Sheikh Zainuddin Makhdum-I was a scholar of global repute from Malabar, Kerala. He was born in 1467. He studied fundamentals of Islam from Kozhikode, Makkah, and Al-Azhar, Egypt. His teachers include Imam Jalaludhin al-Suyuti, Imam Sayyid Muhammad al-Samhoodi, Shiekh al-Islam Zakariya al-Ansari, and others. After his education, he returned to Malabar and became instrumental in transforming the learning traditions of the region. Under his supervision, a new masjid was erected in Ponnani, called the large Juma Masjid, which became the pivotal masjid-dars complex. He authored many texts like Hidayat al-Adhkiya ila Tariq al-Awliya, Irshad al-Qasideen, Alal-Alfiyat Ibn Malik, Tuhfat al-Ahibba.

Shiekh Zainuddin passed away in 1522 at the age of 55. His sepulchre is situated in the grand Masjid of Ponnani.