Markazu Saqafathi Sunniyya, commonly known as Markaz or Markaz Knowledge City, is an Islamic educational and cultural complex located in Karanthur, near Kozhikode, in the Indian state of Kerala. Founded in 1978 by the Islamic scholar Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, the institution combines traditional Islamic learning with modern academic education, vocational training, orphan care, and community welfare programmes. It is widely recognised as one of the largest Sunni Muslim educational establishments in southern India.
| Name | Markazu Saqafathi Sunniyya |
|---|---|
| Common name | Markaz |
| Type | Islamic educational and charitable institution |
| Founded | 1978 |
| Founder | Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar |
| Location | Karanthur, Kozhikode district, Kerala, India |
| Affiliation | Sunni (Shafi'i) tradition |
| Languages of instruction | Arabic, Malayalam, English, Urdu |
Markaz was established to provide religious instruction along with secular education to orphaned and underprivileged children. From its early years, the institution adopted a model that paired the traditional dars system of Islamic seminaries with curricula recognised by state and central educational boards. Over the decades, it expanded from a small orphanage into a multi-campus complex offering schooling, higher education, professional courses, and welfare services.
The Markaz complex hosts a range of affiliated institutions catering to different educational levels and disciplines. These include religious colleges teaching Islamic theology, jurisprudence, and Arabic literature, as well as schools following CBSE and Kerala state syllabi. Vocational training centres, a women's education wing, an institute for the visually impaired, and orphan care facilities also operate under the Markaz umbrella.
Markaz Knowledge City is a township project developed at Kaithapoyil, in the foothills of the Western Ghats in Kozhikode district. The project envisages an integrated campus with academic, residential, and research facilities, including the Markaz Law College, schools, and centres for higher learning. The foundation stone for Knowledge City was laid in the 2010s, and several institutions have since become functional on the campus.
The institution's general secretary and guiding figure is Kanthapuram A. P. Aboobacker Musliyar, who also serves as the Grand Mufti of India under the All India Sunni Jamiyyathul Ulama, a body affiliated with the AP Sunni faction within Kerala's Sunni Muslim community. Day-to-day administration is handled by a council of scholars and trustees.
Markaz is regarded as a major institutional centre of Sunni Islamic learning in Kerala and has influenced the development of religious education across India. Its hybrid model of integrating madrasa-style instruction with mainstream schooling and professional courses has been cited as an example of educational reform within Indian Muslim communities. The institution also plays a notable role in social welfare, particularly through its long-running orphan care programme.