically
must
of our narrative.
of the coastal areas of Malabar began
embrace Islam as a
result
of the
efforts
of Sharaf
bin Malik, Malik bin Dinar, HabTb bin Malik and others by
building mosques and propagating the message of Islam regions. Consequently, traders
in
these
from many parts of the world
kept coming to these places in large numbers. Thus places like Calicut, Weliancode, Tirurangadi, Tanur, Ponnani, ParappananFor
given by Arab writers on the subject see Knowledge of Southern India, p. I 2. a.
details
]
my
book, Arabs'
Parawanna, the
gadi,
other
Kakkad,
Tikkodi,
Kannur,
Edakkad,
localities
localities
45
Malabar
Certain Strange Customs of the Hindus in
surrounding Chaliyam port, Pantalayani,
surrounding
localities
Chemmanad,
Mahe,
Tiruwangad,
surrounding Darmadam, on
its
the
south Walapttanam and
Nadapuram, on the south of Kodungallur, Kochi, Vypeen, Pallippuram, and several other coastal areas became thickly populated
and
commerce,
all
grew
with
towns
into
trade
thriving
because of Muslims. The Muslims and
and
their trade
prospered because of the great tolerance with which the rulers
and
their
though
military,
they
were Hindus,
treated
the
Muslims. They were not Hindus only in name, but pious people
who
strictly
observe their ancestral customs and
Seldom did they do anything amiss so
rites in practice.
far as their religious rites
in fact, their subjects
were concerned. The Muslims then were,
and not even accounted one tenth of the population. Yet, they did not treat the Muslims in any
on
way
hostile or unfriendly except
rare occasions.
Calicut
was a big and well-known port
ancient times. But
with
the
it
began
to decline
Portuguese
of the
advent
and
obstructions to trade journeys created
in
Malabar from very
to lose its significance
to
Malabar
and
the
by them.
Muslims throughout Malabar have no leader possessed of
power
to
rule over them.
But
are
their rulers
Hindus,
exercise judicial authority and organize their affairs
payment of debt or
fine if
Notwithstanding these,
anyone
is
great
The main reason
through
the
Muslims.
Hence
the
respect
for this
construction and development of the country largely
by enforcing
subjected to such payment.
Muslims enjoyed
regard from the Hindu rulers.
who
is
is
and
that the
taking place
rulers
make
it
convenient for the Muslims to organize Friday congregation
46
TUHFAT AL-MUJAl-IlDlN
prayers (jum'ah) and the celebrations like for the
mu'adhdhins (those who
by
(religious judges) are paid
makes
Muslims of
arrangements
special
own
their
congregation)
elders of the
man
will
body
is
implementing
for
the
the
jum ah
pay
a fine,
to
Muslim community, and
be handed
to the
given the
ritualistic
performed and buried
(the
Friday
a crime punishable
out the sentence with the consent of the
carry-
Muslim commits
among
l
neglects
Muslim committing
In the event of a
with death, they
government The government
the
punished or made
is
and the qadis
call to prayer)
religious rules and regulations. In greater part
whoever
Malabar,
The remuneration
'Id,
Muslims
in the
the mortal remains of the
for burial. Afterwards, the
wash, prayers for the dead
Muslim cemetery, But when
similar crime, they either
him
kill
is
a non-
or gibbet
him, and leave the body to be devoured by dogs and jackals.
The government exacts one-tenth of traders. If they
have
to
commit any offences
pay such
fines.
No
the
profits
of the
liable to a fine, they will
land tax or harvest tax of any kind
is
imposed on famiers or land owners however much land they
may have
in their possession.
People of the other communities enter Muslim houses only after obtaining
permission in advance. They will not enter their
houses without permission for catching an accused hiding inside
even he
is
wanted
for a crime of murder.
only to force him out by leaving him In the case of rule,
On
They ask
to starve or
the household
by other means.
Hindus embracing Islam, other Hindus do not, as a
put any impediments nor do they harm them by any means,
the other
hand they
are customarily treated with respect
along with the rest of the Muslims, even
lower
caste.
In the
Muslim
early days,
collectively for helping those
new converts 7
if
thev were of the
traders raised to Islam.
funds
Chapter One
The Arrival of the Portuguese
in
Malabar and a Brief Account of Their Shameful Deeds The Portuguese
entry into Malabar; hostilities between
and the Zamorins: the erection of
Kannur and Kollam, and
by them
forts
their capture
them
Kochi,
in
and occupation of the
port of Goa
C^frt
^
L
was
in the
their
first
appearance
(1498
AD)
Malabar,
in
the Portuguese 1
They
made
arrived
at
J
By
Pantalayani in three ships/
Calicut
by
their
land, stayed in that
homeland
after
conditions of Malabar.
themselves Malabar,
then the trade season through
was almost oven From Pantalayani they moved
sea routes
to
AH
year 904
in
any
according
On
trade.
to
town
for
collecting this
few months and returned information
about
own
accounts,
their trip
was
to
information about the pepper-land and to establish trade
commodity, traders
who
for at that time they
at
to
seek in that
were buying pepper from other
export pepper from Malabar.
[hoy came again after two years, landed
the
occasion, they did not engage
The main purpose of their
to
3
this
time in six ships. They
Calicut and engaged themselves in trade.
49
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDlN
50
They approached to
Muslims from
stop the
Zamorin with
the officers of the their trade
a request
and trade voyages
to
Arabia, promising to pay double the loss the Zamorin might suffer
by preventing Muslims
in this respect.
encroach upon the rights of the Muslims
Zamorin gave orders Following
The
rest
this,
and
to capture
kill
Then they began
So
in all directions.
to
the
the Portuguese invaders.
about sixty or seventy of them were put to death.
took to their heels and sought refuge in their ships, and
started firing
from the ships
to the shore.
Those on the shore
returned fire to the ships.
The Portuguese then moved
to the
Kochi port and made
peace with the inhabitants of that town, and
camped
there.
That was the
first
They demolished
a
church in
employing
its
place,
mosque
Then they arrived there, built a fort
their
Portuguese fort built
situated local
in India.
on the coast and
4
built a
people as labourers.
traded Then they set
in
their ships heavily laden with
That was,
and
Kannur, made peace with the people
and engaged
homeland with
dried ginger.
at
built a small fort
alter
all,
the
sail to
pepper and
main purpose of
their
coming here by undertaking such long journeys.
The Portuguese came again Harbouring
ships.
much pepper and 6
home. Two years
at
time in four
Kochi and Kannur. they accumulated as
dried ginger as they wanted and returned after that they
or twenty one or twenty their ships
after a year, this
came again
two or eighteen
to
Hind with twenty
ships,
and having laden
with variety of merchandise besides pepper and dried
ginger, they returned to their
own
country,
7
Thus
their influence
kept growing. It
was during
this
time the Zamorin attacked Kochi
a
and,
according to his wont, caused heavy devastation and loss to
a.
This took place in
1
503; perhaps this
was
the second invasion in the
same
year.
The Arrival of (he Portuguese
them. In
Malabar
in
1
encounter the Zamorin slew two or three of the
this
Kochi chieftains and then returned
The Zamorin
to Calicut,
because their alliance with
killed the chieftains
nephews of the
the Portuguese had helped the the throne of
5
chieftains to usurp
Kochi and the neighbouring places with the aid of
Portuguese, contrary to the time-honoured custom of electing to the throne the senior-most the Portuguese
in times
in return
helped them
their profits
from
the importance and influence of the Portuguese
A
Thus
much
in their
of need, assisted them with money; and also
them a tenth of
set apart for
the relatives.
were treated with consideration and respect by
The Portuguese
the usurpers.
wars and,
man from among
trade.
As
a result
were increasing.
year after the arrival of the twenty or so ships mentioned
above, another party reached Hind
a fleet often ships. Seven
in
of them were newly arriving ships whilst the other three were those of the earlier fleet of twenty one ships which had
As
year before.
their
On
arrival
merchandise
remained
in
When ships
in
at
Kochi,
on
their
set out
the
passage had been hindered on their
homeward journey, they joined and ships.
come
the
returned with the seven
seven
with
loaded
ships
homeward voyage. The
three ships
Kochi.
the
Zamorin came
Kochi, he
out
set
to to
know of
the three Portuguese
Kochi with an army of about
100,000 Naif soldiers accompanied by
a
good number of Muslim
warriors to seize the ships. Hut the Zamorin and his forces could
not
enter
arrows,
8
Kochi.
However,
themselves
in
Portuguese
'the
the
three
Muslim
boats and
Muslims were martyred. Ponnani and Wehaneode Pantalayani and
Kakkad
fought
lighters
with
cannon and
from Ponnani equipped
fought the Portuguese.
The following dav\ Muslims in
four boats and the
Some from
Muslims from
in three boats set out to the sea
and
52
TUJJFATAL-MUJAHIDIN
fought the Portuguese a fierce battle. Muslims did not suffer any casualty on this occasion. The battle was indecisive because of the setting in. of the rainy season. Therefore the forces returned to Calicut safely.
Thus
it
became customary
Zamorin and
his
May Allah be praised.
for the Portuguese to
come with
ships laden with people and cargoes and to return with pepper,
dried ginger and several other produces, year after year. After the Portuguese settled Kochi and Kannur and secured a firm
m
footing
there,
the
inhabitants
of
towns
these
with
their
dependents engaged themselves in sea voyages taking with them passes from the Portuguese to avoid risks. Each ship, however small,
was issued with a
pass, for
which the Portuguese fixed a
time of the voyage the master of the ship took the pass on payment of the fee. The Portuguese impressed upon the fee: at the
people that the system of pass introduced by them was to their advantage and thus induced them to submit to U. Whenever the Portuguese
fell in
with
they seized the ship,
its
ship
a
which did not possess
crew and cargo.
On
their pass,
account of
this
high-
handedness, the Zamorin, his subjects and dependents were constantly fighting against the Portuguese.
The Zamorin spent a
lot
of
his
wealth
in this war,
and before
long he and his subjects declined in strength. So the Zamorin dispatched letters to Muslim Sultans seeking help. They did not come forward to help him. But the Sultan of Jazrat (Gujarat), Sultan
Mahmud
Shah, the father of esteemed Sultan Muzaffar
Shah, and Adil Shah, the grandfather of the great Sultan Ali Adil Shah (may Allah light their graves), gave orders to "get ready their
war ships and escort-vessels which were
unsuitable to be put to sea.
al-Ghawn, Emirs,
10
may
later
found to be
The Sultan of Misr (Egypt), QansCih
Allah be pleased with him, had sent one of his
AmTr Husayn, with
thirteen ships
and some
troops.
Amir
The Arrival of the Portuguese
Husayn reached
Diu port
the
his escort- vessels.
the
fight
53
Then they
in Gujarat.
and with them were Malik
Shiyul
in
Malabar
in
lyas,
the na'ib at Diu, and
They came across few Portuguese ensued,
that
sailed to
ships,
and
Amir Husayn captured one
big
"3 1
Amir Husayn and
Portuguese ship.
Diu with
He
their ships.
his troops, then, returned to
stayed there for a few months during the
rainy season. Subsequently, on the instruction of the Zamorin,
about forty ships from his city and elsewhere arrived reinforcement to
the Portuguese set
sail
in
men camping
Portuguese arrival,
Amir Husayn, without
and those of Malik
When
unexpected
with the small ships
met the
the Portuguese
forces, they fixed their attention
AmTr Husayn, and captured few of his
this
preparation, put to sea
lyas, together
had come from Malabar.
combined
in Diu,
twenty ships prepared for war and
appeared suddenly before Diu, Responding to
that
Diu as
AmTr Husayn.
Learning about AmTr Husayn and his
his ships
at
upon the ships of
ships while the remainder
got separated. Thus by the decree of Allah and His indisputable
command,
the accursed Portuguese returned victorious to Koehi.
AmTr Husayn and a few of
his soldiers could escape along widi
the troops of Malik lyas, the Malabaris and their ships.
Husayn returned
to
14
AmTr
Kgypt.
QHnsiih al-Ghawfu the Sultan of Misi\ was indignant at the defeat \mk\ so he dispalehed
with
all
Iwenty-lwo ships
the paraphernalia of war, under the
fully
equipped
command of AmTr
Salman al-RiimT along with AmTr Husayn.
The
forces of al-tlhawrT with their ships reached the well
protected port of Jcddah and then proceeded to
There,
AmTr Husayn
started a
plundered their country. Over sailed to the port
war with this,
Camran port
the people of Yemen
Salman al-RumT
of Aden, and then he returned
left
and
him and
to Jeddah.
There
54 in
TlJHFAT
Al, -Mill AH [DIN
Amir Husayn and Salman
Jeddah, a fight broke out between
al-RumT on account of AmTr Husayn's fighting and plundering the Muslims.
So Salman had
Amir Husayn was,
country.
SharTf Barakat It
was
Jeddah and return to his
to leave
before long, captured by Sultan
of Hijaz, and was killed by drowning
'
after these incidents, that
news reached Jeddah
in
al-
the sea.
that a
war
had erupted between Sultan Qansuh al-Ghawn and Sultan SalTm
Shah al-RumT;
17
Qansuh al-Ghawrl had
murdered, and SalTm Shah al-RumT had captured Allah
is
On
Thursday, 22
nd
at
of Ramadan, 915 Calicut,
renowned Nakhuda Mithqal.
1
"
on matters related
Then they entered
killed about five
it.
1K
They
set
by the
built
the Zamorin's
The Zamorin was not
was elsewhere some distance away
The Nair
to war.
the Portuguese intruders
soldiers in the palace fought
and routed them from the palace. They
hundred of the soldiers on the Portuguese
side.
died drowning at sea and the rest fled to their ships in
despair,
20
as Allah, exalted
Sometime before Ponnani and
be He, willed.
or after this incident, the Portuguese
set fire to nearly fifty fishing boats they
unoccupied on the beach.
them
kingdom.
(1510 AD), the
which was
there,
palace claiming that they had captured present there at that time, he
AH
attacking the city.
mosque
ablaze the congregational
to
his
the Master over His affairs.
Portuguese arrived
Many
was soon
and
lost
there
Some
seventy Muslims
who
came found
fought
were martyred.
Likewise, the Portuguese arrived at battle with the
Muslims
there. Allah
Aden 21 and had
helped the Muslims and
abandoned the Portuguese and they had vanquished. This happened
to flee for life, totally
when AmTr Marjan was
Aden, may Allah be pleased with him.
a fierce
22
the ruler of
The Arrival of the Portuguese
The Portuguese,
Malabar
after they
Kochi and Kannur, entered and
in
23
built a fort there.
55
made
their positions secure in
into a treaty
with the King of Kollam
Kochi and Kollam, those days, had been
the centres that attracted most of the trade in pepper,
more than
any other places.
Then they fought occupied
25 it.
The Goa
the grandfather
Goa
the people of
port had been
long,
recaptured
24
and captured Goa and
the hands of Adil Shah,
in
of Ali Adil Shah the Great. The Portuguese made
their capital in India
before
Goa
Shah
Adil
Goa and
and established
their rule there. But,
fought against
the
routed them from there. Thus,
(Dar
and
Portuguese it
once again
by
became
part of Islamic territory
this, the
Portuguese came back with massive preparations. They
fought the Muslims there, captured
of their domain.
26
It is
al-lslam). Infuriated
Goa
again and
said that Emirs and principal
made
men
it
part
of
Goa
had a clandestine understanding with the Portuguese; hence
was easy
for
several forts
anything,
He
them
to recapture
a
Goa. Then the Portuguese built
and huge buildings and towers to pass.
Thus
their
acts of history
we do
not
brings
it
it
there. If
Allah wills
power began
to
grow
day by day.
a
+
From
the available
Portuguese.
I
know
if the
Emirs helped the
Two
Chapter
Certain Shameful Deeds of the
Portuguese a condition prevailed in Malabar that allowed the
first,
t
Muslims
there to lead a prosperous
and comfortable
life
on
account of the benevolence of their rulers, their timehonoured customs and their kindness. But, they belittled Allah's blessings, and transgressed
them
and became heedless. So Allah
the Portuguese Christians and He,
may He
set
on
be exalted,
abandoned them. They oppressed the Muslims, corrupted them and committed all kinds of ugly and infamous deeds against
them, too bad
to
be described.
The Portuguese scoffed scorn.
They harassed
1
Muslims and held them up to them for no reason; insulted them; at the
humiliated them; forced them to carry them on their back to cross filthy, spit
at
muddy
tracts as
them and on
they toured around the countryside;
their
especially hajj journeys;
faces;
obstructed their journeys
plundered their wealth; seized their
vehicles; set fire to their houses and mosques; trampled under feet and burned the Holy Qur'an and other religious books;
reviled publicly the Prophet
(s);
of worship; made them speak Islam; forced
those
who
them
to
bow
ill
defiled and polluted the places
of and against the religion
before the cross and gave
did so; paraded the Christian
56
women
money
fully
ol'
to
adorned
Certain shameful deeds of the Portuguese
57
with rich ornaments and attired in fine clothes
Muslim women pilgrims
in front
of the
tempt the Muslim women; killed the
to
and persecuted them with
captured them and kept them bound
in
all
kinds
them
of cruelties;
heavy chains on
or kept them handcuffed dragging them around
hajj
their feet
in the streets
and
markets to
sell
to liberate
them out of sympathy, flogged them mercilessly
as slaves;
and whenever anybody ventured to
exact bigger prices; captured them and kept them confined in
and
filthy
beat them
conditions;
burning
sticks
execration,
overcrowded
stinky,
etc.;
rooms
in
dangerous
with sandals and branded them with
using
for
dark
water
to
clean
themselves
after
captured Muslims and sold some, enslaved
some; forced them
to
do
all
compensation. These were
kinds of hard labour without any
among
the things they usually did to
the Muslims.
The Portuguese,
after great preparations, sailed into the ports
2
of Gujarat, Konkan and Malabar, and the coast of Arabia, lay
in
wait for the ships of Muslims and seized them. Thereby they
amassed abundant wealth and acquired
Muslim
prisoners.
a
huge number of
How many Muslim women
of noble
birth
they took as captives, and violated their honour to bring into
world Christian children
who would
be enemies of the faith of
Allah, and agents to cause aflliclmn to (he Muslims! scholars,
members of
(he
Many
brutally.
Many Muslim men
forcefully converted to Christianity.
and
cruelties!
to put
them
The tongues
in words.
for their crimes.
a
Holy Prophet's family, and other great
personages were captured, held hostages, persecuted, and
end killed
(lie
get
May
in the
and
women were
How many
such atrocities
weary of describing them and hate
Allah, the Almighty, chastise
them
TUHFAT AL-M'UJAHIDIN
58
The ardent
make
desire of the Portuguese at
Muslims renounce
the
to Christianity.
May
Portuguese had
to
the faith of Islam and convert
Allah protect us from such a
among
formed the main body of populations the
fate!
them
But the
maintain peaceful relations with the Muslims,
out of necessity, for they had to live
Malabar So
times had been to
all
in
the
all
Muslims who seaports of
the
newly arriving Portuguese men during
certain
seasons in the year, noticing the Muslims and their deportment in
Kochi, said
countrymen: "Until today the Muslims
to their
have not changed
their
in
appearance/' They
predecessors for not doing enough to
make
their
Muslims change
"Fain would they extinguish Allah's light with
their religion.
mouths, but Allah will not allow but
their
the
blamed
be perfected, even though
the
that
unbelievers
His Light should
may
detest
(it),"
(Qur'an, 9:32) Finally, they even appealed to the king of
Muslims en masse from by
telling
and give
him
that if
him
reply
as they
all
to
expel the
tried to influence the is
king
very meagre
out from his territory, they
would
revenue several times multiplied. The Kochi king's
that
were
They
revenue from the Muslims
he drives them
that
was
that his
there.
Koehi
Muslims could not be expelled from his subjects
his country
from time immemorial and besides,
they were a great deal instrumental in the development and prosperity of the country.
The Portuguese showed enmity only
towards the Muslims and their Faith and not to Nairs or other unbelievers of Malabar.
Chapter Three
The Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty and the Construction of the Portuguese Fort in Calicut war prolonged,
the
s
1
And
increased.
the
weakness of
the
Muslims
the
Zamorin who had spent big sum
in
these wars died and his younger brother succeeded him.
This
new
king was of the view that peace with the Portuguese
was the best course,
for
would bring
it
Muslim
to his
subjects
prosperity in their trade like the prosperity enjoyed by those
in
Kaftnur and Kochi, and would remove their weakness and rescue
them from
their penury.
treaty with Portuguese
And
accordingly, he entered into
a
by which he permitted he Portuguese
to
I
Calicut on condition (hut they allow his
build a fort
in
subjects
undertake trade voyages
to
Jeddah and Aden
Then
in
lo
the
Muslim
Arabian port of
four ships every year.'
the accursed
Portuguese began lo build
while the subjects of Zamorin set out
to the
a
solid fort
Arabian ports
in
four
ships laden with pepper and dried ginger. Like others, they too
began
to
make
trade
trips
destinations carrying passes
year 920 or 921
AH (AD
as
before to
Gujarat and
from the Portuguese. This was
1514-15),
59
other in the
60
TlJllFAT
By
the time the
fort
making
Calicut,
in
four ships to the Arabian ports returned
first
Portuguese had completed the construction of
to Calicut, the their
AL-MUJANIDTN
3
Then they forbade
the
Muslims from
further trips to the Arabian ports with pepper and ginger
Thus, they wanted to monopolise the trade in
in their ships,
pepper and dried ginger. Whenever they saw even a small quantity of these two spices
contents and
in
any ship, they seized the
ship, its
crew. The Portuguese thus became the source of
its
great affliction and distress to the
Muslims and other
The Zamorin, who paid due regard their evil doings with patience, their wickedness.
subjects.
to the peace,
endured
because he was apprehensive of
Nevertheless, he secretly sent letters to the
Muslim Sultans urging them the Portuguese, but
il
was no
to
make
avail.
It
preparations for war with
was what Allah
willed.
The Portuguese, may Allah curse them, were clever and deceitful.
They know very well
business.
They
will
the course
which
is
best for their
be quite cordial and polite towards their
enemies when necessary, but once they have achieved their aims, they treated them abominably.
Among
arc quite united in sentiment and conduct, their elders
was
even though they are
far
is
so
far
murdering any of them reasons
why
Portuguese hand, the
heard for
themselves, they
They do
away from
rarely that disagreement in opinion
and nothing
4
about
not disobey
their rulers. It
happened among them,
anybody among them
grabbing power. These were the
the rulers of Malabar and others submitted to the
in spite
Muslim
of their being small soldiers and their
in
number.
On
the other
Emirs quarrelled among
themselves, and were striving to depose one another from power
even by
a.
[his
is
1
killing.
;i
reference to the frequent quarrels between the Sultans of Bijapnr,
AlurnKliia^ur, ('iolkoiuln, Birar and Bidar, not to speak of their wars with the kiiii^s
o( Vijayuinmar.
61
The Zamorin-Portitgiiese Treaty
When
the Portuguese had established themselves firmly in
Zamorin
Calicut and stabilised their position, they invited the their residence within the fort
to
on the pretext of giving him some
precious gifts which were said to have been received by them
from
their king in Portugal,
But
The Zamorin, on reaching
prisoner.
the gesticulation
was
their real design
of
there, got a hint
of a Portuguese man.
