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98-563: Ponnani ( Malayalam: [ponːaːni] ) is a municipality in Ponnani Taluk , Malappuram District , in the state of Kerala , India . It serves as the administrative center of the Taluk and Block Panchayat of the same name. It is situated at the estuary of Bharatappuzha (River Ponnani) , on its southern bank, and is bounded by the Arabian Sea on the west and a series of brackish lagoons in

196-585: A Shafi'ite Sunni center of learning. Therefore, "he had all the treasures of the palace, including the books, sold over a period of ten years. Many were burned, thrown into the Nile , or thrown into a great heap, which was covered with sand, so that a regular "hill of books" was formed and the soldiers used to sole their shoes with the fine bindings. The number of books said to have disposed of varies from 120,000 to 2,000,000." Abd-el-latif delivered lectures on Islamic medicine at Al-Azhar, while according to legend

294-548: A modernist position, advocating "Wasatiyya" (centrism), a reaction against the extreme textualism of many Wahhabi Salafi ideologues. Wasatiyya covers a range of thinkers, some of whom are liberal intellectuals with religious inclinations, preachers such as Yusuf al-Qaradawi and many members of the Muslim Brotherhood . Since the 2013 coup however, Al-Azhar has taken a position against the brotherhood. The nineteenth and current Grand Mufti of Egypt and Al Azhar scholar,

392-402: A Sufi order has long been standard for both professors and students in the al-Azhar mosque and university system. Although al-Azhar is not monolithic, its identity has been strongly associated with Sufism. The current Shaykh al-Azhar (rector of the school), Ahmed el-Tayeb , is a hereditary Sufi shaykh from Upper Egypt who has recently expressed his support for the formation of a world Sufi league;

490-668: A formal war was broke out between the Portuguese and the Kozhikode rulers, the Portuguese attacked and plundered, as the opportunity offered, the port of Ponnani. As per some historians, the ancestral home of the Kunhali Marakkar family was at Ponnani. In course of time they spread to Tanur and other settlements of the west coast. It seems that the Kunhalis shifted their base to Putupattanam when Fransico de Almedia attacked Ponnani (1507). There

588-684: A fort of wood. Rui Gomes de Gram, the first Captain of the Fort, is known to have strengthened the defenses on the Ponnani. He pulled down the wooded structures and erected one of stone of considerable strength. Gasper Fagundes, who was in the Ponnani Fort in 1586, was asked by the Portuguese Governor to offer his services to the Samutiri of the Kozhikode against the Kunhali Marakkar. By an agreement (1597) between

686-467: A fort on the north bank of the Vaikkal river mouth at Ponnani. This piece of land belonged to the chief of Bettem. The ships coming from Cochin with materials for construction - like stones and mortars - reached near Vaikkal. But all the vessels except one "mast vessel" were destroyed by being dashed to the shore in a storm. Some Portuguese men were drowned and some were captured. The cannons recovered came under

784-529: A handful of Cochin Nairs. Ponnani at the time was defended by a strong battery of artillery (forty guns), and a number of well-armed ships under Kutti Ali. Kutti Ali of Ponnani was a powerful captain of the Samutiri Fleet having with him more than 7,000 armed men. The harbor was protected by fortifications on either side of the entrances. The Portuguese writers later recorded that "the men were rather frightened by

882-541: A madrasa in pre-modern times before its transformation into a university. An Islamic women's faculty was also added in the same year. Historically, Al-Azhar had a membership that represented diverse opinions within Islam. The theological schools of al- Ash'ari and al- Maturidi were both represented. It has a long tradition of teaching all four schools of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence ( Hanafi , Maliki , Shafi , and Hanbali ). The chief mufti of each school of thought acted as

980-571: A major exporting centre in Malabar. Ponnani Canal was constructed for the transportation of goods from Ponnani to Tirur railway station . Here is a description about the Ponnani Canal by Basel Mission employees at Codacal. ...nowadays a steamship travels between Ponani and Tirur through the Canal, where the most convenient railway station for Ponnani is to be found. The ticket costs only 4 annas, although

1078-417: A municipality to be classified as a Municipal Council can vary from state to state but typically ranges from around 20,000 to 100,000 residents. Again, the exact population requirement may vary depending on the state. The establishment of municipalities is primarily based on several factors that are taken into consideration by the state governments. These factors may vary from state to state but generally include

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1176-405: A professor ( ijazah ). The average length of study was 6 years. Despite the lack of bureaucracy, the training remained rigorous and prolonged. Students were loosely organized into riwaq (a sort of fraternity ) organized according to their nationality and branch of Islamic law they studied. Each riwaq was supervised by a professor. A rector, usually a senior professor, oversaw the finances. By

1274-476: A religious celebration in the same month, Tantawy had released comments alluding to "the arrogant and the pretenders who accuse others with the ugliest vice and unsubstantiated charges". In response, Egypt's press union issued a statement suggesting that Tantawy appeared to be involved in inciting and escalating a campaign against journalists and freedom of the press. Tantawy died in 2010 and was succeeded by Mohamed Ahmed el-Tayeb . In 2016 Ahmed el-Tayeb reissued

