This small handbook of creative resistance calls for action against divisive forces, writes Hussain Kodinhi, veteran journalist from Kerala.

‘Mantra of the Oppressed’ is a must-read for anyone who cares about the future of democracy, writes Adnan Aboobacker in Ummid.com

Mujeeb Jaihoon writes on the Sheikh Sultan’s literary efforts, highlighting his courageous embrace of human diversity with pragmatism.

Mujeeb Jaihoon converses with Christine Long, the Mississauga-based painter and book collector, about culture and spirituality

Mujeeb Jaihoon on the the Magnanimity of Shaykh Mohiyuddin Athipatta, the celebrated Sufi mentor of the Shadhilli order from Kerala

Medina is the Tree. Ka’aba, Mounts of Safa and Marwa, Zamzam and Masjid al Haram are its twigs and branches… writes Mujeeb Jaihoon

Mujeeb Jaihoon’s emotive eulogy for Muslim Kerala’s charismatic leader who led the Community with his striking humility & resolute leadership.

Hijab, long criticized as an instrument of patriarchal oppression, has inadvertently won the hearts of many critics, writes Mujeeb Jaihoon

Muslim community should be encouraged to take internal reforms without State compulsion- writes Mujeeb Jaihoon

Ramadan is giving our body a break and igniting our soul’s desires to commune and congregate with the Divine— Jaihoon’s Ramadan journal 1442

Ramadan is giving our body a break and igniting our soul’s desires to commune and congregate with the Divine— Jaihoon’s Ramadan journal 1442

Mujeeb Jaihoon’s eulogy for late Shaykh Mohiyuddin Musliyar Athipatta (1936-2018), the under-explored goldmine of modern Muslim Kerala.

True Ramarajya will only entitle Muslims to greater peace, equality & freedom. Nevertheless, Patience will be indispensable — asserts Mujeeb Jaihoon

Human progress is possible only in the complementarity between Faith and Science. Religionists & Science cheerleaders have to unite, writes Mujeeb Jaihoon

Have the Indian Muslims expressed the same solidarity for the oppressed Dalits as others are aggressively showing towards Muslims now, asks Mujeeb Jaihoon

Complements usually constrain us into cozy comfort zones. But when Mothers armor children with confidence, belligerent battles seem child’s play

The fate of Divisive rulers and their doormats have been suicidal at best, predicts Jaihoon in a scathing piece on the fascist attacks at Indian campuses.

Her prayerful sighs have unarguably worked miracles for me since Lord decreed by existence

The choice of my homeland is by Divine decree. So look elsewhere for a better victim to pursue your power play (Jaihoon on Citizenship Amendment Bill 2019)

In a revisionist conversation with Mujeeb Jaihoon, KKN Kurup laments Kerala’s neglect of Thuhfathul Mujahideen, the manifesto of anti-colonial struggle.

Knowledge and Books are the true DNA of traditional Muslim identity. Its renewal, too, can only be based on the revival of the Written Word, contents Mujeeb Jaihoon

Excesses in devotion is toxic to Spiritual enlightenment, writes Mujeeb Jaihoon, in a critical appraisal of the rising extremist influence among Muslims.

From the outset, the Academy is no more than any other Muslim seminary in Kerala. But looks can be deceptive— Mujeeb Jaihoon on his experience at IGA.

To all those eagerly composing obituaries for the fanatics-razed 16th century Monument, brace even more for the murder of Minority-souls, not just ancient domes or minarets.

The perpetrators behind his disappearance have to be brought to book without fear or favor, whatsoever be their nepotistic nexus with the power corridors

So, how would it sound when Sanskrit, the traditional language of devotional Hinduism (not to be mistaken for militant Hindutva), and Urdu, the enemy-branded lingua franca, merges in one person with equal devotion and admiration for both? It would sound as beautiful as the Urdu-some mantras of a Hindu-some Priest.

The enthusiasm of its 148-strong volunteers in this philanthropic adventure knows no bounds

Arabian purity, Persian intellectuality, Ottoman nobility, Indian plurality and Western objectivity – Islam has absorbed them all in handsome fashion.

On Dr. Sheikh Sultan, the Sharjah emir’s passionate call for Cultural & Educational intervention to counter terrorist elements and moral decay in Arab World

Blind people can teach us bright lessons, concludes Jaihoon after visit to the Home for the Destitute Blind, in Kizhuparamba village of Kerala

Religious activism will be counter-productive when robbed of self introspection. Activism, Abdal Hakim Murad believes, fails to address the demons within oneself.

This year’s fasting began on a Monday, the day of Beloved’s birth. Nothing could get more auspicious than this to commence the spiritual cleansing process.

