Al-Ameen, a newspaper started by freedom fighter Mohammed Abdur Rahiman Sahib from Malabar in October 1924, is set to reincarnate in digital form. The revived version of the newspaper that had been the voice of the freedom struggle in Malabar will be available for online reading on websites and social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
Although there were attempts to revive Al-Ameen earlier, financial constraints prevented the newspaper from taking off again. Veekshanam Mohammed, Malappuram district vice president of the Congress, said that the paper would not change or dilute its original editorial policies: that it stood for truth and for freedom. Mr. Mohammed will be the publisher of the newspaper.
Abdur Rahiman Sahib started Al-Ameen in October 1924 after his two-year jail term in the wake of the Malabar Mappila Rebellion, as he found that a newspaper was one of the strongest instruments to fight the tyranny of the British Raj. His paper mirrored the necessity of freedom and, therefore, had to face oppression by the British.
Sahib named his paper Al-Ameen (meaning honest) as he insisted that the content of the publication should be truthful. He took a firm stand against deporting freedom fighters to Andaman cellular jails and the enactment of Mappila Outrages Act.
Al-Ameen spoke against the British when some other newspapers kept silent during the Simon Commission period and Salt Satyagraha. When some detractors branded the paper as pro-Muslim, some others termed it as anti-Muslim. The publication ground to a halt in September 1939.
Sahib was jailed in 1940. Although he tried to revive it after his release in 1945, it did not take off. Sahib died on November 23, 1945.
Although Sahib’s friend Moidu Moulavi tried to revive it in 1946 and 1960, financial constraints burdened the publication. Moulavi’s sons V. Subair and M. Rasheed too tried to revive the paper, but without success.
Young teacher Bayis Kodur has assumed the editor’s post. District Congress secretary Ummer Gurikkal is the managing director.
Film personality P.T. Kunhumohammed and Mohammed Abdur Rahiman Sahib Trust chairman C. Haridas will jointly release the logo of Al-Ameen here on Monday, which will mark the 96th birthday of the newspaper.
