S.A. Jameel is a poet widely associated to the "kathu pattu" (Letter songs) genre of Mappila songs. His most popular works remain the 1976 letter and reply duet "Ethrayum bahumanappetta ente priya bharthavu vayikkuvan" (Oh my dear respected husband) and "Abu Dhabeelullorezhuthupetti" (A letterbox in Abu Dhabi). The former is a wife's letter to her husband abroad in Abu Dhabi requesting his return, while the latter is the husband's reply to his wife. The poet, who had psychological counselling sessions with many of the womenfolk of Malabar living separated lives from their husbands in the Gulf, described the anguishes of separation as felt by the women in the first song. The lyrics of the song referred in particular to the sexual and emotional needs of the woman and generated both praise and controversy within the community. The second song, composed as the husband's reply was also based on his interactions with the diaspora Mappila community during his visits to the Middle East in the late 1970s. It described the hardships and emotional dilemma faced by the migrant workers separated from their families. The songs created a huge impact on the whole diaspora community across different religions at the time prompting many to leave their jobs and return to their homeland for good. Though the "kathu pattu" (songs in the form of letters) existed before the works of S.A. Jameel, it was his works that popularized the genre amongst the common people of the Malabar.