Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), or simply the Muslim League, is a Muslim political party based in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is recognised as a State Party in Kerala by the Election Commission of India.
After the Partition of India, the first Council of the Indian segment of the All-India Muslim League was held on 10 March 1948 at the south Indian city of Madras (now Chennai). The party renamed itself as the 'Indian Union Muslim League' and adopted a new constitution on 1 September 1951. Whenever the United Democratic Front rules in Kerala, the party leaders are chosen as important Cabinet Ministers. The party has always had a constant, albeit small, presence in the Indian Parliament.
The party currently has five members in Parliament – E. T. Mohammed Basheer, M. P. Abdussamad Samadani and Kani K. Navas in the Lok Sabha and P. V. Abdul Wahab and Adv. Haris Beeran in the Rajya Sabha – and fifteen members in Kerala State Legislative Assembly.
History
thumb| [[M. Muhammad Ismail|Muhammad Ismail Sahib on a 1996 stamp of India]]
thumb|A postage stamp released in commemoration of [[Syed Muhammedali Shihab Thangal|Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal (1936-2009). |256x256px]]
The first Muslim political agency in the region was the Kerala Muslim Majlis formed in 1931. It joined the federal setup of All-India Muslim League later.
After the partition of India in 1947, the All-India Muslim League was virtually disbanded. It was succeeded by the Indian segment of the Muslim League in the new Dominion of India (first session on 10 March 1948 and constitution passed on 1 September 1951). M. Muhammad Ismail, the then President of the Madras unit of the Muslim League was chosen as the Convener of the Indian segment of the party. In West Bengal, the League had won Assembly seats in the 1970s, and A. K. A. Hassanussaman was a member of the Ajoy Mukherjee cabinet.
Indian Union Muslim League first gained a ministry in Kerala Government as part of the Communist Party of India Marxist-led United Front in 1967. The party switched fronts in 1969 and formed an alliance with the Congress in 1976.
From the 1960s to the 80s
- The League gained a ministry in Kerala Government in 1967 (C. H. Mohammed Koya and M. P. M. Ahammed Kurikkal). Syed Ummer Bafaqy Thangal rebels against the leadership.
- Muslim League joined the Congress (Indira)-lead United Democratic Front in 1979/80.
- The 'rebel' Muslim League formed 'All India Muslim League' and joined the Left Front in 1980.
- C. H. Mohammed Koya and K. Avukaderkutty Naha served as Deputy Chief Ministers of Kerala in the 1980s.
- Demolition of the Babri Masjid (1992). Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal made a passionate plea to all the Muslims in Kerala to remain calm. Kerala remained peaceful throughout.
- Ebrahim Sulaiman Sait, then National President, rebelled and formed the Indian National League (INL) in 1994.
- Minister of Education (E. T. Mohammad Basheer) decided to establish the University of Sanskrit (1993) in Kerala.
From the 2000s
- Atal Bihari Vajpayee dispatched E. Ahamed to the United Nations (Geneva) to represent India (2004).
- The League first gained a ministry (E. Ahamed) in Indian Government (Manmohan Singh Ministry) in 2004.
- Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal died in 2009.
