Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal: Religious Leader and IUML President in Kerala

Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal (born 25 May 1964), born Habib Sadiq Ali Shihab bin Ali Al-Hussaini Ba Alavi, is a prominent Sayyid (Thangal) community leader, religious scholar, and politician from Kerala, southern India. He currently serves as the Kerala State President of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and is the Chancellor of Darul Huda Islamic University, one of the most influential Islamic higher education institutions in the state.

Sadiq Ali Thangal hails from the revered Panakkad Pukkoya family of South Malabar, a lineage that has played a central role in the religious and socio-political life of Kerala’s Muslim community for generations. He is the son of P. M. S. A. Pukkoya Thangal and the younger brother of Mohammedali Thangal, Umerali Thangal, and the late Hyderali Thangal, all of whom have been associated with religious and community leadership.

Deeply rooted in Sunni-Shafi‘i tradition, Sadiq Ali Thangal has long been associated with Samastha Kerala Jam‘iyyat al-‘Ulama (E. K. faction) and its student and youth wings, including the Samastha Kerala Sunni Students Federation (SKSSF) and the Sunni Yuvajana Sangam (SYS). He has also been closely involved with the Muslim Youth League, the youth wing of the IUML, helping nurture a new generation of community leaders.

In the political sphere, he served as Malappuram District President of the IUML for over a decade, building strong grassroots networks. During periods of illness faced by his brother Hyderali Thangal, he effectively led the party at the state level. In 2022, he was formally chosen as Hyderali Thangal’s successor as Kerala State President of the IUML and also assumed the role of Chairman of the National Political Advisory Committee of the party.

In addition to his political responsibilities, Sadiq Ali Thangal holds several key institutional roles, including Vice-President of Mounathul Islam Sabha, Ponnani, President of Noorul Huda Islamic College, Chairman of the Islamic Centre, Kozhikode, and Executive Committee Member of the Samastha Matha Vidyabhyasa Board, underscoring his enduring influence across religious, educational, and political domains.