Anisha Ansar Ansari being felicitated at Pune College of Arts, Science, and Commerce
Pune:
Anisha Ansar Ansari, a student of Pune College of Arts, Science, and Commerce (Pune-1 campus), has achieved remarkable success by securing a scholarship worth approximately ₹17 lakh for pursuing a B.Sc. (Honours) in Biology at Azim Premji University, Bengaluru.
Anisha completed her 11th and 12th grades at Pune College. At a time when most students are caught up in the race for NEET and JEE, Anisha made a bold decision to pursue pure sciences. The scholarship includes 100% tuition fee waiver (approximately ₹13.9 lakh), 100% residential facility coverage (approximately ₹3.2 lakh). This make total scholarship value: ₹17.1 lakh.
Coming from a middle-class family, with her father working as a helper in a company, this achievement marks not only an academic milestone but also a promising economic future for Anisha.
Principal Dr. Iqbal N. Shaikh, Vice Principal Prof. Imtiyaz Agha, and faculty members Prof. Khalid Patel, Prof. Saleem Muniyar, Prof. Syed Javed, and Prof. Mohammad Sami congratulated Anisha wholeheartedly and stated that she has become a shining example for other students.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Markers of Excellence / by Radiance News Bureau / June 27th, 2025
In what is being called a historic day for the regional and national political landscape, Maulana Ahmed Wali Faisal Rahmani, Chief of Imarat-e-Shariah, led a powerful and united voice from Gandhi Maidan in Patna against the controversial Waqf Amendment Act under the banner of the “Waqf Bachao Dastoor Bachao” campaign.
Speaking to TwoCircles.net, Dr. Asma Zehra, a senior member of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), said, Maulana Rahmani has emerged as a bold and relevant figure in Indian Muslim leadership. His persistent campaign to protect Waqf properties—especially by mobilizing over 5 crore emails and launching district-level awareness efforts—brought unprecedented national attention to the issue. His approach, characterized by planning and ground-level execution, quickly gained respect across the country.
However, his rise was met with resistance. After facing internal pressures and being sidelined from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), he intensified his fight for the community. When he boycotted the official Iftar hosted by the Bihar government during Ramadan, it triggered political tremors. The response was swift and harsh—on the eve of Eid-ul-Fitr, Imarat-e-Shariah faced an orchestrated attack allegedly instigated by clerics backed by Nitish Kumar’s allies. The result was not just a physical assault but also a brutal attempt at character assassination, with questions raised about his position as Ameer-e-Shariat.
This division within the community gave political actors a chance to push the controversial Waqf Amendment Bill forward. With Nitish Kumar and Chandrababu Naidu’s support crucial to the BJP-led central government, the bill moved closer to becoming law. The betrayal left Muslims across India shocked and disillusioned. Yet, a ray of hope emerged: over 230 MPs, including members of the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), stood firm in opposing the bill.
Despite being relatively new to high-profile political leadership, Maulana Rahmani demonstrated remarkable vision. He organized training workshops, built networks across districts, included youth voices, and effectively utilized media through the platform Fikr-o-Nazr, under the stewardship of Fazlur Rahim. His campaign became a grassroots movement aimed at protecting masajid, kabristan, and the constitutional rights of Indian Muslims.
When another attempt was made to seize control of Imarat-e-Shariah before Eid al-Adha, Maulana Rahmani countered with the bold decision to organize a mass gathering in Patna. Inviting Muslims from across the nation, the conference became a thunderous response to efforts aimed at weakening the Waqf and dividing the community.
While some believed this move was politically risky—especially with ongoing legal cases and criticism from within the AIMPLB—his resolve remained firm. With the support of his brother Fahad Rahmani (noted for Rahmani 30), community elders, political leaders, and religious groups, Maulana Rahmani mobilized thousands to raise a unified voice.
The contrast between his proactive approach and the passive stance of others was stark. Even as AIMPLB continued its meetings, its decision to not make Waqf a poll issue was seen by many as a concession to Nitish Kumar. In contrast, Maulana Rahmani’s stand was clear: Waqf and constitutional rights must be election issues to awaken political accountability.
The grand success of the Gandhi Maidan rally—graced by leaders from Congress, RJD, AIMIM, and Samajwadi Party—marked a new chapter. Maulana Rahmani himself spoke little, allowing the unity of voices to speak louder than words. His behind-the-scenes work and tireless engagement had already laid the foundation.
The rally was more than just a political gathering—it was a spiritual and symbolic moment of unity, resistance, and hope. It signaled the birth of a new phase in Muslim leadership in India, one rooted in vision, grassroots activism, and fearless advocacy.
May Allah protect Imarat-e-Shariah, strengthen the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, and unite the Ummah to resist all forms of division and oppression.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / June 30th, 2025
Sahebzadi Basheerunnisa Begum, the last surviving heiress of Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan.