1372-459: A scholar at Al-Azhar published Man Qatala Faraj Fawda . 10th–17th centuries 19th – early 20th centuries 1910s–1950s 1950–present Al-Azhar, the historic centre of higher Islamic learning in Cairo, has undergone significant change since the late 19th century, with new regulations and reforms resulting in an expanded role for the university. 1. From madrasa to university This great mosque,

1470-605: A script used to write Malayalam , was originated at Ponnani. The script was also known as "the Ponnani Script". Bharathappuzha , also known as the Ponnani River, has contributed much to the Malayalam literature . Ponnani is described by different authors, all the way from Europe to Arabia to China, in different names. Some of the names are given below. It is believed the word Ponnani comes from Pon Nanayam ( Gold Coin ) after

1568-410: A spirit of cooperation. Bergsträsser was certainly impressed with the work. In March 1924, Abdülmecid II had been deposed as Caliph , supreme religious and political leader of all Muslims across the world. The Grand Sheikh of al-Azhar repudiated the abolition and was part of a call from Al-Azhar for an Islamic Conference . The unsuccessful "caliphate conference" was held under the presidency of

1666-474: A supporter of then Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak , also called for a punishment of eighty lashes to "those who spread rumors" in an indictment of speculation by journalists over Mubarak's ill health and possible death. This was not the first time that he had criticized the Egyptian press regarding its news coverage nor the first time he in return had been accused by the press of opposing freedom of speech. During

1764-496: A thousand soldiers from one of these ships were killed either by the sword or drowning. Kutti Pokkar was later in killed off the coast of Mangalore , while returning from a successful raid on the Portuguese fort there. A Portuguese fleet of 40 vessels under the command of Diogo de Meneses is known to have pillaged Ponnani, sometime before 1570 AD. It is also known that Gil Eanes Mascarenhas opened fire from his ships to Ponnani port and killed large number of natives in 1582. Mascarenhas

1862-471: A token of gratitude. A meeting between Father Carre and M. Coche took place off Ponnani on 10 November 1674. According to this narrative, young Coche was "almost metamorphosed into an Indian" by his stay at Ponnani. Carre also met Aubert, a French merchant in the English Company's service. The ship carrying Father Abbe was detained at Ponnani over a dispute over delivery of goods - mainly pepper. Carre took

1960-570: A variety of scholars. According to Syed Farid Alatas, these subjects included Islamic law and jurisprudence , Arabic grammar , Islamic astronomy , Islamic philosophy , and logic . Under the Fatimids, Al-Azhar also notably promoted Shia Islam . In the 12th century, following the overthrow of the Isma'ili Fatimid dynasty, Saladin (the founder of the Sunni Ayyubid dynasty ) converted Al-Azhar to

2058-399: A view to retrieve the Portuguese prestige lost on account of the some incidents at Angediva and Dabul . Almeida himself commandeered the fleet of 12 vessels consisting of four naus , six caravels and two gales. The fleet had about 6,000 European soldiers, led by a collection of noblemen such as Pero Barreti, Diogo Pires, Lourenco de Almeida, and Nuno da Cunha , son of Tristao da Cunha and

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2156-612: A wide range of secular faculties were added for the first time, such as business , economics , science , pharmacy , medicine , engineering and agriculture . Before that date, the Encyclopaedia of Islam classifies the Al-Azhar variously as madrasa, center of higher learning and, since the 19th century, religious university, but not as a university in the full sense, referring to the modern transition process as "from madrasa to university". Other academic sources also refer to al-Azhar as

2254-551: A wide variety of indigenous dishes. The centuries of maritime trade has given the Ponnani a cosmopolitan cuisine. The cuisine is a blend of traditional Kerala , Persian , Yemenese and Arab food culture. One of the main elements of this cuisine is Pathiri , a pancake made of rice flour. Variants of Pathiri include Neypathiri (made with ghee), Poricha Pathiri (fried rather than baked), Meen Pathiri (stuffed with fish), and Irachi Pathiri (stuffed with beef). Spices like Black pepper , Cardamom , and Clove are widely used in

2352-465: Is Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam . The university is opposed to overt liberal reform of Islam and issued a fatwa against the liberal Ibn Rushd-Goethe mosque in Berlin because it banned face-covering veils such as burqa and niqab on its premises while allowing women and men to pray together. The fatwa encompassed all present and future liberal mosques . Al-Azhar University's Council of Senior Scholars

2450-504: Is a self-governing Urban Local Body that administers a smaller urban areas than municipal corporations, with population of 100,000 or more. However, there are exceptions to that, as previously Nagar Palikas constituted in urban centers with populations over 20,000, so all the urban bodies which were previously classified as Nagar Palikas even if their population was under 100,000. Under the Panchayati Raj system. It interacts directly with