So he
him
to take it
from
the place
left
quickly pretending to attend to a call of nature. Thus, by the grace of Allah, he could escape without falling into the trap laid for
him by
hint
to
the treacherous Portuguese,
the
Zamorin and whoever
The man who gave involved
else
punished by being transferred from Calicut In the
guese fleet
set
month of Muharram, 923
out from
Goa with massive
it
were
Kannur/
(1517 AD), the Portu-
preparations for war, with a
of about twenty eight ships, having designs upon the well
fortified
of Jeddah.
port
Muslims there were
al-Ruim who had the
AH
to
in
the
When
terribly perturbed
earlier
reached the port, the
they
and
in great fear.
Salman
been sent by Qansuh al-Ghawn to help
Malabar Muslims against the Portuguese, was thou present
there with his warships and about
two hundred
opened
from
fire
considerable hoisted fear.
at
the
damage
all sail,
Portuguese to
some of
shore
the ships.
their
soldiers
thirty
chasing them. They captured a Portuguese ship returned to Jeddah with twelve Christians ship.
The Portuguese remained
mawsim al-Ulnd (monsoon frustrated in their hopes.
at
inflicting
lire
and
in at
lied in
two boats
Camran and
who were on board
Camran
season)
They
The Portuguese
steered out of range of the cannon
But Salman al-Ruml sent
soldiers.
and
till
the
the cessation of
returned
Such was the pleasure of Allah.
to
Goa,
Chapter Four
The Rivalry between Zamorin and Portuguese, and the Capture of the Calicut Fort C^f> now
then; the Portuguese atrocities
TJp\ increased
Their excesses continued until one day a
fight broke out in Calicut
the
Muharram of 931 hostilities
Calicut
in
day by day. But the Zamorin turned a blind eye
to these atrocities.
Muslims of
and excesses
between the Portuguese and some
Pantalayani,
AH
The
incident happened
on
10
(1524 AD). Thus peace was broken and
began. Also, about a year earlier in 930
another incident, some people from Pantalayani,
AH,
in
an
Chemmanad,
Tirurangadi, Parappanangadi and a few other places, sailing
in
small boats, had captured about ten trade vessels belonging to the Portuguese,
Meanwhile a the
civil strife
broke out in Kodungallur between
Muslims and the Jews of the
Muslim brethren
that led to the riot.
locality.
The Muslims
The Jews
killed a
sent messengers to their
various towns of Malabar seeking their aid
in
to
retaliate
upon
relatives
from Pantalayani, the people of KakkadJ Tikkodi 2 with
their relatives
Tirurangadi,
4
the Jews.
The
inhabitants of Calicut with their
from Chaliyam, and people from Parappanangadi;' Tanur,
5
Parawanna, 62
6
Ponnani,
7
and Welianeode
x
The Rivalry between Zamorin and Portuguese
63
gathered in the Chaliyam Friday prayer mosque. There, they resolved to attack the Jews of Kodungallur. They also resolved to
wage war
against the Portuguese and not to
them except with
permission of the Zamorin. This too
the
occurred in the year 93
make peace with
AH (1524 AD),
1
Accordingly, they embarked in a
fleet
of about a hundred
small vessels to Kodungallur and they killed several Jews there.
The
rest
fled
Kodungallur.
to
The
the
Muslims
community protested and
community were
in
ablaze
the the
eastern
of
parts
and the
houses
they ventured to set fire the
belonging to the Christians, the Nair
houses and churches
the Nair
set
When
synagogues of the Jews.
Muslims and
areas
rural
this
caused a clash between
the
community. And a few men of the Nair For
killed in the clash.
this reason,
it
became
untenable for the Muslims of the locality to live there and they
were forced Tt
was
Kannur,
9
to migrate to other places.
in the
same year
Tiruwangad,
forces to begin a
10
that
people of Darmadam, Edakkad,
war with
Ezhimala and Chemmanad, the Portuguese.
11
The Muslims
joined other
in
towns also did likewise, Also the same year, some of the chieftains of Kochi
like
Ahmad Marakkar, his brother Kunhi Ali Marakkar, Muhammad Ali Marakkar and their followers felt the
their
Faqih uncle
to fight the
When
Portuguese and so they sailed from Kochi
the Portuguese
became aware
that
and the Zamorin were firmly opposed preparation for war, they set
sail
down
warehouses and destroyed
a
innumerable
to Calicut.
most of the Muslims to
them, with
great
from Kochi and landed
Ponnani on Saturday morning, 3 JamadT al-Awwal
They burned
urge
houses,
?
at
931 AH.
business
centres,
lew mosques on the shore. They felled and
innumerable coconut palms on the shore.
Many
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
Muslims suffered martyrdom. Then
the Portuguese set sail on
the second night of the arrival, and reached 13 Pantalayani. There, they seized some forty ships belonging to its inhabitants and
Here again many Muslims
others.
When
the
discord
broke
fell
martyrs.
out
in
Calicut
between
Portuguese and some of the Pantalayani Muslims, the resolved to tight against the Portuguese. But he was
Zamorm
away
place
some
conflict with
al-Yadh,
a
away from
distance
made massive
sent his chief minister,
to fight against the
Portuguese. Al-Yadh
preparations expending a huge amount of money.
The Muslim warriors and the Nair troops of together besieged the Portuguese
of the country converged
war
at a
Calicut, involved in another
some of his enemies. So he
with orders
the
fort.
in Calicut
the
Zamorin
Muslims from many
parts
with a zeal of waging holy
path of Allah. Then, the Zamorin himself arrived. By that time, the Portuguese had run out of provisions in the fort in the
and they had no hope of getting fresh supplies of provisions from outside either. The Portuguese, m despair, burrowed the rear part of the fort unseen from outside and moved all their valuables to their ships and escaped. This took place
932
AH
victory,
(1525 AD).
14
By
the
in
the year
time this campaign ended in
over two thousand people
including
Muslims, Nair
warriors and the officers of the Zamorin had been killed. The Portuguese' enmity towards the Zamorin and the Muslims increased by the loss of their fort. And this state
of
affairs lasted
for a very long time.
Since they had resolved to wage war on the Portuguese, the
Muslims began
to
make
trade trips
by
ships without a license
a. It appears the Zamorin had four wazirs. They were Accan of Mangat (Mangat Achan), Elayadu of Tenanceri (Tenanccri Elayatu) near Malappuram, and two others. The wazw mentioned in the text was probably Elayadu.
Vasco da
Gama
Alfonso de Albuquerque. [BRITISH
MUSEUM]
Kappad beach where Portuguese navigator Vasco da Gama
arrived in 1498,
A monument marks the spot where he landed.
if
The mimbar
Marakkar Masjid is the throne captured by Kunjali Marakkar from a Portuguese ship.
in the Kunjali
Close-up of carved decorations on the mimbar, showing, among others, images of eagles and a queen.
'
65
The Rivalry between Zamorin and Portuguese
from the Portuguese, fully prepared for war. They carried dried
few other
ginger, pepper, etc. to Gujarat and
some of those
Although
ships could escape from the Portuguese, most of
people of
on land because of
or stranded
them were captured result,
places.
Darmadam and
this.
As
"
a
make
their allies volunteered to
peace with the Portuguese towards the close of the season, and started their trade trips with
But the Zamorin
before.
license
and
his
from the Portuguese as subjects
continued
their
confrontation with the Portuguese for years. This weakened their
power and exhausted In the year
AH
935
(1528 AD), during the early monsoon
shipwrecked
Portuguese vessel
a
period,
their resources.
at
Tanur
in
the
beginning of the rainy season. The king of Tanur gave shelter to those
board. The Zamorin wrote to the Tanur king
who were on
hand over
demanding
to
the people
on board. But
to
the ship, her merchandise
him
the Zamorin* s
demand was
and
refused.
This prompted the Tanur king to conclude a pact with the
Portuguese by which the people of Tanur were
to
resume
their
trade trips with license from the Portuguese, and the Portuguese
were
on
to build a fort
the northern side of the
which was under
his territory.
of building the
fort here
Zamorin, harass the
The main purpose behind
was
travellers
to
and
weaken
the idea
the position
of the
to cripple Ponnani.'
build the fort, the Portuguese set out
To
Ponnani River,
from Kochi
in
many
ships and boats carrying bricks and quicklime, and anchored off
Ponnani.
It
might have been perhaps Allah's help
and the Muslims, fierce storm
all
slaves
Zamorin
those ships and boats were wrecked in a
and some of them were cast away on the southern
side of Wcliancodc.
Several
to the
Only
a
people including the
drowned
at sea.
And of
small boat escaped the ravages.
Portuguese, those
their
workers and
who managed
to
escape
to
66
TUHFATAL-MUJAHIDlN
the shore, several
men who were by
free
were caught and
A
killed.
number of
prisoners in the hands of the Portuguese were set
the Muslims.
The Zamorin gained
all
Thus the clandestine plot of the Portuguese and here
great
the big cannons. their local allies
was thwarted.
In the year 937 or 938
Zamorin and trip in
a
AH
(1530-31
AD)
the subjects of the
few others from outside together made a trade
about thirty ships
to
various ports of Gujarat.
The party
included Ali Ibrahim Marakkar, his nephew Kutty Ibrahim
Marakkar and
their friends
Most of them got off Barooj.
18
boats for
and
and a few other important people.
at Jujar
Learning about
this,
They seized
also got off at the ports
the ships
who
got off at Barooj
to escape.
Before the
of Jujar
which were harboured there
together with the merchandise. Those
managed
at
the Portuguese set out in ships and
war with them. They
Surat.
and Surat and a few others
this incident,
Gujarat
Sultan
many
and
the
ships belonging to
people
Bahadur Shah,
of Malabar,
had,
by
misfortune, fallen into the hands of the Portuguese on various occasions.
Chapter Five
The Second Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty, and the Construction of the
Portuguese Fort
at
Chaliyam
ne of the top Portuguese officials a land in the to
present
intelligent
Muslim
name of peace, concealing himself before
notables during the time
treaty relationship with the
the
at
the
when
and treachery,
He was
very
rapport with
some
Zamorin.
the Portuguese \yere in a
Zamorin before,
Ponnani, this Portuguese
Tanur king. He stayed with him
from Kochi by
deceit
man had good
and cunning. This
Arriving
set out
till
1
man went
straight to
he brought about peace
between him and the Zamorin.
The Zamorin, who captured
the Portuguese fort of Calicut,
was a weak and feeble-minded monarch, and he was grossly
who was
addicted to drinking, while his brother Nanbiyadhar,
to
succeed him after his death, was a strong, shrewd, brave man.
He was
noted for his recalcitrant attitude towards their ancient
customs prevalent among them.
The peace agreement the Zamorin made with brought great suffering
to
the
ruler
The name of this high
official is
not known,
67
Tanur king
of Tanur, the Zamorin
himself and his officials and his successors, since a.
the
it
has allowed
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDTN
68 the Portuguese to build the fort at
sea route of the travellers
Zamorin and
However,
Zamorin
And
on the route of
also
It is
from Calicut
trips
Arabia through Chaliyam, situated only
of about eight miles from Calicut, after discussing matters at last
also
at a
suffered.
permitted the Portuguese to build a fort there.
Chaliyam
huge
in a
loaded with materials needed for the construction of the
They entered Chaliyam River towards
of Rabl* al-Akhir
in the
a strong fort, at the
year 938
mosque)
stage of the advent of Islam to
already been
made
2
AH (1531 AD) and constructed that
the ancient
had been
—of which mention has
Malabar
—along with two other mosques. They used
building the fort and a church inside the
Portuguese
Masjid
built in the early
the blocks and other materials of the demolished
In the
month
the end of the
same time demolishing
al-Jami' (congregation
The Muslims complained
for
fort.
course of the construction of the
man came and burrowed
mosques
fort,
at
first
a
out one block of the wall of
the congregation mosque, mentioned above, and took
this.
to
with the king of Chaliyam, the
the Portuguese, very soon, arrived at
ship, fort.
his troops.
from many countries. The trade
their destinations in
distance
Chaliyam which was on the
to the leader
it
away.
of the Portuguese about
Immediately the officer came with a group of workers and
patched up the burrowed out part using blocks and cement. That act gladdened the
home
Muslims of
the locality
and they returned
cheerfully and with gratitude.
The second day of the
incident, the Portuguese
came
in
a big
group and pulled down the entire mosque. They did not spare a single brick.
The Muslims again approached
the leader of the
Portuguese and complained, but he told them that the mosque
and
its site
had been sold
to
them by
their king.
3
The Muslims
returned grief stricken. After that they used to assemble in a
The Second Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty
small
mosque which was
stop there.
69
The Portuguese did not
situated far.
Those wicked devils broke open the graves and tombs
of the Muslims on the the construction of the
site
and used their bricks and blocks
fort,
Before the completion of the construction of the
Zamorin who allowed brother, Nanbiyadhar,
its
fort,
the
construction died, and his younger
assumed power
as the
new Zamorin. He
annulled the pact and declared war on the Chaliyam king. laid
for
He
waste the territory of Chaliyam king and the king eventually
surrendered to the Zamorin and had a pact with him according to ancient customs and conventions prevailing on such matters at that time,
4
The same in Gujarat
year,
5
AmTr Mustafa al-Ruml 6
from Mocha (Muqwa) with cannon and vast
Malik Tughan, son of Malik
lyas,
behalf of Sultan Bahadur Shah arrival
was
Diu
treasure,
the governor of
at that time.
port
Diu on
Learning about the
of Mustafa al-Ruml, the Portuguese rushed to the place to
bring the
Diu
port under their control,
with the cannons. routed
arrived at
and they
humiliated.
By fled
AmTr Mustafa met them
the will of Allah, the Portuguese were
the
place,
shamefully
defeated
and
Chapter Six
The Third Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty C^jjn the year 940
Portuguese on certain conditions: One of the conditions
^11 the
L
was
least
AH (1533 AD) the Zamorin made peace with
that the
Zamorin' s subjects will send from Calicut
at
four ships annually with merchandises to the Arabian
shores.
Accordingly, a
merchandises
set out to
subjects also started to go
fleet
of four ships fully laden with
Arabia the same year. The Zamorin's
on trade
trips to other countries as
well
with the license from the Portuguese.
Then, the Zamorin declared war on the Tanur king and fought him and subjugated him until peace was restored between
them by which several
The mediator
the
for
pact
gentleman
who had come from Kochi
their fort at
Chaliyam.
On
to
cede to Zamorin
adjacent to Ponnani and a
territories
Chaliyam,
Tanur king was made
the
was
little
the
isle
near
Portuguese
for the construction of
1
the heels of the treaty
between the Zamorin and the
Portuguese, Khawajah Husayn Zanjaqdar al-Ruml and Faqih
Ahmad Marakkars
brother Kunhi Marakkar arrived by ship at
Rabf al-Awwal, 941 AH (1534 AD). They the Zamorin with many presents and gifts by
Calicut shore on 16
had been sent
to
Sultan Bahadur Shah. The Sultan's request was that the Zamorin
send Malabar Muslims to Gujarat to fight the Portuguese
But
this
was of no avail/ 70
at sea.
Chapter Seven
Conclusion of Peace between Sultan Bahadur Shah and the
Portuguese; and the Surrender of
Some of his s
soon as
Ports to the Portuguese
Humayun
their graves
with
a
light!)
assumed power
the end of the year 941 attention to Gujarat. cities in Gujarat.
He
1
son of Sultan Babar,
AH
(May Allah
in Delhi towards
(1535 AD), he turned his
attacked and destroyed
The Gujarat
fill
ruler Sultan
routed. Filled with terror and afraid of
some of
the
Bahadur Shah was
Humayun, Bahadur Shah
sent messengers to the Portuguese for help.
The Portuguese were
quick to respond and a treaty was concluded between them, the Sultan ceding few of his ports like Vasai,
Portuguese.
Mahim,
The Portuguese took possession of these
etc. to the
ports and
extended their domain by annexing the surrounding region.
The Portuguese gained their
power and influence
great advantages
increased.
by
The Sultan
this treaty
and
also surrendered
Humayun Badshah was the Mughal Emperor between 1530 and 1540 and 1555 and 1556 AD. During the years 1540 and 1555 AD he was a wanderer,
a.
?
was deprived of his empire by Sher Shah. Babar Badshah (Zahiruddin Muhammad) was the founder of the Mughal as he
empire
in India.
He
ruled at Delhi between 1526 and 1530
71
AD.
72
TUHFATAL-MUJAHIDlN
to the
Portuguese the control over the port of Diu and charged
them with
government. For
its
this the
Portuguese were to get
half of the revenue collected there. Thus the Portuguese ruled
Diu and
fortified
it.
In the past, the Portuguese
the island
Diu and had made
were longing
to get possession
several attempts to capture
it
during
the reign of Malik lyas and later during the reign of his sons.
they were never able to subdue
disappointed
in their
it
Allah, glory be to
Him
it
will.
This time their wish
was made easy
Him we
his
body
for them.
and exalted be He, had also decreed that
Sultan Bahadur Shah should die by their hands. 3
and threw
But
and they always returned
hopes by Allah's
and Allah's decree coincided, and so
of
into the sea. Verily
we
are
They
killed
him
from Allah and
to
AH
(1537 AD).
After the martyrdom of the Sultan, Diu as a whole
came under
return!
It
happened on
3
Ramadan, 943
the Portuguese control and they settled there.
Such was the
decree of Allah, the All-Wise and the All-Powerful. repel the
judgement of Allah or dispute His
In the year
944
AH
No one
will.
(1537 AD), the Portuguese
fell
Paravanna and killed Kutty Ibrahim Marakkar, son of Ibrahim Marakkar set
the
city
4
ablaze
upon
Umar
to
Ali
and those of his friends with him. They also
and then they returned. This happened
notwithstanding the fact the treaty with the Tanur king was in force
shall
still
and the people of Tanur and Parawanna were making
trade trips with license
from them. The reason
for this act
of
violence was that Kutty Ibrahim reportedly sent a ship laden
with pepper and dried ginger to Jeddah port without license from the Portuguese.
The one thing
the Portuguese detested
most was
trade trips by others in pepper and dried ginger to other places,
especially to Jeddah.
Then
the
Zamorin
set
out to
Kodungallur
Portuguese and the ruler of Kochi. The war lasted
to
fight the
many
days,
Conclusion ofpeace
and Allah infused
73
into
Zamorin's mind a dread of them and
consequently he relumed from there without achieving anything.
Then die Portuguese
built a fort at K.odungallur,
a
It
was
a strong
harrier for Zamoriii to take on. It
Faqih
was
incident that All Ibrahim
after this
Ahmad Marakkar
and
his brother
Allah's blessings be upon them)
Kunhi Marakkar (may
left for
When
of forty two vessels.
fleet
Marakkar and
Kayal Pattananr*
they reached Puttalam,
6
in a
they
harboured the ships and stayed there for days and became vain
and
The Portuguese arrived
idle.
there in
and, as destined by Allah, captured
party
of Marakkar
happened
AD).
in the
Those
martyrs
fell
month of Sha'ban
who
survived
all
in
few ships and fought
their ships.
the
in the
returned
Many
confrontation.
This
AH
(1538
Malabar.
Near
year 944 to
in the
Nallambilly on the way, All Ibrahim Marakkar died.
May
Allah
shower on him His generous mercy and blessings!
The Portuguese had captured a few ships belonging people of Kakkad near Kannur the same year. those devilish transgressors!
a.
The
fort
was constructed
in
.1
537 AD,
May
to the
Allah ruin
Chapter Eight
Sulayman Basha' s
Visit to
Dm and the
Neighbouring Places C^jjt
was
also in
944
AH
(1538
AD)
that
1
Sulayman Basha, the
i|waz7> of Turkish Sultan Sulayman Shah, 2 about whom L mention was already made, arrived at Aden port fully prepared for war, with a fleet of hundred warships, several cargo boats,
and other paraphernalia of war.
He
killed
Shaykh 'Amir
bin Dawtid, the Sultan of the place, and a few other important
people there and captured the port. 3 Then he marched against Gujarat and fell upon Diu. He destroyed the major portion of fort walls with the huge cannons he brought with him. In the course
of the
fight,
Allah instilled fear of Portuguese in the mind of
Sulayman Basha and he returned
Rome. When
left
for
and
rebuilt the forts
One
4
Egypt
and from there, he
the Portuguese arrived at Diu, they repaired
and made them more secure.
year after Ali Ibrahim Marakkar's death, Faqih
Marakkar and fleet
to
his brother
Kunhi Marakkar
of eleven ships. Learning about
them and fought and captured
this,
set out to
Ceylon
in a
the Portuguese chased
their ships.
Many among them
were martyred and those who survived went ahead king of Ceylon. Faqih
Ahmad
to
meet the
Ahmad Marakkar and Kunhi Marakkar
were among them. However, the king of Ceylon murdered them 5
treacherously. Verily
we
are for Allah and to Allah
74
we
return.
Chapter Nine
The Fourth Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty C^jjn Sha'ban, 946 jjjl
AH
(1540 AD), the Portuguese came to the
Zamorin seeking peace. He was then
was concluded
in
the
Kodungallur King. Following to
undertake trade
Portuguese.
trips
this, the
Zamorin's subjects began
carrying with
AH
prominent leader of Kannur,
(1545 AD), the Portuguese
Abu Bakar
lasting
may
Allah's blessings be
hostility
Ali.
Also killed
Kunhi Sooppy. Abu Bakar Ali
in law,
the uncle of Arakkal Ali Adhraja
father,
them passes from the
1
with him was his brother
was
and peace
presence of Tanur king and the
Then, on 8 Muharrarn. 952 killed a
in Ponnani,
and Kunhi Sooppy, his
upon them, This caused a long-
between the Portuguese and the people of
Kannur. Eventually peace was established.
73
Chapter Ten
Hostility
between the Zamorin and the
Portuguese treaty
was signed on
Muharram, 957
I
between the Zamorin and one of the
was
was adjoining
to
(1550
rulers of Malabar,
the important ally of the ruler of
territory
AH
AD) who
Kochi and whose
Kochi on the southern
1
side.
The
Portuguese calls him 'pepper king'* because large quantities of pepper were exported from his towns. He became one of the allies of the Zamorin and gave him his kingdom. In return, the
Zamorin
will
recognise his brother as the fourth in line of
succession to the Zamorin. The Zamorin accordingly brother the fourth in the succession in accordance
made
his
with the
ancient custom prevalent in Malabar.
When Kochi and and
the 'pepper king' returned to his town, the ruler of the Portuguese arrived there to wage war against him
in the battle followed, the
pepper king was burnt
This happened in Jamadi al-Awwal, 957
to death.
AH (1 550 AD).
When news he
set
of the pepper king's death reached the Zamorin, out immediately from Calicut to fight the Portuguese and
their ally.
He
reached the town of the pepper king and fought the
Evidently the author refers to the Raja of Vatakkenkur (also called Pimienta) a friend of the Zamorin. His territory lay to the south-east of Cochin (Sec K. P. Padraanabha Menon, History of Kerala, Vol. I pp. 502-03). a.
who was
76
Hostility between the
Zamorin mid
the
He had
Portuguese and the Kochi king. of his wealth for
this,
8
expend huge amount
to
but returned to Calicut, without gaining
anything neither for himself or his
On
11
Portuguese
ally.
Jamadi al-Akhir, the same year, large body of the
troops of the pepper king crossed the river and entered Kochi,
They
set
ablaze every house they passed by.
The devastation
They did
so because their
they caused to Kochi was immense.
king was killed in the fight against the ruler of Kochi and the Portuguese.