Composition
{| class="wikitable"
! style="background-color: ; color:white;" | Designation
! style="background-color: ; color:white;" | Name
|-
|Chairman- Political Advisory Committee (PAC)||Sadiq Ali Thangal (Kerala)
|-
|National President||K. M. Kader Mohideen (Tamil Nadu)
|-
| rowspan="2" |Vice Presidents
|Iqbal Ahmed (Uttar Pradesh)
|-
|Dastagir Ibrahim Aga (Karnataka)
|-
|National General Secretary
|P. K. Kunhalikutty (Kerala)
|-
|National Organising Secretary
|E. T. Mohammed Basheer (Kerala)
|-
|National Treasurer
|P. V. Abdul Wahab (Kerala)
|-
| rowspan="5" |Secretaries
|Khorrum Anis Omer (Delhi)
|-
|M. P. Abdussamad Samadani (Kerala)
|-
|Jayanthi Rajan (Kerala)
|-
|S. Naim Akthar (Bihar)
|-
|Siraj Ebrahim Sait (Karnataka)
|-
| rowspan="2" |Assistant Secretaries
|Abdul Basith (Tamil Nadu)
|-
|Kausar Hayat Khan (Uttar Pradesh)
|}
Organizational structure
- Youth Wing: Muslim Youth League (the Youth League) [https://web.archive.org/web/20180809194832/http://iumyl.in/]
- National President: Asif Ansari (New Delhi)
- National Secretary: Najma Thabsheera (Kerala)
- National Council Secretary: Faisal Babu (Kerala)
- National vice President Mufeeda Thesni (Kerala)
|-
| rowspan="2" |1960
| rowspan="2" |11 (12)
| rowspan="2" |5.0
|Government (Pattom Ministry)
1960–62
- Formally left the coalition in 1961 as an abstaining Opposition.
|Excluded from the Pattom Ministry
|-
| colspan="2" |Abstaining Opposition (to Shankar Ministry)
|-
|1970
|11 (20)
|7.7
|Government (Achutha Menon Ministry)
1970–77
|
- C. H. Mohammed Koya (succeeded by Chakkeeri Ahamed Kutty)
- K. Avukaderkutty Naha
|
|-
| rowspan="4" |1977
| rowspan="4" |13 (16)
| rowspan="4" |6.65
|Government (Karunakaran Ministry)
1977
|
- C. H. Mohammed Koya
- K. Avukaderkutty Naha
| rowspan="4" |
! Sl. No.
! Name
! Designation
! Tenure
! Cabinet
! Chief Minister
!Notes
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|
|-
| 1
| P. K. Abdu Rabb
| Minister for Education
| 2011–2016
| rowspan="5" | Second Oommen Chandy ministry
| rowspan="5" | Oommen Chandy
|
|-
| 2
| Manjalamkuzhi Ali
| Minister for Urban Affairs and Minority Welfare
| 2012–2016
|Assumed office on 12th April 2012
|-
| 3
| M. K. Muneer
| Minister for Social Welfare and Panchayats
| 2011–2016
|
|-
| 4
| V. K. Ebrahimkunju
| Minister for Public Works
| 2011–2016
|
|-
| 5
| P. K. Kunhalikutty
| Minister for Industries, IT, Trade & Commerce, Mining & Geology, Wakf & Haj Affairs
| 2011–2016
|# Minister for Industries and Information Technology (with effect from 12 April 2012 )
Hold the portfolio of urban affairs from 18th May, 2011 to 12 April 2012
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 1
| Kutty Ahammed Kutty
| Minister for Local Self Government
| 2004–2006
| rowspan="5" | First Oommen Chandy ministry
| rowspan="5" | Oommen Chandy
|
|-
| 2
| E. T. Muhammed Basheer
| Minister for Education
| 2004–2006
|
|-
| 3
| P. K. Kunhalikutty
| Minister for Industries and Social Welfare
| 2004–2005
|Assumed office on 31st August, 2004 AN
and resigned on 4th January, 2005
|-
| 4
| M. K. Muneer
| Minister for Public Works
| 2004–2006
|
|-
|
|V. K. Ebrahimkunju
|Minister for Industries and Social Welfare
|2005-2006
|Assumed office on 6th January, 2005
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 1
| Chekkalam Abdulla
| Minister for Local Self Government
| 2001–2004
| rowspan="4" | Third A. K. Antony ministry
| rowspan="4" | A. K. Antony
|
|-
| 2
| Nalakath Soopy
| Minister for Education
| 2001–2004
|
|-
| 3
| P. K. Kunhalikutty
| Minister for Industries and Social Welfare
| 2001–2004
|Assumed office on 17th May, 2001
|-
| 4
| M. K. Muneer
| Minister for Public Works
| 2001–2004
|
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 1
| E. T. Muhammed Basheer
| Minister for Education
| 1995–1996
| rowspan="4" | Second A. K. Antony ministry
| rowspan="4" | A. K. Antony
|
|-
| 2
| P. K. Kunhalikutty
| Minister for Industries and Municipalities
| 1995–1996
|
|-
| 3
| P. K. K. Bava
| Minister for Panchayat and Social Welfare
| 1995–1996