2548-422: Is another important road. The River Tirur‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍ joins River Ponnani at its mouth at Patinjarekkara Beach from the north bank, opposite to Ponnani. The Colonial-era Cannoly Canal ("the Ponnani Canal") bisects Ponnani town. Ponnani is located 68 km south to Kozhikode city, 48 km southwest to Malappuram city, 91 km northwest to Palakkad city, and 50 km northwest to Thrissur city. Ponnani

2646-470: Is another view about the origin of Kunhali Marakkars. As per this tradition, they were descended from a Muslim merchant by name Muhammad who traded in Cochin . Muhammad and his brother were forced to leave Cochin and settle at Ponnani in the wake of the Portuguese occupation of the place which had resulted in the destruction of his ships and warehouses. The Marakkars later moved his base to Kozhikode and when Ponnani

2744-459: Is known that students from as far as Sumatra , Java and Sri Lanka traveled to Ponnani for their spiritual education. The town was described in many sources as "the Land of 23½ Mosques". It currently has around 50 mosques, spread around the town. During the months of February and March, large number of migratory birds flock at Ponnani (both Ponnani and Patinjarekkara Beaches). Arabi Malayalam script ,

2842-642: Is known that the river mouth - situated opposite to the plains of Coimbatore across the Ghat mountains - was accessed by the rulers of central Tamil Nadu through the Palghat Gap. It is generally assumed that the archaic Tamil chiefs came into contact with Greco-Roman navigators at the mouth of the Bharatappuzha. Even in the latter times, Ponnani served as the major rice supplier to the Portuguese outposts in India. Throughout

2940-639: Is located right in the middle of the Kerala coast. In the Middle Ages, under the ambitious Hindu chiefs of Kozhikode (the Samutiris/Zamorins), Ponnani developed as one of the most important centers of Muslim trade - both overseas and domestic - on the Arabian Sea. The port also served as the military headquarters of the Kozhikode rulers. With the arrival of the Portuguese explorers in the late - 15th century,

3038-468: Is tasked with nominating the Grand Mufti of Egypt (subject to presidential approval), electing the next Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque , and is expected to be the final authority in determining if new legislation is compliant with Islamic law. Although the council's decisions are not binding (absent new legislation), it is expected that it would be difficult for the parliament to pass legislation deemed by

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3136-542: Is widely written that the Muslims were ready to defend their bastion of Ponnani with their life ("to die as martyrs"). It is known that large number of men and vessels from Ponnani took part in a battle against the Portuguese off the coast of Kannur on 16 March 1506. In addition to the native Muslims, the Kozhikode Fleet of around two hundred large vessels carried large number of "red-coated" Turkish soldiers. Lorenzo Almeida

3234-606: The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , a region known as Limyrike began at Naura and Tyndis . However the Ptolemy mentions only Tyndis as the Limyrike ' s starting point. The region probably ended at Kanyakumari ; it thus roughly corresponds to the present-day Malabar Coast . The value of Rome's annual trade with the region was estimated at around 50,000,000 sesterces . Pliny

3332-495: The Jewish philosopher Maimonides delivered lectures on medicine and astronomy there during the time of Saladin though no historical proof has corroborated this. Saladin introduced the college system in Egypt, which was also adopted in Al-Azhar. Under this system, the college was a separate institution within the mosque compound, with its own classrooms, dormitories and a library. Under

3430-638: The Kingdom of Cochin . The city of Ponnani also provided ideological support for the battles against the Estado da Índia. It was the home of the revered Makhdum family. Prominent members of this Yemeni family of Islamic theologians included Zain-ud-Din Makhdum I (1467 - 1521) and his grandson Zain-ud-Din Makhdum II (1530 - 1581). Makhdum II is known for his formidable historical chronicle Tuhfat al-Mujahidin ("Glory to

3528-644: The dean , responsible for the teachers and students in that group. During the time of the Ottomans, the Hanafi dean came to hold a position as primus inter pares . It also had membership from the seven main Sufi orders . Al-Azhar has had an antagonistic relationship with Wahhabism . According to a 2011 report issued by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace , Al Azhar is strongly Sufi in character: Adherence to

3626-404: The 'brilliant one' ... is one of the principal mosques of present-day Cairo. This seat of learning ... regained all its activity—Sunnī from now on—during the reign of Sultan Baybars. ... Al-Azhar at the beginning of the 19th century could well have been called a religious university; what it was not was a complete university giving instruction in those modern disciplines essential to the awakening of

3724-571: The 15th century, we know that Ponnani served as the military capital of the Samutiris of Kozhikode. The city also hosted the largest arsenal of the Kozhikotu rulers. The port at Ponnani was defended by fortifications on either bank of the river. In the 16th century, Ponnani witnessed several battles between Kozhikode naval chiefs, known as the Kunhali Marakkars, and the Portuguese colonizers. Whenever

