Shaykh Zainudhin Maqdum Sagheer (Rah)'s 'TUHFATHUL MUJAHIDIN'

 It is an important work in Arabic,of Jihad and Histoy of Portughese in the Malabar of 16th Century.This work was taken up by orientalists and published in various languages, as in Spanish by .Prof.David Lopez(in 1633.AD with ARABIC text),in English, many editions, the earliest by Major Renynoldson in 1898.AD(London) and the best translation being the one by Muhammad Nainar of MADINA University.In addition ,it has Latin, French,Portughese and Chech editions as well as translations into various Indian Languages, the Urdu commentary by Shamsullahil Qadiri.
I have with me , the KUALALUMBUR,Malaysian,edition by NAINAR(Islamic Booktrust.Kuala LUMBUR.2006) .


The Beginners of Islam in Malabar_Some Great TABI'IN.(RA) :


Sheikh Zyn al-Din Makhdum al Malibari.Rah had written in his ‘Tuhfathul Mujahidin’ that Islam reached Kerala in the 2nd Century of Hiegra .Ha had listed 3 Great ones from among the ‘Tabi’in’(Sucessors of Sahaba e kiram.RA) who had reached Malibar and propagated Islam . They are


1] Sharaf Ibn Malik.RA,


2]Malik Ibn Dinaral Basri.(RA),disciple of HASANUL BASRI.(RA([d.110.AH] and
3]Malik Ibn Habeeb.RA.


http://www.amazon.com/Tuhlat-Al-Mujahidm-Historical-Sixteenth/dp/983915480X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277055041&sr=8-3
Intro:
Product Description

First written in Arabic in the late sixteenth century, Tuhfat al-Mujahidin is a pioneering historical work dealing with the struggles of the Malabar Muslims in southern India against the Portuguese colonisers' encroachment in India, and the rise of Malabar as a medieval naval force under the Zamorin of Calicut. Based on the author's own first hand information of events and what he could gather from reliable sources, it was written to motivate Muslims for the struggle against the invading Portuguese. Thus the republication of this anti-colonial manifesto could not have been more timely at a time when Muslims continue to be the only obstacle to the Western imperialistic ambitions. This translation of the Tuhfat is extensively annotated with more than 200 notes explaining local backgrounds and clearly identifying the names mentioned in the original Arabic work. The Tuhfat is compulsory reading for anybody trying to learn about post-Cordova episodes of Muslim history.

From reviews :
1]

This review is from: Tuhfat Al Mujahidin: A Historical Epic of the Sixteenth Century (Paperback)

This is an excellent book, a rare gem, originally written in the sixteenth century in Arabic, now available in English. When the principalities in South India (particularly those ruled by Muslims) failed to resist the Portuguese colonizers, the general population rose to defend their freedom. They rose in arms against the invaders when their governments had succumbed. It was in this context that the author wrote a treatise on the virtues of defending one's fatherland. This leads him to discuss the postulates of honor, freedom, patriotism and bravery. The doctrine of Jihad is only introduced as a subsidiary theme to support the claim which is primarily nationalist and cultural. This book can go a long way towards a better understanding of the ongoing conflict in the world, which some have hastened to call "religious" or "fundamentalist": in fact the conflict is nationalist, humanist and cultural. The contemporary Muslim resistance is rooted in a history of brutal colonization of Muslims lands by the Europeans, a process that not only destroyed the golden age of Muslim civilization but also left the Muslims of former colonies poor and backward. While terrorism can never be justified, it can be better understood by a careful reading of history. It is also important to note that various other forms of Muslim resistance get more intense when foreign powers threaten to occupy, once again, the Muslim lands (like Iraq and Afghanistan). "Tuhfat ul Mujahideen" is one of the oldest records of the impact on the minds of Muslims when they are threatened by occupation and exploitation.

2]

This is a wonderful book on history of Western India of the 16th century written by a keen, contemporary scholar. It speaks of the great naval might of the West coast Indians who kept the Portuguese naval power under constant defeats for a century. This shatters the myth that India did not have might on the maritime side. Since the history of India is written around those who ruled Delhi, writing and researching on the world and greatness of South Indians is completely ignored. This book reveals in detail how Keralites, Bijapuris and Gujratis fought bravely against the Portuguese shipping onslaughts. In no way the Indians were inferior to European shippers. Their subsequent subjugation by the West was not at seas but at the land battles fought at Plassy, Buxer etc. South Indian Hyder Ali defeated the mighty, treacherous British power in two wars called I and II Mysore Wars. Had the North Indian rulers recognised the might, valour and capacities of South Indian rulers and peoples, the course of history would have been different. This book mostly refers to naval war forces. The book ought to be titled differently in English stressing upon the social, cultural, caste factors, might and struggles of the Keralites in particular instead of its original Arabic title, which may discourage intending readers on the ground that it relates to some theological aspects of Islam which are touched only to the limited scope of encouraging Kerala Muslims to perform jihad against the Portuguese but for which atrocities committed by the Spaniards on the Americans during the same period would have been committed by the Portuguese in India. Annotations by S.M.H. Nainar speak of his high scholarship in history. He should bestow attention on the above points and come out with more material on history of the west coast people.

History of Islam in India

Contrary to popular belief, Islam came to South Asia prior to Muslim invasions of India. Islamic influence first came to be felt in the early 7th century with the advent of Arab traders. Trade relations have existed between Arabia and the Indian subcontinent from ancient times. Even in the pre-Islamic era, Arab traders used to visit the Malabar region, which linked them with the ports of South East Asia. 
According to Historians Elliot and Dowson in their book The History of India as told by its own Historians, the first ship bearing Muslim travelers was seen on the Indian coast as early as 630 AD. H.G. Rawlinson, in his book: Ancient and Medieval History of India claims the first Arab Muslims settled on the Indian coast in the last part of the 7th century AD.
Shaykh Zainuddin Makhdum’s “Tuhfat al-Mujahidin” also is a reliable work.
This fact is corroborated, by J. Sturrock in his South Kanara and Madras Districts Manuals, and also by Haridas Bhattacharya in Cultural Heritage of India Vol. IV. It was with the advent of Islam that the Arabs became a prominent cultural force in the world. The Arab merchants and traders became the carriers of the new religion and they propagated it wherever they went.

In Malabar, the Mappilas may have been the first community to convert to Islam as they were more closely connected with the Arabs than others. Intensive missionary activities were carried out along the coast and a number of natives also embraced Islam. These new converts were now added to the Mappila community. Thus among the Mappilas, we find, both the descendants of the Arabs through local women and the converts from among the local people.

In the 8th century, the province of Sindh (in present day Pakistan) was conquered by an Arab army led by Muhammad bin Qasim. Sindh became the easternmost province of the Umayyad Caliphate.

In the first half of the 10th century, Mahmud of Ghazni added the Punjab to the Ghaznavid Empire and conducted several raids deeper into modern day India. A more successful invasion came at the end of the 12th century by Muhammad of Ghor. This eventually led to the formation of the Delhi Sultanate.
[Adapted from Wiki]