Dr. Abbas Panakkal

Director, International Interfaith Harmony Initiative

Dr. Abbas Panakkal is the director of International Interfaith Harmony Initiative, which has been organising the International Interfaith Conferences in collaboration with United Nations initiatives, the Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department for Unity and Integration and the International Islamic University Malaysia for the past six years. Abbas was awarded a fellowship by the Centre for Interfaith and Cultural Dialogue from Griffith University, Australia.

Abbas, as Project Coordinator of G20 Interfaith Summit, is actively involved in the coordination of G20 Interfaith Summits and co-organised pre-conference summits in Middle East and South Asia. He has organized intercultural engagements and adoption programmes for interreligious enrichment with the support of governmental and non-governmental agencies. He is a columnist and poet, and contributes to various newspapers and magazines. He also writes and directs documentaries to promote peace and harmony. Abbas has presented at various interfaith events and dialogues in America, Australia, France, Germany, India, Jordan, Morocco, U.A.E, the UK, the Vatican, etc.

Abstract

Pragmatic Borders and Broadways of Malabar:

Paradigm shifts from Qissat to Rihla.

This article explores the shifts of borders and broadways of Malabar from the descriptions of the British Library manuscript Qissat Shakarwati Farmad to the narrations in Rihala of Moroccan traveller Ibn Batutta(1304-1377). Malabar borders and broadways were relocated time to time for various physical and political reasons. It is important to analyse the hierarchical fame of early port towns and their reputation based on the chronology of the first Waqf lands and natures of the Mosques, relying on the Qissat manuscript and their sequential swings during the time of Rihala. The chronology of inception of mosques in different port towns of Malabar conspicuously showcases the succession status and orderly prominence of the port towns. According to Qissat Kodungallure was the most important port of the time, whereas this place was not the foremost in the era of Rihala. Kollam, the second important port town mentioned in Qissat , retained all control and influence during Ibn Batutta’s time. Kozhikkode was as famous as that of Alexandria port in fourteenth century, but it was seldom existed in the scenario of seventh century Qissat. The nearest town Chaliyam was categorically the least important because it was chosen to build the last mosque. The Chronological order of the mosques mentioned in Qissat can also be defined as the order of eminence of the port towns in seventh century Malabar, which diplomatically changed during the time of Rihala. The badges like Shahbader (Chief of the Port) and Qazi, (Muslim Judge) had been introduced in the manuscripts of Qissat along with the inspectional chronicle of mosques. These outfits were also widely discussed in Rihala and considered as the prestigious positions in the trade and traditions of port towns. Intercultural exposure and interreligious coexistence of the port towns will also be analyzed in the light of these two documents. The first mosque of South and South East Asia was established in Malabar and was built with generous Waqf property from non-Muslims. The story of co-existence was unveiled by Ibn Batuta, who introduced Calicut as the safest port town of the world with better interreligious and intercultural relations between Muslim businessmen and the Hindu king. The paradigm shifts are seemingly seen throughout the wider time span of these two documents.