3822-597: The Colonial rule, the Ponnani rice cargoes were shipped across the West Coast. Tobacco was the other major commodity exported from Ponnani to Goa . Pliny the Elder (1st century CE) states that the port of Tyndis was located at the northwestern border of Keprobotos ( Chera dynasty ). The North Malabar region, which lies north of the port at Tyndis , was ruled by the kingdom of Ezhimala during Sangam period . According to

3920-552: The Dutch had inaugurated negotiations with the Samutiri of Kozhikode at Ponnani. English ships captained by James Keeling, sailing from Surat , is known to have visited Ponnani around 1615 AD. On 12 February, a friendly reception was given by the Samutiri of Kozhikode to French Viceroy de la Haye and M. Caron (French Company) at Ponnani. M. Coche, a young Parisian clerk in the French Company's service, took up his residence at Ponnani as

4018-426: The Egyptian government to toughen its rules and punishments against journalists. During a Friday sermon in the presence of Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif and a number of ministers, Tantawy was alleged to have stated that journalism which contributes to the spread of false rumours rather than true news deserved to be boycotted, and that it was tantamount to sinning for readers to purchase such newspapers. Tantawy,

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4116-445: The Egyptian parliament. The King Fuad I Edition of the Qur'an was first published on 10 July 1924 by a committee from Al-Azhar University Prominent committee members included Islamic scholar, Muhammad b. 'Ali al-Husayni al-Haddad. Noteworthy Western scholars/academics working in Egypt at the time include Bergsträsser and Jeffery . Methodological differences aside, speculation alludes to

4214-464: The Elder mentioned that Limyrike was prone by pirates. The Cosmas Indicopleustes mentioned that the Limyrike was a source of peppers. An inscription which dates back to 932 CE, found from Triprangode , mentions Goda Ravi of Chera dynasty and Thavanur . Several inscriptions written in Old Malayalam those date back to the 10th century CE, have found from Sukapuram near Ponnani, which

4312-544: The Grand Chancellor of Azhar in 1926 but no one was able to gain a consensus for the candidacy across the Islamic world. Candidates proposed for the caliphate included King Fuad. The pioneering Pakistani journalist Zaib-un-Nissa Hamidullah became the first woman to address the university in 1955. In 1961, Al-Azhar was re-established as a university under the government of Egypt's second President Gamal Abdel Nasser when

4410-534: The H.H. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum project to preserve Al-Azhar scripts and publish them online (the "Al-Azhar Online Project") to eventually publish online access to the library's entire rare manuscripts collection, comprising about seven million pages of material. Al-Azhar is one of the relics of the Isma'ili Shi'a Fatimid dynasty, which claimed descent from Fatimah , daughter of Muhammad and wife of Ali , son-in-law, and cousin of Muhammad. Fatimah

4508-643: The Mamluks, Al-Azhar gained influence and rose in prestige. The Mamluks established salaries for instructors and stipends for the students and gave the institution an endowment. A college was built for the institution in 1340, outside of the mosque. In the late 1400s, the buildings were renovated and new dormitories were built for the students. During this time Cairo had 70 other institutions of Islamic learning, however, Al-Azhar attracted many scholars due to its prestige. The famed Ibn Khaldun taught at Al-Azhar starting in 1383. During this time texts were few and much of

4606-463: The Municipality. The population requirements for forming a Municipal Council or Municipality vary across different states in India. The specific population thresholds are defined by the respective state governments through their municipal acts or legislation. In Andhra Pradesh, a Municipality can be formed if the population of the area is more than 25000 and below 100000. The population requirement for

4704-505: The Muslims in cooperation and on friendly terms, and are not enemies of the faith" ("in this case, their rights and responsibilities are the same as the Muslims so long as they do not become enemies of Islam"). Shi'a fiqh (according to a fatwa by Al-Azhar) is accepted as a fifth school of Islamic thought . In October 2007, Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy , then the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, drew allegations of stifling freedom of speech when he asked

4802-654: The Portuguese Passes (the infamous " cartazes ") for the navigation of Arab vessels and gave assurances of non-intervention in the wars of the Portuguese with other native powers [such as Cochin]. Terms of the Treaty (1540) In 1552, the Samutiri of Kozhikode received assistance in heavy guns landed at Ponnani, brought by certain Yoosuf, a Turk, who had sailed against the monsoon winds. In 1566 and again in 1568, Kutti Pokkar of Ponnani and his men captured two Portuguese ships. Around

4900-480: The Portuguese. The Ponnani town was looted, burnt and destroyed. The defenses of the Ponnani Port were repaired and strengthened after this event. It seems that Kunhali Marakkar I, assisted by Kutti Ali and Pacchi Marakkar, subsequently constructed a naval base at Ponnani. Kutti Ali sent harassing raids from Ponnani to Cochin and reinforcement fleets to Kozhikode. Portuguese Viceroy Henrique de Meneses appeared off