May
caused
This
Allah chastise them with severe chastisement.
the
conflict
between
the
Portuguese. The Portuguese set out from preparations for
war and landed
at
and
Zamorin
Goa with massive
Tikkodi, They burnt f
houses, the trade centres and the big jam ah
happened on Saturday, 14 Shawwal, 957
the
mosque
AH
down
there.
the
This
(1550 AD), They
arrived at Pantalayani the second day of this incident and burnt
down
the houses and shops there
mosque
and also the big
built in the early stage of the spread
following Thursday, they landed at Ponnani
at
(
jum ah
of Islam, The
daybreak and
set
ablaze several houses, warehouses and four mosques including the big
jwn'ah mosque
there. In all these three towns, a large
number of Muslims were martyred/ Towards
the end of
report spread widely in
Jamadi al-Akhir, 960
Malabar
AH
(1553
AD)
a
to the effect that 'All al-Rumi,
one of the military leaders of the Muslims, was martyred
in the
3
course of his fight with the Portuguese near Keelakkara and that all his
He
ships were captured.
May
Allah destroy the Portuguese as
destroyed the \Ad and the Thamud.
and
to
Allah we return! Such
is
Powerful and the All-Knowing. that 'All
It
4
Verily
we are
for Allah
the decree of Allah, the All-
was
just before this incident
al-Ruml had captured a few of the Portuguese ships and
78
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHlDlN
landed
at
Punnakkayal
near
Kayal
Portuguese were taking up residence.
Portuguese
to rout
In Rajab,
960
Pattanam
He
where
attacked and put the
and devastated the place.
AH
(1553 AD), a Turk by the name of Yusuf,
arrived at Ponnani from the Maldives, notwithstanding the season for trade trips.
5
He came with
cannons captured from the Portuguese island.
6
the
a
it
was not
number of very huge
who were
living
on the
Chapter Eleven
The
Fifth
Zamorin-Portuguese Treaty
'hen the Portuguese continued with their activities in the
same
way,
increased.
weakness
the
and
poverty
So the Zamorin concluded a
of
Muslims
treaty with the
Portuguese and the Zamorin's subjects began to undertake trade trips, like others,
with license from the Portuguese, This treaty
happened
Muharram, 963
in early
About two years
or
more
Darmadam, and
Kannur,
1
Then peace was restored and resumed
AD),.
after this treaty, the
Muslims of
neighbourhoods had serious
their
disputes with the Portuguese,
AH (1555
These lasted about two years. the people
their trade trips with the license
of these localities
from the Portuguese, as
they used to do before.
During the period of the struggle against the Portuguese, All Adhraja, large
who was
a great leader, energetic and zealous, spent a
amount of money
his subjects in other
was during angry
mood
in that
war. But the ruler Kolattiri and
towns did not lend support
to Adhraja,
It
that period the accursed Portuguese started out in to despoil
Adhraja of his islands
2
in
Malabar,
3
The
Portuguese went in their corvettes and attacked the island of
Amini where they
a.
This
is
killed a large
number of inhabitants, captured
known as the Laccadives, One of group was Amini, which even now goes by the same name.
a reference to the group of islands
the islands in the
79
&0
TUHFATAL-MUJAHIDIN
more than
men and women, plundered almost and burned many houses and mosques.
four hundred
everything of value,
Before they descended upon Amini, they went (Chetlatt)
where they slew some of
to
Shaytalkam
the people and captured
some.
The of
inhabitants of
weapons,
and
Notwithstanding
this,
The qadi was an
Though
martyrs.
as
fell
none
capable
number of
large
a
(religious leader and judge) note.
was
there
enemy and
against the
these islands were ignorant of the use
all
and
a pious
elderly
the
to give
inflicted
killed.
person,
blows on them severely with
islands off
fought
their
virtuous
qadi
worthy
of.
and pious.
no arms, they
testimony to their faith in their religion
May Allah wrap them with
The
people
woman were
and die as martyrs. They flung earth and stones and
fight.
Of them
the inhabitant of that island possessed
were prepared
to
at the
sticks
till
Portuguese they were
His Infinite Mercy.
Malabar Coast are many
number but
in
the
big ones which are like cities are five: Amini, Kardib, Andur, Kalfini and Malki.
Of
the small islands, the thickly populated
ones are Akti, Kanjamanjala, Kaltan and Shaytlakam. 3
When
Allah, glory be to
put His servants to
test.
He
Him and
granted respite to the Portuguese.
enabled them to establish their power like the seaports
They had in
their
exalted be He, wished to
in a large
He
number of ports
of Malabar, Gujarat, Konkan and other places.
sway over
these places by opening trade factories
most of these towns. They
built fortresses
m Hurmuz (Ormuz,
Persian Gulf), Masqat (Maskat),
Dewmahall (Maldives), Shamtara
Malaqa (Malacca),
Maluku (Moluccas), Mylapur,
(Sumatra),
Nakfatan and
in other seaports
of Sholamandal (Coromandel), and
also in
many
far as
China. Their trade was flourishing in these ports and
ports of Silan (Ceylon). Further they
had reached
as
The Fifth Zamor in -Portuguese Treaty
81
elsewhere, while the Muslim merchants
humbled and made
submit
to
commodities except
not.
permitted to trade in
goods in which the Portuguese had
in
The commodities
interest.
Portuguese as servants.
to the
The Muslim merchants were
these places were
in
in
which
little
the Portuguese had interest
yielded large profits. They assumed exclusive rights to trade
such commodities, and
on
their rights.
They
was not possible
it
such other
were forbidden sea-voyages
list
which yielded
articles,
for others to encroach
cinnamon, clove, spice and
purposes
The Muslims
large profits.
to trade in all these articles
for trade
in
monopoly with pepper and
started their
ginger but gradually added to the
all
to the
and or to undertake
Arabian coast, Malacca, 4
Ashi (probably Aeeh, North Sumatra), Danasri and other places.
Thus there remained nothing
Muslims of Malabar, but the
for the
petty trade in areca nut, cocoanuf clothes and such other things.
Their
sea-traffic
was
also
confined
to
Konkan,
Gujarat,
Sbolamandal and round about QaiL
The Portuguese Mangalore places to
built forts in
Muslims from bringing
to prevent the
Goa and
Honnawarairv Basarur and rice
from these
Malabar, and likewise to the ports of Arabia.
The Portuguese, may God destroy them, became importers of merchandise from different part of the world, stored them various parts of the districts and continued to augment rulers in different seaports submitted themselves to
them
The
it.
to
in
such
an extent that the authority of the Portuguese in these places
became supreme. Before Muslims
to travel
their protection for the
at sea
and with
long,
it
became impossible
anywhere
their papers.
Portuguese and they
in the
Thus
owned many
for
the
world except under there
was much
ships.
On
trade
the other
82
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
hand
was
there
little traffic
on the sea for the Muslims and
their
trade had to be carried on through the ships of the Portuguese.
No
one ventured
by
to capture the forts built
Only the brave Sultan
AH
al-Ashi,
6
may
Allah
fill
light.
The Sultan captured Sumatra and turned
state,
may
Zamorin
Allah reward him for
this
sendee
the Portuguese.
it
his grave
into an Islamic
Muslims; the
to the
the ruler of Calicut, captured the Portuguese forts in
Calicut and Chaliyam; and the Ceylon king captured the Portuguese
had
the
early
security to
to
special reason.
stopped the ships
it
in the
at
the forts
were not
forts.
Portuguese
honoured and gave
they had issued,
By 960
whosoever sought
of their
the
harmed any
interrupted or
some
stage,
licenses
the
all
built in his country, but these forts
built as invincible as the rest
In
with
And
they had not
trader with the license except for
AH
(1558 AD), they issued license
the beginning of the journey but
open
sea, captured
them, looted their
merchandises and killed the travellers brutally regardless of
whether they were Muslims or non-Muslims. They killed the travellers
in
wicked
manner,
such
as
hacking,
throwing
overboard into sea with their limbs fully bound, or tying a
number of them together In 970
AH
(1562
in nets
AD)
and cast them
into the seas.
7
or shortly before, they captured a
group of Ethiopian Muslims
in
Goa.
They forced them
to
convert to Christianity. They tortured them until they converted outwardly.
When
of them returned
woman whom refused,
they escaped from their hold and to
Islam glorifying Allah.
Goa,
all
One Abyssinian
the Portuguese compelled to accept Christianity,
and she was put
mercy and
left
blessings!
to death.
May
Allah shower on her His
Chapter Twelve
Cause of the Zamorin and Portuguese Rivalry, and the Beginning of the
Portuguese Setback CJrf he Muslim strength decreased and their maritime trade all over came to a stop because of the heavy handed acts of the
I,
Portuguese.
Then
the
Muslims of Walapattanam, Tikkodi,
Pantalayani and few other places organized themselves and,
without obtaining the Portuguese license, boats, with
set
weapons and ammunition ready
out at sea in cargo for war.
Soon they
encountered the Portuguese and in the battle followed they captured several Portuguese ships and boats. This stirred the subjects of the
Zamorin
Pomiani, Puttanangadi, and
in Calicut,
Kakkad, and they too captured many of the Portuguese ships and boats
and took
many Portuguese
came
enterprises, a lot of Portuguese wealth
They
also captured a great
unbelievers of Gujarat,
of these undertake fully
activities, trips at
number of
Konkan and
the
Through
captives. into
these
Muslim hands.
ships that belonged to the
other places. In consequence
Portuguese
could
not,
ever
since,
sea without great precaution and the escorts of
equipped warships.
This situation eventually led to the economic setback of the Portuguese. This
in
turn reduced for the
83
Muslims
the opportunity
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDlN
84 to capture their wealth.
Muslims
Thus there prevailed a
started looting
to this state
corvettes
of
affairs are that
most of the Muslim owners of were
their ships
Thus they were compelled
recover, before they returned to shore, as
had spent when they
set out to sea.
to
jointly
owned by
seek the means to
much money
When
have captured from the Portuguese was hesitate to grab
which
one another. The reasons often ascribed
were not rich and
several people.
situation in
as they
they find what they
insufficient, they did not
from whomsoever they can, Muslim or non-
Muslim. Although they had taken an oath when they
would not
the trip that they
stretch their
hands
to the
set out for
wealth of
the Muslims, they did not, in practice, return whatever had to their
hands even
if
they
came
to
know
that
it
belonged
come
Muslims, They do not have a leader with power
to
to the
pass
judgement over them! Those who rule over the country were interested only in getting their share of the looted wealth.
who
advice and good counsel will benefit only those
conscious and pious, and such
About
the middle of
men
are
in about
Ramadan, 974
AH
(1566
AD)
On
to
?
a group
set out
from
twelve ships. They captured a huge cargo boat
belonging to the Portuguese which was bringing
from Bengal
are self
few among them.
of people of Ponnani, Pantalayani and other places
Ponnani
Mere
rice
and sugar
Ponnani.
Saturday,
JamadI al-Akhir, 976
AH
(1568
AD),
another group of people from Ponnani, Pantalayani and
some
S
other places set out from Ponnani in seventeen ships. Kutty
Pocker was
in the group.
They came
face to face with a
huge
Portuguese cargo ship near Chaliyam. That cargo boat was
coming from Kochi. On board were about a thousand people, soldiers, lot
many new
converts to Christianity, and slaves, with a
of wealth and equipments.
A
fierce battle
took place between
Cause of the Zamorin and Portuguese Rivalry
85
them. In the course of the struggle the cargo ship caught burnt
down
completely. The Muslims
cannons from
it.
And
managed
to
and
fire
few
get a
they could capture about a hundred
Portuguese soldiers, a few dignitaries, several slaves and a few
The
servants.
rest perished cither in fire or
drowning. Praise be
to Allah.
After a few days of the incident, the same out to Kayal Pattanam.
On
Muslim group
set
way, they captured twenty-two
their
ships belonging to the Portuguese. Those ships,
coming with
rice
from Kayal Pattanam, Coromandel and other places, had on board a number of new converts to Christianity and three little elephants.
The Muslims captured the new
and brought the
Towards
little
Christian converts,
elephants ashore near the Ponnani River.
AH
end of JamadT al-Akhir, 978
the
(1570 AD),
Kutty Pocker entered the Mangalore River with six ships night.
ashore and set
fire
almost
all
the Portuguese
then captured one small Portuguese ship and returned safe,
forts,
with
He went
at
all
his ships intact.
Portuguese
ships
near
On
his
way, he met with about fourteen
Kannur.
He
died
martyr
a
in
confrontation with them. His body could not be recovered. the ships, only
two could manage
Kutty Pocker!
He was
to escape.
May
the
Of
Allah bless
who
bravely
leading figure of Kannanur, Arakkal Ali Adhraja,
may he
indeed a sincere fighter
fought the Portuguese.
A
blessed by God, perceiving the poverty, miseries and collapse of (aide the
Muslims were suffering from because of
the accursed
Portuguese, wrote to the great generous Sultan of Bijapur, Ali
Add the
Shah, seeking his help to
wage jihad in
purpose of rescuing these Muslims
the
way of God
for
who were becoming
86
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDlN
weaker on account of the cruelty of Portuguese. He also sent several gifts to Adil Shah' along with the letter.
Allah infused in the Sultan's mind to make preparations for
war towards
the
Goa
Portuguese in India. Adil
Shah's
killing
which was the headquarters of the
Goa once belonged
grandfather.
After
may Allah be pleased conquer Goa port and Chaul
Nagar,
Soon
to Sultan Adil
Shah, Ali
Vijayanagar and
destroying
Shah and Nizam Shah, 2
king, Adil
its
port
the ruler of
Ahmad
with both, came to an agreement to
after he received the letter
from Adhraja, Sultan Ali
Adil Shah started in person with his ministers, arrived at the
and
port
commenced
fighting
against
the
Goa
Portuguese.
He
blocked the food and provisions reaching the Portuguese. Then Ali Adil Shah wrote a letter to the Zamorin informing
he had started to the
hostilities against the
Zamorin
war and
that
he and
his
Portuguese in Goa.
his subjects were, for years, in a state
The
letter
messenger
at
Portuguese
at that time.
there.
was delivered
their forces
They destroyed
Nizam Shah and and began the
this
Zamorin and
hostility against
him through a
to
Chaliyam where he was engaged
In the meanwhile,
Chaul with
of open
that
He wrote
people should assist him in
cut off supplies to the Portuguese. Already
the Portuguese.
him
in a
war with
the
his ministers arrived at
hostilities
Portuguese
with the Portuguese
forts
using big
there
cannons. They were winning the war and they were on the verge
of conquering the Chaul port. At that particular stage a suspicion occurred in
Nizam Shah about
Adil Shah. Also he
felt
frightened
about the Portuguese power and might! Abruptly he stopped the
war and made
As
a treaty with the Portuguese.
for Sultan Adil Shah, he
for the failure in his
own
might be exonerated from blame
undertaking.
Goa was
far
away from
Cause of the Zamorin and Portuguese Rivalry
his
encampment, and also the
river lay
Goa was
Further the fortress at
extensive fortifications and
it
87
between him and the
city,
strong and inaccessible with
was not possible
for
any one
to
it
except with the help of the Almighty Allah. Besides,
some of his
ministers had already established clandestine rapport
subjugate
with the Portuguese and planning to imprison Adil Shah and
hand over the kingship
good terms with
to
one of his relatives
in
Goa who was on
the Portuguese. Confronted with all these, in his
Adil Shah had sneaked out from his military
helplessness,
headquarters and
left
the place. Arriving
back
at his palace,
Shah searched out those of his ministers who were spying
Adil
for the
Portuguese, removed them from offices and punished them by
imprisonment.
on
Portuguese
Then Adil Shah concluded peace with account
of certain
important
reasons.
Portuguese, meanwhile, built more invincible structures in
and
fortified
have access
it
to
strongly it.
making
This
is
it
the
The
Goa
impossible for any outsider to
ordained by Allah, the All-Powerful
and the All-Wise.
Nizam
Shah, his ministers as well as the ministers of Adil
Shah betrayed Adil Shah, They had been secretly delivering food and other provisions
to
them taking
from Allah the due reward for doing Islam.
bribes. Let this
them receive
help to the enemies of
Chapter Thirteen
The War that Ended
Conquest of
Chaliyam Fort
the
C^he
Zamorm
stood firm with the resolution to lay siege to
1
,
D
in the
Chaliyam'
on account of the transgression of the
fort
Portuguese
and
the
earnest
request
of the
Muslims,
especially their entreaty that he should avail himself of the
opportunity
the
at
time
of the Muslim expedition
to
Goa,
because the Portuguese on that occasion will not be able to send ships and troops in support from
The Zamorm
sent to
Goa
to
Chaliyam.
Chaliyam few of his ministers and with
them were the people of Ponnani who were joined by people of Chaliyam. These were joined on their
way by people from
Parawanna, Tanur and Parappanangadi. All of them arrived
Chaliyam and camped
there on
Wednesday, 25
Safar,
979
at
AH
(1571 AD). Fighting between them and the Portuguese began by
daybreak
itself.
The Muslims
set fire to the
houses and churches
the Portuguese had built outside the fort and tore
outer wall which
among
the
Portuguese
a.
was
built
several people
The Zamorin besieged the and
lasted for four months,
fort at
the fort's
of mud. Only three persons from
Muslims were martyred side,
down
in this struggle.
were
killed.
of Shaliyat (Chaliyam)
The Portuguese in
the end of the period the
completely defeated.
88
But on the
The siege Portuguese were 1571.
The War
that
Ended in
the
Conquest of the. Chaliyam Fort
sought refuge inside the stonewalled main the Nair forces besieged the
fort.
By
fort.
The Muslims and
then, several
Muslims from
various parts of the country joined them to take part struggle against the Portuguese. the fort
They dug deep
and remained outside on guard. With
89
holy
in this
ditches around
chances of
this, the
reaching food and other provisions into the fort secretly from outside
became very remote.
The Zamorin spent a months
of the
personally
lot
of his wealth for
commencement of
arrived
Chaliyam.
at
remaining inside the
fort,
this
war,
the
war. After two
Zamorin
the
The Portuguese were
completely besieged.
When
still
they had
run out of food and other provisions, they began to eat the meat
of animals such as dogs that nobody would
like to eat.
Since
they didn't have anything to feed them with, they began to send out the slaves and those Christianity by
Muslims
let
force,
them go
men and women
they had converted to
small numbers every day.
in
free, too.
And
the
Although provisions arrived from
Kochi and Kannur for the Portuguese, they couldn't reach them
howsoever they
inside the fort, fights with the
But
any
lasted for long, they sent an
They informed
huge cannons
in the fort
result.
envoy
Zamorin
the
this,
they even had
this
ditches.
Eventually, as the siege to the
Zamorin suing
him
that they shall give
and compensate him for
he had to spend for
that
For
Muslims who were guarding outside the
that too didn't yield
peace.
tried.
war and a
lot
all
more.
for
a few-
the wealth It
was not
acceptable to the Zamorin, But his ministers thought the terms quite acceptable.
The Portuguese were And,
in their helplessness,
terribly distressed
by food shortage.
they approached the Zamorin again.
This time, what they informed him was that he
may
take
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
90
whatever he likes including their
and everything
fort
that they should be delivered alive to a place
inside, only
of safety with a
handful of things that they can take with them. This the Zamorin accepted. Accordingly, in the midnight of
AH (1571
al-Akhir, 979
the fort, giving
them
Monday, 16 Jamadi
AD), they were allowed
They were
a safe passage.
despicable condition along with the ruler of Tanur aiding
and
abetting
them.
march out of
to
sent
away
in
who had been
The Tanur king was inwardly
favourable to their cause but outwardly pretended to be a friend
of the Zamorin. Thus he took responsibility for them, did '
whatever was found necessary for them, took them let
them
stay there until the Portuguese ships from
and took them away. For
this help, the
to
Tanur and
Kochi came
Tanur king had a big
place and influence with the Portuguese. The Portuguese freed
from the Chaliyam
fort thus arrived at
Kochi
fully defeated
and
in deep humiliation.
Once
-
away
the Portuguese
the cannons
abandoned the
and other valuables inside
the fort completely leaving no trace.
and timber from the demolished
mosque fort.
fort,
The remainder he transported
accordance with the understanding
Goa the
and demolished bricks
he gave for rebuilding the
had situated there before the construction of the
that
The
it
Zamorin took
The building blocks,
to Calicut.
and the surroundings were handed over
war.
the
fort,
The
to the
at the
site
of the
Chaliyam king
for the protection of the fort arrived at
Zamorin
s
capture of the
despair and humiliation.
favoured the Muslims.
fort.
The
in
commencement of the
ships and the cargo boats the Portuguese had sent
5
fort
Chaliyam only
from after
Their fate was to go back in
truth
was
that
Allah's
mercy
FOURTEEN
Cl A PTKR [
The
State of the Portuguese after the
Loss of the Chaliyam Fort C'^jf he accursed Portuguese were in a
of violent anger over
subjugation of their fort at Chaliyam. They were raging
.the
([)
fit
Zamorin and the Muslims, and were ever since on the
J at the
lookout for an opportunity to avenge
it.
Their plan was to
continuously torment the Muslims and the Zamorin and destroy
kingdom; and
his in
it
was
to
be achieved by building a
Ponnani or in Chaliyam. But Allah did not make
them
to
fort either it
easy for
accomplish their purpose until the close of the year 987
AH (1580 AD). On
22 Shawwal, 980
descended lire to
at
AH
(1573 AD), some Portuguese
Chaliyam without any warning or
some houses and
shops.
Then they
left
signal, setting
the place.
The
following year, they suddenly attacked Parappanangadi, and in light
tin-
(Hi
Hie side of the
|mmo'
Hin Inj
willi (he
islicd
many
enemy. Yet, they were not inclined
Zamorin
hatred of
after his capture
to
died
make
of Chaliyam port and
him and the Muslims, and were lying
in wait
an opportunity to avenge their defeat. In
I
ensued, four Muslims were martyred while
illy
oks All (1577 AD), the Portuguese captured more than
ships,
hi)>
and small, belonging to the Muslims bound for
1
Tal.-iinmmtar
to load rice.
Many Muslims were 91
martyred in the
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHJDlN
92
confrontations and nearly three thousand people were taken prisoners,
among them
were a few from Halatia;
there
2
this
a big blow to the Muslims. This defeat badly affected travels including trade trips. This
No
Mighty and All-Knowing! goodness behind those
who
this
with patience
all
glorified, that the
all their
from Allah, the All-
one understands the wisdom and
A
except He,
take part in jihad,
a decree
is
was
who
misfortunes.
glorious reward waits for
suffer
We
martyrdom and endure
beseech Allah,
may He
be
Muslims may be shown an opening soon and
they be given great capacity for forbearance, noble and sublime!
Indeed Allah says: "After a difficulty Allah will soon grant relief (Qur'an, 65:7). difficulty there
And
relief (94:5^6),
is
The accursed Portuguese that
were on
in the early
ships
their
way back
He
again
says, "Verily, with every
3
also captured a
after their trips
few Gujarati ships
from Surat
days of the trade season of 985 AH,
belonged
to
Sultan
Jalnluddin
Akbar
to
Jeddah
Some of these Radshah,
and
contained precious commodities. This wickedness on the pari of the Portuguese
brought about enmity between them and the
Sultan.
The Portuguese, however, did not enre
as they
were
full
of precious cargo.
Him, would guide Akbar Badshah
We
to return his ships
hope Allah, glory be
to Lake the right
to
decision and
Allah will help him with great help to wage war against the
Portuguese and drive them out of Vasai,
etc.,
all
the Gujarati ports, like Diu,
which they were occupying.
Afterwards some ships belonging to the Muslims sailed into the river where the Adilabad port
5
was
situated.
