1938 – 2014

Muhammad Ali Bolar, renowned as “Muallimul Qur’an,” was born in 1938 to Kunhaliyaka and Bifathimma of Bolar, Mangalore. His legacy as an educator and advocate for the Beary language earned him widespread acclaim.

Initially educated at Badria School in Mangalore up to the 5th standard, Muhammad Ali continued his studies at the school in Kasaigalli. He pursued his Madrasa education at Azharia in Bandar and furthered his learning at Nurul Uloom Madrasah in Behara, Uttar Pradesh, starting in 1956. It was there that he honed his proficiency in Urdu and emerged as a teacher, specializing in teaching the Quran in Urdu. Prior to this, he served as a Muallim in Kasaigalli and Kandak madrasas. His expertise also extended to Arabic, and he worked as an Arabic teacher at the Karnataka Commercial Institute.

In addition to his educational pursuits, Muhammad Ali was involved in the freedom movement and became proficient in Arabic and Urdu. His passion for the Beary language led him to develop a Beary script named “Lengal,” modeled after the Arabic script. He composed patriotic songs in Beary and taught the Quran in the Beary language. Muhammad Ali’s dedication to preserving and promoting Beary culture is further evidenced by his release of over 150 speech cassettes in the Beary language. Among his notable works are the 1980 cassette “Ilmi Bait,” featuring Beary songs, the 1994 cassette “Bearinga Aaranga,” containing a speech in Beary, and the 1996 cassette “Lailaha Illallah,” featuring more Beary songs. In 2000, he translated one of the chapters of the Quran, “Yaseen,” into Beary and published it in book form.

Muhammad Ali Bolar passed away on December 20, 2014, leaving behind his wife Zanaba, three sons, and three daughters.