Malabar Women and Domestic Religion

Introduction

This work explores the importance of religion in the lives of Malabar Muslims, with a focus on the role of older women, especially those with grandchildren. It delves into how religious values are passed down through generations, highlighting the centrality of domestic religious practices and gatherings. The rise of digital platforms during the pandemic era and their impact on religious practices is also examined, exploring both the positive aspects of accessibility and potential drawbacks. 

Domestic Religious Discourses

Malabar Muslims take great care to pass religion down from generation to generation, training children from an early age to view religious practices as vital. Since men are generally out of the home most of the time due to work, the duty of imparting religious values and morals to children is often left to women. When they feed their children and put them to sleep, they tell stories of historical men, Prophets, and Sahabas (companions of the Prophet) to impart strong moral and ethical values. They sit together with their children to sing mawlids and malas and recite the Qur’an.

Domestic religion here refers to the transmission of religious values within the home. Fatima, who is in her 80s, said about her life during Ramadan, “I spend three days a week at my son’s house and the rest of the days at my daughter’s house. I do this to make it easier for me to go there depending on the day when there are classes in both mosques.” This comment offers a clear insight into the appetite for religious knowledge among the women of Malabar.

This age-old trend continues today among middle-aged, and perhaps older, women. In many Muslim celebrations (Urus) and gatherings (majlis), the presence of women is more profound. While men are generally engaged in organizing and logistical activities, it is the women who listen attentively to the lectures of the scholars. These gatherings also provide an important opportunity for women to renew acquaintances and share information.

Historically, such events brought together women from across the region. Many traveled on foot over long distances; several participants recalled memories of journeying by boat to attend the Urus. Despite numerous struggles, these gatherings served as a refuge that women would make every effort to reach. Participation in these forms of religious gatherings by women continues to be a central point of interest in women’s studies.

The experience of religion is often gender-specific. Women share religious life and spiritual doubts with one another in intimate and emotionally resonant ways. Labeeba—one woman from Chuzhali, Kannur—said to her sister, “Yesterday in Madaniyam class, Ustad [teacher] mentioned the believers who have to go to hell. When they are dragged to hell because their deeds are less, they will scream. The angel will ask, ‘Which category do you belong to? I have not seen people screaming like this before.’ They will ask the angel if they can be shown the Prophet, but they will be thrown into hell. At last, when the Prophet comes to know this, he would fall in prostration. He would pray to Allah to save them, thereby saving them. But Madaniyam Ustad said that we cannot bear the heat of hell even for a moment. Since I heard that, Sahala (her daughter) and I are in great distress.” Saying that, she went to her prayer mat. When she once spoke about attending religious studies classes, she remarked, “When we go there, we can share with each other.”

Spirituality

Following American anthropologist Clifford Geertz’s interpretive methodology, many anthropologists view religion as dealing with the ultimate issues of life, death, and suffering. While life, death, and suffering are all domestic concerns, the term ‘domestic religion’ is used by anthropologists and historians to refer to minor religious practices. A new fifteen-volume Encyclopaedia of Religion records examples of the domestic practices of Muslims, Hindus, Christians, Chinese, Japanese, etc. 

In relation to Malabari women, they participate in many such ‘minor’ religious rituals, such as reciting sacred words, offering small charity, and kissing blessed objects. They earmark portion of their meager for mosques and rituals. Most conversations end with “Ellam padachonte kayyilane” (everything is in God’s hands) or “Padachon alle valiyon, ellam nallathinayirikkum” (God is great, everything will be for the best). For them, birth, death, and all other ceremonies are related to religious ceremonies. 

While Malabar is known for providing opulent food to those who come as guests, this is rooted in the desire to obtain divine reward. The tradition of collecting food from each household for the Ustads of the mosques continues to this day. On such occasions, women regard it as a sacred day, often saying, “Inn Ustadinte chilavinte divasane” (Today is the Ustad’s day of expenditure). Out of reverence, they set aside all other tasks and devote themselves to preparing meals. This reflects their deep love for knowledge and their respect for the shi‘ar (signs) of religion. Women hold great esteem for children engaged in learning and for the Ustads who guide them, showing through these acts their profound affection and respect for both knowledge and its bearers.

