Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 18 (PTI) The Kerala government is planning to start an Arabic Language and Culture Centre in Ponnani in Malappuram district of the state to honour Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdoom, 16th century writer, historian and spiritual leader, State Higher Education Minister R Bindu said on Thursday.
Bindu said that Sangh Parivar organisations and the central government have taken a negative approach towards Arabic, which played a significant role in the development of knowledge and science in the medieval period.
The minister was speaking after inaugurating an international conference organised by the Kerala University’s Arabic department.
In a Facebook post, Bindu said that the state government has decided to pay respect to Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdoom for his contribution to writing the authentic history of Kerala and authoring many anti-occupation works.
Teachers, writers and linguists representing the universities of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Kenya, Egypt and Iraq participated in the seminar held over various sessions, the post said.
Sheikh Ahmad Zainuddin Makhdoom bin Sheikh Muhammad Al Gazzali, grandson of Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdoom I, was a writer, orator, historian, jurisprudent and spiritual leader, the minister said.
He was widely known as Zainuddin Makhdoom the Second or Zaniudeen Makhdoom Al Sageer. His family originated from Yemen, the minister said on her Facebook page.
The Ponnani Juma Masjid was built about 600 years ago by Zainuddin Ibn Bin Ahmed (Zainuddin Makhdoom I). Zainuddin Makhdoom II, it is believed, used to sit in the mosque while he worked on his famous book Tuhfatul Mujahideen, a historical account of Malabar, according to the Kerala Tourism webpage on the Ponnani Juma Masjid.
He is said to have inherited the legacy of his grandfather and was installed as the Chief Qadi (judge) in Ponnani, as well as appointed Chief Müderris (head teacher) of the historic Ponnani Dars at Ponnani Jum’ah Masjid, that was built by Zainuddin Makhdoom I, according to sources. PTI HMP HMP ANE
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