Cheraman Perumal (Islamic convert)

[
Cheraman Perumal Juma Masjid, believed to be the first Masjid in India] Cheraman Perumal Bhaskara Ravi Varma was a king of the ancient Tamil-speaking Chera Dynasty in the late eighth Century CE. He is said to have ruled from the seat of the Chera Dynasty; Karuvur Vanchi (modern Karur), on the Amaravati River over Kongu Nadu, the Koduntamizh (deviant Tamil) regions of Kuttanadu (Malabar), Venadu (later Travancore) and Tenpandinadu, the first two being north and south modern Kerala and the third in the extreme south of Tamil Nadu.

William LoganWilliam Logan, "Malabar Manual", Asian Educational Services, 1996 ISBN 8120604466, 9788120604469] reports that the "Keralolpatti" portrays Cheraman Perumal as a generic figurehead of the Chera Dynasty, along with a Chola Perumal and a Pandi Perumal. The name "Cheraman", also that of a local slave caste, is thought to be cognate with "Chera" and Kerala. The "Keralolpatti" goes on emphatically to deny that Cheraman Perumal converted to Islam (sometimes conflated with Buddhism) and died while on pilgrimage, asserting that this was all done by a later king, one Banu Perumal - an assertion that Logan immediately questions.

The Malabar coast had conducted trade with the west through Greek and Roman times and already played host to communities of Jews, Christians and Manicheans, logan] while Jain, Buddhist and Vaishnava doctrines from the north were also gaining sway. Logan observed that Muslim graves date the first nine mosques in Kerala to the late eighth century CE, which appears to synchronise with the historical Cheruman Perumal.

A Chera king, Cheramanperumal of Kodungalloor, left for Makkah, embraced Islam, and accepted the name Thajudeen. He married the sister of then King of Jeddah. On his return trip, accompanied by many Islamic religious leaders, led by Malik-ibn-Dinar (RA), he fell sick and passed away. But he had given introductory letters for the team to proceed to ‘Musiris’ (Kodungallur, the Chera capital. The visitors came to Musiris and handed over the latter to the reigning king, who treated the guests with all respect and extended facilities to establish their faith in the land. The king also organised help for the artisans to build the first Mosque at Kodungallur, by converting Arathali temple into a Juma-Masjid. It was built in 612 A.D., and the area around it had been ear-marked for the team’s settlement.

The traders described the Mujizaat (supernatural deeds) of the Prophet, including the Shaqq Al Qamar or the Splitting of the moon into two. The King forthwith abdicated his throne and left with Malik Bin Deenar for Arabia where it is chronicled that he met the Prophet Muhammad, accepted Islam and performed the famous Last Hajj with him. On his journey back, he was drowned in a tempest which destroyed his ship and his body came ashore at Salalah, Oman where his grave is a famous landmark today.

References

ources

* Roman Karur, Dr. Nagaswamy R.,(1995), Brahadish Publications, Chennaihttp://tamilartsacademy.com/books/roman%20karur/cover.html
* Tamil Coins, Dr. Nagaswamy R.,(1981), State Department of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu http://tamilartsacademy.com/books/coins/chapter01.xml
* [http://www.bahraintribune.com/ArticleDetail.asp?CategoryId=4&ArticleId=49332 History of Mosque and tradition on Bahrain Tribune]
* [http://www.hindu.com/2005/07/23/stories/2005072306490500.htm India's President makes a visit to the mosque]

* The Land of the Permauls. Cochin, Its Past and Its Present 1863. Chapter 2. Page 44, The Last "Permaul." Dr. Francis Day.