KOZHIKODE: The Malaibar Foundation for Research and Development has embarked on an ambitious project to preserve the texts written in Arabi Malayalam, the language that was prevalent among the Muslim community in north Kerala. Launched in 2024, the foundation has so far digitised more than two lakh texts in Arabic and Arabi Malayalam.
“We launched the project with the support of the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library in the USA to preserve the rare manuscripts including those written in Arabi Malayalam,” said Abdurrahman K C, administration officer of the Foundation.
“We collect the manuscripts preserved by individuals in north Kerala. They either hand over the script to us and we scan and return it. Some give us the scripts because they are not in a position to preserve them.”
He said the foundation has identified 77 places from where they can get the manuscripts. “These are stored digitally and can be accessed by researchers and those who are interested in the study of the language,” he said.
There are innumerable works in Arabi Malayalam known to mainstream society. These works are on religion, astrology, geography, literature and medicine.
“There are songs on football, called ‘footballpattu’, and ‘Thiruvithamkoor Mala’, which is a historical account of Travancore. Some songs are on hunting and some others on spiritual healing.
We have the original of ‘Muhimathul Muminin,’ the fatwa issued by Aminummantakath Pareekkutty Musaliyar against the British, which was confiscated and destroyed by the rulers,” said Ashraf Saqafi Punnath, archive coordinator of the Malaibar Foundation.
“Char Darvesh, the work of Amir Khusro, was translated into Arabi Malayalam years before O Chandu Menon wrote Indulekha, the first Malayalam novel,” he said.
The origin and reasons for the formation of Arabi Malayalam is unknown.
“The are two main arguments on the origins of Arabi Malayalam; the first one claims that Arabi Malayalam was created by the Arabs themselves to have a common language to communicate with the natives.
Second, there was a feeling that it is inappropriate to write the Quran or other sacred texts in any other script because it was believed that the Arabic script had been bestowed by God. Thus, they developed a new language,” said Azeez Tharuvana, a faculty member with the department of Malayalam at Farook College.
He pointed out that all the early works composed in Arabi Malayalam were written in coastal areas like Thalasseri and Ponnani.
“Arabi Malayalam began attaining growth in the 18th and 19th centuries, when Islam began to spread into more inland areas. Kunjayin Musliyar, Mappila Aalim, Umar Labba, Manantekath Kunjikkoyathangal, Mundambra Unni Mammad, Chakkiri Moideen Kutty, M A Imbichi, Nallalam Biran, Naalakattu Kunji Moideen Kutty and Kunjiseetikkoya Thangal are some of the well-known figures in Arabi Malayalam,” Tharuvana said.
‘Mohiyudheen Mala’ is the most acclaimed work in Arabi Malayalam, composed by Khazi Muhammad in the 17th century. “Khasi Muhammad was a contemporary of Thunchath Ezhuthachan.
Though the work is being discussed at the academic level, the Mala never appeared in the mainstream space along with other mystic poems like ‘Harinama Keerthanam’ or ‘Advaitha Deepika’,” noted Sufi musician Sameer Binsi.
Why was the language thrown into oblivion?
“Mainly because some reformist groups started propagating that some texts written in Arabi Malayalam contained superstitious beliefs and un-Islamic ideas. Moreover, Muslims slowly started writing in Malayalam,” Tharuvana added.
Two arguments on origins
Expert says there are two main arguments on the origins of Arabi Malayalam; the first one claims that Arabi Malayalam was created by the Arabs themselves to have a common language to communicate with the natives. Second, there was a feeling that it is inappropriate to write the Quran or other sacred texts in any other script because it was believed that the Arabic script had been bestowed by God. Thus, they developed a new language