1. Vakkom Mohammed Abdul Khader Moulavi, popularly known as Vakkom Moulavi was a social reformer, teacher, prolific writer, Muslim scholar, journalist, freedom fighter and newspaper proprietor in Travancore, a princely state of the present day Kerala, India.
Vakkom Moulavi was the founder and publisher of the newspaper Swadeshabhimani which was banned and confiscated by the Government of Travancore in 1910 due to its criticisms against the government and the Diwan of Travancore, P Rajagopalachari.
Vakkom Moulavi was an avid reader of Rashid Rida's Islamic magazine, Al-Manar.
Vakkom Moulavi is known as the father of Islamic renaissance in Kerala.
Vakkom Moulavi was born into the prominent Poonthran family that had originally migrated from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, and whose members have played a significant role in the history of Travancore since 19th century.
Vakkom Moulavi's maternal grandfather Fateh Khan was a high ranking police officer in Travancore.
In early 1900s, Vakkom Moulavi was married to Haleema, daughter of Aliyar Kunju Poonthran Vilakom and Pathumma Kayalpuram.
Vakkom Moulavi's sons, Abdul Salam, Abdul Vahab and Mohammed Eeza were writers and scholars of Islamic studies, and Abdul Khader Jr was a writer, literary critic and journalist.
Vakkom Moulavi defined religious reform as the endeavour to purify Islam and bring it back to its original form as it was practiced by the Salaf al-Salih, based on Qur'an and Hadith as the fundamental authorities that decided religious and moral issues.
Vakkom Moulavi distinguished between two terms: Islah al-din and al-Islah al-dini, to articulate his vision of religious reform.
Vakkom Moulavi is considered one of the greatest reformers in the Kerala Muslim community, and widely considered as the "Father of Muslim Renaissance in Kerala".
Vakkom Moulavi emphasised the religious and socioeconomic aspects much more than the ritualistic aspects of religion.
Vakkom Moulavi campaigned for the need for modern education, the education of women, and the elimination of potentially bad customs among the Muslim community.
Vakkom Moulavi believed that the Muslim Ummah had declined after the period of the Salaf al-Salih due to ignorance of Islamic teachings, the prevalence of Bid'ah and practices of shirk.
Vakkom Moulavi initiated a reform movement that aimed at purging Muslim culture from all the subsequent innovations, ritual accretions of shirk and revive Islam back to its pristine form.
The reforms were based on Qur'an and Hadith, and Vakkom Moulavi insisted that true Islamic beliefs and practices were in harmony with reason and science.
Vakkom Moulavi believed that with the spread of deviant doctrines, the Muslim Ummah had been divided into numerous heretical sects and sub-sects.
Vakkom Moulavi wrote text books for children to learn Arabic, and a manual for training Arabic instructors for primary schools.
Vakkom Moulavi launched his campaign against such practices with the help of his disciples, and with the co-operation of other learned men who shared his views and ideals.
Vakkom Moulavi tried to create unity among Muslims, starting the All Travancore Muslim Mahajanasabha and Chirayinkil Taluk Muslim Samajam, and worked as the chairman of the Muslim Board of the Government of Travancore.
Vakkom Moulavi's activities were further instrumental in the establishment of "Muslim Aikya Sangham", a united Muslim forum in Eriyad, Kodungalloor for all the Muslims of the Travancore, Cochin and Malabar regions, with K M Moulavi, K M Seethi Sahib, Manappat Kunju Mohammed Haji and helped guide the Lajnathul Mohammadiyya Association of Alappuzha, Dharma Bhoshini Sabha of Kollam amongst others.
Vakkom Moulavi did not say to blindfollow any school which was not the Madh'hab of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, calling for the abandonment of all customs and actions of Shirk, superstitions and religious innovations by adhering to the Book and the Sunnah, and the biography of the Salaf us-Salih.
Vakkom Moulavi loved the Imam of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 'Abdul Aziz bin Al-Saud.