The Portuguese
chased them; when they could not catch up with them, they set fire to the
whole harbour
there, although
some of
Kannur, Darmadam, license
intent
on burning every vessel that lay
the ships belonged to the people of
etc.,
from the Portuguese,
who were on
trade trips
with
the
The Stale of the Portuguese
Loss of the Chaliyam Fort
after the
93
The Portuguese afterwards burned the Karapatanam
As
loo.
officers
6
Dabul captured
a consequence of this, the governor of
hundred and
and brave soldiers by some
and a few he sent
including their chief
Portuguese soldiers
fifty
to Sultan
ruse.
Port,
Many
h
of them he killed
Adil Shah.
Following that Sultan Adil Shah sent his forces along with
some of his
Goa
ministers to the
port to keep watch
the time
all
and prevent the people of that place and other towns from supplying provisions
envoys gills
to the
to Adhraja, the
seeking
(heir
Portuguese. Then, the Sultan sent his
Zamorin and
assistance
blockade against the enemy.
in
When
and
Kolattiri with letters
campaign
his
at
envoy arrived
the
wilh his entourage, KolattirPs viceroy,
who was
Goa and at
Kollam
also the third
heir lo the
crown, arrested him and put him behind bars
instigation
of the Portuguese, The envoy somehow managed
at the to
escape from prison. Although Adhraja and Kolattiri himself
asked him to return the presents and goads to
no avail His response was
the
envoy over
to the
that he
year,
envoy,
in
was
it
would have handed even
Portuguese had he not managed
from prison. All these took place
The same
to the
986
some Portuguese
AH
(1.578
officers
to
escape
AD).
approached the
Zamorin and talked of peace with him. The Zamorin was then the
9
Hindu temple of Kodungallur, which was held sacred by
non-believers
of Malabar,
Portuguese envoys met him
and in
therefore
person.
this
a. It
fort to
request.
be
built in
was
here
the
the
The Zamorin requested
the Portuguese to build a fort in Calicut,
wanted a
it
at
Then
the Portuguese
Ponnani also but the Zamorin refused
The Zamorin
sent
was probably the Tirunavay temple.
along with the Portuguese
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDlN
94
who came
officers,
entreating
trustworthy persons to
Goa
peace,
for
three
and
able
peace/ The Goa viceroy
to negotiate
received them with great honour and respect. Then the envoys returned to Zamorin, But the negotiations the Portuguese
insisted
happened
AH (1579 AD),
in
987
same
In the
through because
a port in Ponnani.
in building
This
was concluded between Adil Shah
year, peace
and Portuguese
fell
after they paid the
sum of
Sultan a certain
money.
The Kochi king made preparations Zamorin
for he
He
above.
wanted
to turn
against
the
Zamorin,
Goa
delivered several
war ships
ruler.
to flight. spite
A
large
then sent
letters to
Portuguese
the
viceroy
to him. All these joined together
with the help of Allah,
Kochi
against the
seeking assistance in his war
fought against the Zamorin, who, able,
men and
response,
In
war
him out of the temple mentioned
gathered a large group of
the Portuguese viceroy at
for
to defeat the
number of
The Zamorin and
of
in spile
allied forces
his
men
his small
and
army, was
Portuguese and the
were
killed
and put
did not suffer any loss
in
of their small number.
Then
the Portuguese continued to obstruct from Kochi the
Muslims and capture
trade trips of the
forsake
them and
In the
chastise
them with
monsoon season of 990
their ships.
May
Allah
a severe chastisement!
or 991
AH
(1582-83
AD)
the
Portuguese secretly mounted a vigil throughout the season against the subjects of the
Zamorin from
Calicut, Puttanangadi,
Kakkad,
Pantalayani,
territories
under the rule of the Zamorin. This foiled the trade
trips
from these
and
Tikkodi
territories
and
Ponnani.
even
travels
These
between the
neighbouring towns became impossible for them.
a.
The Portuguese Viceroy
at
Goa
in
1578
were
Thus the
AD was Don Diego de Menezes.
The State of the Portuguese
after the
Loss of the Chaliyam Fort
95
import of rice from Talnar (Talaimannar, Ramnad) also came to
As a
be disrupted.
starvation occurred
over the country. All ports were under the
all
and
control of the Portuguese stop.
And
What
the
unprecedented poverty, famine and
result,
besides, they
raise for us
were capturing every ship
that
passed by.
town, whose people are oppressors; and
this
from Thee one who will help protect us!"
While things remained
to
thus, the Portuguese
y
once again, in
AH
of the trade season of 992
the beginning
to
import and export came to a
Muslims could do except beseech Allah: "Our Lord!
Rescue us from
attempted
all
AD)
(1583
have a treaty with the Zamorin. Finally they came
an agreement on the following terms: the Portuguese will be
permitted to build a fort in Ponnani; the Portuguese captives in the hands of the
Muslims
will
be handed over
Portuguese
to the
viceroy and the Zamorin's subjects in the Portuguese captivity will
be handed back
Zamorin. Accordingly, the Muslims
to the
handed over the Portuguese captives with them viceroy with immediate effect. The
Muslim
to the
Portuguese
captives with the
Portuguese were very few in number. The Portuguese handed
them over
to
the
Zamorin
construction of the fort arrival
would
too.
It
start in the
was
decided
that
the
following year after the
of the new viceroy from Portugal.
The following year four ships arrived from Portugal beginning of the trade season.
from Portugal aboard.
Two
One of them had
the
of the ships harboured
at
new
in the
viceroy
Goa and
the
other two near Koilam. Following that, the then viceroy handed
over the power
to the
new
viceroy.
The new viceroy went Calicut,
straight to
Goa without
landing at
and therefore the Zamorin could not meet him nor could
he present to him the
gifts
he had made ready for him. After the
96
Tuhfatal-MujAhidin
viceroy's arrival at Goa, the Zamorin sent a few dignitaries there.
They met
the viceroy, discussed matters and signed a
new
8
treaty.
On resumed
same
the
of the new treaty, the Zamorin
year, before the trade season set out
Allah, the
from Calicut
was
over,
subjects
s
is
The
two ships with ''
to the
Arabian shores.
Most Merciful! Bring upon
of well-being. Everything
You!
1
their trade trips to places like Gujarat as before.
merchandise
O
basis
the
Your mercy! All
Muslims a
state
Praises are due to
End Notes Introduction relationship is not For the special treatment of the Prophet's family, blood sacred station. Conceding the only criterion. It is the purity of their nature and agree with the spirit of greatness simply based on blood relationship does not of Allah is the best in the Holy Qur'an. "The noblest of you in the sight 1.
conduct" (Qur'an 49:13). n 2.
The
'noblest of creations' (ashraf al-khalq)
is
an attribute of the Prophet
that the a divine bounty on him. Imam Ahmad reports have not received." Prophet (s) said: "I have received what other messengers what they were. He replied: "My enemies are afraid of
Muhammad
(s),
It
is
His disciples asked him Ahmad; soil has me; I have received the keys of the earth; 1 have been named community is superior been made cleaning and purifying agent for me; and my to the rest
of the communities."
Al Tmran, in the Qur'an. The importance of having firm faith in enjoining right conduct and forbidding indecency and explained Allah— qualities and responsibilities of the ideal society— is further 3. First
part of verse 100 of Surah
in the verse.
has recorded this tradition (hadlth) in his Compilation The tradition in quoting Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (r), a companion of the Prophet. children of Adam on the Day of full is thus: "I will be the leader of all the my hands. All the Resurrection. This is not pride. The flag al-hamd will be to emerge from messengers will be behind the flag in my hands. I'll be the first
4.
Imam
al-Tirmidhi
(r)
m
graves cleaving the earth. This 5.
Imam Ahmad
is
not talk of pride."
bin Hanbal (164-241
AH) was born
in
Baghdad and
his death
foremost scholars of Hadlth, an also took place there. He was one of the six The HanbalT school expert in Islamic jurisprudence and an eminent theologian. serve a time in prison of Islamic jurisprudence is named after him. He had to travelled widely to on account of his opposition to the Mu'tazilah sect. He collection AlSham, Yemen, Hijaz, etc., for collecting Hadlth. His famous
Musnad contains
thirty
thousand hadlth.
91
T'UHFAT AL-MUMIIfDIN
98
Miqdad was one of the first seven who made public their faith in Islam. He was one of those who migrated to Ethiopia and took part in the battles of Badr and Uhud, He was one of those whom the Prophet endeared greatly. He died in Madlnah in 33 AH. 6,
Ibn Kathlr has quoted this hadJth in his tafsir (interpretation) of verse 33 of Surah al-Tawbah of the Qur an. The meaning of the verse is this: "It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the Pagans may detest (it)." This is an 7,
1
indication that a time will
come under al-DarT
This
(r),
a
(s): "1
its
(s)
Tamlm saying:
No
mansion or hut will who get dignified by wretchedness by remaining in
there will be those
continue
in their
in
dignity and well-being
jizyah
who
reports from
Tamlm al-DarT (r) recalls that he could see afterwards instances his own family. Those who embraced Islam could achieve
their disbelief
of both cases
Thus
reach.
sections of the society (r)
heard the Prophet
religion will reach wherever night and day reach.
embracing Islam and those
8,
when all imam Ahmad
afterwards
companion of the Prophet
be spared from
and the disbelievers had
subdued paying the
to live
tax.,"
The
India
come
Islam and live accordingly,
history of the spread of Islam in various parts of the
documented.
clearly
is
It
may
be noted here that Sir
world including
Thomas Arnold,
in
famous work The Preaching of islam, has given very clear, effective and who keep saying that Islam was spread with sword, Arnold has further explained the real reasons why Islam spread widely his
incontrovertible reply to those
all
over the world.
Malabar means a territory of hills and mountains. The word here is not merely suggestive of Malabar today. It rather includes the whole of modern Kerala. The Malabar in the map with the Arab geographers is the territory 9,
extending from
word Malabar 10,
The
rulers
to
Gokaraam to Kanyakumarf mean Kerala as a whole.
of
this
Foreigners, even today, use the
place had the tolerance and broadmindedness to receive
the followers of other religions, recognise
them and
facilitate
them
to
propagate
even while they kept faith in their religion, adhered to it in life and were committed to it. This might be because of their piety and sense of justice that enjoin them to honour truth and values wholeheartedly, or because of the warm relationship they had with the nations from where propagators of other their faith
religions
arrived or even
exemplary'
life
because of the personality, purity, manners and that they could witness in the propagators.
L The self-critical approach ot Shaykh Zalnuddin is noteworthy. Even when he describes the Portuguese invasion and their atrocities, he does not leave unnoticed the role the condition of his community then had in having to undergo that experience. He views the Portuguese invasion as a divine 1
punishment for the deviation of the Muslims from the right
path.
Verses 4-8 of
End Notes
99
the Surah al-lsra' in the
when they began
a life
Quran
that refer to the experience
of the
Israelites, as
of transgression and deviation as a prophetic society, of
being divinely punished by being put to the oppressive rule of Nebuchadnezzar
and others,
their persecution
and
torture,
and their demolition of the Jerusalem
temple, could be recalled in this context. 12. The period of the Portuguese occupation AD. The author finished writing the book in
in
Malabar was from 1498
1583, and in the
demise of the author took place. Therefore, only eighty reign is being discussed in this book. 13.
The Muslims had been urged
to fight the
to
1663
same year the sad
five years'
Portuguese
Portuguese not because they were
worshippers of cross, but because they were invaders, oppressors and intruders.
Although worship of cross Islam, 14.
it is
a religious
is
a sin and great transgression in the perspective of
rite for the
Christians,
Adil Shah was one of the five independent Muslim dynasties
the
in
came into prominence by the decline of the Bahmanid kings. This dynasty was founded in 1489 AD by Yusuf Adil Shah who came from Persia. The Adil Shah kings who liberally encouraged art and literature had an allegiance to the Imamiyyah Ithna 'Ashariyyah section of the Shi'ite movement. Ah Adil Shah 1 was the fifth king of this dynasty. The period of his reign was from 1557 to 1580 Ad. Ali Adil Shah who recaptured southern India! Adil Shah dynasty
many of the quite
territories
famous
lost,
in history.
during the reign of his father Ibrahim Adil Shah
That Shaykh Zainuddin who was
is
famous Sunni
a
scholar talks about Ali Adil Shah, a famous ShPitc king, with great admiration,
and dedicates
his
book
to him,
is
quite surprising. This
is
of tolerance to be imitated by scholars of all sections of
an exemplary attitude
all
time.
J inns arc a unique creation different from human beings, with intelligence and great capacity for action. It is believed that this species, invisible to man, 15.
appears before them taking the shape of snake,
etc.
That the jinns
wanted
human
to
serve
beings and creatures like dog Ali
Adil
Shah
is
cither
T
an
exaggeration or a metaphorical description.
Section
One
k The Arabic word context here
is
that
kuffcn\ plural oikqflr
of the Muslim
Therefore, the author
invading
is
non-believers.
peacetime, nor
is
it
is
territories
translated 'unbelievers' here.
The
being invaded by the Portuguese.
explaining the attitude to be taken towards those This
is
not
the
strategy
the general policy and strategy the
to
be
followed
Muslims
during
supposed to towards non-Muslims, It should arc
adopt or had adopted in the historical past, also be remembered here that the Zamorin, a non- Muslim ruler, and forces, were with the Muslims in their struggle against the Portuguese,
his
Nair
1
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
00
Jihad Although 2.
an Arabic word.
is
It
means
struggle,
effort,
and
sacrifice,
etc.
these might be something undertaken by a military force, one
ail
5
cannot translate the word precisely as military campaign or 'holy war\ Even if this word is used to suggest war, it is not the ordinary war that it implies. '
why
an exclusive technical term of Islam, In Arabic, the word usually used for war is harb. The word ijtihad, suggestive of intellectual and epistemological efforts in research, and jihad, are from the common root jahada. The struggle taking place in one's soul and mind also could be That
is
this
word
is
suggested by the word jihad. In short, jihad
is
a conflict
between two opposite It could be an armed
need not be an armed struggle. struggle as well. There can be jihad between two ideologies: ideological conflicts. What Islam postulates by jihad is a holistic concept, not war. Jihad is acceptable and allowed in Islam only if it is in the path of Allah. And what is Allah's path is very clearly explained in the Qur'an and Hadlth.
forces, or tendencies.
It
technical term for collective responsibility in Islam xsfardkifayah.
3.
The
4.
The term
for individual responsibility
hfard
'ayn*
here explaining an issue in Islamic jurisprudence, and not because slavery was prevalent in the Muslim society at the time of writing this 5.
The author
is
book. 6.
to
The author has estimated this distance in his renowned book Path al-Mu'tn the distance covered by a man on camel with reasonably heavy luggage
during a period of one night and one day only requirements such as prayer, food and 7.
Ahmad and
al-Shafi'
(r)
stopping for the basic
rest.
have reported from
Abu Hurayrah
he had not
that
seen anybody discussing matters with the followers better than the Prophet (s). Discussion with others and developing consensus are very important not only in matters
concerning war but in
all
walks of
The Prophet
life.
(s)
who had
been guided by divine inspiration and revelation did so not because he was in need of the advice and suggestions of his followers but to teach this great
human 8.
value.
Things captured from enemies as spoils of war are called
This includes the captured land as well as
human
ghammah
captives, Verse 41
or naj'al
of Surah
al-Anfal in the Qur'an describes the distribution of the spoils of war. 9.
Qadt and
Imam
are those
who
give leadership to them in headquarters. Since their
all
lead the
Muslims
religious
life is fully
in their regular
matters.
prayers and
The mosques
are their
dedicated to the service of the society,
it is
the collective responsibility of the society to protect them.
Hashim, the great-grandfather of Prophet Muhammad (s), was the son of 'Abd Manaf. He was a man of great consequence as well as riches among the Quraysh, He was the receiver of the tax imposed on the Qurayshites by 10.
End Notes
101
and the income derived from their contributions joined to his own resources, was employed in providing food to the strangers who congregated at Makkah during the season of the pilgrimage. Like the majority of the people of Makkah, Hashim was engaged in commerce. It was he who founded among the Qurayshitcs the custom of sending out
Qusay
for the support of the pilgrims,
Makkah two caravans, one in winter to Yemen, and the other in summer to Syria. Hashim died in the course of one of his expeditions to Syria, in the city of Ghazza about the year 5 1 AD. *Abd al-Muttalib was the only son of Hashim, by a Yathribite lady of the name of Saimah. His original name was Shaybah, Muttalib, the brother of Hashim,
regularly from
brought Shaybah, the white-haired youth, from Yathrib to Makkah. Mistaking
Shaybah
for a slave of Muttalib, the people of
Makkah
called
him 'Abd
al-
Muttalib and history recognises the grandfather of the Prophet under no other
name than
'Abd al-Muttalib. 'the slave of Muttalib', After the death of Muttalib at Kazwan, in Yemen, towards the end of 520 AD Abd al-Muttalib succeeded him as the head of the Commonwealth of Makkah, Abd al-Muttalib had ten sons and six daughters. Of the sons (1) Harith, born towards 538 AD was the eldest, The others were (2) Abd al-'Uzza, alias Abu Lahab, (3) 'Abd Manaf better known as Abu Talib (died in 620 AD (4) Zubayr, (5) Abdullah (545 AD) born of Fa^imah, daughter of 'Amr; (6) Dirar; (7) Abbas (566-652) born of Nutaylah; (8) Mukawwim; (9) Jahm; and (10) that of
s
4
4
?
*
;
*
Hamzah, bom of Halah, The daughters were 'Atikah, Umaymah, Arwa, Barrah, and
Umm
Hakim, by
Fatimah; and gafiyah, bom of Halah, who married Aw warn, the grandfather of the famous 'Abdullah bin Zubayr, who played such an important part in the *
history of Islam.
'Abd al-Muttalib had twelve sons, But the names of the two sons, other than the sons mentioned above, are not known, probably because It is
also said that
they
left
1
L
If
no posterity. [Nainar]
ever anything belonging to the spoils of war has been found in the illegal
possession of anybody, the rule possession. There
was an
prayer after death for one
is
to flog
him and
to
burn everything in his
incident of the Prophet (s) declining to offer the
who had
illegally
taken a
trifle
from among the spoils
of war. 1
Zamorin ('Samuri' in the Arabic text of the book; pronounced 'Samootiri in Malayalam, the local language) was the common title of the rulers of Calicut during the middle age- The origin and early history of the Zamorins of Calicut are shrouded in mystery. We do not hear of the Zamorin before the days of Abdul-Razzaq (1442). The political condition of Malabar before the commencement of the sixteenth century presents an interesting study. The whole country between Cannanorc and Cape Comorin consisted of a number of petty principalities under princelings who were very often waging war against one another. The principal rulers in the area were the king of Cannanore, the 12.
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
102
Zamorin or
and the Tiruvidi or the king Vayanad, to whom paid allegiance. They were entitled to wear the crown, issue
the king of Calicut
the smaller rulers
coins and use the ceremonial umbrella. The Zamorin
was questioned by
his authority
century, he became
later the
the Raja
was of Nair
of Valluvanad prior
caste.
Though
to the thirteenth
most important ruler of the west coast wielding
much influence and power. When the Portuguese came to India, the Zamorin was very powerful as compared with the Raja of Cochin. The origin of the word Samuri has been a puzzle to scholars. Some consider it to be a word derived from Persian or Arabic, while some consider that it is derived from the contracted compound of the Sanskrit Suami and Tirumalpad. (K,V\ Krishna Ayyar, The Zamorins of Calicut* pp, 13-15) But it is more probable that it is shortened from the title Samudragiriraja meaning lord of
and waves'. The Zamorin had also another title, Kwmalkkonatiri, meaning 'king of hills and waves These names indicated the important position the
hills
1
.
Zamorin held on the west coast. Another opinion, in fact a far fetched, is that the name Zamorin probably came from the word Samiri, the name of one Samiri in the story of MCisa (as). He had persuaded the followers of Musa fas) in his absence to worship the image of a calf he had made. The Arabs who came to notice his cow* worship called him Samiri which later on became Zamorin. It was Koyilkota, the name of the palace of the Zamorins that later on became Kozhikode (Calicut). During the hundred years of struggle with the Portuguese, fifteen Zamorins ruled over the area in succession. Some were powerful and charismatic and some others were weak.
Some even joined
13. It is
the Portuguese side,
the collective responsibility of the
Muslims
occupied by the enemies. If nobody undertakes
to recapture their territory
be
this responsibility, all will
and answerable for the omission. If ever anybody undertakes it, it means he is doing a great service by absolving the rest of the community of the
sinful that
sin
of collective negligence,
Angels are a special creation of Allah, created from light. They do not experience hunger or thirst, sleep, drowsiness or boredom. They have no sex difference, and may appear in the shape of any except the filthy, wretched 14.
animals. 15.
They do nothing
The reference here
high level of
one
who
is
but praise and obey Allah. 1
is
spirituality.
to
awtiya
It is
close, near, etc.
16.
This
is
in the
those
among
the believers
who
attained a
word wall, which means wall when the veil between his
the plural of the Arabic
One becomes
heart and Allah vanishes. There
Surah Yflnus
,
is
a
a reference to such people in verses 62-64 of
Qur'an.
Muslim bin
al-Hajjaj alias
His compilation of HadTth, al-Sahlh,
Abu al-Husayn al-Qushayn al-Maysabun. is
quite well
known. Besides Muslim,
this
hadlth has been documented by al-Tabranl and al-Tirmidhi, two other Hadith compilers.
End Notes 17.
103
Surah al-NisiT: 15. The historical context of the verse
is
that oi enjoining
Muslims to fight for the weak among them waiting for a liberator when they were being incessantly tortured and oppressed in Makkah. Liberation of the oppressed is one of the supreme goals of war in Islam.
the
18.
Surah al-Baqarah; 216
The Muslims
+
are neither desirous of war, nor cowards. At the time, about the
revelation of the above mentioned verse, they had to think seriously about two things: one, the general condition of the
confrontation then. Their enemies were
Muslims was not quite in
a
much
suitable for a
better position in every
They were more powerful, in terms of their number, wealth etc. It would be much better for them to consider a confrontation after a considerable improvement in the situation. A confrontation in the present stage will not bring any favourable outcome for them. Secondly, the humanitarian disposition of mind that Islam nurtured was not one that encourages war. The enemies are also human beings. They arc also creations of Allah. Instead of engaging them in a war, they are to be persuaded to come closer to the path of Allah by means of affectionate behaviour and sympathetic attitudes. But what Allah taught them at this stage is that both these concerns are out of context and they seem important to Ihem only because they do not know how things are going to turn out finally. This is what is suggested by the verse: "Allah knows' and you do not know/' It is not cowardice, but the two concerns explained above, that makes war hateful to the Muslims. Yet, in any society of brave people, there might be a few who arc weak and cowardly. Their cowardice, sometimes, may affect them all. And there might have been a few of this kind in the society of the Prophet (s) also. The verse cited above might be a reproach on such people as well, respect.
19. Surah al-Tawbah: 111. The covenant between Allah and the believers is compared with a trade here. Allah is the buyer and the believers are the sellers. The life and the wealth of the believers are the merchandise. The paradise is the price or reward. The Tonih, the Gospel, and the Quran are the witnesses for
the deal.
26 L Any kind of spending aiming the pleasure, satisfaction and nearness of Allah will be treated as spending in the cause of Allah. The author has quoted this line here in encouragement for spending one's wealth for supporting jihad 20.
Surah
al-Baqarah:
Mmran: 169-170. Those who are living in the presence of Allah, have no reason to feci fear or grief. These verses make clear that the martyrs in
21. Surah A)
the cause of Allah have no death, 22.
