Umar Qazi
A Muslim scholar, reformer and poet Umar Qazi (1765-1844) is also well known for his strong anti-British stance. The most famous of his political outlooks is his decision to abstain from paying taxes.
Biography
Umar bin Ali also known as Umar Qazi was born in 1765 as the second son of Kadiyarakath Ali Musliyar and Amina. His mother died when he was about eight years old and after two years, his father also died. Further, he was under the protection of his uncle. At the age of 11, he joined the Dars of Tanur and studied under Thunnamveettil Ahmed Koya musaliar. After 3 years of his study, he joined Ponnani Dars and studied under a prominent Sufi scholar Mammikkuty Qazi. He became a favourite student of the Mammikkutty Qazi who sent him to different mosques to deliver Islamic sermons. Later he became the Qazi of Veliyancode and its nearby areas. Once, he visited Sayyid Alawi who was a spiritual leader of Muslims when he came to live at Mambram and became his disciple (Murid). After his studies, he joined Valiya Jumuath Palli of Veliyancode as a teacher. After that, he worked as a Qazi in Mahallu such as Kodancheri, Punnayoorkkulam, Chavakkad, Chetuva, and Kothapparamb. He also worked as a teacher in Tanur and Ponnani Dars. He was also a murshid of Qadariyya baa Alaviyya tariqah. In 1795, Umar Qazi left for Hajj. He died in 1844 at the age of 95 due to illness.