Gatherings for Islamic Sermons 

In every part of the Muslim world, religious sermons deliver Islamic teachings and spiritual knowledge as the primary channel for the acquisition of religious knowledge, and the shaping of moral life from time immemorial. Major contents of the sermon consist of Qur’anic teachings, prophetic traditions, Islamic history, Islamic jurisprudence, and spiritual and devotional practices. For the Mappilas, village or mahallu-based va’az majlis has long been a part of daily life. These gatherings, once held with the physical participation of large numbers of believers, were sustained through small-scale peddling ventures and community-driven donation efforts. The funds collected were primarily channeled into social welfare, charitable works, and the building of religious institutions. Sermons in these assemblies were not confined to mosques alone but were often delivered in auditoriums, on beaches, and in open spaces adjoining the mosques, ensuring accessibility to the wider community.

Digital Gathering in Covid and Post-Covid Era 

The pandemic came at a time when large-scale religious gatherings were in full swing. With restrictions on physical participation, the majlis shifted to online platforms, offering the only alternative to sustain collective worship and discourse. The word “prayer” became one of the most searched terms across more than ninety countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a global turn towards faith in moments of uncertainty. Many researchers have found religion and faith to be very helpful in overcoming trauma and distress. Religion gives meaning to human life. Faith helps us give meaningful answers to the questions of who we are and what our purpose is. It is for this reason that religious devotion often rises in times of crisis, as people seek refuge, clarity, and strength in faith.

Manqus Mawlid is a great example of the believers of Malabar clinging to faith as a refuge in times of danger. Frequent fears of Plague, Smallpox, and many natural calamities in the coastal areas led people to approach Shaykh Zainudden Makhdoom bin Ali bin Ahmad (d. 1522 AD), one of the top spiritual leaders of Muslims in Malabar. to express their grievances and worries:

“Shaykh Makhdoom thought deeply about the matter and decided to compose a Mawlid, following in the footsteps of former Muslim scholars. Some parts of this Mawlid were extracted from other mawlids (and shortened), while some themes were added to cater to the problems of the Malabar region at that time. Shaykh Makhdoom then asked everyone to read this Mawlid at their houses and in all the Masjids.”¹

The rapid spread of COVID-19 and subsequent quarantine measures led to increased anxiety and depression among people. Religious leaders have historically played a significant role in providing support and guidance to believers in times of distress, as evidenced by popular literature such as Manqus Mawlid, however, due to public health guidelines, religious scholars were unable to connect with their regular audience physically, leading to disruptions in knowledge-seeking and shaping of moral life. Mosques were shuttered, community gatherings limited, and donations decreased, which resulted in a lack of social welfare and charity work. The closure of mosques also affected the livelihoods of the muta’allims (students of traditional religious studies) that used to deliver sermons and receive donations.

As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, Muslim religious speakers had to find new ways to meet the spiritual needs of their followers. They began using virtual platforms (YouTube, social media) to replace the traditional va’az majlis and other forms of in-person communication. As a result, there were a significant increase in the number of YouTube channels run by Islamic speakers from various sects and factions in Malabar.

The channels, such as “Voice of Safuvan Saqafi Pathappiriyam”, “Madaneeyam Latheef Saqafi Kanthapuram” and “Voice of Valiyudheen Faizy,” mainly focus on teachings from the Qur’an, Islamic history, and spiritual and devotional practices. The sermons are delivered by a single speaker in a series of episodes. Other channels, like “Wisdom Global TV” and “D4Media,” are handled by different speakers who talk about various topics, including teachings from the Qur’an, Islamic history, and Islamic jurisprudence. These channels include programs such as Velicham, Wisdom Dialogue, and Quran Hifz competitions and use certain common terms and phrases such as “Voice of…” or follow certain rhymes in their names, such as “Arivin Nilavu,” and “Arivin Velicham.” Remarkably, some of the broadcasts attract around one hundred thousand live viewers daily, and at the end of the day, the number of viewers can sometimes crosses three hundred thousand, unprecedented in the history of Kerala.