Muhammad
renowned
bin Isma'Tl (194-256
com pi lei
-
of
IJadTtlu
AH)
n
historian
better
and
known great
as al-BukharT
scholar
of
was
a
Islamic
jurisprudence. Born in Bukhara, western Uzbekistan, he travelled widely in
manv
countries searching for and studying the lladTiln lie died
at
Kartank
in
1
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
04
Samarqand, Books that have documented only ahadith which have been verified and proved genuine and true, are known as Sahih. Six such genuine collections—AUJamV al-Sahfh by aKBukharl, al-Sahih by Muslim, Sunan by Abu Dawud, JamV by al-Tirmidhi, Sunan by al-Nasa'T and Sunan by Ibn Majah are widely known as Al-Sihah al-Sittah.
—
23.
Abu Hurayrah
is
another
name by which
the Prophet's
companion *Abd
al-
Rahman was known. 24. As the problems of the early community of Islam became more complex, it was usual in theological circles to imagine what the practice {sunnah) of the Prophet would have been under each new set of circumstances and pass their
judgement into circulation as a tradition (hadith) emanating from the Prophet himself. These judgements swayed by the conflicting views of sects and parties were naturally often in open contraction. As there were no written records or compilations of the hadith, the students of Hadith faced with the necessity of discriminating between them, fixed their attention the chain of authority (isnad)
by which
first
the tradition
on the authenticity of
was supported. They held
must be guaranteed by some reliable person as having been some other reliable person w ho himself had heard it from an earlier traditionist and so on back to a contemporary of the Prophet who vouched for having heard the Prophet saying the words or seen him doing the
that every tradition
received by him from
r
action related therein. In the nature of as easily be forged as a tradition;
and
Islam attempted to gain support for
it
the chain of authorities (isnad) could
two centuries every movement in action by putting into the mouth of the
so, for
its
Prophet utterances in favour of its views.
became imperative to establish a corpus of traditions which could be accepted as genuine. The traditionists who insured on the isnad criterion, eventually came to a general agreement that only certain chains of transmission could be regarded as authoritative. It was on these principles Abu In these
circumstances
'Abdullah
Muslim
Muhammad
it
bin Isma'Il al-Bukhari and
Abu al-Husayn
bin al-Hajjaj
selected their traditions out of several hundred thousand and gave the
name Sahih
(authoritative) to their collections,
Abu Abdullah Muhammad July, 810 AD, of a Persian
was born
Bukhara on 21 family. When he was in his teens, he went on a pilgrimage to Makkah, and took this opportunity to attend lectures given by teachers of the tradition at Makkah and Madinah. He then went to Egypt, and travelled with the same object all over Muslim world, spending five whole years at Basra. After an absence of sixteen years in all, he returned to Bukhara and there he compiled his Sahih, He died on 30 August, 870 AD, Abu al-Husayn bin al-Hajjaj Muslim was born at Nishapur in Khurasan in 817 AD. He went to the Hijaz, Iraq, Syria and Egypt in order to search out ahadith. He also paid several visits to Baghdad. He is said to have collected more than three hundred thousand ahadith, on which his selection is based. The matter of Muslim's book, like that contained in al-BukharT's (with which it is identical, '
except for the addition of
bin Isma'il al-Bukharl
more
authorities)
is
arranged
in the
at
order adopted for
End Notes
'
legal subjects, but without
any chapter headings.
105
It is
also remarkable for
introduction, wherein the author treats of the science of Jrladlth in a general
its
and
complete manner.
The Sahlhs of Bukharl and Muslim have become two canonical books of Islam, They may be considered to sum up the science of Hadith in the third century of the Hijrah, Four other works complete the six canonical books to which Muslims pay great respect. They were all produced during the same period. These are the Sunan of Abu Dawud. the JamV of Abu 'Isa Muhammad alTirmidhT, the Sunan of Abu 'Abd al-Rahman Ahmad al-Nasa'T, and the Sunan
Muhammad
of Abu 'Abdullah
bin Majah. [Nainar]
25.
Jihad aims
26.
The implication of jihad here
development of the religion of Islam and humanity. It is unavoidable for the survival of the truth, Therefore, whenever it becomes necessary, jihad is of uppermost significance after faith (iman). The essential vitality of all kinds of worships is present mjihad. It is renouncement of all bodily interests and worldly aspirations and a spiritual journey to Allah sacrificing everything including one's life and wealth,
religion.
That
the survival and
at
why
is
is
armed
the
struggle to uphold the ideals of
has been translated here 'holy struggle'; and
it
it
is
not
necessarily an accurate translation. 27. There
is
a sentence to this effect in the Sahih of Bukharl,
did not personally take part in
He
final
among
his followers.
The reason
for
explained here, Kven as the one gifted with the highest position of the
Prophet
he aspired for martyrdom,
(s),
The Prophet
anything equal
One
(s)
military expeditions during his time,
sent the forces under the most efficient
this is
28.
some of the
The Prophet
(s) sptike so after
to
jihad
has to bear in
answer
in
mind
having said three times that one
that the
will not find
question as to what was equal to jihad.
tn the
reward fur the prayers and other virtuous
deeds of one in the course ofjihad'wiW be an addition,
and Ahmad' s Musnad, The greatness of martyrdom
29. Similar hadiths can be found in al-Bukluiffs Sahih
The musk smelling blood is makes that blood sacred and 30.
Anas bin Malik
Hijrah. Anas,
who
of the Prophet
alias
a surreal description. glorious,
Abu Hamzah
lived as the
(s),
has reported
children to keep the ahadith
undocumented information 93
was born Prophet's servant from Hijrah al-Ansarl
many
(r)
ten years before until the
demise
He had advised his writing. He used to say: "the credible,'' He died at Basrah in
ahadlth (1286),
documented
in
will not be treated
AH.
31. This hadith
of Allah—jihad
is
Sunan of Ibn Majah (r). By implied. The virtue of spending
in the
is
evening in the cause of jihad
is
described here.
—
cause
this
phrase
just
one morning or one
in the
106
TUfJPAT AL-MUJAIIIDIN
Al-BukhM (r) reports
32.
this hadith.
There are three probable persons referred to here: Jabir bin 'Abdullah bin 'Amr al-SulapT (r), Jabir bin 'Abdullah al-BajalT (r) and Jabir bin Samurah bin Junadah al-'Arairi (r). Which Jabir is meant here is not clear. Raj all had not 33.
taken part in the battle of Uhud, There arc not
by 'Amirl He died
in
Madlnah
after
many
ahcldith (just 146) reported
he was seventy.
He had
taken part in 17
battles together with the Prophet (s).
The
of Uhud is the one that took place on mount Uhud three miles from Madinah. in the third year of Hijrah between the Prophet (s) and the polytheists of Makkah. 34.
battle
,
35. Sahl bin Sa'd
ahSaydi
was
(r)
a
companion of
the Prophet (s)
who was
born nine years before Hijrah and died in 91 AH. 36. This
those
is
who
reported in the Sahib of Bukharl.
The greatness of the virtue of volunteer to keep vigil and guard the border is proportionate to the
risky and critical nature of the responsibility,
Abu
'Abdullah bin Qays alias
37.
companion of
die Prophet
(s).
Miisa al-Asha'rl (r) was a well known was he who represented \AU (r), the fourth
It
caliph, in the peace talk following the battle of SiflTn
Mu'awiyah
in
37 AH. He died
in
Kuluh
Summ
3S This hadith is in the worldly gains, although he f
of
in
between 'All
(r)
and
44 AH.
Abu Da wild Whoever
fights aspiring
doing so as part of the Islamic force, will not be a fighter in the cause of Allah. Muslim has reported a hadith from Abu Hurayrah to the effect that one who died fighting for honour and feme will be hurled into hell following interrogation in the Hereafter, Sincere intentions make a man's is
deeds and sacrifices valuable
in the Hereafter.
39. Sa'd bin Malik al-KhazrajT alias
Abu Said
companion of the Prophet ofahadith. There are 40.
1
is in
compilation of ahadith
Husamuddm
al-HindT.
Only
Kartz
by a
'Allamah
is in
the SahJh of
The word appears The
of the
He
^AlaTiddln
who
are the
is
\AIT
al-Muttaql bin
given here. The hadith
good among the people and
are the bad.
41. This
42.
al-'Ummal JT Snmw al-Af'di wal-AqwaL
portion of the hadith
contains answers to the questions as to
who
(rj
(s) and a great 70 a hadith reported from him. J
The hadith quoted here
the
was an important scholar who had memorised a number al-Khudff
in
Bukharl Firdawx
verses 18:107 and 23:1
1
is
the Arabic
word
for paradise.
of the Qur'an.
name of Abu Abs bin J a bar (f) was *Abd al-Rahman. A member Aws tribe, he was one of the important companions of the Prophet (s). L
real
took part
in all
the battles of [slam during the time of the Prophet (s)
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
108
The meaning of this line could be understood comprehensively only by viewing them both in two different contexts, in two different fields,
realising truth.
was the nephew of Sa'd bin Abl Waqqas (r). There are 146 ohadith included in the compilations reported by this great companion of the Prophet (s). He died in Kufah in 74 AH at the age 50. Jabir bin
Samurah bin Junada al-Amlri
(r)
of seventy. 51. This
is
was not a
a historical fact.
There were many to
single time in history
when
there
fight for Islam in all ages.
was nobody
There
to fight for Islam.
Salman (r) born in an aristocratic family in Isfahan, Persia, was one of the close companions of the Prophet (s). The Prophet has described him even as "a member of his family". Salman (r) was a man of strenuous and diligent nature and was known for his generosity. He was also known for his war strategies. Eminent companions of the Prophet (s) like Abu Hurayrah (r) and Ibn Abbas (r) have reported several ahadith from him. He died in 35 AH, 52.
?
4
53. This hadith
was reported by Muslim, The implication of the statement
that
is sure for the one who dies while keeping vigil is that he will be one of the martyrs who live in the presence of Allah being generously fed. The implication of the last sentence is that he will not have to undergo any difficulty while in grave or anywhere else.
a ready feast
54.
*Uqbah bin 'Amir
(r)
belonging to the Khazraj
tribe.
buried in the al-Muwattam 55.
was hill
known companion of
a well
He was governor of Egypt
for a time
Muslim. The importance of archery
is
in
Kanz al-'Ummat and §ahih of
underscored
in
the
explanation to the verse (8:60), "Against them (your enemies) strength to the utmost of your power.,
56.
The
The Prophet used
/'
name Abu Mas'ud
al-Anjarl
first
hadith
in
make ready your
to give
to his followers to get trained in archery, martial arts,
actual
and was
near Cairo,
Both the hadfths quoted here are included
ragement
the Prophet (s)
utmost encou-
and horse
riding.
was 'Uqbah bin Amr al-Badrl '
(r),
name of this great scholar of yadith was 'Abdullah Abu Muhammad al-Tamiml. He was born in Samarqand and died in 255 AH. The implication of the hadith here is that 57. This hadith is included in
Sunan of al-Dariml. The
real
whatever one spends in the cause of the struggle in the path of Allah will be rewarded in the hereafter multiplied seven hundred times. 58.
When Abu
'A'ishah Masruq bin al-Ajda' embraced Islam, he accepted the
new name
'Abd al-Rahman, He contemporary of the Prophet (s) for
was
a
(r)
was
Yemeni, Although he was a a period, his embrace of Islam took place only during the reign of Abu Bakr. Therefore, he was not a companion of the Prophet, 59.
He
died in 63
AH.
Abdullah bin Mas'ud al-Hudall
Makkah and was
the first of those
who
the sixth to
recited the
embrace Islam
Qur'an aloud publicly.
in
End Notes
107
was he who led the prayer He was seventy when he died in 34 AH.
including Baclr. (r).
It
after death ijemdzah) Tor
'Uthman
43. There are statements to this effect in the hadfth compilations of aJ-Bukhan
and al-Nasa'L
The author has not made
which Sa'd he means here, Sa'd bin Mu'adh (r), Sa d bin 'tibadah (r), Sa d bin 'Ubayd (r), or Sa'd bin AbT Waqqas (r)? The first battle of Islam was Badr. Sa'd bin Mu'adh had actively taken part m this battle. Me was martyred following the injury he sustained from an arrow shot at him during the battle of Khandaq, Sa d bin 'Ubayd (r) and Sa'd bin Abl Waqqas (r) also had taken part in the battle of Badr. It is doubtful whether Sa'd bin TJbadah (r) had participated in the battle of Badr. Since Sa'd bin Abl Waqqas was the best known of them as an archer, the Sa'd mentioned here is likely to be none other than him. Likewise, the author has not made clear the identity of Abu Qays who heard Sa'd. Who was he, Abu Qays bin Sirmah (r). Abu Qays bin Mualla (r), Abu Qays Juhani (r), Abil Qays bin Harith (r) or Abu 44.
4
clear
fc
4
Qays al-Ansan 45. This
is
somebody
or
(r),
described
in
else?
both al-BukhdrJ and Muslim.
46. This hadfth reported by al-Bukhfin implies that even the silliest remainders of
the things used for
waging
a
war
in the
cause of Allah increase the glory and
virtue of the fighter. 47.
The hadfth has
also been included in the
one be sure of one's commitment to his
Swum
faith if
of Abu Dawud.
How
he docs not take part
in
can the
jihad when the occasion demands it, or does not wish to take part in it or at least regret for not being able to do so? Hypocrisy and sincerity are separated through a process of severe tests. This is the meaning of the verse (47:31) in the Qur'an; their
"And
We
shall try
utmost and persevere
you
until
We
test
those
among you who
strive
in patience.
The hadilh quoted here could be seen in the Hadlth compilation Kanz alstatements are meant for motivating the Muslims to bravely participate in the struggle against the unbelievers if war breaks out It does not mean that Muslims will be automatically admitted into heaven for killing the
4B,
'UmmaL Such
non-believers on any occasion. Interpreting things in such a
an insult to the
spirit
way
is
nothing but
of Islam/
in Kanz al-'Ummal and Ahmad's Musnad. Its first of a soldier who fights on horseback. The last portion might appear to encourage life in seclusion, away from the society. But all messengers, majority of the companions of the Prophet (s) and most of the great scholars of Islam lived fully involved in society. A soldier for truth is one who is eager to lay down his life for the pleasure of Allah, in the cause of the truth and the society. The second person is one who abandons the people for
49. This hadiih
is
portion praises the
reported life
End Notes 60. Ibn
109
Majah and al-Dariml
report this fyadfth in their Musnads.
the martyrs that rises even to the altitude of the divine throne
is
The glory of
described here,
The appearance and disappearance of Allah is a supra sensory experience. It need not be a bodily vision- What is described here is an experience in the metaphysical or supernatural world.
was son of *Amr bin al-'As and companion of the Prophet (s),
61. 'Abdullah
leader
(r)
62. This hadith
human
is
in
the
(r),
Ahmad's Musnad. Since debt
is a
famous Arab military
responsibility
individuals, the right to exonerate the borrower
from
is
it
between with the
lender, 63.
The
battle
the
of Badr was fought between the Muslims and the Quraysh in force consisting of a thousand well-equipped men under 'the Father of Ignorance', marched out from Makkah to
AD. A noted Abu Jahl,
January 624
The Muslims received timely notice of the movement body three hundred of disciples proceeded at once to forestall the a heathens by occupying the valley of Badr, upon which the Quraysh, under Abu Jahl, were moving. A battle ensued. The Quraysh fought bravely. At one time relieve a rich caravan.
and
the fortunes of the field wavered, but
decided the fate of the
many of their
battle.
were
Muhammad's
appeal to his people
The Quraysh were driven back with
Abu
great loss;
But the importance of the Prophet's success cannot be measured by the material damage which he inflicted. Considering the momentous issues involved, Badr, like Marathon, or Plassey is one of the greatest and most memorable battles in all history. The victory of Badr turned all eyes upon Muhammad. He became a power in chiefs
slain,
including
Jahl.
Arabia. [Nainar]
of Surah Al Tmran in the Qur'an, the heaven is described to be as wide as the skies and the earths. It means that it is as wide as the universe, The statement is descriptive of the vastness of heaven. Vastness is relief and comfort. Narrowness is uncomfortable and difficult. This verse is to be understood in this sense. 64. In verse 133
65. This description is
found in al-NasaTs Sunan.
It
could be seen in history
had said to the effect that he was obstructed from reaching heaven because of their delay in killing him. This was 'Umayr bin al-Humam bin al-JamOh bin al-Haram. He was the first to be martyred from among the
that 'Uiuayr (r)
Ansars (those
who
66. Fudalah bin
an expert 67.
hosted the Prophet in MadTnah).
'Ubayd
in the art
(s)
was an important companion of the Prophet
(s)
and
of the Qur'an recitation.
Abu Umamah Suda
Prophet
(r)
!
bin 'Ajalan
and a well-known warrior.
(r)
was an important companion of
the
1
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
10
What
68.
this
sentence teaches
is
when Jihad
that if a person, at a lime
is
away from the struggle for the by any means, for selfish motives or for living comfortably, he deserves the wrath of Allah in this world itself. crucial for the survival of
Muslim
cause of Islam, not involving
in
society, keeps it
Husayn Abu NajTd al-Qusay (r) embraced Islam in the year of 'Umar (r), the second caliph of Islam, sent him to Basrah to teach the people there the principles and rites of Islam. He was the judge (qadT) of Basrah for a period. Me did not join any side in the conflict between 'All (r) and Mu'awiyah (r). Eventually, he was of the opinion that it was better
Tmran
69.
bin
the battle of Khaybar.
withdrawing
to the
being involved
mountains and living there shepherding and
in political disputes.
He died
in
52 Al
I
in
in
worship than
Basrah.
The hadTth quoted here is in Swum of Abu Dawud. Al-Dajjal is a major evil The common belief of Muslims in this connection is that Tsa, or Jesus
70.
force.
(a.s.) will
appear
days and destroy al-Dajjal. There arc several
in the final
ahadlth that describe the features of
'Abdullah
71.
son of the Prophet's uncle al-\Abbas
(r),
years before Hijrah.
He was extremely
ahadlth reported from him. 72. This hadTth
is
this evil force,
in
I
le
died
Nay} al-AWar.
in
intelligent
was bora
(r),
three
and studious. There are 2,660
68 AW,
vol. vii.
Ashah, plural of Sahib, the Companions or Associates of Muhammad, The term, used for a single Companion, is sahahah. There is considerable 73.
controversy as to
up
who
is
to
this definition. Strictly
make
1
,
in
relation to
can be attributed only to those personalities from among the Muslims who were on intimate terms with hjm and shared his daily
the Prophet earliest life,
be regarded a Companion, and what elements
speaking the term "Companionship
(s),
and, in varying degrees, also to his thoughts; that
is
to those
who
could be
the word.
But Muslim historians and
theologians, have, from the third century of the
Hijrah onward, begun to
manner
who while
called friends in the deepest
enlarge this term in a
Muslim, saw the Prophet 74.
A
hadith to
this
(s)
meaning of
to include in
it
every person,
even without nearer association. [Nainar]
effect
in
meaning
is
found quoted
Mustadrak. The opportunities for the struggle against life.
being a
in
evil arc
al-Hakinrs present
al-
in social
Life in aloofness might give opportunities for spiritual elevation, but an
individual in such cases in disregarding social responsibilities, forfeits
all
opportunities for his mental growth. 75.
A
person
lightly as he
who is in
gladly hugs martyrdom experiences the death pain only very his
dreams about the heavenly experiences.
might be the AnsarT companion of the Prophet al-Hukaym bin Khali d bin Sa d bin ahHakam (r). 76. This
c
(s)
named Haram
bin
Notes
I'ju!
77. This luuhlh
Ah
VS.
(r),
7
(
>,
Musntdntk aiScthlhayv,
is in
Abu
son of the Prophet" s uncle
alimah al-Zahra"
I
1
1
Hwaymir
(r),
'AIT
known
better
(r)
was
(r)
Talib and husband of his daughter
Lhe fourth caliph of Islam,
Abu
as
was
al-Darda'
companion of
a
the
He was a gtnnl scholar of lhe Our\in and reporter of several ahddith. He was imam and judge UjatjT) in lire Syrian capita! Damascus during the reign of 'Uthman (f). Me died in 32 or 33 All, Prophet from the Kha/.raj
His father was Malik and mother Mahabba.
tribe.
"Umar bin al-K.hattab (r), was burn len years before lijmh. lis nun her was Zaynah. He was a very pious man. le reported 2,(>30 ahtnlidi from die Prophet (s). le was very-' careful about quoting, lhe words uf the Prophet (sj textual v leaving no room for any devialion in meaning. He kepi away from polities, without involving in it, during crises and 50. 'Abdullah
son of lhe second caliph
(r). I
1
I
I
I
differences. Yet, he once reproached Hajjaj. the
of thousands of people,
was caused by somebody, his foot while
51. 82.
I
A
83.
hitdtih to this effect
in
is said thai his de;illi
a
poisoned spear on
can be found
Muhammad
bin
bin
in
Sunan of Abu Dawud. The Quran.
n
Ahmad
bin Ishaq, better
known
in
AH. He
known as "Bahr al-'Ulunf (ocean of knowledge). famous compilation of ahadith. He died in 37X Al
is
widely is
a
verse
in the
Hakim, was born al-Mtistadrak
presence
ruler, in the
of Hajjaj, thrusting
Surah Al Hmran: 169
is
Muhammad
Makkah
the behest
at
Umayyad 73 AH. Il
the compilations of lbn Vlajah and. al-NasaT.
is in
mentioned here
in
crowd.
in a
his hadiih
died
lie
Nisapur, capital of the Iranian province Khurasan 1
1
as a
I
in 3.on is
woik
I
'
Sahfh of Bukhari.
84. This is also included in
layman bin Ahmad bin Ayyub Abu al-Qasim al-Laqmi\ belter known as al-Tabaranu was bom in 'Akkah in Palestine in 260 AH. His works Ihth 7/ ai Nuhmvwufu Kitah al-Av.xdil Mukhtasavu Makdrim al-Akhlikj, and .// Aw.sitt are quite famous. He died in 360 Al i. 85. Su
86.
The author has
not
made
clear the identity of the person concerned here.
This might, he any one of these: a) YVarlab bin
'Amr
bin Sha'ban al-Fihrl
87. This hadiih
Tighting fighting
at
on
sea land.
(r) ? c)
War lah
bin
Masin
Tamsan
Sa'sa'(r), b)
bin Olid
in
is
in
the absence of the Prophet (s)
glorious as the reward for fighting along with lhe Prophet in
(r).
Kanz al-'llinmaL and Sunan of al-Nasa'T and lbn Mnjnh more difficult, riskier and demands greater bravery than The meaning of the statement is thai the reward for ff^hliny. ai
is
sea for the cause of Islam
explained
WfiPlnh bin
other ahadTlh
that
the
martyrdom
at
\ca
i?;
is
(s)
as rival and Il
\\\v\
been
lunr npul
iu
TUHF AT AL-MUJAHID!N
112 martyrdom on land and
even be exonerated from
that martyrs at sea will
their
debts.
Daylam
88.
is
a mountain range in the Jeelan region of Persia.
The famous
Aljmad bin Shlrawaihi bin Shahardan bin ShTrawaihi Abu Muslim Hamadanl, who was better known as al-Daylami, was known after this scholar of ahadith
place.
He
Section
died in 625
AH.
Two
Kodungallur was known by different names such as Muchira, Musiris, and Mahodayapuram. It is a town in Trichur district in Kerala, south India. The advent of Christians and Jews to Kodungallur did not take place at the same time in history. Only that the author has described together the two events of 1.
could be seen in history that a few Jews came here as refugees under the leadership of the rabbi Joseph after the fall of Jerusalem and that they were allowed to live here. But there is no consensus as to when and from where Jews arrived here first. Some say that il was during the time of the
two
different epochs.
