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Sayyid Muhammad, was born on Tuesday the 18th Muharram in 1232 AH / 1816 AD at Kayalpattinam, a coastal town on the eastern shores of South India. He was known by an interesting title, Mappillai Alim. He was always well dressed like a bridegroom and his father-in-law, Tayka Sahib Waliyullah (rali), who was also his spiritual master, gave him the title of Mappillai, a tamil term meaning bridegroom. The exact translation of the word Mappillai in Arabic is Arus. So he was also known as Imamul Arus. Imamul Arus established many ideas, differing from the conventional thoughts, taught by the earlier muslims. Some of his standpoints against traditionally accepted views are listed here.
Imamul Arus was a businessman and at the same time a profuse writer, a poet, and a Saint of the highest Order. He was the most supreme spiritual head, Qutub, of his time.
Endeavours in Sarandib (SriLanka) Sarandib was devastated after more than a 150 years of Portuguese rule. The Muslim population was subjected to severe harassment. Almost all Muslim institutions and monuments of Sarandib were destroyed resulting in a severe blow to the old grandeur of Muslim culture. The persecution and genocide perpetrated by the Portuguese during their rule from 1505 to 1658 AD affected the Muslims so much that they could not even recite the Kalimah, perform their day-to-day religious obligation, carry on their social transactions etc. in the Islamic way. Even the helpless dead were not spared. Sacrilege was committed on Muslim graves and their tombstones were removed and were either destroyed or used for sewers, stepping stones etc.. Imamul Arus who went to SriLanka after this Portuguese devastation, stayed there for nearly 60 years. During this period he built more than 555 mosques. He used to contribute a small amount and collect the rest from the people. He built mosques even in the remotest places of Sri Lanka. He built a mosque in Abugasthalave, the highest village in SriLanka which is over 6000 ft above the sea level. There is a place called Muruchikatti deep in the forests. Even these days in rainy seasons, with a help of 4 wheel drives, it takes 3 days to reach this village. Imamul Arus built a mosque here as well. Imamul Arus named these mosques as Muhyiddin mosque, Bukhari mosque and so on. He never once used his name. He also built mosques in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and in Surat, in Bombay, in Calcutta Bangladesh etc.
His Compositions Among his compositions are
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