4998-568: The Samutiri of Kozhikode and the Portuguese, the former agreed to give site to the latter to erect a church at Ponnani. By a treaty signed between the Dutch Admiral Steven Van der Hagen and the Samutiri of Kozhikode (11 November 1604), the Dutch were permitted to open a factory at Ponnani in return for their help against the Portuguese. The factory served as a military outpost of the Dutch East India Company. A Dutch Resident

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5096-527: The Victory of Mujahidun", c. 1583), first printed and published in Lisbon . A copy of this edition has been preserved in the library of Al-Azhar University , Cairo . The Ponnani Jum'ah Masjid , also known as Valiya Jum'ah Palli/Makhdum Mosque , was built in the 16th century AD. Ponnani, once known as the "Little Mecca of Malabar" and the " Jami'at al-Azhar of Malabar", was a prominent center of Islamic learning. It

5194-418: The bank of the river Bharathappuzha . Ali Musaliyar (1854 - 1921), one of principle leaders of the 1921 Mappila Rebellion, had studied at the Ponnani madrasa. Sayyid S. Makti Tangal (d. 1912), an influential Mappila theological reformer, was a native of Ponnani. K. V. Raman Menon (1900–1974), known as Ponnani Gandhi, was a reputed Indian National Congress leader of the time who had actively participated in

5292-558: The circulation of Arab gold coins introduced here by the Arabs and the Persians . The name of the place traces back to the maritime trade tradition of the port city. Bharathappuzha River (River Ponnani), which is also the second-longest river in Kerala flows into Arabian Sea at Ponnani port. The Palakkad Gap on the bank of River Bharathappuzha was the principal trade route between Malabar Coast and Coromandel Coast in ancient times. Anyway

5390-522: The city witnessed several battles between the Admirals of Kozhikode and the Portuguese for the monopoly in the Spice Trade. Whenever a formal war was broke out between the Portuguese and the Kozhikode rulers, the Portuguese attacked and plundered, as the opportunity offered, the port of Ponnani. The relentless battles lead to the eventual decline of the settlement, with the exodus of Middle Eastern merchants, and

5488-421: The coast of Ponnani on 25 February 1525 with a fleet of 50 ships, including 19 grabs supplied by the chief of Purakkad . After an unsuccessful mission in Cochin , the Samutiri army was camping at Ponnani. Meneses sent initially some soldiers to the shore for water and provisions. But they were set upon and driven back. Next morning (26 February), the Portuguese landed in forces, and a fierce engagement took place

5586-505: The council as against Islamic law. In January 2013, Al-Tayeb referred a relatively minor issue related to Islamic bonds to the council, for the first time asserting the council's jurisdiction. In 2013, the Council elected Shawki Ibrahim Abdel-Karim Allam to be the next Grand Mufti of Egypt. This marks the first time that the Grand Mufti would be elected by Islamic scholars since the position

5684-402: The cuisine of Ponnani. Muttappathiri is another popular breakfast snacks. The main item used in the festivals is the Malabar style of Biryani . Sadhya is also seen in marriage and festival occasions. Snacks such as Arikadukka , Chattipathiri , Muttamala , Pazham Nirachathu , and Unnakkaya have their own style in Ponnani. Besides these, other common food items of Kerala are also seen in

5782-427: The cuisine of Ponnani. The Malabar version of Biryani , popularly known as Kuzhi Mandi in Malayalam is another popular item, which has an influence from Yemen . As of 2011 India census, Ponnani Municipality had a population of 90,491. Males constitute 47% of the population and females 53%. Ponnani has an average literacy rate of 90.00%. Male literacy is 93.36%, and female literacy is 87.07%. At Ponnani, 13.17% of

5880-711: The distance is 10 km... Ponnani was a major hub of Indian nationalist movement in Malabar District during the British Raj. Ponnani region was the working platform of K. Kelappan , popularly known as Kerala Gandhi ,Vakeel Raman Menon,known as Ponnani Gandhi, A. V. Kuttimalu Amma, and Mohammed Abdur Rahiman , and several other freedom fighters. Other independence activists from Ponnani taluk included Lakshmi Sehgal , V. T. Bhattathiripad , and Ammu Swaminathan . The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi , Jawaharlal Nehru , and Lal Bahadur Shastri , were deposited in Kerala at Tirunavaya , on

5978-416: The duty of active da'wa . He has made declarations about Muslims interacting with non-Muslims who are not a threat to Muslims. There are non-Muslims living apart from Muslims and who are not enemies of Islam ("Muslims are allowed to undertake exchanges of interests with these non-Muslims so long as these ties do not tarnish the image of the faith"), and there are "the non-Muslims who live in the same country as

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6076-649: The fatwa on Shia Muslims , calling Shia the fifth school of Islam and seeing no problem with conversions from Sunni to Shia Islam. However, the NGOs report that violence and propaganda against the country's Shia minority continues. Shia Muslims are frequently denied services in addition to being called derogatory names. Anti-Shia sentiment is spread through education at all levels. Clerics educated at Al-Azhar University publicly promote sectarian beliefs by calling Shia Muslims infidels and encourage isolation and marginalization of Shia Muslims in Egypt . Scholars from Al-Azhar declared