Prophet Sulayman the
It
(a.s,)
(King Solomon), There are document
arrival of Christians
first
in
Kerala happened
in
thai
prove
ilial
32 Al), History observes
Thomas, disciple of Jesus, arrived at. Kodimj_
y a trade ship (hat year and begun, for the first lime, Ihe propagation of In islianity in India. Yet he cliioiiolnfrira! his due to there are quite a number of disputes over discrepancies. It is said thai Palli liana iVnminl f.avc him petmivami lm die that St,
(
I
propagation of Christianity and 2.
On
the peak of the
level, there
is
Adam
for building churches.
Dill in
a four feet long print of
the footprint of that
Adam
Adam
first
(a),
landed
the father
in
I
India.
Ceylon, abonl 7,,M>0
human
fool.
Muslims hdirye
of mankind. There
The ancient
;ihnvr Ihe >ea
leel
India
is
a
luahih
dial (his
tit
c-
Ihe elUii
included Ceylon
Sm
oi
he But there are several different claims abonl this loolpnni and of Siva, Buddhists helieve this to be that of the Buddha, Hindus to he lhat Christians to be that of St. Thomas. Therefore, it has become a place ol importanee to the followers of all these religions.
Lanka,
I
[Note by Nainar] The
known
Adam's Peak
in the world. It is
7,260 feet
in
Ceylon
is
one of the
loftiest
in height, rising in solitary
western front of the great central plateau and eould be seen by
away on It is a
and
lite
be%l
grandeur
the sea.
great pilgrim centre to peoples of
all
nationalities.
On
ils
siumml
e,
i
lofty black rock with a hollow depression about four feel long resembling, a \ny
The Singhalese, Siamese, Burmese and Tibetans claim iliai n :w lindus venemir is the footprint of the Buddha and call it his Sripada. The footprint of Adam, \v ho, The Muslims consider it the the mark of Siva's foot.
human
footprint.
I
\\
according to them, having been sent out of paradise, stood on one fool mi ihe
End Notes
\ \
3
peak for centuries doing penance. The Christians however claim it to be that of SI, Thomas. The result is a never ending concourse of pilgrims to it from different countries.
There are two ways which lead to the peak. One is a along the precipices, the last portion of which is so steep
some places
fixed at
for the safety
straight
narrow track have been
that chains
of pilgrims. The other
is
a circuitous road,
considered less sacred.
Over
the sacred footprint has been constructed a small chapel
by the Buddhists offerings go, whether made by members of their own faith, of Hindus or Muslims. [Nainar]
to
whom
3.
The
all
incident of the splitting of the
Prophet
(s)
moon was
a miracle performed
taking the challenge of the non-believers in
Hijjah, the fifth year before Hijrah. This incident
Qamanl
in
the Qur'an.
I.bn
is
Makkah on
mentioned
in
14
by the
Dim
Sarah
al-
al-
KathTr has included a great deal of credible
description about this incident in his interpretation of the verse.
There
ample evidence
to believe that the king named here had a vision of this miraculous incident and sought an explanation for it from his astrologers and was told that it was a miracle performed by a great man in Arabia, is
There is a well-known tradition in Malabar contained in the Kemlolpatfu a comparatively recent work of doubtful historical value, that the last Cheraman Perumal turned a Muslim in his old age, and went on a pilgrimage to Makkah 4.
kingdom among his friends, dependents and relatives. The who came to South India such as Sulayman, the Marco Polo, and later travellers like Ibn Battutah, and others
after partitioning his
early
Muslim
travellers
Venetian traveller
do not make reference to this fact. It is said that there is a grave of a Malabar on the Arabian coast. If the report about a grave with an inscription can be relied upon, it may be the grave of one of the Zamorins who is said to have embraced [slam, perhaps as a result of a liaison which he seems to have had with a Moplah woman. This report gained currency only after the visit of 'Abd al-Razzaq to Calicut in 1442 and before the coming of the
ruler at Zafar
Portuguese to India
in 1498.
Peoples of other religions also claim Cheraman Perumal as a convert to their respective
faith.
According
to
Faria
Y.
Souza,
the
Portuguese historian,
Cheraman Perumal resolved to end his day at Meliaporc (Mylapore in Madras) and went away to that place. Another account says that he went away to
Some say that he turned either a Buddhist or a Jain. It is known that one Bana an ancestor of Cheraman Perumal became a convert to Buddhism, Perhaps this Bana is confounded with Cheraman Perumal. As for his Bethlehem. ;
conversion to Jainism there
is no satisfactory evidence. But Hindu literary works of a canonical character like the Petiya Punmanu Tiruvilaiyadal Puranam and Halusya Mahatmyam state that he was a devout Saiva throughout
his
life. It
appears he continued to be a Hindu
till
the end of his
the celebrated temple at Tjruvaneikkulam. [Nainar]
life
and died
In
End Notes
i
navigators of Vasco da
had told him about
The construction of
out to Kerala.
Thursday,
Gama
10 Dhii
5
range before setting
Ezhimala mosque was finished on and V\bd al- Rahman bin Malik was
the
AH
al-Hijjah, 21
this hill
i
appointed qadl and imam there.
Today's Batkal
17.
the Barkur of northern
is
Kamataka. The word
in
the
is Takkanur'. The construction of the mosque here was completed on Thursday, 10 Rabf al-Awwah 22 AH. Ibrahim bin Malik was
Arabic original
appointed qatiimd 18-
This
is
imam
there.
the place called Mangalore, in
Kamataka, In the Arabic
text
it
is
They finished the construction of the mosque here on Friday, 27 JamadT al-Awwak 22 AH. Musa bin Malik became the qadl and imam of called *Manjalur\
this
mosque.
19.
This
place
is
is
Monday,
Kasaragod, 18
in the
extreme north of Kerala. In the Arabic text the
'Kanjrakuf. The mosque construction here was over on
called
Rajab
:
AH. The qadi appointed
22
here
was Malik bin
Muhammad. 20.
The word
for
Sreekandapuram
in the
Arabic text
t
is
Jurfatan\ There
is
a
distance of about thirteen kilometres between Ezhimala and Sreekandapuram.
was on Thursday, 12 Sha'ban, 22 AH that they finished the construction of the mosque here. Shihab al-DIn *Umar bin Muhammad bin Malik was appointed qadl here. The mosque at Darmadam was built on Thursday, 29 Sha'ban, 22 AH and the mosque at Pantalayani on Thursday, 21 Shawwal, the same year. Husayn bin Muhammad bin Malik became qadl at Darmadam and Zaynuddm bin Malik at Pantalayani. Chaliyam is near Beypore in modern Ko/hikode district. In the Arabic text the word 'Shaliyaf is used to refer to it, li is said that the mosque built here by Malik bin HabTb was the one known as (haliyam Pti/hnkkarn mosque. Zainuddin bin Muhammad bin Malik was the It
tftitfi
21
T
of this mosque,
Khurasan
is
a
province
in
the north east of Iran.
Khurasan included
area in the past, Alexander's advent
to
India
The graves of boih of mosque in Kodungalhu.
in
the southern side
22,
23
+
There are historians
Nair
has
documented
thent are
a vast
was through Khurasan.
who
find this qnile likely.
this
in
det:iil
in
his
Accordingly, Perurnal and ihe Prophet
(s)
met
room of
ihe Cheranran
Ran Bahadur ('. Gopalan Maiuytihtfiifr Mappihimar.
at
Jeddali about nine in the
morning on a Thursday, 27 Shawwal. Ihe Prophet (s) recited to him kalimah al-tawhldmd he embraced islam and took ihe name Taj al-DIn Sultan, stayed there for about five years and on his return died al Shahar al-Mukalla. Mr. Nair collected the information for this book from a historical document in Arabic in the possession of Rajamany Raja Say id Husayn bin Muhammad bin 'All
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
116 ShihabuddTn Ba *AlawI
Mullah Koya Tangal, the big qadi of Calicut for him. This is quite vivid from the descriptions of the Arab historians. Mawlana Athar Mubarakpoori has quoted Hindustan an incident of some significance in this in his Khilafate Rashida connection reported by the famous HadTth scholar al-Hakim in his alMustadrak. Accordingly, "an Indian king gifted the Prophet (s) with a jar full of ginger and the Prophet took small pieces from it and gave them to his companions to eat." The king mentioned here is quite likely to be king
which the
alias
latter translated into
Malayalam
Aw
Cheraman Perumal from Kerala. Arabs, those
days, had better rapport with
Kerala than with any other part of India, and Kerala was well-known for ginger
There are a number of other factors supportive of the above
cultivation.
conclusion, for instance, the documents pertaining To the Arakkal royal family.
The founder of
this
sister Sreedevi.
His original
Muhammad
who was son of PerumaPs name was Mahabali. He embraced Islam and
dynasty was
'All
became Muhammad 'AIT in 64 AH. The headquarters of this royal family was Darmadam. This means that Islam had arrived here and became dominant in this locality well before
200 AH.
The
author's doubt on the probability of Perumal* s meeting the Prophet (s) or embracing islam during his time could be due to his notion concerning the
period of Perumal's reign- But the view; of some scholars
who met
the Prophet (s) in person and
embraced Islam was
is
that the
Palli
difference in chronology does not matter.
In that case, the
Perumal
Bana Perumal Dr. Hermann
Gunderfs documentary history of Kerala Keralolpatti also talks about Perumal s embrace of Islam being during the time of the Prophet (s). According to Tareekh-e-Ferishta, a historical work by Muhammad Qasim th Ferishta, Perumal 's embrace of Islam took place in the Prophet's 57 year. It is }
quite well
known
that the
Prophet sent
letters to the
kings of various countries
them to Islam. Considering the trade relationship the Arabs of the time had with Malabar, the king of the place then was not likely to have been excluded from it. inviting
24. Safar in Safer
is
situated near Sana'a, capital of Yemen,
bearing the
supposed that the grave al- Rah man Samuri might have been that of a
name Abd who embraced Islam L
king of the Zamorin dynasty the propagation of
al-Mukalla
MughTrah
(r).
It is
later
That Perumal died and
on
in the influence
w as T
buried
at
of
Shahar
by Uinar bin Muhammad SuhrawardT, a famous and the author of the famous work Rihlah al-Muliik. L
clearly stated
is
historian, Sufi,
Logan has published on the cover page of his Malabar Manual the picluic of the sword Cheraman Perumal gave to the Zamorin advising: **You fighl lor
25.
it,
killing
and being
26. Tiruwadi
Kings 27.
of the
Edakkad
killed/'
means the
'royal or sacred fect\ This
had been the
lilk*
Venad (formerly Tnivaneore) dynasty. is
situated in Chelora Panchavat on the south o) Kaniuir.
nf the
—
O
End Notes 28.
11.7
The Zamorin was supposed
to
have sworn,
at the
time of assuming power,
over the territory as a representative of Perumal who had left for Makkah. In certain places, the presence of the qadi and imam of the mosque
to rule
was held
Zamorin,
essential for receiving the
Section Three 1.
The
—
reference here might be to the suicide force
of that age. The motto of references
to
this
force
this
in
force was: "kill
Kaudilya's
chavettupada of Kerala or be killed". There are This
Artasastra.
"garudasambradayam". The choric song "chaverpadapat"
Even
today, there are suicide squads for
many
is
is
also
called
quite well-known.
goals in several parts of the
world. 2.
This situation has changed a great deal today
among
the
Muslims following
better awareness about the religious teachings. 3.
Dr. C. Achyuta
Menon, Head of
the
Malayalam Department, University of
Madras, has kindly furnished the following note on Nair marriage: The marriage customs of Malabar are very often misunderstood, particularly the system that once obtained among the Nairs. There seems to be a general impression that the relationship between men and women among the Nairs was rather loose and the practice of polyandry was usually associated with them.
accounts of travellers their
notice
who
without any
We
get varying descriptions of
often generalise from a
reference
to
the
few
social
them from the
stray cases that setting
come
to
or background.
Sometimes the travellers come and form impressions from their habits. The question was thoroughly examined by the Malabar marriage commission in K94 and in the dissenting minute written in that connection, one of its members the late O. Candu Menon, the leading jurist and novelist of the time, has established on unimpeachable evidence that polyandry was never a general into contact with the lower strata of the society,
1
n
praclue ;nnong ihc Nairs, although
it
was possible
to
point out isolated
instances amnnp them, probably copied from the artisan classes among whom it was Ihc general enstom. A Nair marriage has all the validity of a sacred rite as understood and practiced among other communities in Malabar and outside. It is always performed in public he fore respectable persons of the locality. The birth and death ceremonies of he Nair community emphatically support this I
view. In the former latter the
ilie
lailier
has a definite function to perform, and in the
son of ihc deceased lakes his place along with his nephews. Probably
Marnmakkattayam, by which the nephews inherit the properties of the uncles whose sons have no legal right to their father's properties, is responsible for llie confused dunking on the subject. Inheritance is a matter of economic arrangement and the comparative merits of
the system of inheritance namely,
the Matriarchal and Patriarchal systems of inheritance arc a matter of opinion.
1
I
TtfHFAT AL-MQJAHI'DIN
8
There is one peculiarity about the Nair marriage, that is, both the parties to the marriage have a right to divorce if they wished to do so. This does not, however, mean that the conjugal bond between them is not of a fixed character.
The
Malabar and the changes that threw the original tali-keitu (ta! /-tying) ceremony to the background and brought into being a simple ceremony called Pudavamuri institution of marriage has; an interesting history
in
(cloth-cutting), dropping all ritualistic details of the former, deserves closer
proper perspective. See also the remarks given by F. Fawcett, in Madras Government Museum Bulletin^ Vol. Ill, No. 3, pp. 228-229. [Nainar] study in
its
the old practice of tutikettukalyanam.
4.
This
5.
This type of marriages,
is
known
as
It is
not prevalent today,
"pandawacharam",
is
no longer practised
today. According to certain reports, such families were seen until 1963 or so, 6.
women who do
Perhaps the author refers to the Nambootiri
before
men
except close relatives, like brothers and junior brothers-in-law. But
the Nambootiri
women
go out
to temples
and attend
social functions in their
own community accompanied by Nair women. On Nambootiri
not appear
women wrap
occasions
the
themselves up except their faces with a long sheet of
white cloth {kacca) about eighteen cubits long.
(marakkvta) to hide their face with
it,
They hold an umbrella
and they never part with
home. The word marakkuta consists of two umbrella); the
such
parts,
compound meaning, an umbrella
mora
it till
they return
(to hide),
kuta (an
to hide oneself. [Nainar]
The womenfolk of the Nambootiri families were known as *Antarjanangal\ and in the interior country side they were called Aattol\ They were called so 7.
l
because they remained mostly indoors.
The mention of various ranks among the Brahmans is probably based on their distinctive traits. The Brahmans of Malabar may be classified under four broad divisions, namely Nambootiris, Tulu Brahmans, Tamil Brahmans or Bhattars and Sarasvat Brahmans or Konkanis, The first constitute a dignified and cultured class. They are kept above want and they minister to the spiritual and temporal wants of the people. The Tulu Brahmans who were immigrants from the Tulu country or South Canara and still continue to be largely temple priests. The Tamil Brahmans were immigrants to Malabar from the Cola and Pandya countries in search of fortune. The Konkani Brahmans are largely traders in Malabar and have their own temples for worship. [Nainar] 8.
The various ranks among the Nairs are: Aristocracy. The class from which ruling families were drawn. Mosl of the royal families in Malabar today are the representatives of this class. Feudatory chieftains: This class comes next to the aristocracy. They assume different titles as Kaimal, Nair, Panikkar, Menon, Nambtar, Kuril [\ etc. 9.
End Notes
119
Nair or lllakkar: They are the intermediary class. They have no social status now. They are employed generally as cooks by the high class TSIairs on occasions of Sraddha ceremonies. Lower classes: There are a large number of lower classes of Nairs called Sudra Kiriattil
Nair, Vattekkatt Nair, Attikkurussi, Anturan, following certain professions, like
oil-monger,
when
period
They
etc.
are also
pollution
is
employed by people of higher
Some
observed.
castes during the
of these classes are considered
untouchables in certain parts of Malabar.
Amhalavasis or temple servants: It is supposed by some people that these are outcastes from the fold of high class Nairs, They are divided into a number of sects and sub-sects with varying status which they acquired by their contact with Nambootiris.
At the present day the term Nair
is
applied in a general sense to a
number of
some of which are indicated above. Fawcett, Madras Government Museum Bulletin, Vol.
classes, with different status,
For
details,
No.
3,
See
F.
Iff,
pp. 185-224. [Nainar]
These customs are known as "mannappedi", "pulappedi", etc. Historians differ as to the origin of these customs. The Pulaya people used to suffer great deal of persecution for this especially during the Karkidaka month. This custom was abolished in Travancore in 1696 AD by Umayamma Rani at the SO,
direction of her advisor 1 1
This
.
Kottayam Kerala Warma,
among
prevalent
practice
the
Nambootiris
was
known
as
"sambantam". This continued until the early years of the twentieth century when there arose large-scale protests against this from within the Nair and Nambootiri communities.
Section Knur
Chapter One 1.
The
IVrliif.iiesc
Kappad, north the
M
ol 1h
in
<
navigator Vasco da
liemanclu ay IVincliayal,
Calicut. This w;isoii 17
and
1
' 1
ol Hie
.iO
'
In
koyilandi Taluk, lifteen kilometres
May, IWN. Another opinion
same month.
Si
Raphael,
St.
were the three ships by which Ihey arrived. commemorative ot Ins an ival on Kappad beach. 2.
Mas'udT,
who
quotes from ul Miulklhd u! Kahlr
Introduction to Astronomy) by
Abu MLVshar
is
that
(iahrief and
There
ild
i.s
a
Si.
il
was on Michael
monument
al-Nujum (Great given an account of
'lint
al-lialkhT lias
the Indian season, lie says dial die stormy and quiet seasons in the eastern seas
begin
when
from
Oman on
vessels
and
the sun
is in
the signs of the zodiac
the sea of lliml
light cargoes.
that time is winter
in
the
and
that
it
is
impossible to
Tirmah (June) except with
sail
first-rate
These vessels are called al-Tirmahiyyah. In Hind
and the rainy season;
for the
at
two Syriac months called
120
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
Kanun and the month Shobat (December, January and February) are their summer months. Our winter is their summer, while the month Tamus (July) and Ab (August) which are summer months with us, are their winter. This change of seasons
the case in all the towns of Hind, Sind and the neighbouring countries, through the whole extent of these seas, [Nainar] is
3, The ruler of Calicut, the Zamorin, volunteered to receive Vasco da Gama and his people respectfully. But he sent them back saying that he shall consider the idea of having trade relations with Portugal later. This disappointed Gama. That the merchandises he had brought could not be disposed of here added to his sadness. He concluded that it was the Muslims in the locality that persuaded the Zamorin to take an unfavourable attitude to him and thus thwarted his
plans. Disrupting the
Malabar Muslims' trade with Arabia was one of his plans. time they returned home to come prepared to realise this goal. They left Calicut on 29 August, 1498 and went ashore to Kannur and made a rapport with Kolattiri, returning to Portugal on 20 November of the same year,
Thus
4,
this
The Portuguese group
referred to here is the one that arrived at Calicut on 13 September 1500, under the leadership of General Pedro Alvaris CabraL Although there were 33 ships and 1,500 people in his party when he set out,
only six ships reached Malabar.
(It is
said that the agricultural produces like
cashew nut, pineapple, pears, etc., were introduced in Kerala by them. It has been observed that the sexually transmitted disease syphilis, called "parankippunnu"— a disease named after the Portuguese in Malayalam— also
was spread here by them. Although Cabral and
the
Zamorin had discussions on
18 September, they could not reach any consensus. Many discussions followed between their representatives, and eventually they got permission to build a factory in Calicut. But they were forced to move to Kochi before long because of their arrogance, their atrocities on Muslims and their claims on the sea.
On
24 December 1500, Cabral and his people arrived at Kochi. Unnigodawarma Timmulpad, the king of Kochi, who was in enmity with Calicut then, received Cabral and his people and gave them permission to build a fort there. The fort thus built was the Manual fort, its foundation stone was laid on 26 September 1503. 5,
Cabral actually had
forces
filed to Kannur in fear coming towards Kochi. He made a
at the sight
of the Zamorin's naval
treaty with Kolattiri, the ruler of
Kolattunad, the territory between the south of
modern Kannur city mid thf Neeleswaram river. When, eventually, he returned home, he had only live ships to take with him out of the 33 that he had come with. It is said that he was not assigned any responsibility afterwards. 6,
The reference here might be
to the military expedition
led
by
I
he naval
captain Joao de Nova. 7, This was the second coming of Vasco da Gama, The Puriuguesc king had appointed him as the admiral of the naval expeditions to India, Persia and
End Notes
12]
Arabia, There were seven military heads also with him.
Gama
and his forces set out, this time, on 10 February 1502, in 15 ships. Later on, Stephen da Gama joined them with five ships. They arrived at the coast of Malabar, killing many and looting many others on the way. His actions were that of "a devii in the shape of a man", according to Logan, author of the Malabar Manual. Me was the admiral who, after attacking a ship with 400 pilgrims including women and children returning to Malabar after the pilgrimage to
Makkah, ordered to set of them aboard. This was but one of the many cruelties of Gama. Arriving at Calicut via Kannur, he asked the Zamorin to evict the on
fire
it
with
all
Muslims from the
As
Zamorin did not oblige, he attacked the city. He further plundered the 24 ships which had arrived at Calicut laden with rice and threw overboard the 800 mariners on it after chopping off their limbs. Another of Gama's monstrous actions was how he dealt with the Zamorin's messenger Talappanna Nambootiri. Gama chopped off his anus, nose and cars and festooned him with it and sent him to the Zamorin with a note asking to cook it for eating. The Zamorin took an oath to fight the Portuguese at any cost. It was thus the naval force of Khawajah Qasim set out at sea. Sensing this, Gama withdrew to Kochi, and had a treaty with Unnirama Warma, the king of Kochi, and left for Portugal with his ships laden with pepper, cardamom and other produces, leaving behind in Kochi about 200 Portuguese to meet the forces of the Zamorin coming to attack Kochi. Thus, he escaped meeting the forces led by Khawajah Amber and Khawajah Qasim. On March 15, 1503, the Zamorin, coming via Edappally, attacked Kochi. The Kochi king Unnirama Warma, who was defeated in the confrontation, sought refuge in a temple together with his city.
the
Portuguese soldiers. This time the
8.
Paeheco,
He was
was
It
commander of
the Portuguese forces
Portuguese colonel
this
who
liberated
was Colonel Durale
Kochi from the Zamorin.
the officer in charge of the Portuguese fort in Kochi. After the battle
with the Zamorin, Paehieo set
on the houses {Mam) of the NambootirLs
fire
near Kochi ;nul confiscated their lands and gave them to the Christians.
Mahimid Shah was die sultan who ruled over Gujarat between 14.S8 and Al). The Add Shah mentioned here vv;is Ismail Add Shah, the governor 151
9.
I
I
of Bijapui belween Qansiih
10. Sultan
The period of
his
I
MO and
1N.M Al) imdei the
Ghawn was rei^n was [mm al
I
he
hist
k\\\\\
in a
Shahi reign.
oi the slave
dynasty of
tigypt.
5 In AI) The slave dynasty ended simple with Salitu Shah I, the ruler
1510 to
with the death of Qansuh ul-Ghawn
Add
I
r
of the Ottoman Constantinople.
