| Honorific Prefix: | Sayyid |
| Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal | |
| Birth Date: | 1936 5, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Malappuram, Malabar District, British India |
| Death Place: | Malappuram, Kerala (India) |
| Alma Mater: | Al-Azhar University Cairo University |
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| Nationality: | Indian |
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Muhammad Ali Shihab Tangal (Birth name: Mohammed Ali Shihab bin Ali Al-Hussaini Ba Alavi)(Arabic: محمد علي شهاب بن علي الحسيني با علوي)(4 May 1936 – 1 August 2009), known with the honorific prefix Sayed, was an Indian community leader, Islamic scholar and politician from Kerala.[2] [3] He is sometimes regarded as "the most important Mappila leader" of modern Kerala.[4]
Born in the Yemeni-origin sayyid or habib(thangal) Pukkoya family of Panakkad, a Qabila from Ba Alawi house of descendants of Hussayn bin Ali. [5] Shihab Thangal also functioned as the president of the Kerala state committee of the Indian Union Muslim League (1975 - 2009).[6]
According to historian Roland Miller, "'wisely and sensitively, he led Muslims through the landmines of state politics for over three decades. He also led the way into cordial relationships with members of other religious communities".
There are many khabeelas in india. Khabeelas denotes family names. For example Shihab, Mashoor, Jifri, Al Hirdh, etc
Shihab Thangal was born as the eldest son of P. M. S. A. Ali Husseini Ba Alawi, of the Pathiya Maliyekkal family of Panakkad, on 4 May 1936.[7] His siblings were Umerali Shihab Ba Alawi, Hyderali Shihab Ba Alawi, Sadiq Ali Shihab Ba Alawi, Abbasali Shihab Ba Alawi.[8]
Shihab Thangal had his primary education at Panakkad and at M. M. High School, Kozhikode (matriculation). He also had his initial Islamic education at the traditional 'dars' at Tirur and Kananchery.[9]
In 1958, Shihab Thangal left for Egypt for further studies and obtained his master's degree in Arabic Literature from Al-Azhar University in 1961. He continued his studies in Cairo University and pursued a Doctorate in Arabic Literature and Philosophy in 1966.[10]
Shihab Thangal was well versed in English and French. He was also known for his enthusiasm for Sufi-poetry.[11] On return to Kerala, the thangal married Sharifa Fatima Beevi, daughter of Sayed Bafaqy Thangal.
Shihab Thangal became the president of the Kerala state committee of Indian Union Muslim League after his father Pukkoya Thangal's death in 1975.[12] He remained president until his own death in 2009. Shihab Thangal is distinctly remembered for his role in preserving communal harmony in Kerala (at the most tense times like demolition of Babur's Mosque in 1992).
Shihab Thangal was also qadi to hundreds of 'mahals' in Kerala. He was the president of numerous educational institutions such as Jamia Nooriya, which were managed by the Samastha.[13] He was behind the proposal to start another campus of Aligarh Muslim University in Kerala.Shihab Thangal died on 1 August 2009 following a cardiac arrest.