Mir Madani.com
Riyaz Musa Malabari was popularly known by the name “Riyalo” or “Riyaz Sahab”. His real name was Mohammed Riyaz and his father’s name was Musa. He was born in 1942 in Kannur’s Peringadi village, in the state of Kerala in India.
Early Life:
At the age of four, his mother passed away and at the age of eight, his father also passed away. Thus he was left without parents at a young age. He had to drop out of school early and spent his childhood with hardship and continuous struggle.
Riyaz Musa Malabari left for Kuwait at the age of 21 in 1963 to work. While working in Kuwait, he managed to get the education, as well as he was absolutely eager to gain Islamic knowledge. He learnt about Dawah from many scholars and became eager to do it.
Back to India:
He returned to India in 1980 after spending 17 years in Kuwait and decided to share Islam with his countrymen. His determination was firm as Allah had opened his heart for Dawah.
To help save the majority who were involved in Shirk (associating partners with Allah), Riyaz Musa Malabari reached out to various Islamic scholars and visited numerous Masjids and Madrasas to motivate them to spread the message of Islam to his non-Muslim compatriots. Along the way, he encountered significant opposition, particularly from his own family and acquaintances. Despite these challenges, Allah made his path easier, providing him with support from many who helped him achieve his mission.
Riyaz Musa became widely recognized for his pioneering efforts in the field of Islamic Dawah, aiming to present the true teachings of Islam and correct misconceptions about the faith among non-Muslims.
His Dawah Journey:
In the 1980s, he became actively involved in several socio-religious Muslim organizations in Kerala, working to serve the community. He also published numerous articles focused on interfaith dialogue and community building. Around 1992, particularly after the Babri Mosque demolition in India, when communal tensions heightened, Riyaz Musa intensified his Dawah efforts, striving to engage both Muslims and non-Muslims in dialogue to promote peace, tolerance, and harmony.
He trained over 200 teachers across Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh to further the cause of Dawah. His interactions with non-Muslims led many to explore Islam’s sacred texts, and thousands ultimately understood the true message of Islam thus doing away with hatred for it.
Riyaz Musa was very active on the grass root level of the society and reached many who otherwise couldn’t have been reached. His humble and polite approach attracted many who listened to him keenly and understood the beauty of the message of Islam.
According to DailyHunt, some prominent figures from South India were influenced by his efforts which included renowned Indian English poets and novelists from Kerala; South Indian poets and journalists from Tamil Nadu; and key figures from political arena, who later influenced other key personalities.
Riyaz Musa also authored several books focused on self-purification and spirituality. Jamia Darussalaam, an Islamic seminary in Oomerabad, Tamil Nadu, introduced a full-time degree course in Islamic Dawah under Riyalo’s guidance.
Later, Moulana Kalim Siddiqui, from the famous Darul-Uloom Deoband in North India, invited Riyaz Musa Malabari to introduce a two-year Islamic Dawah course into their curriculum.
His Death:
Riyaz Musa Malabari passed away and departed from this world on Sunday, the 7th June of 2020. His passing away was a great loss to our Ummah. He was one of those silent workers who never ran behind fame or money. He delivered the work with complete Ikhlass (sincerity) and many stand witness to this.
May Allah accept his efforts and deeds, forgive his sins and grant him highest level in Jannah! Ameen.
Watch his Dawah Lecture Series in URDU:
This was the first video of Riyaz Musa on Internet which was recorded in 2008 by Peace Propagation Center (PPC). This video is being Re-uploaded by combining all the parts of this lecture.
