Thaika Shuaib (29 July 1930 – 14 June 2021) was a

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the States and union territories of India, Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and T ...

Islamic scholar In Islam, the ''ulama'' (; ar, علماء ', singular ', "scholar", literally "the learned ones", also spelled ''ulema''; feminine: ''alimah'' ingularand ''aalimath'' lural are the guardians, transmitters, and interpreters of religious ...

, spiritual guide, and author. In May 1994, he became the first

Tamil Muslim Tamil Muslims are Tamils who practise Islam. The community is 5.7 million in India, primarily in the state of Tamil Nadu where 70% of the Muslim community identified themselves as Tamils. The Tamil-speaking Muslims are descendants of marria ...

to receive the

National Award The National Film Awards is the most prominent film award ceremony in India. Established in 1954, it has been administered, along with the International Film Festival of India and the Indian Panorama, by the Indian government's Directorat ...

for "Outstanding Arabic Scholar". He was mentioned as one of ''

The 500 Most Influential Muslims ''The 500 Most Influential Muslims'' (also known as ''The Muslim 500'') is an annual publication first published in 2009, which ranks the most influential Muslims in the world. The publication is compiled by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies ...

'' in the 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 lists.

Background

Shuaib was born in

Kilakarai Kilakarai (alternatively spelled Kilakkarai or Keelakarai) is a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. As of 2011, the town had a population of 38,355. Kilakarai is one of the Taluka in Ramanathapuram D ...

. He comes from a family of Islamic scholars who have taught the Islamic sciences for centuries. His father,

Thaika Ahmad Abdul Qadir Thaika Ahmad Abdul Qadir (2 October 1891 – 14 February 1976) was a South Indian Islamic scholar, spiritual guide, and Mufti. He was a key figure in acquiring government accreditation for many Arabic Colleges and Madrasas in Tamil Nadu. ...

(d. 1976) was a scholar and spiritual guide. His grandfather, Shahul Hamid (d. 1921) was a scholar and missionary. His granduncle was the ascetic and poet Abdul Qadir (d. 1913), and his great-grandfather was the renewer Sayyid Muhammad (d. 1316), widely known as "Imam al-‘Arus" or "Mappillai Lebbai Alim". Amongst Shuaib's predecessors is the founder of the Arusiyyah Seminary, Sadaqatullah al-Qahiri.

Education

Shuaib's father took care of his upbringing at the Arusiyyah Seminary, and he was both his teacher and spiritual master. His father gave him several

ijazah An ''ijazah'' ( ar, الإِجازَة, "permission", "authorization", "license"; plural: ''ijazahs'' or ''ijazat'') is a license authorizing its holder to transmit a certain text or subject, which is issued by someone already possessing such au ...

, or certificates of authority to teach

Islamic law Sharia (; ar, شريعة, sharīʿa ) is a body of religious law that forms a part of the Islamic tradition. It is derived from the religious precepts of Islam and is based on the sacred scriptures of Islam, particularly the Quran and the ...

. After completing the traditional curriculum, he sat with the scholars of Al-Baqiyat As-Salihat Seminary and Jamalia Arabic College in South India, and

Darul Uloom Deoband The Darul Uloom Deoband is an Islamic seminary ( darul uloom) in India at which the Sunni Deobandi Islamic movement began. It is located in Deoband, a town in Saharanpur district, Uttar Pradesh. The seminary was established by Muhammad Qa ...

and

Jamia Millia Islamia Jamia Millia Islamia () is a central university located in New Delhi, India. Originally established at Aligarh, United Provinces (present-day Uttar Pradesh, India) during the British Raj in 1920, it moved to its current location in Okhla in ...

in North India. He read Arabic and Persian at the

University of Ceylon The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka (earlier Ceylon) from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the Univer ...

(

Peradeniya Peradeniya ( si, පේරාදෙණිය, translit=Pēradeniya; ta, பேராதனை, translit=Pērātaṉai) is a suburb of the city of Kandy, about 30,000 inhabitants in Sri Lanka. It is situated on the A1 main road, just a few kilom ...

). His research of the Arwi (Southern India and Sri Lanka) region earned him a M. A. and then a PhD from the

Columbia Pacific University Columbia Pacific University (CPU) was a non-traditional distance learning school in California. It was founded in 1978 by Richard Crews and Lester Carr, a former president of Lewis University, and operated with state approval. Distance learning ...

Initiation

Shuaib received training from his father in

Sufism Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, ...

, until he attained qualification as a murshid and the rank of a spiritual master in the Sufi tradition. He inherited the mantle of the Arusiyya branch of the Qadiriyya tariqa. He further received authorisation from Abdul Karim al-Kasnazani.

Career

Shuaib started teaching

Arabic language Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

and

Qur'an The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , si ...

studies at the Arusiyyah Seminary whilst still at high school. He entered the teaching profession full-time after graduation. Shuaib is a part of the traditional family business of trading in precious gems and stones.

Research

Shuaib's primary research focus was history of Islam and Muslims in the Arwi region (modern day South India and Sri Lanka). His findings were the bedrock for his master's thesis and research doctorate which culminated in the publishing of the 880-page work, "Arabic, Arwi and Persian in Sarandib and Tamil Nadu – A study of the Contributions of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu to Arabic, Arwi, Persian and Urdu Languages, Literature and Education". The book was released by the presidents of 3 SAARC countries in their respective official residences viz. India, Sri Lanka and Maldives. The book recorded the history and contributions of Arwi (Tamil-speaking) Muslims to Islamic literature, education, propagation and spirituality through Arabic, Arwi, Persian and Urdu. It shed light on their cultural, political and social activities and achievements in their respective countries and abroad. It also featured a critical commentary of the Mawlid composition of Imam al-‘Arus Sayyid Muhammad b. Ahmad Lebbai entitled, "Minhat al-Sarandīb fī Madh al-Habīb".