6174-495: The following: The Municipality is responsible for: A steady and adequate supply of funds is essential for the smooth running of all these programmes. The various sources of income of municipal bodies are: Al-Azhar University Founded in 970 or 972 by the Fatimid Caliphate as a centre of Islamic learning, its students studied the Qur'an and Islamic law , along with logic, grammar, rhetoric, and how to calculate

6272-425: The former Grand Mufti of Egypt and senior al-Azhar scholar Ali Gomaa is also a highly respected Sufi master. However, in the early 20th century, enlightened Modernist thinkers such as Muhammad Abduh led a reform of the curriculum, reintroducing a desire for legal reform through ijtihad . Subsequently, disputes were had between modernist intellectuals and traditionalists within al-Azhar. Al-Azhar now maintains

6370-412: The former was obliged to protect the interests of the latter against the neighboring chiefs of Valluvanatu (South Malabar) and Perumpatappu ( Cochin ). As Kozhikode's political authority extended to South Malabar and Cochin , the Samutiri came to reside more and more at Ponnani (Trikkavil Palace, south of the present-day temple). The port town gradually became the second home of the Kozhikotu chiefs. By

6468-693: The freedom movement against the British in Malabar District. He was a social reformer and was a leading lawyer of the Court of Ponnani. Presently, Ponnani is one of the major fishing centers in Malappuram . It is known that the Makhdum family sailed from Yemen to South India to propagate Islam. The family initially settled in Tamil Nadu (the Ma'bar region), before moving to Cochin (15th century) and later to Ponnani. Ponnani has

6566-449: The inhabitants. In 1528, a strong Portuguese fleet cornered Kutti Ali off the coast of Bankur and he was taken prisoner. The Portuguese Viceroy Garcia de Noronha signed a peace treaty with the Samutiri of Kozhikode on board the ship St. Mattheus at Ponnani on 1 January 1540. As per the agreement, called the Treaty of Ponnani, the Samutiri granted the Portuguese the virtual monopoly, of trade in pepper and ginger at Kozhikode, accepted

6664-455: The land of Payencherry Nair, a Dutch ally, was also exposed by the Ponnani Residency. A meeting between Commandeur van Rheede and the Samutiri of Kozhikode, over the cession of Chetwai, took place at Ponnani in 1678 AD. Haidar 'Ali , Sultan of Mysore conquered northern Kerala in 1766 and established an outpost at Ponnani. His successor Tippu Sultan developed the port at Ponnani for trade, and for strategic reasons. Tipu considered Ponnani as

6762-410: The learning happened by students memorizing their teachers' lectures and notes. In fact, blind young boys were enrolled at Al-Azhar in the hopes that they could eventually earn a living as teachers. During the Ottoman period, Al-Azhar's prestige and influence grew to the point of becoming the preeminent institution for Islamic learning in the Sunni Muslim world. During this time, the Shaykh Al-Azhar

6860-435: The mid 19th century, al-Azhar had surpassed Istanbul and was considered the capital of Sunni legal expertise; a main centre of power in the Islamic world; and a rival to Damascus, Mecca and Baghdad. When the Kingdom of Egypt was established in 1923, the signing of the new nation's constitution was delayed because of King Fuad I 's insistence that Al-Azhar and other religious institutions were to be subject to him and not

6958-416: The name Ponnani is connected with the maritime trade that occurred here for centuries. Pre-historical and Early Historical (2nd century BC – 3rd century AD) nature of this settlement is shrouded in mystery. It is one of the oldest ports in South India and can be identified with the port of Tyndis , which was a satellite feeding port to Muziris , according to the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea . Tyndis

7056-524: The newly developed base at Ponnani. Thirty-eight ships belonging to Chinna Kutti Ali were burnt; a large number of Mappilas were killed, the coconut trees on either bank of the River Ponnani were cut by the Cochin Nairs, and houses, shops and mosques were all destroyed. The Ponnani town was partially burnt in the assault. The cutting of the coconut trees in a region was considered as a method of punishment to

7154-581: The opportunity to travel by land, with the escort of four Nairs, to Tellicherry Factory. On 8 March 1747, it was the Dutch Resident at Ponnani who reported to the Malabar Council the plan of the Samutiri of Kozhikode to occupy by surprise the Fort Chetwai under the pretext of going to Cochin. The alertness of the Ponnani deterred the Samutiri from making the attack. In 1755, the Samutiri's plan to attack

7252-488: The phases of the moon. Today it is the chief centre of Arabic literature and Islamic learning in the world. In 1961 additional non-religious subjects were added to its curriculum. Its library is considered second in importance in Egypt only to the Egyptian National Library and Archives . In May 2005, Al-Azhar in partnership with a Dubai information technology enterprise, IT Education Project (ITEP) launched

