Nahwi Muhammad Ismail Alim Wali: 

       Nahwi Muhammda Ismail Alim Mufti was a descendant of Sayyidna Abubackar Siddiq (Raliallahu anhu), the first Calipha of Islam. He was a great scholar and a saint. He taught many students both at Kayalpatnam and Ceylon. He was a distinguished scholar in Arabic grammar and literature. Therefore he was honoured by the title of “Nahwi” by Thaika Sahib Waliyullah. He was a remarkable Arabic poet also. He died and buried at Puttalam in Ceylon. His son Sayyid Ahmad Hafil Alim Mufti was also an eminent scholar and a saint. He was the principal of Mahlara Arabic College and taught many students. His famous Fatwas were all collected and kept in the form of handwritten book at Mahlara Arabic College. He was popularly called as Nahwi Appa. He expired on 1362 A.H. and was buried in a separate chamber on the east of Kuruvi Thurai Mosque. His son Nahwi Muhammad Ismail Alim Hafil Mufti was also a famous scholar and powerful speaker. He taught many students. Some of the present scholars were his students. He was a president of Kayalpatnam “Ulama Sabai”. Many famous scholars consulted him and his father before writing important books about Islam. He expired on 1376 A.H. and was buried near his father. His brothers Nahwi  Muhammad Ibrahim Hafil Alim, Nahwi Shaikh Abdul Qadir Hafil Alim , Nahwi Ishaq Lebbai Alim were also great scholars. They also did great service to the people of Kayalpatnam and specially East Ceylon Muslims.