In addition to things like water, honey, etc. that used to be put up for healing purposes in some traditional va’az majlis, believers now also bring medicines, keys of shops and vehicles, pens, etc. in front of the screen by following the instructions from orators. People believe that these things would be endowed with barakah (flow of blessings) if put up in virtual majlis and that those who attend continuously for a specific duration would be blessed with the accomplishment of their particular needs and wants. 

Positive & Negative Aspects of Digital Gatherings 

Unlike traditional va’az majlis, virtual sessions can be attended by believers from all over the world, regardless of their geographical or sectarian barriers, provided they have a decent internet connection. Even people who are engaged in their duties or jobs, especially women, can attend online sessions. This is especially beneficial for the elderly who are unable to leave their homes. Patients admitted to hospitals and those in mandatory quarantine could also take part in virtual gatherings, providing them with relief and a feeling of connection to the outside world. 

One of the main benefits of virtual gatherings is that believers can choose sermons on different topics based on their personal preferences, at a time that is convenient for them. Non-Muslims can also easily participate in Islamic virtual events, and since the programs are often recorded and uploaded on YouTube channels and other social media accounts, they are always available for believers to access and watch at their convenience. In-person attendance often requires travel, which can take up valuable time. Virtual gatherings save time and make it easier for participants to connect with orators, clearing their doubts and requesting prayers through live chat boxes and newly created WhatsApp groups. Donations are collected through digital payments. There are huge earnings through advertisements and broadcasting, mainly used later for charitable works, including offering ambulance services, wheelchairs to hospitals, supplying drinking water, and housing projects. These earnings also contribute to increasing the remuneration of religious orators.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, long supplications received more importance and acceptance, as people did not find medicines effective in treating the virus. The presentations in sermons regarding COVID-19 in the light of the Qur’an and Sunnah, and interactions with doctors, helped improve the mental and physical health of people and boost their confidence levels.

The above outlines why women tend to love these online majlis more, contrary to the traditional wisdom that one “gets more spiritual experience when in a physical audience.” Even though online majlis are being held with such large audiences, the same online feature of this majlis has resulted in the erosion of many customs and practices. It is a fact that the domestic religious environment, through which Islam historically spread and was maintained, has eroded, due to the use of religious fulfillment through phones, inherently less communal by nature. Adults attempt to encourage children to participate in the majlis, but this often results in failure.

Some scholars argue that digital media and modern devices have stripped away the true essence of spirituality, arguing people are becoming increasingly materialistic and losing sight of the deeper meaning behind human connection and gatherings. From this perspective, online spiritual meetings lack the warmth, presence, and authenticity of in-person experiences, which is why many scholars remain skeptical about their effectiveness.

Conclusion 

When asked about the ceasing of rituals at home because of the online majlis, it was said, “The interest in Deen(religion) has decreased from the world. It is because the last days are approaching. So, if we gather the children together to recite, our recitation will also cease. However, all the grandchildren are listening to majlis and reciting dhikr.” Based on talking to and observing many people, it is understood that domestic religion is not only declining with the advent of online majlis. The loss of domestic religion is largely due to the lack of interest in religion among the younger generation. However, a hybrid form of congregations and online majlis would be most suitable for the continuance of the cultural exchange and growth of the religion.

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1. “Manqoos Maulid With English Translation and Transliteration”, Muhammad Shafeeque Hudawi .Karimukku, https://shafeequehudawi.blogspot.com/2014/07/manqoos-mauild-with-english-translation.html. [↩]