|
|-
| 4
| C. T. Ahammed Ali
| Minister for Public Works
| 1995–1996
|
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 1
| E. T. Muhammed Basheer
| Minister for Education
| 1991–1995
| rowspan="4" | Fourth K. Karunakaran ministry
| rowspan="4" | K. Karunakaran
|
|-
| 2
| P. K. Kunhalikutty
| Minister for Industries
| 1991–1995
|
|-
| 3
| C. T. Ahammed Ali
| Minister for Local Administration
| 1991–1995
|Assumed office on 29th June, 1991
|-
|4
|P.K.K Bava
|Minister for Public Works
|1991-1995
|Assumed office on 29th June, 1991
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 01
| K. Avukaderkutty Naha
| Deputy Chief Minister of Kerala
| 1983–1987
| rowspan="2" | Third K. Karunakaran ministry
| rowspan="2" | K. Karunakaran
|Assumed office on 24 October 1983
|-
| 02
| C. H. Mohammed Koya
| Deputy Chief Minister of Kerala
| 1982–1983
|Expired on 28 September 1983
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 01
| C. H. Mohammed Koya
| Deputy Chief Minister of Kerala & Minister for Public Works
| 1981–1982
| Second K. Karunakaran ministry
| K. Karunakaran
|
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 01
| C. H. Mohammed Koya
| Chief Minister of Kerala
| Oct 1979 –Dec 1979
| Koya ministry
| —
|The Koya ministry lasted 1 month and 20 days.
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 01
| C. H. Mohammed Koya
| Minister for Education
| 1978–1979
| rowspan="2" | P. K. Vasudevan Nair ministry
| rowspan="2" | P. K. Vasudevan Nair
|
|-
| 02
| K. Avukader Kutty Naha
| Minister for Local Administration
| 1978–1979
|Assumed office on 9 December 1978
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
|01
|K. Avukader Kutty Naha
|Minister for Local Administration
|1977-78
| rowspan="3" |First Antony ministry
| rowspan="3" |A. K. Antony
|
|-
|02
|C. H. Mohammed Koya
|Minister for Education
|1977-78
|Resigned w.e.f. 20 December 1977 and again assumed office on 4 October 1978
|-
|
|U. A. Beeran
|Minister for Education
|January 1978 - October 1978
|Assumed office on 27 January 1978 and resigned w. e. f. 3 October 1978
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|
|
|-
|01
|C.H. Mohammed Koya
|Minister for Education
|25 March 1977 - 25 April 1977
| rowspan="2" |First Karunakaran ministry
| rowspan="2" |K. Karunakaran
|
|-
|2
|K. Avukader Kutty Naha
|Minister for Local Administration
|25 March 1977 - 25 April 1977
|
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 01
| C. H. Mohammed Koya
| Minister for Education and Home
| 1970–1977
| rowspan="3" | Second C. Achutha Menon ministry
| rowspan="3" | C. Achutha Menon
|Resigned w.e.f. 1st March 1973
|-
| 02
| K. Avukader Kutty Naha
| Minister for Food and Local Administration
| 1970–1977
|
|-
|03
|Chakkeeri Ahamed Kutty
|Minister for Education
|1973-1977
|Assumed office on 2nd March, 1973
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 01
| C. H. Mohammed Koya
| Minister for Home and Education
| 1969–1970
| rowspan="2" | First C. Achutha Menon ministry
| rowspan="2" | C. Achutha Menon
|
|-
| 02
| K. Avukader Kutty Naha
| Minister for Local Administration
| 1969–1970
|
|-
| colspan="7" style="text-align:center; background-color:; color:white;" |
|-
| 01
| K. Avukader Kutty Naha
| Minister for Panchayats
| 1967–1969
| rowspan="3" | E. M. S. Namboodiripad ministery
| rowspan="3" | E. M. S. Namboodiripad
|** Assumed office on 9th November 1968 and Resigned w. e. f. 21st October 1969
|-
| 02
| M. P. M. Ahammed Kurikkal
| Minister for Panchayats
| 1967–1969
|** Expired on 24th October, 1968
|-
| 03
| C. H. Mohammed Koya
| Minister for Education
| 1967–1969
|** Resigned w.e.f. 21st October, 1969
|}
Controversies
Women rights
In 2013, the party demanded Muslim women to be excluded from the Child Marriage Act which prescribes 18 as women's legal marital age and 21 for men, in Supreme court stating its contradictory to Muslim Personal laws. Similarly in 2021, the party was against the Union Cabinet's suggestion to change the minimum marriage age of women from 18 to 21 years.