7350-531: The population is under 7 years of age. The matrelineal system of succession ( Marumakkathayam ) was prevalent among the Nair and Muslim families of Ponnani. Around 68.31% of the population are Muslims and 31.02% are Hindus. Schedule Caste (SC) constitutes 5.75% while Schedule Tribe (ST) were 0.22% of total population in Ponnani (M). Nagar Palika (Municipality) In India , a municipal council , also known as nagar palika , nagar parishad or nagar parisad ,

7448-411: The possession of the Samutiri of Kozhikode. As per an agreement (1584) between the Samutiri and the Portuguese, the Kozhikode allowed the Portuguese to have a factory, instead of a fort, at Ponnani, obtaining in return the right of navigation for the Muslims to the ports of Gujarat , Persia and Arabia . Dom Jeronimo Mascaranhas, who was instrumental in signing the contract with the ruler of Kozhikode,

7546-477: The prayers and shouts of the enemy" as approached the port. Tristao da Cunha defeated the Muslim forces (24 November 1507) in the subsequent engagement. Eighteen Portuguese were killed in the assault. Lorenzo was wounded by the Muslims and the fight was stubborn. Muslim ships were burnt, and the Portuguese seized their arms and ammunitions. The commodities that were made ready for despatch to Red Sea were also taken over by

7644-430: The priorities of Muslims are "to master all knowledge of the world and the hereafter, not least the technology of modern weapons to strengthen and defend the community and faith". He added that "mastery over modern weaponry is important to prepare for any eventuality or prejudices of the others, although Islam is a religion of peace". Sheikh Tantawy also reasserted that his is the best faith to follow and that Muslims have

7742-646: The provisions relating to urban local governments (nagar palikas). Three tier structure: Four tier structure: The members of the Municipal Council or Municipality are elected representatives for a term of five years. The town is divided into wards according to population, and representatives are elected from each ward separately. The members elect a chairperson and vice chairperson among themselves to preside over and conduct meetings. A chief executive officer, along with officers like an engineer, sanitary inspector, health inspector, and education officer who come from

7840-414: The remaining 14 vacancies are filled, new vacancies will be appointed by the existing Council itself. All four madhahib (schools) of Sunni Islamic jurisprudence are proportionally represented on the council ( Hanafi , Shafi'i , Hanbali , Maliki ) and voting is on a majority basis. In addition to El-Tayeb, other prominent members of the Council include the outgoing Grand Mufti Ali Gomaa . The council

7938-758: The rulers who protected it. Presently, Ponnani is one of the major fishing centers in Kerala . The original headquarters of the Perumbadappu Swaroopam , who later became the Kingdom of Cochin , was at Chithrakoodam in Vanneri, Perumpadappu , which is located 10 km south to Puthuponnani , in Ponnani taluk . When Perumpadappu came under the kingdom of the Zamorin of Calicut , the rulers of Perumpadappu fled to Kodungallur , and later they moved to Kochi , where they established

8036-557: The south. It is the seventh-most populated municipality in the state, the second-most populated municipality in the district, and the most densely populated municipality in Malappuram district , having about 3,646 residents per square kilometre as of the year 2011. As of the 2011 Census , the municipality forms a part of Malappuram metropolitan area . National Highway 66 , from to Panvel to Kanyakumari , passes through Ponnani Municipality. The Palakkad -Ponnani State Highway which connects National Highway 66 with National Highway 544

8134-501: The state government, though it is administratively part of the district it is located in. Generally, smaller district cities and bigger towns have a Nagar Palika. Nagar Palikas are also a form of local self-government entrusted with some duties and responsibilities, as enshrined in the Constitutional (74th Amendment) Act, 1993 . Under Article 243Q, it became obligatory for every state to constitute such units. The 74th amendment made

8232-467: The state public service are appointed by the state government to control the administrative affairs of the Nagar Palika. Employees of the state government of India, including Chief Officer, Town Planning Engineer, Auditor, Sanitary Inspector, Medical Officer for Health , and Education Officer , among many others, who come from the state public services, are appointed to handle the administrative affairs of

8330-451: The view of selecting a suitable site. The Kozhikode chief kept Goncalves waiting for some time on the plea that his Brahmins were unable to fix upon an auspicious date whereupon Goncalves sent the Brahmins some presents, and they then speedily named a favorable hour for the purpose. The construction of a Portuguese fort at Ponnani began in 1585. Gonsalves, being in a hurry to depart, erected only

8428-566: The writings to Farag Foda to be blasphemous. Muhammad al-Ghazali, a member of Al-Azhar, declared Foda to be guilty of apostasy . According to Geneive Abdo , Muhammad al-Ghazali also added that anyone killing an apostate would not be punished, while according to Nathan Brown , Muhammad al-Ghazali stopped just short of condoning Foroda's assassination. Foda was assassinated in June 1992, by an Egyptian terrorist group al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya , who claimed justification from Al-Azhar's fatwas. In response,