IT This 12
+
This
is
an island, south of
is
qadi Malik [yas,
who
ruled over
l)iu
under the Gujarat ruler
Muhammad Begaro. 13. Of the Portuguese forces who fought under Lorenzo de Almeida, son of the Portuguese viceroy, 140 were killed and as many were injured. The Portuguese
1
TUHFAT AL-MUJAIIIDIn
22
forces had to admit defeat before the clever and strategic cannon attack of
Husayn. Lorenzo was killed
Amir
in this struggle.
14, This battle that took place on 3 February 1509 was led by the Portuguese Viceroy Almeida himself. The sudden withdrawal of Malik lyas is blamed for
the victory of the Portuguese. Malik Iyas, a Russian
was
Diu under the Gujarat sultan. It is said that Almeida had by bribing, This victory, however, enabled the Portuguese domination over the Arabian Ocean.
to his side
to establish their
Camran
is
an island in the Red Sea close to southern Yemen,
16, Sharif Barakat
him be
to
its
17,
Islam,
the governor of
won him
15,
who had embraced
Egypt
was the
as a captive.
from 1504 AD. Once, the Turks took Hijaz sometime later, Barakat continued to
ruler ol Hijaz
Back
in
ruler until his death,
Sultan Sallm Shah was the Sultan of Turkey
who
put an end to the
Mamluk
in 1516 AD and ruled over Egypt till was succeeded by Sulayman the Magnificent William Muir, The Mameluke or Slave Dynasty of Egypt,
dynasty by killing Qansuli al-Ghawn
1519 AD. After
his death he
(1520-1566), See Sir pp. 196-214. [Nainar]
This happened in the leadership of Alfonso de Albuquerque in January, 1510 AD. He was the Portuguese viceroy of the territory from Gujarat to Kanyakumarr The territories between the Cape of Good Hope and Gujarat were in the control of George de Aguiar and the territories east of Kanyakumari were under Diago Lopez dc Scquira* Although Albuquerque took charge as viceroy only on 8 March 1509; he had visited Kochi in 1503 under General Cabral and later in 1506. He had an irresoluble hatred towards Islam and the Arabs and was looking for an opportunity to bring about their destruction. He was extremely cruel and vicious in nature and at the same time very intelligent and cunning, 18,
The Persian word naquda means captain of a ship. The Mithqal mosque in is the reconstructed form of the mosque built originally by an Arab named Naquda Mithqal. 19,
Kuttichira, Calicut,
on 4 January 1510 was spearheaded by Manual Fernando de Contmho. Albuquerque's plan was to propitiate the Zamorin in a diplomatic way. But Cutinho insisted on having a confrontation. 20, This confrontation that began
He
had arrived from Portugal with the Portuguese king's instruction
Calicut.
While the Zamorin was away
in
Chettuwa
to
burn
for another battle, they took
opportunity and together with their soldiers besieged the
fort.
But the brave
and spears humbled them and they was killed and Albuquerque Albuquerque could escape from the scene
resistance of the Nair soldiers using arrows
had
to
Hoc for
life
abjectly defeated. Cutinho
seriously injured in the struggle.
only narrowly and that too under the cover of Portuguese
Koyappakki,
who had
earlier
helped
Gama
fire
from the
market his merchandise
sea.
in Calicut,
End Notes
123
had approached the Portuguese asking
avoid this confrontation. But the
to
Portuguese instead put him in prison and did not heed to his words. This
provoked Koyappakki greatly and turned him against
to the
Portuguese ever
since.
21. Situated
on the south of the Arabian peninsula, Aden
is
a
major port on the
Red Sea and the economic capital of Yemen, Albuquerque had left Malabar for Goa in September 1512, and it was from there that he set out to Aden. As his campaign against Aden ended up in failure, he returned to Kochi in August 1513. 22. This is
Amir Marjan
al-'Amirl,
Earlier the queen of Kollam had invited Vasco da Gama to establish warehouses and commercial centres in her country. It was the queen who paved 23.
the
way
for the Portuguese to plunder
Kollam and ceaselessly continue
there
with their plots against the Muslims.
on the western coast of India between Maharashtra and Karnatakas* today one of the states of India, with Panaji as its capital,
24. Situated
Goa
is
A few years before
1507 AD it was captured by Yusuf Adil Shah of Bijapur. The king of Vijayanagar appointed one Timoja 25.
Goa belonged
to Vijayanagar.
commandant of the Vijayanagar
on the west coast in order to wage war and recapture Goa. After the death of Yusuf Adil Shah in 1510 AD Alfonso de Albuquerque, the then Viceroy of the Portuguese possessions in the East, was persuaded by Timoja to attack Goa, taking advantage of the young age of Ismail Adil Shah of Bijapur who had just then succeeded his father. The Portuguese took possession of Goa in March 1510. Ismail Adil Shah took it back two months later But in November of the same year the Portuguese recaptured it and made it their capital Being centrally situated on the west coast, [{ enjoyed a commanding position for commercial purposes. (Rev. 11. Heras, Aravidu Dynast\\ Vol. I, p. 57; M. S. Commissariat, History oj (lujarat, as the
fleet
T
p-252), |Nainar|
was on \ October 1510 hat Albuquerque set out from Kannur lo attack Goa. Me occupied ioa while Adil Khnn was away. llowevei\ Ismail Adii Shah, the sultan of Bijapur, recaptured (ioa from him in Iwo months. He lore long, the 26.
It
I
(
Portuguese recaptured
remained
December
a
it
;t[>ain. In
Portuguese colony
1961 and thereby
il
15 \5, Ihey also captured Din. Since until
became
its
pari
I
hen Goa
independence was declared on of Indian Union,
19
Chapter Two
L The
attitude
on account of
AD)
of the Portuguese
lo die
Muslims was one of inveterate hostility John III of Portugal (1521-57.
rivalry in trade. Since (he days oi
proslytism became one of the objects of the Portuguese policy in India,
24
1
They
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
committed many excesses. In 1560 they established the inquisition at Goa. They did not scruple to destroy mosques for the construction of churches (See mjat-al-Mujahictin translated into English by Lieut. M. J. Rowlandson pp. 103-105 fn.) [Nainar] also
2 Konkan
a coastal plain near the Western Ghats stretching from the north to Goa on the south. is
Daman on
Chapter Three The
1.
struggle that began against Cabral in 1500
years by then. the
AD
lasted for about 14 or 15
The Portuguese were the biggest superpower of the world with most modem weapons then. And the Muslims were weak and without any
of the sophisticated weapons.
Although Albuquerque tried his best to establish rapport with the Zamorin no result. The Zamorin was fully aware of the treacherous' ways of the Portuguese and the consequences of their 2.
his efforts yielded
Eventually,
establishing roots here
Elankoor Nambiatiri Tirumulpad of Ernad poisoned the Zamorin to death at the behest of Albuquerque. Thus he became the new Zamorin. Albuquerque made a treaty with the new Zamorin. The terms and conditions of this treaty signed at Kannur on 24 December 1513 were quite favourable to the Portuguese. It was Don Garcia de Noronha, Albuquerque's representative, who negotiated the terms on the Portuguese side. the
'.
3.
The
fort
was
built
border of Calicut 4.
The author
is
'
on the northern bank of the Kallayi River, on the southern Thomas Fernandez was in charge of the mission.
city.
not quite correct. There were a
number of disputes and quarrels When Albuquerque was appointed as viceroy to replace Almeida, the latter did not accept him, instead he put him in prison on his arrival here. Eventually, Almeida volunteered to quit only after the arrival of Cutinho and the Kochi king's notice to him that he would only deal with Albuquerque as Portuguese viceroy. Almeida was killed in a fight while looting an African village on his way to Europe after he lost his power as
among
the Portuguese
who came
here.
viceroy.
Likewise, the author may not be aware of the feuds between Mascaranus and Lopo Vaz da Sampayov, and Lopo Vaz da Sampayov and Nunc da Aqcuma. Yet compared with the disunity among the Muslim Emirs and leaders, these were quite insignificant. In spite of all the feuds and disunities, they were all united against the Muslims. And that is the spirit of the
statement here.
This secret attempt on the Zamorin took place in 1517 This murder attempt was said to be on the instigation of the Kochi king who was very unhappy over the treaty the Portuguese had with the Zamorin. He wanted to sow the seeds of discord between them. Albuquerque was not alive when the incident took place. He had died in 1515 following 5.
AD
AD
a cardiac arrest
Thr
125
EndNotes
Portuguese viceroy after him was Lopo Zoirus. [This incident is referred to only in this work. Note by Husain Nainar to his translation, Madras, 1 942]
Chapter Four 1,
This
is
Kakkad
2.
This
is
Tikkodi in Kozhikode
3,
This
L
in
Kannur
Parappanangadi
is
district.
in
In the Arabic original
district.
it
is
In the Arabic original
Malappuram
district. In
'Kabkad it is
1 .
Tirkudi'.
the Arabic original
it
is
Parpurangadi\
4,
This
is
Tirurangadi in Malappuram
In the Arabic original
district.
it
is
'Tiruwarangad\ 5.
This
6.
This
it
is
is
Tanur
Malappuram
in
Parawanna near Tirur Tarawannur\ is
district.
in
In the Arabic original,
Malappuram
district.
it is
the same.
In the Arabic original
Ponnani in Malappuram district is a very old port. This is where the Bharata River (Bharatappuzha) joins the Arabian ocean. This city had very ancient ties with the Arabs. In the Arabic original it is Tonnan'. I,
This
8.
is
Malappuram district. poet and an uncompromising anti- imperialist,
the Weliancode region in Ponnani Taluk in
'Umar QadI, the great scholar, was buried here. In the Arabic original 9.
Kannur
like
II.
it
This might is
The ancient
travellers
works. In the Arabic
this city in their
'KannanurV
This isTiruwangad
Ohemnad 12.
is
'Baliankut*.
a city of antiquity of the Northern Malabar.
Pliny and Ptolemy have mentioned
original 10.
is
it is
be
in
theTalassery Municipality of Kannur
Chcinnad
a ptmcfutytU. In (he
in
Kasaragod Taluk
Arabic original
The Mantkkai family whs well
time of the arrival
ol the
it
is
established in
Portuguese
in
Kerala.
district.
Kasaragod
in
district,
ThemmanayaV and commerce
iriule
Some
al the
people believe that they
are descendants of the audenl Arab seltlers ol this place. Hut the majority believes them lo be genuine Mappilas in v\cw of the characteristics of
Malayalam language fighters
in Iheir
names.
only after their mitral ion
Afterwards, the Marakkars,
!
lowevcr, ihey
from
who were
iho
Koehi
came to
lo
be
known
as great
and Ponnani. Zamorin's naval
Calicut
leaders of (he
became the dreaded nightmares for the Portuguese all over Asia, Their arrival made a turning point in the Malabar people's resistance to the invading Portuguese. The western historians, however, represent them as pirates, out of forces,
grudge and malice.
1
26
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
This war was spearheaded on the Portuguese side by Don Henrique de Menezes. After Albuquerque, Lopo Zoirus and Diago Lopus Sequira were the Portuguese viceroys here before Don Henrik Menezes. AH of them were notorious for their cruelties and atrocities, Menezes arrived in Calicut 13.
as the
Portuguese viceroy in January 1523, His goal was, reportedly, maintaining peace in Malabar and propagating Christianity there. However, as he arrived in
Malabar he became more cruel than his predecessors. In the battle of Ponnani, the Portuguese had the support of Purakkat Arayan, the leader of the naval forces of Chempakassery Rajah (Ambalappuzha dynasty). As the battle was in progress, Menezes justifiably suspected that Arayan was more interested in looting and plundering than waging battle. Therefore, he gave orders to kill him. However, Arayan escaped, although seriously wounded.
was at this juncture that Gam a once again arrived in Malabar. This time he came as the Portuguese viceroy. This was in September 1524, twenty years It
after his previous visit.
However, he could not do much this time as he died on 24 December 1524. He was buried in the cemetery of St. Antony's Church in Fort Kochi. For the Zamorin and the Muslims of Malabar, it was a period of unprecedented glory and empowerment on account of the wonderful war skills of Kunhalil (Kuttiali). 14.
The Portuguese
forces had organized themselves for
war in Calicut under of Captain Don Jawo de Lima, On the side of the Zamorin, besides Tenancheri Ilayatu, Kurumbranat Rajah also brought his forces to Calicut to fight against the Portuguese. The Muslims were led in the battle by a European engineer who had abandoned Christianity and embraced Islam, as Logan points out in the Malabar Manual. However, there is no doubt about' the fact that it was the clever and strategic movements of Kuttiali that forced the Portuguese to abandon the fort and flee for life. The Zamorin had not the leadership
personally joined this battle with his forces until 15 June 1525,
This attack on the Muslim ships was under the leadership of the Portuguese viceroy Henrik Menezes. In the meanwhile, Menezes sustained a serious 15.
injury
on his leg in a confrontation with the small conventional boats near Beypore, Another confrontation near Mahe worsened his condition and eventually he died on 2 February 1526 at Kannur and was buried there. Following that, Lopo Vaz da Sampayo became the new viceroy. At this stage the Portuguese viceroy in India was General Lopo Vaz da Sampayo. It was in October 1529 that Nuno da Aquino became the new viceroy removing him from that position. 16.
Ponnani was a strategically important place. This port had very good trade relations with the Arabs and it was this port the Marakkars, who set out from Kochi to fight the Portuguese, first took for their headquarters. It was 17.
following
the Portuguese invasion
Putuppattanam and made
of Ponnani it
their
new
in
1524
AD
that the
operational base.
Marakkars moved
to
End Notes
127
name of a district Lis well as a district headquarters in Gujarat. between Cam Bay sea on the west and the Eastern Ghats on the cast. It
18, Surat is the
It
lies
is
260 kilometres north of MumbaL Jujar might be Uanjira", a port on the south of
Mumbai.
Chapter Five 1.
This shrewd and scheming Portuguese leader might be Diago do Sylveira*
Logan has made clear in the Malabar Manual that the Zamorin in power then was eager to have a treaty with the Portuguese ever since the arrival of Nuno da Aquina as their viceroy. Chaliyam was a strategically important place. The Portuguese were aware of its importance in trade and military movements. If they could build a fort there, they would also be able to understand the trends in the trade between Arabia and Calicut very well. They could somehow manage to bring the Zamorin round to permit them to build a fort there. The Tanur king also played a big role in it. It was only after four decades that the ruler 2.
of Calicut could bring the
under his control.
This was Chaliyam Puzhakkara mosque, one of the seven mosques built by
Malik bin Dinar 3.
fort
It
in
Kerala,
was Nuno da Aquma,
the Portuguese viceroy,
hearing the complaints of the Muslims.
mosque and
Manual Muslim mu'adhdhin is
that the
in
disciplinary action against
him
for
original is raV which means *the the Zamorin and the other kings
used here to suggest
What Logan has were sold mosque and
the premises
charge of the
who responded stated in the
to the
so after
Malabar
Portuguese by the
that the
Zamorin took
The word the author used in the Arabic The same is the word used to refer to the book. That is why the word 'king' is
it.
ruler'.
in
it.
Two
Zamorin had any would end up in a treaty, by which, as per conventions, the defeated king would give the Zamorin enough wealth or the country as a whole in compensation,
4.
It
has been
made
clear in Section
confrontation with a weaker king
in
that if ever the
Malabar,
it
Amir Muslala
bin Bahrain al-Rum! was the military chief ol the Gujarat Bahadur Shah, lie was also known as Rami Klian and Khawajah. lie betrayed Bahadur Shah and that facilitated the Mughal King llumayun to take 5.
ruler
over Gujarat. [Note by Nainar] Amir Mustafa, son of Rahram of Constantinople was the nephew of Salman Ra Ts, a Turk admiral and adventurer who entered the T
service of SalTrn Shah of the death of his uncle in
Rum 1529
and eventually became the lord of Yemen.
AD
Amir Mustafa became
On
the master of the
Abyssinian slaves. His father Bahrain gave orders that he should help Bahadur
Shah of Gujarat against the Portuguese. AmTr Mustafa arrived at Din in 1531 AD and was received by Malik Tughan, son of Malik [yas, the governor of the
28
1
place.
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN Amir Mustafa fought
against the Portuguese and defeated
naval engagement off Diu in 1531 conferred upon Amir Mustafa the
AD
them in a Bahadur Shah, the Sultan of Gujarat
title
of
Rumi Khan
in recognition
of his
services and gave
him as his fiefs Randcr, Surat and all the adjoining coast as far as Mahim. Later Bahadur Shah made him the Governor of Diu dismissing Malik Tughan from that office. But Amir Mustafa deserted Bahadur Shah in 1535 AD and took service under the Mughal emperor Humayun when he invaded Gujarat. Amir Mustafa died at Chunar in 1538 AD. See M. S. Commissariat, History of Gujarat, pp, 338-39. [Nainar] 6
Mocha
+
is
a port city in
Yemen-
Its
importance declined as Aden rose into
prominence as a centre of trade and commerce.
Chapter Six L The Portuguese
leader mentioned here
is
their viceroy
Nuno da Aquina.
Bahadur Shah made this request to the Zamorin as he was quite sure that only people of Malabar, especially the Marakkars, were capable of defeating 2.
the Portuguese in a sea battle. However, the Zamorin did not entertain probably because they have already signed the treaty.
this,
Chapter Seven 1. Humayun was son of Zahiruddin Muhammad Babar (1483-1530 AD), the founder of the Mughal dynasty in India. Born in Kabul, Humayun was a powerful ruler of the Mughal dynasty. Reputed as a poet and a great scholar of Persian and Turkish, Humayun inherited kingship at the death of his father.
2.
Mahim
3.
Bahadur Shah regretted ways of retrieving the
is a
the
viceroy
Nuno
place north of
Mumbai
his
own
city,
is
had
lost.
of Mahim.
further north
action afterwards and
territories he
invited the Sultan to
Vasai
began
Sensing
Diu and arranged
to
to think
this, the
about
Portuguese
treacherously murder
him as he was returning after the discussions. As planned, murdered the Sultan and threw his body overboard into the sea.
the Portuguese
AD
[Note by Nainar] Bahadur Shah ceded the island of Diu in 1535 to the Portuguese for their help against Humayun Badshah, and permitted them to erect a fort in that island, But subsequently he regretted his act and wanted to drive the Portuguese out of Diu. The Portuguese viceroy Nuno da Kunha was also aware of the Sultan's ideas. In 1537 while
Bahadur Shah was returning he met his tragic end. The evidences conflicting. According to some he was
after a visit to the viceroy at Diu,
regarding
his
sudden death
are
drowned; some say he was killed. But it appears the Portuguese were responsible for his death. Sec M. S. Commissariat, Historv of Gujarat, pp. 374383. [Nainar]
End Notes
1
4.
Kutty Ibrahim Marakkar was the nephew of AH Ibrahim Marakkar.
5.
Kayal Pattanam
is
a reputed place situated on the bank of the Tamraparni
River in Tirunelveli, Tamifnadu. The place was legendarily arrival of Marco Polo, and also for the famous Sufi Shaykh
Kayal Pattanam
29
known L
Abd
for the
al-Qadir.
known
for a dispute between the Parawas and the The Portuguese joined the Parawa side in the dispute and the Parawas, in gratitude, volunteered to embrace Christianity. It was in this connection that Ali Ibrahim Marakkar went to Kayal Pattanam to help the Muslims against the Portuguese.
Muslims over
6.
This
is
also
is
fishing rights.
Beetala in the text in Arabic original,
It
is
on the south of Kayal
Pattanam. 7.
This
is
Nalleppilly, a locality in the old
was mortally wounded on
in the confrontation
Kochi state. Ali Ibrahim Marakkar and breathed his last in a mosque
his return.
Chapter Eight
L Sulayman Basha was one
of the generals of Sultan SalTm of Rum.
He
accompanied Sultan SalTm in his expedition for the conquest of Egypt in 1516 AD. In 1525 he was made the governor of that province by Sultan Sulayman the Magnificent. In 1535 he was sent to Yemen and Aden to put down a rebellion. On his return in 1537 he was again made governor of Kgypt. On the death of Bahadur Shah of Gujarat in 1537, Sultan Sulayman the Magnificent ordered Sulayman Basha to proceed to Diu with a large fleet to put an end to the power of the Portuguese in India. Sulayman Basha started for India in June 1537 and on his way sacked Aden early in August and hanged the Arab ruler of the place Shaykh 'Amir bin Dawud along with other lending nobles. See M. S. Commissariat, History ofdujaraL pp. 400-402. 2.
It
was
at die
time
when
the Portuguese military head Martin de
Sou/a had destroy the military power of the
all (heir strength and pledged to Muslims; Sulayman Basha was brought to the forefront by the Turkish viceroy in Egypt. He did so at the request of the Zamorin.
gathered
'Amir tan Dawud was the last SnlUin of the Buna lahir dynasty that nded over Yemen. He was a young and generous ruler who was deeply eoneerned 3.
about the welfare of the people, Quite naiurally everybody loved him dearly. Therefore, everybody fell angry with Sulayman Basha for killing him. It is said
Sulayman Basha was persuaded 'Amir had befriended the Portuguese
that
4.
Why
come
did
Sulayman Basha
fully prepared for
the Portuguese had fled
to kill
him because of
his impression that
secretly.
waging a war although he had it? There are those of the opinion that it was beeause the scene, scared by the performance of the Egyptian return without
.
130
TUHFATAL-MUJAIIIDIN
forces. But, in fact, the real reason
was
him and
in the
him
that the
people of
this
country hated
war on account of his cruel murder of the innocent 'Amir bin Dawud and the looting of Aden. Whatever was the reason, Sulayman Basha's return was a big blow to the Zamorin, and to Kerala and India as a whole. The magnitude of its consequences was even to the extent of the Zamorin being forced to have compromise with the Portuguese, did not cooperate with
to Ceylon following the request of the traders in Ceylon to Zamorin to help them resist the Portuguese. There are differences as to how Kunhali Marakkar was killed. Some believe that he was a victim of megalomania. Some others think that he was one of those who were treacherously killed by Mayadunne, brother of the king of Ceylon. 5-
This party set out
the
Chapter Nine 1,
This treaty was signed on 12 January 1540, Persuaded and pressured by the
kings of Tanur and Kodungallur, the Zamorin, in his abject condition, promised
any war ship or boats with armed men at sea and further that he will not have any trade with the Arabs. The Portuguese viceroy then was Gartia da Norana, the successor of Nuno da Aquino. This treaty was a great deal of shame and humiliation to the Zamorin and posed great danger to the Muslims, Henceforth Muslims could not engage in any trade without the permission of the Portuguese, Kunhali 11 challenged the Portuguese by intensifying his guerrilla warfare against them. to the Portuguese that he will not set out
2,
He
appears to have been the chief of Cannanore about 1545 AD, The history family of Ali Adhjraja is shrouded in mystery. According to
of the
Keralolpathi,
Cheraman Perumal
Aryapuram and earliest ancestor
invited a
Muslim family from
a place called
it at Cannanore. But according to local tradition the of the family of Adhiraja was a Nair called Arayan Kulangara
installed
Nair, one of the ministers of Kolaltiri (Chirakkal Raja). This Nair
is
said to
have lived about the beginning of the twelfth century AD. It is believed he became a convert to islam and took the name Muhammad or Muhammad Ali, He continued to be minister of Kolattiri, Alter his death his descendants ruled over Cannanore with the title 'Ali Raja'. 3,
Abu Bakar
Ali
was nephew of the famous Mammali Marakkar.
Chapter Ten 1
This might be the king of Wadakkumkur. The territories in the dominion of this
dynasty were Ettumanur,
Waikom, Meenaehal, Todupuzha, and Muwattupuzha.
in
Logan's Malabar Manual makes it clear Pantalayani Kollam were martyred.
