Indian
Abdurrahiman Bafaqi Thangal (1905—1973), honorific Sayyid, title Ba Faqih, was an Indian community leader and politician from Quilandy Kerala.[1][2] Until his death in the early 1970s, Bafaqi Thangal remained one of the most prominent Muslim political leader in Kerala.[2][3] He is generally credited with transforming the perception of Indian Union Muslim League inside Kerala.[4]
Abdurrahiman Bafaqi Thangal belonged to a sayyid family of jurists (the "Ba Faqih") in north Kerala.[5][6] The Yemeni-origin family was settled in Kerala in the early 18th century.[6][5] The Bafaqi Thangals were also a prominent business family of the city of Calicut (by being international rice dealers).[3]
Bafaqi Thangal was born to Abdul Qadir Bafaqi Thangal and Fathima Mulla Beevi on 19 February 1906 at Koyilandy.[5] After the studies at Ponnani, he moved to the lucrative export business at Calicut, became a powerful Calicut businessman and eventually established the Bafaqi and Company at Yangon, Myanmar.[5][3]
Bafaqi Thangal entered active politics in 1936 as a campaigner against an All-India Muslim League candidate from Kozhikode-Kurumbranad Constituency.[5] He subsequently joined the League (1938), and rapidly rose to become the President of the Malabar Muslim League.[5] He also helped to persuade Panakkad Pukkoya Thangal, a sayyid community leader from South Malabar, to join the League.[5] When Kerala State was formed in 1956, he was chosen as the President of the Kerala State Muslim League.[5][1]
Bafaqi Thangal also served as the leader of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyat al-Ulama.[5] He is remembered for his organisation of the sector of madarasa education (institutions where children receive basic Islamic education) in Kerala.[3]
Bafaqi Thangal is generally credited for
- Transforming the perception Indian Union Muslim League inside Kerala.[4]
- Representing all the differences within the large Kerala Muslim community.[4]
- Forming an alliance with the P. S. P. in the 1957 assembly elections.[5]
- Joining the Liberation Struggle against the Communist government.[5]
- Successfully negotiating with the Congress (1959-60) and the Left (1967 and 1969) leadership for the Muslim League.[5][4]
Bafaqi Thangal died in 1973 (while on the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca) and was interred in Mecca.[5]
Family
Bafaqi Thangal had married five times.[7]
- Tanur Puthan Veetil Khadeeja Beevi[7]
- Koilandy Shareefa Amina Beevi[7]
- Koilandy Puthiya Maliykkal Muthu Beevi[7]
- Chaliyam Khadeeja Beevi[7]
- Puthiyangadi Shareefa Beevi[7]
External links
- Sayyid Muhammedali Shihab Thangal on Sayyid Abdurrahiman Bafaqi Thangal
- A. K. Antony on Sayyid Abdurrahiman Bafaqi Thangal
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Miller, Roland. E., "Mappila" in "The Encyclopedia of Islam". Volume VI. E. J. Brill, Leiden. 1987. pp. 458-56.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Miller, Roland E., Mappila Muslim Culture. New York, State University of New York Press, 2015. pp. 100-102, 268.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Miller, Roland E., Mappila Muslim Culture. New York, State University of New York Press, 2015. pp. 100-102, 268.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Communism in Kerala: A Study in Political Adaptation{{#if:Nossiter|, Nossiter}. University of California Press(1982)
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 Bafaki Tangal (biography), Randhathani, Hussain(2013-01-18).
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Osella, F., and C. Osella. "Islamism and Social Reform in Kerala, South India." Modern Asian Studies, vol. 42, no. 2-3, 2008, pp. 317–346.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 Ba Faqih Sayyids OF Kerala, Randhathani, Hussain.