Ali Musliyar

Āli Musliyār (1861–1922) Malayalam: ആലി മുസ്ലിയാർ, Arabic: عالي مسليار), born Erikkunnan Pālattu Mūlayil Āli was one of the prominent sufi leaders of the 1921–22 Māppila Uprising in Madras Presidency, British India. He was a sufi of Qadiriyya Tariqah.

Musliyār was an Masjid al-Haram educated Islamic scholar and religious leader who served as the Imam of Tirurangadi Mosque from 1907 until his eventual execution at Coimbatore Prison. He was an active orator of the Khilafat Movement.

Early life and career in Mecca

Āli Musliyar was born in Nellikkunattu desom, Eranad taluk, Malabar district to Kunhimoitīn Molla and Kōtakkal Āmina. Kōtakkal Āmina was a member of the famous Maqdoom family of Ponnani, known for their religions scholarship. Musliyar's grandfather, Mūsa, was one of several "Malappuram Martyrs". Ali Musliyar began his education studying the Qur'an, tajwīd and the Malayālam language with Kakkadammal Kunnukammu Molla. He was sent to Ponnani Darse for further studies in religion and philosophy, under the tutelage of Shiekh Zainuddin Maqdum I (Akhir), which he successfully completed after 10 years.

He then went to Haram, Makkah (Mecca) for further education. Throughout this period, he was guided by several famous scholars, including Sayyid Ahmed Sahni Dahlan, Shiekh Muhammed Hisbullahi Makki, and Sayyid Husain Habshi. After spending seven years in Mecca, he went on to serve as the Chief Qasi in Kavaratti, Laccadive Islands.

Musliyar in Malabar

In 1894, after learning of the slaying of his brother and several other family members, Musliyar returned to Malabar. He discovered that many of his relations and fellow students were lost during an 1896 riot. In 1907 he was appointed as the Chief Musliyar of the mosque at Tirurangadi, Eranad taluk.

He .became a Khilafat leader, on the introduction of the Khilafat movement, was installed as Khilafat King on the 22nd August 1921 at the Jamat Mosque and issued edicts proclaiming his assumption, of office and directing that in future market fees, ferry and toll revenue belong to the Khilafat Goyernment.

He posed as a great leader of the people. Khilafat and non-co-operation meetings were held regularly under Ali Musaliar, and "these constant preachings, combined with the resolution passed in the All-India Khilafat Conference at Karachi last July, led  the ignorant Moplahs to believe that the end of the British Government in India was at hand. AH Musaliar and his lieutenants were making secret preparations for active and direct hostility against the British Government. News was spread that the Amir of Afghanistan was about to invade India and, with the assistance of Gandhi and Ali Brothers, would establish the Khilafat rule in the country. Khilafat volunteers were recruited and made to swear on the Holy Koran that they would be ready to die for the cause of the Khilafat. Ali  Musaliar also made his volunteer corps parade throughout the locality, armed and in their uniforms, and such demonstrations added to the strength of this mischievous movement." (Public Prosecutor's speech, West Coast Spectator, October 6, 1920). 

The beginnings of the future Khilafat army were in the 'making, and, at an anti-non-co-operation Meeting held at Ponnani on 24 July to counteract the effects of the Khilafat agitation, Ali Musaliar, "turned up with his volunteer force of about 50 to 100 volunteers armed with big Khilafat knives and clad in Khilafat uniform, marching under a red flag, with shouts of Allah-Ho-Akbar. The volunteers rushed the Police in the bazaar."  (Judgement in Case No. 7/21). 

No evidence has yet been forthcoming to warrant the allegation regarding agrarian discontent, but it would appear that there was some trouble — what it was, it is not possible to say — between the Pookotur Moplahs and the Manager Tirumulpad of the Pookotur Estate. This lack of cordiality was aggravated by the Police search instituted at the instance of the Manager, and V. Mohammad exploited the Khilafat movement and the fractious temper of his co-religionists to wreak vengeance. The Moplahs demanded " their wages at 9 o'clock at night, threatened the , manager and became very turbulent " (Appendix VII) and in this jungly, remote and fanatical hamlet of Pookotur, the civil administration practically ceased to function  from 2 August 1921. 

The revolt of 1921–22 began following the police attempt to arrest 3 leaders, of which Ali Musaliar was one among them on 20 August 1921. Rumours were spread by Moplahs that the British troops had destroyed the Mampuram Mosque, and the Moplah gangs were brought out in huge numbers, estimated to be between 15,000 to 30,000. This led to large scale massacre of British troops, Hindu peasantry, rich Hindu landlords, and severe damage to the government infrastructure including buildings, rail bridges, roads etc throughout South Malabar.

That this was not a riot or a class revolt, but a planning Caliphate uprising is based on evidence as follows

• The Khilafat Volunteers, were mostly dressed in Khaki uniform and had swords for everyone.
• The volunteers were all enlisted before 1921 under the Congress non-cooperation movement. Up to 100 Khilafat committees were formed, and people enlisted.
• The volunteers, had emblems, and carried a Red flag, and shouted Allah-u-Akbar as they went on parades.
• Hindu blacksmiths of the locality were intimidated into making swords and knives, a good many of these out of carpenters' saws.
• Their target was government buildings, and both rich and poor peasantry of Hindus, and large scale conversion.
• They dug trenches and lay in ambush and went after British troops in many villages.
• The massacre was macabre including rape of women, even tearing pregnant women's bellies to expose the new born, slashing people in the neck and throwing them into open wells.

The events of the day — 20 August — are summarised in the following Press Communique, dated 26 August, 1921

"This attempt to make searches and arrests under legal warrants in due conformity with the law has been a signal for an outburst of fanaticism throughout Ernad, Walluvanad and Ponnani directed first against European Officials and Non-officials and latterly against Hindu Jenmis* and others. Public Offices have been looted everywhere, Manast and Kovilagams pillaged, Hindus murdered or forcibly converted, and the line cut to an extent, regarding which there is no information."

It was an organised rising ; the rebels had manufactured war-knives and swords: collected firearms and swords from Hindu houses: also from Police stations: they wrecked the rail-road and cut telegraph lines, destroyed bridges, felled trees and blocked roads, dug trenches and lay in ambush to attack the passing troops : in fact, they acted as men who had gained some knowledge of modern war-fare, having learned these tactics from disbanded sepoys, who had seen service in Mesopotamia and who, having joined the rebels, instructed these Khilafat soldiery as to how they should proceed. 

The widespread violence was led by Ali Musaliar and carried out by other Moplah families (Thangal families)

"The storm had burst with a vengeance. Civil administration came to a standstill: the sub-treasuries in the rebellion area were looted and lakhs of rupees carried away : public buildings and records were burnt : Munsiffs, Magistrates, and Police Officers had to seek refuge elsewhere : Police Officials were overwhelmed by rebel hordes and had to surrender their arms : Village Officials had left their villages; and, eventually, the train traffic stopped for a week between Shoranur and Calicut. Murders, dacoities, forced conversions and outrages on Hindu women became the order of the day. Hindu refugees in thousands poured into Calicut, Palghat, the Cochin State, and other places wending their weary way over hills and through jungles for safety from the lust and savagery of the Moplahs."

Although the British army troops were quick to take the upper hand in many towns, a number of rebels initiated guerilla operations, forcing the British to deploy additional military units and introduce "aggressive" patrolling. The massacre, and attempted genocide of Hindus, and revolt against British came to an end in February 1922. Ali Musliyar was among a dozen leaders who were tried and sentenced to death. He was subsequently hanged at the Coimbatore Prison on 17 February 1922.