Ramadan 2024 and Islam in Mangaluru

Ramadan 2024 and Islam in Mangaluru

Mangalore Today News Network

By I J Saldanha-Shet

Mangaluru, April 12, 2024: The Muslim holy month of Ramadan 2024, has just ended with the sighting of the new shawal moon and there is an awareness the world over as we have seen over time.  The dawn-to-dusk fast lasts 12 to 17 hours, depending on which part of the world you are in.  Muslims believe that Ramadan is the month when the first verses of the holy book Quran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad more than 1,400 years ago.   Reasonably  the most joyous of days in the Islamic calendar, Eid al-Fitr, also known as Eid ul-Fitr or Eid, is a celebration that marks the end of the month of Ramadan. Eid is celebrated on the first day of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Traditionally, the observance begins with the sighting of the vague  new moon. While many will wait to see the moon or an announcement from a committee.  According to a hadith attributed to Anas ibn Malik, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the two festivals of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha were instituted by the Prophet after his journey from Mecca to Madinah.   The first Eid al-Fitr was celebrated in 624 AD by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his companions, just 20 years before the first historical ’Masjid Zeenath Baksh’ was opened at Bundar M’lore.  Historically  in  the Kanara coastal belt along the shores of the Arabian Sea which brought Islam and the teachings of the Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) through the Qur’an to this region centuries ago. According to belief, Christianity arrived on the Kerala Coast through St.Thomas the Apostle of Christ  in 53 AD even before it reached parts of Europe, but it is officially unknown if it spread  in Kanara or Goa until the 1500s. Though such history based articles are published occasionally, many of our folk are unaware of the real historicity of spots in Mangalore which are more precious than gold.  Hence revised and presented something relevant to the times. 

Historic Masjid in Mangalore :  The historicity of Mangalore connects with different regions, languages, faiths and religions; it is ancient, multi faceted and overlapping.  An ancient Mosque - probably oldest in the region - in Bunder - old Mangalore Port, does not seem to have captured the imagination of many Muslims of Mangalore region; Temples and Churches seem to be well known. Tuluva and local rulers are known to have protected Muslim/Arab traders in ancient times much before westerners were heard of in this area. It is  evident that there has been much exchange between cultures and beliefs for ages past creating an intricate mosaic of harmony, which needs better understanding now.

 

 
Zeenath Baksh Masjid, Bundar :  This historic mosque referred to as "Juma Masjid" and "Beliye Palli", is right in the middle of bustling Bunder. Bunder, the old Port of Mangalore, is still the backbone of communication and commerce with many thriving sea ports and the Lakshadweep Islands for long - an old world charm is in the air here.  Established in Mangalore in 644 A.D., by Habeeb bin Malik  and the first Qadhi(Qazi) appointed was Hazarath Moosa Bin Malik, son of Malik Bin Abdullah. This Mosque was probably inaugurated on Friday the 22nd of the month of Jumadil Awwal (fifth month of the Islamic Calendar) in year 22 of Hijra (644 AD).  This sacred Masjid was established by the Holy men of Arabia, who were said to be Kith and Kin of "Sahabas" (Associates) of "Prophet Hazarath Mohammad Rasulallah" it is said and nearly as old as the ’Quran’.

 

The ’Zeenath Baksh Mosque’ indeed presents a unique sight.  In the  1780’s it had been refurbished and renovated by the great ’Tiger of Mysore’ Tipu Sultan. The  architecture of this great monument has many characteristics of Kerala local temples. Tipu added beautifully carved solid rosewood pillars and also a carved ceiling, the carved works are ’magnificent’ to say the least. The mosque was later renamed after Tipu’s daughter ’Zeenat Baksh’.  The front portion (with a prayer hall on two levels) is no doubt added on in the 1800s and the tile roof has ’Basel Mission’ Tiles too, another structure constructed later has four minarets and Islamic dome and houses the 87 year old tomb of  Hazrath Sheikuna Muhammed Moula Jalal Masthan Al Bhukhari a saintly Khazi laid to rest here. Also  some of his kin’s tombs can be seen.

 

 

Beary’s of Mangalore :  The ’Beary’ Community, the locals here, are very ancient, well to do traders from the Malabar and Kanara coast, the Beary hinterland, trading with the Arab lands over the Arabian Sea. 

Arab merchants have been visiting these coastal regions for business, even before the time of Muhammad (pbuh), the prophet of Islam. The word ’Beary’ is said to be derived from the Tulu word ’Byara’, which means trade or business. Since the major portion of the community was involved in business activities, particularly trading, Tulu speaking majority labelled them ’Beary or Byari’. The Beary (also known as Byari) is a community concentrated mostly along coastal Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts in the Southern state of Karnataka and the Northern most parts of Kerala. The Beary community holds an important place among the other coastal Muslim communities.  Note that Bearys blend with the local Tulu culture of old South Kanara and diverse traditions of the Moplahs of Malabar. They also have a well developed dialect called ’Beary’ too.  The Beary community of Kanara or Tulunadu is one among the earliest Muslim inhabitants of the western coast of India. This is attested also in the writing of Ibn Batuta, the intrepid North African traveller who passed through India in 1342. The living nature of the history is unique.


Gujarat Katchi Masjid. Mangalore:   An ancient Masjid  just near the famed Zeenath Buksh Masjid  right opposite to famed ’Bombay Lucky Restaurant’. The Kanara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) is in the backyard of this Masjid. It is popularly referred to as ’Katchi Palli’.  It is a wonder that this Mosque is credited with many firsts. Traditionally each of these many Masjids in Mangalore have their own section of regular devotees. Reliable sources say that Kutchi Memon Masjid was basically constructed in 1839 and is going on to be 175 years. The force behind this sacred work were Patels  from Kutch in North Gujarat, traders who settled in the area and were masters in the spice trade, they spoke Kutchi language and gradually were assimilated into the Kanara culture, the cause of this development are the historical sea routes to Mangalore from the Arabian Sea.  To and fro activity is still very visible it appears.  

The wonders at this Islamic center are : It was the first to get power supply and the fourth in Mangalore to be electrified in the British era, in 1930s , the first to use loud speakers for the ’azaan’, call to pray and in Urdu, the first where the ’qutba’ (Friday Sermon) was delivered in Urdu and so on.

There has been development in the precincts of the masjid but the original structure on about 20-25 cents remains still very original. The new extension  was first made in 1983 and plans to expand are ongoing. The unique gate way into the masjid has a picturesque oriental architecture. Indeed this area called Bunder is a wonder with many  historic monuments still standing the test of time like sentinels spelling out the historical times gone by and hoping for better times for those who are to come.  During Ramadan fasting and festivals the religious spirit is at a peak. There are a good number of Muslims in Mangalore and their concentration is phenomenal. With the sacred festival of Ramadan on the horizon the activities in and around the masjid which has its traditional members is something to watch - the camaraderie, the caring, the human spirit. May it all bring in goodness, harmony and peaceful existence of all in this region now and in the future.