In Kerala Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdoom (RA) was a great leader who played a leading role in spiritual and material progress. 16th of Sha’ban is the passing away of great people.
Zainuddin Makhdum I known as Makhdum Kabir was born in Kochi on 12th Sha’ban 871 Hijri. Their paternal grandfathers came to India from Yemen in the 6th century Hijra.
Zainuddin Makhdoom, who went to places like Makkah, Madinah, Egypt and gained knowledge in various branches of knowledge and learned various knowledges from the famous scholars of that time, returned to Ponnani and with the support of the entire people of Ponnani, he built the famous Jumu’ah mosque.
The vast church stands proudly unscathed even today.
Zainuddin Makhdoom’s dars at Waliya Jumu’at Mosque gained wide popularity within and outside Kerala. Knowledge flows from different parts of India and outside countries flowed into Ponnani.
Knowledge-hungry people from all countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Ceylon, Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Makkah, Madinah, Sham, Baghdad and Yemen moved towards Ponnani with great Makhdoom as their target.
The dars of Ponnani, who spread knowledge to Kerala Muslims, are still famous today.
He has also composed more than twenty five works such as Tuhfatul Ahibba, Shamsul Huda, Irshadul Qasideen, Shuubul Iman, Kifayatul Fara’il, Murshidutwullab, Sirajul Khulub, Qaseedatul Jihadiya and Hidayatul Adqiya. Mankhus Mawlid, which is well known to Kerala Muslims, is very famous in it.
The great man passed away on 16th Sha’ban 928 Hijri. The grave is near Ponnani Big Jumu’at Mosque.
The darsee tradition of Ponnani, which rose to the occasion through spiritual instruction and scholarly mission through the pen, is also a golden history of the renaissance movement in the country.