Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen KNM

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The Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM) was formed on 20 April 1950 in Kerala, south India, under the leadership of the scholars of the Islahi Movement in Kerala. Members of the organization call themselves Salafis. KNM is not the first organizational setup of the Islahi Movement in Kerala; that was Kerala Muslim Aikhya Sangham (Organization for Muslim Unity in Kerala). Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulema (KJU), a body also composed of scholars, was established in 1924, and is still actively functioning. KNM was formed as a common platform for the tens of hundreds of common Islahi (those who follow the ideology of Islahi Movement in Kerala ). K. M. Maulavi was the first president of KNM. The organization underwent a split about 2 or 3 years ago forming two independent organizations. The dispute on this is going on[citation needed].

Contents

[edit] Religious activities

The Islahi Movement propagates that the Muslims should stick to Tawheed (monotheism) in its original form. It also urges the people to look at the Qur'an and Hadith instead of simply following different Muslim schools of thought. For example, Islahi Movement says the Triple talaq method of divorce is not sanctioned by Islam, but many conservatives permit it.

In the past, the Jumu'ah Khutba (Friday sermon) was in Arabic language everywhere in Kerala, which was a language not understood by the Keralite Muslims. The Islahi Movement started Juma Khutba (Friday sermon) in Malayalam for the first time in Kerala. In the past, women in Kerala were not allowed to pray in mosques, but in mosques managed by Islahi Movement, women were allowed and encouraged to pray in separate women's prayer section inside the mosque.

The first full Qur'an translation with commentary, prepared in Malayalam by an Islahi scholar, Mohammed Amani Maulavi, was published by KNM, and the translation is widely known as Amani Moulavi’s tafsir (exegesis). A soft[clarify] version of the work, the Noble Qur'an, is also now available on CD-ROM.

The KNM started Learning Schools across Kerala in order to educate the Muslim society about its religious ideals.

The KNM advocates the Islaahi religious methodology which derived from the intellectual movement of Muhammed 'Abdu, Rasheed Rida and the likes. Although the Islaahi movement discourages certain types of innovations in Islam, such as celebration of Muhammad's birthday, praying at the tombs of renowned Muslim saints (since it holds that this is at odds with the foundation of Islamic monotheism is to worship Allah alone), they promote certain types of intellectual innovations such as introduction of new means and methods of Dawah (proselytisation).

[edit] Objectives

The objectives of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen are not different from the objectives of Islahi Movement in Kerala. The movement sees its primary objective to be conveying the message of Islam, which the KNM decribes as being centered on monotheism. It also works against perceived social evils and all types of Bid'ah (innovation without reference to Sharia ). It promotes religious as well as modern education, and also undertakes humanitarian activities.

Bodies affiliated to KNM manage ambulance units, pain and palliative care centers, orphanages, Zakat funds, and other charity wings. KNM is actively involved in many other social activities.

According to KNM, dowry system is un-Islamic, and it urges its members and well-wishers to keep away from it. A special wing of the KNM, BISMI, works against the dowry system. BISMI conducts dowry free group marriages frequently to promote less expensive marriages.

KNM promotes interfaith dialogues between different religions.

[edit] Feeding organizations

The various organizations under KNM

[edit] Kerala Jamhiyathul Ulama (KJU)

This is the first Ulama (Religious Scholars) organization in Kerala. It is formed in the year of 1924 in a meeting held at Aluway under the leadership of K.M.Moulavi, M.C.C. Abdu Rahman Moulavi and E.K.Moulavi. It guides the Muslim Community in Kerala in religious matters. It describes its aim as to eradicate superstitious belief, Shirk (polytheism) and Bid'ah.

[edit] Ithihadu Shubbanul Mujahideen (ISM)

The youth wing of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen. In 1966, KNM formed its youth wing named as Ithihadu Shubbanil Mujahideen (ISM), with a view to lead the youth of Kerala in the light of Quran.

[edit] Mujahid Students' Movement (MSM)

MSM is the student wing of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM), the islahi organization in Kerala, formed as the population of Muslim students in the schools, colleges and universities increased rapidly.

Initially, religious minded students had been enrolled in the students' wing of ISM, known as ISM-SW. Later, in 1971 a separate wing by name Mujahid Students Movement (MSM) was formed. MSM's chief objective is to propagate Islamic ideals and principles among the student community in the campuses and schools. Students of medical, law, arts, science and engineering colleges actively participated in campus discussions and deliberations on Islam. These students in turn had a large influence on both Muslim and non-Muslim students in terms of beliefs, ideologies and doctrines.

[edit] Muslim Girls & Women's Movement (MGM)

MGM, the women's wing of KNM was organized in 1987. Some of them came forward to learn Islam and propagate its values. This situation necessitated a platform for co-ordination of their activities. Previously, girls had been organized behind the banner of MSM Girls' Wing[clarify]. The foundation of MGM enabled larger participation and convenient functioning.

MGM enjoins Muslim women to promote Islamic values among themselves. Study classes and family gatherings are arranged to impart Islamic knowledge. It has a special concern for charity activities like housing for poor and distribution of equipment for self employment. MGM claims to uphold dignity of women and to respond to any move to distort it. It says its identity is differentiated from among the modern feministic platforms by deliberate deviation towards morality and its values.

[edit] Criticism

After the institution split into two groups, various infighting and rivalries posed a threat to its activities in general. In addition to that ideological conflicts against KNM have arisen from different parts. A majority[citation needed] of the orthodox Sunni Muslims in Kerala oppose their ideas on tawheed and upliftment of women and see the actions of KNM as unwarranted innovations to the religion. KNM claims that these accusations arise as result of ignorance and poor understanding of the religion.

Another new avenue of criticism arises from groups that call for a slightly different interpretation of the Islahi movement. They argue that photographs are not legal in islam and oppose other activities such as interfaith dialogue, quoting scriptures from other religions, and mixed education. KNM says that in these issues they are in line with mainstream Islamic scholastic opinion.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Organisation History. Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen. Retrieved on 2008-05-23.