Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama (EK Sunnis)

Formation

Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama was formed on June 26, 1926 but it was officially registered on November 14, 1934,^[10] as the government approved its bylaw, which was agreed upon after deep and wide scholarly discussions held in various Mushawara meets and in consultation with law experts. It promulgated the propagation of true Islam, impart of religious education and activities against superstitions and un-Islamic traditions as its primary and supreme objectives. Its bylaw also included encouragement for secular education compatible with religious beliefs, and calls for religious tolerance, interfaith friendship, peaceful existence and national progress. The registration Number is S1.1934/35^[11] at office of the Kozhikode district registrar

Samastha history 1924-2000s

The Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama felt the need to organise to defend and protect Kerala’s Islamic tradition and to wage a revivalist movement against the new interpretations. Pangil Ahmed Kutty Musliyar,^[12] who had already started counter campaigns against the ‘Wahhabi ideology’, along with some other scholars, met Varakkal Mullakoya Thangal, who was a Sufi Sheikh, to discuss creating an organisational movement to defend theirb version of Islam. Tangal suggested convening a meeting of scholars to discuss the suitable solution. In 1925,^[13] some major ulama and other society leaders gathered at Calicut Valiya Juma Masjid and formed an ulama organisation after prolonged and serious discussions.

KP Muhammad Meeran Musliyar and Parol Hussain Moulawi^[14] were named the President and Secretary of the organisation, respectively.

Conferences

Samastha organised a host of public conferences at various places to spread their message. Facing an opposition of secularly educated people, journalists, advocates and neo-scholars who had been fruitfully utilising all means from public meetings to publications to propagate their reformist ideologies and to brand traditionalists as courting shirk, Samastha leaders were compelled to come out to defend themselves against the allegations and to explain its views. Systematically held public conferences and anniversaries increased Samasthas popularity, kept the majority of Mappila Muslims in their fold, and restricted the inroads of reformist ideologies. In the first 25 years, Samastha focused its agenda on conducting public conferences, dialogues and ideological conflicts. Between 1927 and 1944, it convened 15 annual conferences at various places attracting immense public attention. 70th year Anniversary E.K Aboobacker musliar addressing the crowd The 16th conference held at Karyavattam was important as since then Samastha started to keep records and registers of all activities, resolutions and decisions scientifically. After that, the frequency of the huge public conferences decreased mainly because the organisation had tightened its foundation and fortress by 1950s and it had formed many sub committees and subordinate organisations to deal with different issues. In next 40 years, it conducted next eight conferences.^[17]

• 1985–1996

The 24th and 25th conferences held at Calicut seashore in 1985 and 1996 were widely appreciated for the largest gatherings the town had ever witnessed, for the discipline and obedience the huge crowd displayed, for the resolutions, topics and issues the conference sessions discussed, and for the attention both drew from non-Muslim, political and government circles.^[18]

• 2002 – Samastha celebrated its platinum jubilee holding public conferences at five major Kerala cities: Kasargod, Calicut, Thrissur, Kollam and Tiruvanandapuram.
• 26 February 2012 – The Samastha 85th conferences held at Kooriyad, Malappuram
• 11 February 2016 – The Samastha 90th conferences held at Alappuzha^{[19][20][21][22]}

Official celebrations

• January 2024 - Commencement of the 100th anniversary celebration Inauguration at Bengaluru^{[32][33][34][35]}

Celebrations of the 100th anniversary of Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama, which will be held from February 6 to 8, 2026, have begun in Bengaluru. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah inaugurated^[36] the 100th anniversary function at Bengaluru Palace grounds on 28 January 2024.^[37][38]

Action Plans

Six action plans were announced at the inaugural meeting. Samasta President Muhammad Jifri Muthukkoya Thangal announced the plans. They announced the six projects decided in the Samasta Kendra Mushavara meeting.^[39]

• Formulating and implementing new projects at the national and international level to spread the ideals of the Holy Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah
• Formation of coordination committee at international level to coordinate activities of Samasta at national and international levels.
• Starting a Higher education institution in Bengaluru.
• Formulation of necessary plans to extend the existing educational systems of Samasta to more areas.
• Designing and implementing projects with more emphasis on socio-cultural philanthropic activities.
• Introduction of new systems in the field of instruction subject to the ideals of Ahlus Sunnati Wal Jamaat