Abu Zayad, the Arab traveler of the ninth century AD mentioned that "the Arabs of Oman take the carpenter's tool - box with them and go to the places where the coconut grows in abundance. First they cut down the tree and leave it to dry. When it is dry, they cut into planks. They weave ropes of coir. With this rope they tie the planks together and make them a vessel. They make its mast from the same wood. The sails are made of fibre. When the boat is ready, they take a cargo of coconuts and sail for Umman. They make huge profits in this trade."

In his poem the pre - Islamic poet, Imral - Qays has compared the dry dung of the antelope to the pepper corns. He says: "There all about its yards, and away in the dry hollows you may see the dung of antelopes scattered like pepper corns". It is sufficient proof for the availability of pepper in Arabia before Islam; and since pepper was available in Kerala alone at that time, it is clear that Arabs had contact with Kerala before Islam.

Goods were taken from the Indian coast to that of Yemen and from there passing along the Red sea cost, to Syria and thence to Europe either directly from Syrian coast or vie Egypt and Alexandria. The route passing from Yemen to Syria, through Hijaz has been referred to in the Quran as Imam Mubin (a manifest roade). The winter and summer journeys mentioned in the Holy Quran mean those made by the Quraysh on the highway called Imam Mubin.

There were other reasons also for the Arab contact with Kerala. Ceylon was known to the Arabs on account of its pearl fisheries and trade in precious stones from very early times. The Arab merchants had made commercial establishments centuries before the rise of Islam. This also led to the Arabs contact with Kerala.

 

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