3.
Kcelakkara
2.
is
m Tamilnadu.
that about a third
In the Arabic original
it is
of those
'Kirakara*,
who
lived
End Notes
131
The people of 'Ad, and their prophet Hud, are mentioned in the Qur'an in many places. They occupied a large tract of country in southern Arabia, extending from Oman at the mouth of the Persian Gulf to Hadhramawt and Yemen at the southern end of the Red Sea. The people were tall in stature and were great builders. They forsook God, and oppressed their people. A threeyear famine visited them, but they took no heed. At length a terrible blast of wind destroyed them and their land,
4.
[Note by Nainar] The
Thamud
people were the successors to the culture and
of the 'Ad. They were cousins to the 'Ad, apparently a younger branch of the same race. Their scat was in the north-west corner of Arabia (Arabia Pelraea) between Muduiah and Syria, With the advance of material civilization, the Thamiid people became godless and arrogant. Their prophet
civilisation
and warner was Salih. They did not pay any heed to his warnings. When the cup of their iniquities was lull, the Thamiid people were destroyed by a dreadful earthquake, which threw ihem prone on the ground and buried them with their houses. See Surah al-/Vial; (>5-7y,
|
Nainar]
Maldives is an archipelago eonsislinu of over 2000 little islands situated on the south of India and southwest of Sri Lanka. It is a much favoured tourist centre today, Its language is Mahel. It was with the help of this Turk Yusuf that the Zamorin's forces could capture Punnakkayal which had been in the dominion of Manual Rodrigo. 5.
6.
These cannons were very helpful
for the
Zamorin
in
Iris
attack on the
Portuguese.
Chapter Eleven
What provoked
was
Muslims challenged the condition in the treaty between the Portuguese and the Zamorin that the latter s subjects shall have any trade trips only with a license from the Portuguese. 1
.
the dispute
that the
1
2>
The 'Lakshadweep'
northern islands of this until
AD*
17K7
It
Arabian Ocean might be referred to here. The group had been under the rule of Arakkal Ali Raja
in the
was on November
1
1973 that these islands were officially
called Lakshadwecp. 3.
Of the
36 small islands of the Lakshadwccp only 10 are inhabited- These are
about 260 to 440 kilometres from Kochi. The author has mentioned only nine islands.
In
the Arabic original their
KaltinT, Miluki, Agatti, 4.
5.
AshT
is
original
it
is
is
Amminl, Kardlb, Andrut,
of Sumatra. Danasan might be Danao of Philippines.
in the northern
'HannurV
are:
Kanjamanhaf Kaltan and Shcctilakam.
likely to be north
Nonnawaram
names
Canara
district
of Karnataka. In the Arabic
1
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
32
Aceh (in the Arabic text 'Al-AshT) is on the northern tip of Sumatra Island, The first Muslim emperor of Aceh was A1T Mughayit Shah alias al-Kamil 6,
;
Islam reached here through Arab and Indian traders. 7.
It
is
was an everyday hobby for the Portuguese mariner behead people and throw them overboard wrappeti in mats.
said that
Dementesov
to
it
Chapter Twelve 1.
Kuttipocker was better
known
as Kunhali
Marakkar
II,
[Note by Nainar] Kutti, in Malayalam and Tamil, means small, young, Bokar a modification of the Arabic name Abu Bakr.
is
Nizam Shah was one of the emperors of the Nizam Shahi dynasty that ruled over territories around tyderubad in the modern Andhra Pradesh, Nizam Shahs were also known as the Dcecan emperors. Ahmad Nagar is the name of a
2.
I
district as well as its
headquarters in Maharashtra,
[Note by Nainar] Nizam Shah (Murtaza Nizam Shah) was the Sultan of Ahmad Nagar between 1565 and 1588. During the early years of his reign the affairs of the kingdom were controlled by his mother.
Shah of Bijapur cooperated with the Zamorin of Calicut to drive out the Portuguese from Goa and Chaul, and divide their possessions- Ali Adil Shah besieged Goa while Murtaza besieged Chaul, But both of them were frustrated in their attempts. The nobles of Nizam Shah In 1570
Nizam Shah and
Ali Adil
betrayed him by not only supplying the Portuguese with intelligence but also
with provisions. [Nainar]
was following this request from Adil Shah that the campaign that ended up the martyrdom of Kuttipocker was undertaken. The Zamorin was then in the
3. It
in
midst of the battle of Chaliyam, Therefore, he could not extend timely help to Adil Shah. The forces under Kuttipocker arrived at Chaul and turned back after waiting there for about twenty days. On their return they had a confrontation with the Portuguese forces near Kannur, fifteen ships, Kuttipocker was martyred in
who were coming
towards them in
this confrontation.
Chapter Thirteen 1
The
fort the
Portuguese viceroy
Nuno da Acquina
built at
Chaliyam
in
1531
premises was handed over to Parappanatu Rajah, king of Chaliyam, by the Zamorin in 1571. It took about four months of continuous struggle to evict the Portuguese from there. The leader of the vanguard lighters
along with
its
who
Zamorin
led the
to victory in this battle
IIL Following that, the
was Pattumarakkar
Zamorin gave Kunhali
III
alias
Kunhali
permission to build a
fort at
Putupattanam. Kunhali quite vigilantly organized a very good force with people from the coastal belt to fight the Portuguese. le did so because he was I
quite
aware of the Portuguese sense of revenge.
.
133
End Notes Chapter Fourteen Talairnannar
1
is
in the
Ramanad
district in
Karnataka,
This might be Galicia, on the northwest tip of Spain, Halatia earlier included territories like La Corona, Lo Gea, Orense, and Pontevedra. Portugal was on 2.
border
western
the
Spain
of
and
their
mutual
relationship
quite
is
merged and became one nation. century AD, Spain was under the influence of Islam.
understandable. In 1580 Portugal and Spain All through the fifteenth
The Muslims had used Halatia against the Portuguese,
Malabar
to
momentum 3.
Muslims of Halatia came anti-Portuguese struggle was gathering
quite likely that several
It is
a time
at
as their operational base for their struggle
when
the
Malabar.
in
Surah al-Talaq: 65:7 and Surah al^Sharh: 94:5-6,
This Akbar Badshah was the famous Mughal emperor Abul-Fatah Jalaluddin Muhammad (1542-1608 AD), He was son of the Mughal emperor Hurnayun.
4.
5.
Adilabad
in the
is
modern Andhra Pradesh.
Dabul or Dabol is an ancient city south of modern Mumbai. It is situated on the northern bank of the Wasishta River in Ratnagiri district, south of the Chaul poil and north of Sintapur, 6.
5
7.
drawn from Surah al-Nisa 75 in the Qur'an. The explained in Endnote no. 17 of Section 1.
This extract
this
verse
is
is
:
first
part of
Zamorin had with the Portuguese viceroy Francisco Muscaranus, Masearanus was appointed the viceroy by the Spanish emperor
8.
This
is
the treaty the
Philip following the
merger of Portugal and Spain
in 15 SO
AD.
This treaty would have been of some temporary relief to the Muslims. But the selfish and crooked Portuguese had certain hidden goals behind it. But 9.
Kunhali
who
111,
could sec through this on time, did not accept this and
continued the struggle ag;nnsl the Portuguese along with his followers. And the Portuguese on their side loo continued their atrocities on the Muslims even
while they were in a treaty wi!h the Portuguese. In 1580 AI) a fierce battle took place between Kunhali III and the Portuguese. Lollowing this, Khawajah Musa, nephew of Kunhali 111, seized fill the ships die Portuguese had set sail at sea.
win over Kunhali 111 in die struggle, the Portuguese again made a with the Zamorin in 1591 AD. Kunhali 111 was enraged and in another
Unable treaty
to
battle with the Portuguese they again violated the terms
of the
treaty.
But being
quite old, he could not personally involve in the confrontations for long.
was forced
to
hand over the
nephew Muhammad AH. In nephew Muhammad Ali took
responsibilities to his
AD
Kunhali III died of old age and his charge as Kunhali IV the new military chief of the Zamorin. His 1595
He
first
major
and
more
?
concern was
rebuilding
the
Putuppanam
fort
in
a
cleverer
1
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
34
strategically
effective
way.
At
this
juncture,
the
scheming
Portuguese
feeble-minded Zamorin. They frightened him saying that if he did not capture Kunhali's fort in Putuppanam, Kunhali will depose him from power and will rule over his country before long. Thus the Zamorin and the Portuguese joined hands to confront Kunhali IV. Initially they
succeeded
in propitiating the
of setbacks. In 1599, the Portuguese forces that had come from Goa with massive military preparations and the Zamorin's forces together attacked Kunhali IV and his followers from land as well as sea. Kunhali IV virtually had
had
a lot
no way
out.
He
surrendered voluntarily to the Zamorin on 16
March 1600 on
condition that they will not jeopardise their lives and that they will be let free to go. It is said that when the Portuguese chief Furtado held his hand, Kunhali
knocked him down. Eventually, the Portuguese, quite treacherously and against the terms of the treaty, took Kunhali, his nephew, and his followers to Goa and beheaded them there. They hacked Kunhali's corpse into four and exhibited it on the beach and sent his head, salted and dried in the sun, to Kannur
The elimination of
the four Kunhalis facilitated things for the Portuguese.
However, other European forces arrived in Malabar before long and the Portuguese had to meet them. What finally destroyed the decades-long Portuguese occupation of Malabar was the arrival of the Dutch in 1663. Not more than four years after the murder of Kunhali, the Zamorin had a treaty with the Dutch to evict the Portuguese not only from his territory but from India altogether.
1
Index of Persons and Places 'Abdullah bin 'Amr, 106 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin al-'As, 22 as 'ud, 21, 108 'Abdullah bin
Adilabad, 92, 133 Adil Shah, Sultan (Ismail
M
Shah, Sultan Ali Adil Shah, 52, 86; see also Ali Adil Shah
'Abdullah bin 'Umar, 24, 25, 111 'Abdullah bin Zubayr, 101
Ahmad
'Abdul-MuttaHb, 14, 101 'Abdul-Razzaq, 101, 113
Akti, 80
Alfonso de Albuquerque, Viceroy of the Portuguese, 122, 123, 124, 126
1
Abu
'AIT (Caliph), 24, 106, 110, 111
108, 132
AbuBakarAli,75, 130 Abu Dawud, 22, 23, 24, 107,
Ali Adil Shah, Sultan, 7, 52, 55, 85,
86,99,132
104, 105,
Ali al-Ashi, Sultan, 82
110,111
Hurayrah,
Ali Ibrahim Marakkar, 66, 72, 73,
18, 20, 23, 24,
17,
74, 129
25, 100, 104, 106, 108
AH Ah
AhuJahl, 109
Abu l.ahab, 101 AMI Mn'shural-BalkhT, 119 l
Abii Miisii ;il-Ash cil.so
iiri,
19, 24,
106;
Anas,
Abu Qays, 20 AbuSa'Tdal-Kliiulri, AbuTalih, 101, HI 2.1,
!<>, '>7,
120, 121. 127,
24, 109
Inih.s
Kiittwh-rfw of Southern India,
Ainyan Kuhmgara Aryapuram, 130
'Ad, 77, 131
31
I
.19, 44 Arnvidn Dynasty,
Accan of Mangat, 64 Achyuta Menon, C, 117
Adam, Prophet, 3,4, Adam's Peak, 12
18, 22, 25. 105
Arabia, 50, 57,68,70,81, 109. 113,
\UU
Abyssinians, 82, 127
Aden, 53,
Raja, 130, 131
AmTr Marian, 54, 123 Amir Mustafa, 69, 127, 128 AmTr Salman of'Rum, 53
'Abdullah bin Qays
Abu Umamah,
of Rum, 77
Amini, island, 79, 80
Abii Mas'ildal-Ansiii'T, 21. 108
sec
7,
Marakkar, 63, 70, 73, 74 Ahmadnagar, Sultan of, 66
Abu'Abs,19, 106 i
Adil
Add
al-Ash'ari
Abu al-Darda', 24, Abu Bakr (Caliph),
Ali
Shah), 86, 93
'Abdullah bin Qays, 106; see also
Abu Musa
of
grandfather
and
Add Shah
I
23 Nair, 130
Aslii.KI, 131
29, 112
54, 59, 74, 123, 128, 129,
llabar Badshah,
Mughal Emperor, 71
Badr,22,98, 107, 109
130 Adhraja, Ali, 75, 79, 85
135
3
1
136
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDIN
Bahadur Shah, Sultan of 66,69,70,71,72, 127,
Jazrat, 8,
128, 129;
Don Diego de Menezes, 94 Don Henrique de Menezes,
126
see also Gujarat
Bahram of Constantinople, 27 1
Egypt,
Bayt Allah, 17 Bethlehem, 113 Beypore,
1 1
5,
8, 52, 53,
122, 129
;
74, 104, 108, 121,
MamlOk
rulers of, 122
Elayadu of Tenanceri, 64; see also al-Yadh
126
Bidar, Sultan of, 60 Bijapur, Sultan of, 60 Birar, Sultan of,
Fakkamir, 115
60
Faria Y, Souza,
Buddha, 112
Fawcett,
BukharT, al- (Imam), 17, 19, 103, 104,
105,106,107,111
i
19,
106
Francisco Mascaranus, Viceroy of the Portuguese,
Calicut, 8, 33, 34, 44, 45, 49, 5
54,59,60, 61,62,63, 64,
1
,
52,
96, 101, 102, 113, 114, 116, 119,
121,
122,
125,
124,
126,
Goa,
9, 32,
17
Golkonda, Sultan
45, 62, 63, 67, 68,
30,
33,
Chirakkal Raja, 130
Chimar, 128 Cochin, 76, 102 123, 128, 129
Companions (sahabah),
70,
71,
74,
80,
83,
92, 96,
HabTb bin Malik, 44 Hadramawt, 131 Hakim, 24, 110, 111, 116 Hannur, 131 Hashim, 14, 100, 101
H„
123
]
Dabul,93, 133 Daman, 124 Damascus, 1 1 Danasri, 81
Hijaz, Sultan of, 54, 122
Histoiy of Gujarat, 123, 128, 129 History of Kerala, 30, 76
Humayun Badshah, Mughai
Darmadam, 30, 31, 32, 35, 45, 63, 65,79,92,115,116 Diu, 8,53, 69,72,74,92, 121, 122,
Hni-
peror, 71, 127, 128, 133
Hurmuz, 88 Husayn, Amir of
108, 109
123, 127, 128, 129
81,
121, 122, 127, 128; Sultan of, 8,
Heras, Rev. 1
Constantinople, 121, 127
al-,
60
113,
114,116,130
S.,
of,
52,66,121,122,128
Chaul, 86, 132, 133
Cheraman Perumal,
123,
Gujarat, 8, 52, 53, 57, 59, 65, 66, 69,
93, 115,127, 132
DarimT,
49, 55, 61, 77, 81, 82, 86,
124, 132, 134; viceroy of,
69, 70, 82, 84, 86, 88, 89, 90, 91,
Commissariat, M.
8,
87, 88, 90, 93, 94, 95, 96, 1
Cannanore, 101, 130 Cape Comorin, 101
Chaliyam,
33
GhawrT, Qansuh al-Ghawri, Sultan ofMisr, 52, 53,54, 61, 121, 122
127, 132
CanduMenon, O,
1
Fudalahbin 'Ubayd, 22, 109
67, 68,
70, 76, 77, 82, 83, 90, 93, 94, 95,
120,
3
118,119
F.,
Firdaws,
1
a
I
-GhawrT, 52, 53,
54,122 Ibn 'Abbas, 23, 24, 108 Ibn Battutah,
1
1
7
137
Index of Persons and Places Ibn Majah, 24, 25,
104, 105, 109,
93, 120,130 Konkan, 57, 80, 81,83, 124 Kottayam, 119
111
Ibn'Umar, 25 Ibrahim Adil Shah, 99
Imam Ahmad,
4, 97,
Kumhuri (Kanyakumari),
98
'Imran bin Husayn, 23, 24,
1
Samurah,
Jalaluddin
19, 20, 106,
30, 34, 98,
122
10
63, 70, 73, 74
Kunhi Ali Marakkar, Kunhi Sooppy, 75
Jabir bin 'Abdullah, 19, 24, 106
Jabir bin
(Chirakkal Raja), 34, 79,
Kolattiri
108
Akbar Badshah, Mughal
Kutti Ibrahim Marakkar, 66, 72,
1
29
Kuttipocker, 132
Emperor, 92 Laccadives, 79
Jazrat (Gujarat), 52
Jeddah, 53, 54, 59, 61, 72, 92,
1
15
Logan, 34, 114, 116, 121, 126, 127
Jerusalem. 99, 112 Jihad,
23, 25,
5, 6, 7, 13, 15, 16, 17,
MadTnah, 98, 104, 106, 109, 131
85,92,100, 103, 105, 107, 110 John III, of Portugal, 123
Madras Government Museum Bul-
Joseph, rabbi, 12
Malum,
Jurlatan,
1
letin, 118,
71, 128
Mahmud
15
119
Shah, Sultan of Jazrat, 52,
121
Kannanur, 85, 125 Kannur, 8, 35, 40, 45, 49, 50, 52, 55,
Makkah, 17. 101, 103, 104, 106, 108,109,111, 113, 114,117,121 Malabar Manual, see Logan Malabar Marriage Commission, Malaqa (Malacca), 80 Malibar, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 15,29,30,31, 32, 33, 34, 35,39,40,41,42,43, 44, 45,46,49,51, 53,55, 56,57,
59, 61, 63, 73, 75, 79, 85, 89, 92,
58, 60, 61, 62, 66, 68, 70, 73, 76,
Kablr,
al-,
book of al-Tabaranl, 25
Kabkai, 45,51,62, 73, 83 Kalfini (Kalfml), 80, 131
Kaltan, 80, 131
1
Kanjamanjala, 80 Kanjarakut (Kasaragod), 30,
114,
lift,
121,
120,
1
15
123,
124,
125, 126, 13.!, 131
Kardib(Karilih), SO, 131 Keralolpalli, 30, 111,1
I
ol
Rum,
Khurasan, 32, 104, III, 115
fChuraym bin Falik, 24 Koehi, 8, 39, 45, 4 J, 5(1, 51, 52, 53, (
55, 58, 59, 63, 65, 67, 70, 72, 76, 1
1
4,
1
20, 121.
122, 123, 124,125, 126, 129, 131
Kodungallur, 29, 31, 32, 33, 45, 62,
63,72,73, 75,93, 112, 130
77, 79, 80, 81, 93, 98, 99,
101,
113,
114,
116,
117,
118,
119,
120,
121,
123,
125,
126,
127,
128, 130, 133, 134
f.
Khawajah Husayn Zaajaqdai 70
77, 84, 89, 90, 94,
1
I
14,
115,
Malik bin Dinar, 31, 32, 44, 114, 127 Malik bin l;Iab"ib, 31,32, 114, 115 Malik
lyas,
53, 69, 72,
121,
122,
127
Malik Tughan, 69, 127, 128 Malki, 80
Maluku, 80 Mameluke or Slave Dynasty of Egypt, The, 122
M ami 0k dynasty,
122
3
3
1
TUHFAT AL-MUJAHIDlN
138 Mangalore (Manjalur), 32,
81,
85,
Persian Gulf, 80, 131 Plassey, 109
115
Marakkars, 125, 126, 128
Portugal, 61, 95, 120, 121, 122, 123,
133
Marathon, 109
Marco Polo, 113, 129 Maslh al-Dajjal, al-, 23, 110 Masqat (Maskat), 80
Punnakkayal, 78, 131
Masruq, 21 Mas'udI, 119 Meliapore (Mylapore), 113 Mlqdad, 4, 98
Qamariyyah, 3 Quraysh, 100, 109
Qail, 81
Rander, 128
Misr (Egypt), 52, 53; see also Egypt Mudkhahal-KabTr Ita *ilm a!-Nujum
y
Red
Sea, 122, 123, 131
Rowlandson, Lieut, MJ. 30, 124 Rumi Khan, title of Amir Mustata, ,
al- y
119
Muhammad,
the Prophet, 3, 4,
6, 7,
127, 128
29,97, 100, 109, 110
Muhammad 'All, 116 Muhammad Ah Marakkar,
63
Muslim (Imam),
102,
17, 20,
Sa'd, 20
Sahar Mukhal, 30 104,
105, 106, 107, 108
SahlbinSa^d,
106
19,
Salih, Prophet, 131
Muzaffar Shah, Sultan of
Jazrat,
52
SalTm Shah, Sultan of Rum, 54, 121, 122, 127
Nadapuram, 45 Nairs, 40,41,43, 58, 117, 118, 119
Salman Salman
Nakfatan, 80
Shaliyat (Chaliyam),
Nakhuda Mithqal, 54 Nalleppiily, 129
Nambiyadhar,
108
al-FarisT, 21,
Ra'Is,
Turk admiral, 127 see also
88;
Chaliyam Shamtara (Sumatra), 80 Sharaf bin Malik, 31 44 Shaykh "Amir bin Dawud, Sultan of 3
Nasa% aK
23, 104,
105,
107, 109,
111
'Adan, 74, 129
Nizam Shall, Sultan, 86, 87, 132 Nuno da Kunha, Portuguese Viceroy, 128
Oman,
Shaytlakam, 80 Shiyul, 53
Sholamandal (Coromandcl), 80, 81 Shuhr (Shahar al-Mukalla), 30
119, 131
Silan (Ceylon), 80
Spain, 133
Padmanabha Menon,
30,
76
Thomas, 112, 113 Sulayman, Arab traveller, Sulayman Basha, Wa/Ir of Saltan Sulayman Shah of Rum, 8, 74, St.
Pandya, 118
1
Pantalayani, 30, 31, 32, 45, 49, 51, 62, 64, 77, 83, 84, 94, 114, 115,
1
129, 130
130
Pepper king, 76, Vatakkenkur Periya Puranam^ 1 1
77;
see
also
Sulayman Shah, also Sulayman
Sultan,
8,
74; see
the Magnificent
3
139
Index of Persons and Places
Sulayman the Magnificent, Sultan of Turkey, 122, 129 Sural,
66,92,127, 128
4
Syria, 101
Tabaram,
Uhud, 19,24,98, 106 'Umar (Caliph), 25, 110,111 'Umayr bin al-Hamam, 22, 109 Uqbahbin'Amir,21, 108
al-,
Valluvanad, Raja of, 102 Vatakkenkur, Raja of (Pimienta),
25, 111
Talnar, 95
Tanur, 44, 62, 65, 67, 70, 72, 75, 88,
76; see also Pepper king
Vijayanagar, 60, 86, 123
90, 125, 127, 130,
Temple, of Tirunavay, 93
Thamud,
77, 131
Wa'ilah, 25
Tikkodi, 45, 62, 77,83,94, 125
William Muir,
Sir,
122
Timoja, 123 Tirkud, 125 TirmidhT,
al-,
Yadh, 22, 23, 97, 102, 104,
105
al~,
Yemen,
wazlr, 64; see also Elayadu
33, 53, 97, 101, 114, 116,
122,123,127,128,129, 131 Yogi, 42, 44
Tirunavay, 93
Timvaneikkulam, 33, 113 Tiruvidi (king Vayanad), 102 Tiruvilaiyadal Puranam, 1 Tiruwangad, 45, 63, 125 Tirwadi, ruler of Kulam, 34
Yusuf, a Turk, 78, 131
Yusuf Adil Shah of Bijapur,
99, 123
1
Turkey, Sultan
of,
122
Zafai",
33
Zafar, on the Arabian coast,
1
13