Why don’t the apostles, devout preachers who carved a niche in Malabar for ‘Shaykh Marx’ and ‘Hazrat Lenin’, become full time Party members?

Mujeeb Jaihoon unearths some unconventional treasures in the second meet with the Mystic of Melattur

Najeeb Moulavi laments the organizational partisanship casting an infinite shadow in the making of able jurists in Muslim Kerala

Dr. Muhammad Al Ninowy, the Syrian-born American Islamic scholar, shares his philosophy of Unconditional Compassion on his Kerala tour

Philanthropy should be able to bring about a positive change in the life of the beneficiary and ultimately make him self-sustainable, says Anwar Naha, the president of Dubai KMCC, as he shares his vision of “reform-oriented social change” with Mujeeb Jaihoon.

Kerala Islam is today chained in priesthood and the constant sectarian bullying has robbed them of the opportunity of discovering the beauty of Islam

Amid all the spiritual and philosophical talk surrounding Ramadan, it would be a great disservice to ignore the contribution of the womenfolk at home.

The three disciplines – Music, History and Literature – assembled in beautiful proportion deep in the chamber of their hearts. They took home the melodious words of this Nasheed artist, ‘reading is the coolest thing to do’

The silent scholar is not a regular darling of the religious establishments. He rarely attends phone calls and, though has a laptop, does not bother to check emails. Taking advantage of this rare opportunity of meeting him, I blatantly bombed him with a host of questions to which he very patiently answered

Nothing does more damage to our creative ambitions than the loss of our dearest well-wishers- writes Mujeeb Jaihoon

Only poets can dare to dream of an ecosystem which is radically different from their immediate present.

Yes, Ramadan is the most grand discount extravaganza we can ever imagine. Shopping for the blessings of Allah, be it of the greatest or silly value… Jaihoon’s Journal of Ramadan 2011

The national symbols of India are largely contributions of Muslim rule

This article is in response to a Twitter discussion, on public intellectuals in the gulf, triggered by the writer’s comment, I thought “public intellectuals” in the Gulf was an oxymoron!

That expatriates have transplanted a major portion of their lifespan to explore and enjoy better economics in this country is understandable. It is also true that this country has offered expats what their country of origin has not.

Who cannot accept the fact Colleges are no more than hang-out clubs for its students, social status for parents and livelihood for teachers?

Despite observing it from known childhood, the Month has remained a spiritual energy powerhouse enriching with intimate experiences with the Creator. Every year, like all believers, I look upon it with renewed enthusiasm and expectations. To undo the past sins and build a better future for my soul. I win, I fail and the circle goes on

I was happy: I made it. I had reached the Holy Month, alive. Allahumma Balligni Ramadan… would have been the prayer of all the believers in Shaban.

If we could take this Ramadan as a time for self-assessment. Could we also try to find out how much have the Muslims positively contributed to the development of the world and to the total fund of knowledge and human experiences during this whole year?

It is habitual for us to ‘regret about the past, complain about the present and worry about the future’. We spend more time thinking about them, than trying to solve them.

The Hindu majority state had the guts which the Muslim Malabar, with all its organized Muslim political and religious power had failed to achieve. If Gandhi Factor is the honorary reason for the largely successful ban n Gujarat, Malabar too is not lacking in spiritual cum political luminaries

Did we realize that there are an equal number of victims who are martyred in the tsunami of this madness? They are the ones whose hearts cry for the end of this tournament as soon as possible.

Believers of today get excited when Science confirms a fact earlier established in Quran. Should they really?

Thanks to the media, the commercial giants have spent heavily on defining motherhood through their products

A Mother’s womb, that is cherished and revered since the creation of man as the greatest guardian of life, is being compared here to just ‘a model’ of an air conditioner! A model that would fail to maintain its ‘uniqueness’ in the market for not more than a few months. The womb is the very symbol of human life on earth.On the need for government regulation in advertising industry.

The point of interest is that this quote by Bayazid Bastami appeared as the opening quote of a psychology text book taught in CBSE Indian schools…Jaihoon on knowledge segregation

Her every vein protested with pain. And now she was asking one of her sons to look after his medication, writes Jaihoon on a visit to the ICU

Although loud and fast beats surround the wholly religious lyric, Rahman has successfully maintained a spiritual aura for the listener to experience.

What prompted Jaihoon to think so was a question posed by a colleague during a busy and breathless office schedule. “So what are you giving her for Valentine’s day?”

Educationists, governmental departments and even parents can rejoice over the above saying of Holy Prophet. An Ashura thought

If it is the command of creed that a wife seeks the permission of her husband before observing voluntary fasts, then it is the same religion of Peace that teaches the parallel lesson for husbands to obtain ‘an affectionate NOC’ (No Objetion certificate) from one’s wife so that her rights are protected.

