Abdurrahiman Bafaki Tangal
Indian politician and businessman
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Abdul Rahman Bafakhy Thangal (1905–1973) was an Indian community leader and politician from Kerala.[1][2] Until his death in the early 1973, Bafakhy Thangal remained the most prominent Muslim political leader in Kerala.[2] He is generally credited with transforming the perception of the Indian Union Muslim League inside Kerala.[3]
- Politician
- Community Leader
- Business
Abdul Rahman Bafakhy Thangal | |
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| Born | 19 February 1905 |
| Died | 19 January 1973 (aged 67) |
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| Website | bafakhythangaltrust |
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Bafakhy Thangal belonged to a sayyid family of jurists (the "Ba Faqih") in north Kerala.[4][5] The Yemeni-origin family was settled in Kerala in the early 18th century.[5][4] The Bafakhy Thangals were also a prominent business family in the city of Kozhikode by being international rice traders.[2]
Bafakhy Thangal was born to Abdul Qadir Bafakhy Thangal and Fathima Mulla Beevi on 19 February 1905 at Koyilandy.[4] After studies at Ponnani, he moved to the lucrative export business at Calicut, became a prominent businessman, and eventually established the Bafaqi & Co. at Yangon, Myanmar.[4][2]
Bafakhy Thangal entered active politics in 1936 as a campaigner against an All-India Muslim League candidate from Kozhikode-Kurumbranad Constituency.[4] He subsequently joined the League (1938), and rapidly rose to become the President of the Malabar Muslim League.[4] He also helped to persuade Panakkad Pukkoya Thangal, a sayyid community leader from South Malabar, to join the League.[4] When Kerala State was formed in 1956, he was chosen as the President of the Kerala State Muslim League.[4][1]
Bafakhy Thangal also served as the leader of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyat al-Ulama.[4] He is remembered for his organisation of the sector of madarasa education (institutions where children receive basic Islamic education) in Kerala.[2]
Bafakhy Thangal is generally credited for
- Transforming the perception Indian Union Muslim League inside Kerala.[3]
- Representing all the differences within the large Kerala Muslim community.[3]
- Forming an alliance with the PSP in the 1957 assembly elections.[4]
- Joining the Liberation Struggle against the Communist government.[4]
- Successfully negotiating with the Congress (1959–60) and the Left (1967 and 1969) leadership for the Muslim League.[4][3]
- Founder of Bafakhy Yatheemkhanain Valavannur 1979
Bafakhy Thangal died in 1973 while on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, and was interred in Mecca.[4]
Family
Bafaki Tangal married five times:[6]
- Tanur Puthan Veetil Khadeeja Beevi
- Koilandy Shareefa Amina Beevi
- Koilandy Puthiya Maliykkal Muthu Beevi
- Chaliyam Khadeeja Beevi
- Puthiyangadi Shareefa Beevi