The party when in control of the local self-government department, issued a circular which legalised marriage for Muslim women between ages of 16 and 18 and Muslim men below age 21. The circular was later amended after backlash. In 2021, ten female leaders from the disbanded Haritha state committee lodged a police complaint against the state president of the Muslim Students Federation (MSF) and the Malappuram district general secretary, accusing them of making sexual remarks and sexual harassment charges. Following this Fathima Thahiliya, vice-president of MSF, who supported the women leaders was removed from her post.
The Muslim League has opposed the Supreme Court of India verdict regarding entry of adult women to Sabarimala temple.
LGBT rights
It is also at odds with several LGBTQ rulings from the Supreme Court. The party also supports the primacy of Muslim Personal Law among Indian Muslims.
IUML opposes implementing gender neutrality and comprehensive sex education in school curriculum saying that it promotes homosexuality, leads to sexual anarchy and is part of an atheist-liberal conspiracy to destroy religious values. In 2022, IUML leader Abdurahiman Randathani made statement that the co-educational schools teach homosexuality and masturbation. In 2023, IUML leader K. M. Shaji made controversial statement that the LGBT members are the 'worst humans'. He made similar statement in 2026 too. Similary in 2023, another IUML leader M.K Muneer made controversial comment on a trans man who gave birth. seemed to support the views of political Islam.Muslim League generally presents itself as a conservative political party in Kerala. The Catholic Church has also criticized the IUML for organizing solidarity programs in support of Hamas, arguing that such actions downplay or obscure the terrorist attacks carried out by the group. A controversy occurred in 2015, when the Islamic symbol of Crescent moon and a star appeared in a Board Exam question paper when IUML's P.K. Abdu Rabb was Kerala's Education minister.The Kerala School Teachers Association (KSTA) alleged that the IUML was exerting influence over the state’s education system.
The party leaders were also involved in the Marad massacre, which involved the killing of 8 Hindu fishermen. Eight party workers were also convicted in 2024 for the killing of a DYFI activist.
In July 2023, following the Manipur violence where a woman was paraded naked in public, members of the Muslim League raised anti Hindu slogans in Kanhangad, located in the Kasaragod district of Kerala. The following day, Kerala Police arrested five of those members. Upon criticism over the incident, the State President of IUML Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal responded on 28 July, saying no one has the right to hurt the sentiments and faith of others. In 2025, an FIR was filed against IUML leader Basheer Vellikoth for provocative remarks on television on Pahalgam terrorist attack. In 2025, the BJP criticised IUML MP of Navaskani for eating non-veg in the Tiruparankundram temple premises.
Casteism
In 2021, the IUML leaders made casteism remarks on the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter's marriage as 'prostitution'. In 2023, the Kerala Women Commision booked cased against IUML leader K. M. Shaji over his comments on minister Veena George in a speech involving alleged casteist remarks. In 2025, case has been filed against IUML workers for using casteism slurs and conducting "purification ritual" after a Sceduled caste man was relieved from a local government body position.
See also
- List of political parties in India
- All-India Muslim League
- Indian Independence Movement
- List of Islamic political parties