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Perpetuating Property and Kinship: Matrilineal Family Waqfs in 20th-Century Colonial Malabar, South India

In: Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient
Author:
Abdulla Niruvan Chalil Assistant Professor, India Arab Cultural Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia New Delhi India

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https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2885-0962
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Abstract

Matrilineal kinship systems have persisted among various coastal communities of the Indian Ocean. The Muslims of Malabar, known as Mappilas, have followed matrilineal kinship for centuries. This study examines family waqf practices among matrilineal families in Malabar during the British colonial period by analysing waqf deeds written in Malayalam. Unlike in many other regions, the institution of family waqf remained legally recognised in South Asia. The study explores family waqfs within the context of codifying customary inheritance practices. It argues that family waqfs played a crucial role in preserving matrilineal family lineage and property in Malabar, providing both religious and legal reinforcement for matrilineal kinship in the region.

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