Syed Muhammedali Shihab Thangal

{{Short description|Indian community leader}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

{{Use Indian English|date=August 2018}}

{{Infobox person

| honorific_prefix = Sayyid

| name = Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal

| image = Shihab_Thangal_in_July_2008.jpg

| caption = Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal in July 2008

| birthname =

| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1936|05|04}}

| birth_place = Malappuram, Malabar District, British India

| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2009|08|01|1936|05|04}}

| death_place = Malappuram, Kerala (India)

| alma_mater = Al-Azhar University
Cairo University

| spouse = * Shareefa Fatima Beevi (died 2006)

• Aysha Beevi (married 2006)

| parents = * P. M. S. A. Pookkoya Thangal (father)

| children = * Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal

• Basheer Ali Shihab Thangal

| relatives = * Sayed Umerali Shihab Thangal (brother)

• Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal (brother)
• Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal (brother)
• Syed Abbas Ali Shihab Thangal (brother)

| website =

| nationality = Indian

| occupation = * Community leader

• Islamic scholar
• Politician{{Cite book |last=Misiriya |first=P. V. Nafeesathul |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/19658 |title=Emigration and Educational Development of Muslim Community in Kerala |publisher=Mahatma Gandhi University |year=2013 |editor-last=Rajan |editor-first=K. |location=Kottayam |pages=17 |chapter=Review of the Economic and Educational Status of the Muslim Community in Kerala |hdl=10603/19658 |chapter-url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/19658/12/12_chapter4.pdf}}

}}

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.{{cite news |last=Press Trust of India |date=2 August 2009 |title=President, PM, Sonia Pay Homage to IUML Leader Thangal |work=The Times of India |publication-place= |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/President-PM-Sonia-pay-homage-to-IUML-leader-Thangal/articleshow/4848046.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120612045904/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-08-02/india/28200612_1_iuml-indian-union-muslim-league-homage |archive-date=12 June 2012}}{{cite news |date=2 August 2009 |title=IUML Leader Shihab Thangal Dead |newspaper=The Hindu |location= |publication-place= |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/02/stories/2009080256930100.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805105737/http://www.hindu.com/2009/08/02/stories/2009080256930100.htm |archive-date=5 August 2009 |accessdate=2 August 2009}} He is sometimes regarded as "the most important Mappila leader" of modern Kerala.{{Cite book |last=Miller |first=Roland E. |title=Mappila Muslim Culture |publisher=State University of New York Press |year=2015 |pages=103, 240–42}}

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. Miller, Roland E., Mappila Muslim Culture. New York, State University of New York Press, 2015. pp. 115, 268-69. Shihab Thangal also functioned as the president of the Kerala state committee of the Indian Union Muslim League (1975 - 2009).{{cite news |date=1 May 2006 |title=Syed Families Hold Get-together |newspaper=The Hindu |location= |url=http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/01/stories/2006050100420200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070524103201/http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/01/stories/2006050100420200.htm |archive-date=24 May 2007 |accessdate=2 August 2009}}

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 denote family names. For example, Shihab, Mashoor, Jifri, Al Hirdh, etc.