Salafism in Kerala with special reference to the discourse on `aqidah

Abstract

Salafism is a movement that claims to be as old as Islam as preached by our beloved Prophet (Pbuh). Today, there is no doubt that Salafism has rejuvenated Islamic thought. Almost all reformation and revolutionary Islamic movements owe a great deal of debt to it. Modern Islamic history would have been a totally different story if it was not for Salafism. The seeds of its thought can be found all over the Muslim world and has resulted in the creation of hybrids or variants of this movement, all claiming to uphold the Salafi Ideology. The aim of this research is limited to the study of the role of Salafism in Kerala, a small state located in southern India. The study focuses on Kerala Nadwah al-Mujihidin, the dominant Salafi movement of Kerala. In the endeavurs of the author to carry out this research, it became obvious that a revolutionary element existed in the proponents or Imam of this ideology. It was thus quite surprising to find a lack of this revolutionary spirit in the Kerala Nadwah al-Mujahidin as it exists today. Thus this research underwent a major shift in focus from a historical appreciation of Salafi movement in Kerala to a critical evaluation of the works of this movement from a holistic perspective. Thus, the study of the movement was not restricted to matters pertaining to religious duties or beliefs; rather the whole social and political implications of their activities were analyzed. It is hoped that this research will provide valuable insight not only for those interested in the evolution of Salafism in Kerala, but also for those interested in Salafism itself.