8526-667: Was a major center of trade, next only to Muziris, between the Cheras and the Roman Empire . The River Bharathappuzha (River Ponnani) had importance since Sangam period (1st-4th century CE), due to the presence of Palakkad Gap which connected the Malabar coast with Coromandel coast through inland. Ponnani's location at estuary of the Bharatappuzha amidst the fertile plains suitable for rice cultivation might have attracted early settlers. It

8624-460: Was able to defeat this combined forces, and near 3,000 Muslims were killed the battle. The Portuguese loss was very trifling. Towards the end of year 1507, Viceroy Francisco de Almeida was informed that a column of 13 Muslim ships had taken cargo - mainly spices - from Ponnani and were about to leave for the Red Sea . The Viceroy immediately decided corner the fleet. The decision was perhaps made with

8722-611: Was appointed the Captain of the Factory at Ponnani. The decision was deeply resented by the Kunhali Marakkar III. Sooner rather than later, Duarte de Menezes entrusted Ruy Goncalves de Carmara command of an expedition determined to erect a fort proper at Ponnani. Goncalves proceeded to Ponnani, from where he dispatched a message to the Samutiri of Kozhikode, informing him of the object of his visit, and requesting that he would meet him with

8820-757: Was called al-Zahra (the luminous), and the institution was named in her honor. It was founded as a mosque by the Fatimid commander Jawhar al-Siqilli at the orders of the Caliph and Imam Al-Mu'izz li-Din Allah as he founded the city for Cairo. It was begun (probably on Saturday) in Jumada al-Awwal in the year AH 359 (March/April 970 CE). Its building was completed on the 9th of Ramadan in AH 361 (24 June 972 CE). Both Caliph al-Aziz Billah and Caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah added to its premises. It

8918-542: Was created in 1895. Prior to this, the Egyptian head of state made the appointment. Al-Azhar's muftis have a history of being consulted on political issues. Muhammad Ali Pasha appointed Al-Azhar muftis to the Consultative Council in 1829 and this would be repeated by Abbas I and later Isma'il Pasha . At the same time, there were many cases where the Egyptian ruler would disregard the opinion of Al-Azhar scholars. Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid Tantawy noted that among

9016-458: Was established, an office given to the leading scholar at the institution; prior to this the head of the institution was not necessarily a scholar. In 1748, the Ottoman pasha tried to get Al-Azhar to teach astronomy and mathematics, to little avail. During the time there wasn't a system of academic degrees, instead the shaykh (professor) determined if the student was sufficiently trained to enter

9114-490: Was founded in 1911 but was replaced in 1961 by the Center for Islamic Research. In July 2012, after the law restricting Al-Azhar University's autonomy was modified by the incoming president Mohamed Morsi , the council was reformed. The Council consists of 40 members and as of February 2013 had 14 vacancies all appointed by the current imam of Al-Azhar, Ahmed El-Tayeb , who was appointed by the prior president, Hosni Mubarak . Once

9212-405: Was further repaired, renovated, and extended by al-Mustansir Billah and al-Hafiz li-Din Allah . The Fatimid caliphs always encouraged scholars and jurists to have their study-circles and gatherings in this mosque and thus it was turned into a madrasa which has the claim to be considered as the oldest such institution still functioning. The mosque provided teaching on a variety of subjects from

9310-545: Was in charge of the settlement. The aim of the residency was to keep "peace" with the Samutiri of Kozhikode and to watch the activities of the other European powers and the native enemies of the Dutch Company. Stein van Gollenesse wanted to cover the residency building with tiles. But the Samutiri never consented to the proposal, fearing that it would increase the Dutch influence. The chief directed Gollenesse's successor to re-thatch it every year with new coconut leaves. In 1607,

9408-525: Was later captured, and executed by the forces of Kunhali Marakkar. Muslims from Ponnani is known to have actively participated in the Siege of Fort Chaliyam in 1571. The Samutiri of Kozhikode sent against the Fort Chaliyam certain of his ministers in command over the Muslims of Ponnani, who were assisted by bodies of people from Chaliyam. The Portuguese had earlier (around 1528, under da Cunha) tried to construct

9506-627: Was one of the 64 old Nambudiri villages of Kerala. Ponnani used to be under the control of the Brahmins of "Tirumanasseri Natu", with protection from the Vellattiri (Valluvanatu/ Angatippuram ) chief, in medieval times. Later the Tirumanasseri Namputiri handed over the port Ponnani to the Samutiri of Kozhikode . An arrangement was reached between the Brahmin and the Samutiri, as a result of which,

9604-465: Was sacked by de Menezes (1525), he offered help to the Samutiri in his fight against the Portuguese. Kutti Pokkar, a Captain in the fleet of Pattu Marakkar (Kunhali Marakkar the Third), was a native of Ponnani. Ponnani is usually considered as the military capital of the Samutiris of Kozhikode. For an assault on Cochin in 1500 AD, the Samutiri seems to have assembled a huge army of 50,000 Nairs at Ponnani. It

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