1916 – 1989

In the past, there was a severe shortage of religious scholars in the Beary society. They had to rely on scholars from Kerala for religious guidance. Among the few prominent scholars within the Beary community was Adyar Kannur Muhammad Haji.

Muhammad Haji was born in Vitla in 1916 to Ismail Musliar, who served as the Khateeb at Okkettur Masjid in Bantwala Taluk, and Khadija of Bayar.

He received his early education up to the 5th grade in his village and learned the Quran from his grandfather, Ahmed Musliyar. At the age of 13, his father took him to seek blessings from Syed Atakoy Thangal in Udyavara near Manjeshwar. Upon Thangal’s advice, Ismail admitted Muhammad to the school of Payyakki Abdurrahman, known as ‘Payyakki Ustad,’ where he began his religious education. Later, he continued his studies in Kinya, near Deralkatte, and Talangere near Kasaragod, eventually becoming Muhammad Musliar.

Muhammad Musliyar, driven by the desire to contribute religious scholars to society, began teaching at the mosque in Adyar Kannur. He enrolled 40 Mut’Allim (religious students), and among them, 12 would personally provide breakfast porridge to the children. When a talented student faced financial difficulties and considered discontinuing his studies, Muhammad Musliyar personally provided him with the pupil’s salary. During this time, he relocated his family from Vitla to Adyar Kannur, leading to the association of “Adyar Kannur” with his name for posterity.

After serving for 14 years, he relocated to Kambol near Kumble. After some time, he returned to Kannur. Following his completion of the Hajj pilgrimage, he came to be known as Muhammad Haji.

Muhammad Haji was a renowned scholar with significant influence in Kasaragod and Dakshina Kannada districts. He was popular for his religious discourses, known as “wal,” which were crucial for imparting religious knowledge to the common people. These discourses often lasted for several days, with Muhammad Haji’s eloquence captivating his audience. Even at the age of 18, he delivered a mesmerizing 18-day lecture series. His ability to explain complex religious concepts in a compelling manner left a lasting impact on his listeners.

Adhering to the Sufi way of life, Muhammad Haji dedicated himself to imparting knowledge and performing acts of worship. He led a simple and humble life, prioritizing devotion to Allah, maintaining a moderate diet, traveling mostly on foot, and fostering harmonious relationships with everyone around him. As a spiritual seeker, he received spiritual initiation from several esteemed figures, including Syed Muhammad Maliki, a renowned scholar from Makkah.

At the age of 25, Muhammad Haji entered married life by marrying Sara, the daughter of a Sufi from Kuttaru named Alpaz V.K. From this marriage, he had six children, including Abubakar Muslyiar, who currently serves as the Qazi of Manipal. Following the death of his first wife, he married Amina, the daughter of Valiyullahi from Nellikkunnu Uppapa’s family, who is buried in the revered Nellikkunnu Dargah Sharif in Kasaragod. Amina bore him three children. Subsequently, he married Beafatima from the nearby Pariyakkala, but they did not have any children. Finally, he married Beefatima from Pakkaladka near Mangalore, with whom he had eight children.

Muhammad Haji embarked on his first Hajj pilgrimage in 1947, which proved to be a remarkable journey filled with miracles. Departing from home with only two rupees in hand, he traveled to Mumbai, where he joined a group of pilgrims. Despite the humble resources at his disposal, he successfully completed the pilgrimage to Mecca and returned home after an eventful journey lasting one year and three months. At the time of this pilgrimage, Muhammad Haji was 37 years old.

Subsequently, he performed Hajj three more times, in 1961, 1974, and finally in 1989, the year of his passing. However, by his last pilgrimage, he was afflicted with diabetes. Muhammad Haji spent his final days at the home of his son-in-law, Mittabailu Abdullah Haji. It was there, on March 31, 1989, that this eminent scholar and spiritual guide breathed his last.