Everyone mentioned above is rewarded in one form or the other. At least they are given the credit for the roles they play. However on this blessed day, there is a silent character who is the focus of attention of almost the entire family and even the neighborhood in some cases. This person loses sleep, sometimes staying awake until late hours… the eyes get swollen so that other’s hearts in happiness are woven.

Had Iqbal known of Qazi, he would have probably included him in his poetry just as Tipu Sultan (from South India). The gap was partly owing to the rich contributions of Keralite intelligentsia but restricted to their own mother tongue.

Zahrawiyya was the title given to female graduates named after the legendary daughter of the Holy Prophet, Fatimah Zahra

Which mother could see her child- who just survived a suicidal attempt- be taken away from her?

This piece is scented with gratitude for that kind soul, whoever he was, whatever his faith

Dr Kamala Surayya, clad in the headscarf and the prayer costume, is absorbed in the reading of Holy Quran in the month of Ramadan. She is embracing the first Ramadan after her conversion to Islam..

Poets and thinkers have owed their best works to this silent valley. Many a scientists have silently screamed Eureka at this kingdom of books. Intellectuals find no other designation to spend their vacation than this empty hall with shelves all around.

From the very beginning, it was with ‘two-minded mentality’ that I thought of going to watch the match. After all it was the duty of the spectators to cheer those on the field. And I was not sure of my cheering capacity.In every game it is quite natural for one side to lose heart and other side to celebrate. And who takes which side- that is for us to wait and see.

Therefore, Creative Arts, which makes a definite impact on its audience, is also a form of energy. The success of a work of art (i.e. its influence) is based on the amount of mental energy exerted by an artist during its making…It is not that Iqbal used words which were out of others’ reach. But the bow determines the speed of the arrow… It was in midst of a conversation with a Communications & Electronics student that the idea was fired

Thank God that unlike organized religions, there isn’t any single custodian or a specific city in the case of English language to dictate what is authentic or not. Or else it would become hard for humanity to distinguish between the terms- ‘terrorism’ from ‘patriotism’.

Conscience invasion in shopping It was just a shopping experience. In fact the first official one since Jaihoon had been promoted to the position of a breadwinner. Al Hamdu Lillah. As usual, it was a dotcom product that had priority in my TINY shopping list: a 1.5m USB cable. However, a box of chocolates was a not a bad idea to balance the list.

Meeting Death face to face is indeed a matter of great trial for the faith of the believer. Not everyone can receive the Angel of Death with a smile. In fact death is the test-tube where the solution of faith is examined.

In this show, the participants never had to put up a show! They were as they were- pure of heart and intentions. They had not grown enough to become the victims of the Accursed One. Of course, they were instructed to act as so and so, but they never did so successfully.

It was hard to believe whether it was the real news or a commercial break of a Hollywood movie preview. But this was real plane, real building and real people.

Among the most intensely discussed issues of today is the upliftment of women. The issue has attracted attention from all walks of life, creating both controversies and emotional response.

A few months back, the appearance of the ‘Monkey-Man’ that assaulted many had caused an outcry not only in the region where it was discovered, but rest of the world as well.

It is not in my capacity to elaborate the obsession of western civilization with the ancient Roman past, especially its past pagan legacy. Thanks to globalization, the ‘land of sunset’ is more appealing in the eyes of ‘land of sunrise’. What is western is synonymous with what is global and is not much different from the colonial effect of the middle ages.

A thought dawned upon my mind about two mundane things which we all do (and as such there is nothing philosophical about it). Some of the results on comparison were funny and some strange.

Life is all about change. ‘Change’ in seasons, change in relationships, change within one’s owns self. No single moment is the same in the universe. The planetary bodies are changing their location every moment. The rising sun has never seen the same earth on any two days. Change in state or rather movement is the essence of every nucleus.

The only approach that remains to be tried is a ‘spiritual approach’… not missiles and bombings.

The clamor of money was in the air. The visitors had come with their choice made: Deposit or Withdrawal. This two-fold phenomenon was evident on each face. The paper bits in their hands spoke of the basic economic term: want.

How am I to behold the volcano of anguish and anger? This fume that is being emitted, spreads far and wide, knowing no bounds. Frustration enfolds every vein of mine. Nothing but curse and mistrust. And what can I say about this hell at heart?

Before Ramadan began, in a light-hearted moment I told my love that when in paradise, I would be in the joyful company of hoors. she replied in an indifferent tone, ‘That’s ok. But make sure you don’t spend too much time on the PC or else they would go away”.