Publications

Shuaib has authored 4 major works and 7 minor treatises. He has published 11 bilingual articles addressing polemical issues that engulfed the Tamil Muslim community in the 80's and 90's. His arrangement of the Arusi-Qadiri liturgy "Ratib Jalaliyya" has more than 500,000 copies in circulation while his prayer book "Al Munjiyath" has had 6 prints of 37,000 copies since 2006.

Major works

*''Arabic, Arwi, and Persian in Sarandib and Tamil Nadu: A Study of the Contributions of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu to Arabic, Arwi, Persian, and Urdu Languages, Literature, and Education'', Madras:1993 *''Al Munjiyath: A Panacea for the Body and Soul'', Chennai:2014 *''ahsanu-l mawa'iz wa azyanu-l malafiz'', Kilakkarai:1954 *''Ratib Jalaliyya'', Chennai, Colombo, Penang *''Morning and Evening Invocations'', USA and Singapore:2021

Minor treatises

*''If not for the Prophet ﷺ (English)'', Kilakkarai:1956 *''Sacred Hajj and Pious Ziyara (English)'', Chennai:2007 *''Nithya Kadan – நித்திய கடன் (Tamil)'', Kilakkarai:1948 *''Maanbu Mikka Ramadan – மான்பு மிக்க றமளான் (Tamil)'', Kilakkarai:1955 *''Nabi Thondri Iraa Vittaal – நபி ﷺ தோன்றியிரா விட்டால் (Tamil)'', Kilakkarai:1955 *''Adhan–Iqamattin Sirappu – அதான் இகாமத்தின் சிறப்பு (Tamil)'', Madras:1995 *''Punitha Haj: Azhagiya Vazhimurai – புனித ஹஜ்ஜு : அழகிய வழிமுறை (Tamil)'', Chennai:2007 *''Thirumaraiyil Thiruthuthar – திருமறையில் திருத்தூதர் (Tamil)'', Singapore:2020

Articles

*''Secular Education vs Religious Instruction'' *''Schools of Jurisprudence (Fiqh) '' *''Men Covering the Head'' *''Congregational Supplication (Du'a)'' *''Kissing the Thumbs and Wiping the Eyes during the Call to Prayer (Adhan)'' *''Reciting the Qur’an without Understanding – Will it benefit the Dead or the Living? '' *''Intercession (Wasila)'' *''Gifting of Deeds (Isaluth Thawab)'' *''Innovation (Bid’a)'' *''Reminding the Deceased (Talqin)'' *''Vows (Nadhr)''

Recognition

On 7 May 1994, the 9th President of India,

Shankar Dayal Sharma Shankar Dayal Sharma (; 19 August 1918 – 26 December 1999) was an Indian lawyer and politician from the state of Madhya Pradesh who served as the ninth President of India, from 1992 to 1997. Born in Bhopal, Sharma studied at Agra, Allaha ...

, presented Shuaib with the "National Award for Outstanding Arabic Scholar" – a first for a Tamil Muslim Islamic scholar. In 2013, Shuaib was listed for the first time in ''

'' by

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...

’s Prince Alwaleed Bin-Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding and the

Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre is a research centre affiliated with the Royal Aal al-Bayt Institute for Islamic Thought. Its publications include: *''A Common Word Between Us and You'' *'' The Amman Message'' *''Forty Hadith on Divin ...

of Jordan. On 27 April 2016, the 7th President of Sri Lanka,

Maithripala Sirisena Maithripala Yapa Sirisena ( si, පල්ලෙවත්‍ත ගමරාළලාගේ මෛත්‍රීපාල යාපා සිරිසේන; ta, பல்லேவத்த கமராளலாகே மைத்திரி� ...

, was the guest of honour at a function in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to felicitate Shuaib for his services rendered to Islam and for promotion of religious harmony.

Death

Shuaib died on Tuesday, 15 June 2021, corresponding to the Hijri date 3 Dhu'l Qa'dah 1442.

External links

ask4dua
– Shaikh Dr Thaika Shuaib's web initiative for mutual prayers.
TAQWA (Singapore)
– Singapore chapter of the Arusi Qadiri Tariqa, of which Shaikh Dr Thaika Shuaib is the Patron.
Arusi Qadiri Sufi Path
– Biographies of the Arusi Qadiri spiritual masters.
Ratib Jalaliyya
– The liturgical work recited in Arusi Qadiri public gatherings.
Dinakaran Daily Newspaper (Tamil)
– உலகளவில் செல்வாக்குள்ள 500 இஸ்லாமியர்களில் ராமநாதபுரம் மாவட்டத்தை சேர்ந்தவர் தேர்வு *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shuaib, Thaika 1930 births 2021 deaths Islam in Tamil Nadu People from Tamil Nadu 20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam Qadiri order Scholars of Sufism Indian Sufi religious leaders Sunni Sufis Alumni of the University of Ceylon Columbia Pacific University alumni Recipients of the National Teacher's Award India