A few years back, when mind was not as much ripe, I had a chance to get hold of Imam Gazzali’s work, Mishkat Al Anwar. It was too ‘heretical’ for me then to accept the deeply mystical ideas expounded in it. And years after… attending a Tafsir gathering, I realized new meanings for the 1400 years plus revealed verses.

The scholar had already undergone a serious operation for heart and was strictly advised to take rest. But despite his poor health, Mr. Kareem was enthusiastic to spend some time and answer some of the questions regarding Keralite Muslims and the Portuguese crusades.

When the ‘Monetary Reformer from UK’ was invited to speak about the ‘Economic Aspect of Interest’ not everyone in the college, including the writer, anticipated such a tremendous response from the student audience. His speech, although coined in state-of-the-art economics jargon, enlightened many in the audience even those from a non-BBA discipline. It had the flavor of a ‘definitive economist’ preaching the gospel of Economics with a reformative endeavor. All through the speech, he tried to clear the widely believed notion that ‘Bank without interest is no bank at all’.

The tireless presentations at top of the voice for hours and hours, are just the work of the body. Its roots lie elsewhere. It is pure dedication, without having any leisure vacation. And this comes from the heart. As a management guru said, logic makes you think, emotion makes you act.

Dr. Randathani said it was essential for historians to present the bygone past in a language understood by the common man. He also expressed his discontent about the partisan outlook of Kerala Muslims and called upon them to have a unified stand on important matters.

Dr. Allama Iqbal testifies to the above fact in the following words: I went to Italy and came across a gentleman called Prince Caeteni who was fond of Islamic history. I asked him why he was interested in it, he replied “Islam turned women to men” (i.e. – Islamic faith instilled great faith and enthusiasm in the hearts of its womenfolk that they became equal to men).

The sun may be burning in scorching summer days and Man, an advanced form of creation, find it difficult to travel from home to office, even in air-conditioned cars. Yet the primitive date fruit embraces the merciless heat rays and ripens itself so that it becomes tasty for the man who eats it. A wonderful mechanism indeed to convert solar energy to neural electric impulse on our taste-buds! Well done, o Merciful Creator!

The most fascinating aspect in this whole episode that attracted me was that even professing but non-practicing Muslims were showing their enthusiasm for the boycott. Muslim friends and colleagues, who had no business with fasting in the month of Ramadan or attending the congregational Friday prayers, were persuading and promoting practicing pious brothers and sisters to boycott Danish makes. Boycott emails were forwarded religiously and leaflets distributed devotedly.

We proudly claim that our life has become fast, but simultaneously admit in humility that much of it goes in waste. The reference is to precious time lost in traffic jams

Present Muslim world is in greater need of private home-based sheikhs than public pulpit-based ones. The community is disintegrating and so are individuals going through identity clashes

Politics deprive the land and people of peace. The heart beat of an average Malayalee is tuned to the political wrangling of various parties and groups. In Kerala, two is a company and three is a party!

Islam is a religion of hope and determination. Never has the Beloved Leader of humanity let them lose hope- not in this world not in the next.

In the process of giving such complements, there is no need to hunt or steal others’ verses. Just say it from your heart which is suffice. Poetry is nothing but the water flowing from the heart’s basin. And love is a rain-bearing cloud which pours water into that basin!.. by Jaihoon

What makes a believer different from non-believer is his capacity to hope for Allah’s Mercy. The slave may despise himself, cursing and wailing before Him.

I was no longer the nervous participant, but the judge who gave the judgment. And it had a ‘personal excitement’ of its own…

The definition begins with a suspense and ends with the revelation of the secret. The middle part is the important part that establishes the relationship between the heart and the personality

If you ask Jaihoon in one sentence about the feeling that one gets after watching the movie, then he’d rather quote the words of a character who says at the end of the movie, ‘I wish I was alive during the lifetime of Prophet’s companions’ to feel, to experience, to see and hear, to inhale the fragrance of Beloved of Lord. Review of Muhammad: The Last Prophet

Visiting the sick one, no matter on what creed does his heart feed, brings in the visitor a sense of humility. Perhaps it will refine the believer’s heart better than listening to a mind-blowing seminar delivered by an expert on religion

Let us evaluate our position. In the era when the major corporate houses are overvaluing their stock, let us be honest and honest, with outmost trust. Do not over value. Do not under value. Just at par value

Walk and sit like Rasoolullah. Be like the beloved of Allah. When anyone looks at you, they should remember Rasoolullah— thoughts from a Friday sermon.

When our belly is full, we stop to think. When our belly is full, in laziness we are sunk. When our belly is full, we stop where we are

Perhaps he is only trying to avenge his humiliation at the hands of Uncle Sam.