Last surviving offspring of Hyderabad Nizam passes away (Image: IANS)
Last surviving offspring of Hyderabad Nizam passes away
Sahebzadi Basheerunnisa Begum, the last surviving heiress of Nizam Mir Osman Ali Khan, the last ruler of erstwhile Hyderabad State, passed away on Tuesday. She was 93.
She breathed her last at her home in Purani Haveli on Tuesday morning. She is survived by her only daughter Rasheedunnisa Begum.
Nizam’s grandson and president of Nizam Family Welfare Association Nawab Najaf Ali Khan, told IANS “It’s a big loss to the family as Sahebzadi Basheerunnissa Begum Saheba was an epitome of Hyderabadi culture, tradition, and values,”.
She was buried at the Dargah Hazrat Yahiya Pasha in the old city of Hyderabad. Many members of the Nizam’s family participated in the funeral.
Basheerunnissa Begum was married to Nawab Kazim Yar Jung, better recognized as Ali Pasha, he passed away in 1998.
Mir Osman Ali Khan was featured on the cover of ‘TIME – The Weekly Magazine’ along with other princely state rulers, he was also declared the world’s richest man of his time, his net worth was equal to America’s economy at that time. He died in 1967.
The last Nizam had refused to accede to India after the country’s independence on August 15, 1947. He wanted to remain an independent state or join Pakistan.
The princely state ultimately merged with the Indian Union in September 1948 after an operation by the Indian Army.
source: http://www.thestatsman.com / The Statesman / Home> India / by SNS, New Delhi / July 28th, 2020
While working on my two books (soon to come: one on Muslim Politics in Bihar and another on Muzaffarpur Muslims, 1857-2011), while looking into primary and secondary sources I came across many personalities and institutions. One such person was Sir Fakhruddin whose contributions towards public life may interest many people. Hence I crave the readers’ indulgence.
[Sir] Syed Mohammad Fakhruddin [Khan Bahadur, 1868-1933] of Patna is credited to have the distinction of being the first Muslim Minister of Bihar and Orissa.
His father Md. Ali of the village Dumri, near Patna, took special care of his quality education. Having imparted elementary education in Arabic, Persian, and Urdu in the village Maktab, Fakhruddin was put under the tutelage of Md. Yahya, advocate, a big rais of Patna, with deep interest in music and literature. Yahya was the husband of Rasheedun Nesa (1855-1926, the author of the Urdu novel, Islahun Nesa, 1881/94, and a pioneer of modern education to women in Patna).
Fakhruddin did his BA from the Patna College in 1891, and B.L. in 1893, and started court practice under the guidance of Yahya in the district court of Patna. He was also associated with the Bihar Provincial Association.
Having earned good reputation as advocate he was elected member Bengal Council in 1910, which Fakhruddin quit after becoming the government pleader (1917-20) in the High Court of Patna, established in 1916-7. In 1921 he was elected member of the Bihar and Orissa Legislative Council, and he kept winning the elections till his death in 1933.
Thus, during 1921-33 he also served as minister of education besides few other significant departments. His contribution as minister in pushing the cause of education is distinctive. His efforts towards promoting primary and secondary education are noteworthy.
The Deputy Directors of Public Instruction were made to undertake tours of Bihar and open schools. Fakhruddin worked hard towards enhancing the budgetary allocation for education. He also made efforts towards charkha operation in the government schools but remained largely unsuccessful in that. He mobilized funds for construction of college buildings and hostels. He was passionate about it.
Reconstruction of Patna’s BN College building and its three storeyed hostel, the imposing building of the Science College (Patna), two storyed hostel for the Science College, the Patna College Hostel (later became famous as Iqbal Hostel), two storeyed PostGraduate Hostel of Ranighat (Patna), Patna Training College are his creations.
Besides, he also allocated fund for the buildings and hostels of the Muzaffarpur’s GBB (LS) College, Cuttack’s Ravenshaw College, Bhagalpur’s TNB Colllege, two big buildings for the Madrasa Shams-ul-Hoda, which was taken over by the government, and eight professors’ quarters in Ranighat (Patna) are also his creations. For the cause of Urdu, he set up a Madrasa Board in 1922.
Madrasa Shams-ul-Hoda
Fakhruddin had also prepared an ambitious plan of converting the Patna University in a big residential university for which he also influenced the Nathan Committee to make favourable recommendations. This was to be established in the Phulwari Sharif. But it did not see the light of the day as a large number of the members of the Bihar and Orissa Legislative Council opposed it on the arguments that the campus will go far beyond the city; a member went on to allege that Fakhruddin was taking the University to the doors of his Pir. The Searchlight is said to have regretted this myopic opposition as the Bihar’s capital city was deprived of quality residential university.
He created and institutionalized Bihar Educational Service Class I, and went on talent hunt to recruit meritorious teachers for the Patna University.
With these efforts he brought in Dr Gyan Chand as professor of Economics, Prof. Taraporewala (History), Prof. Jamuna Prasad (Psychology), Prof. Hill (English), Prof. Shiv Parvati Prasad (Physics). They were posted on handsome salaries.
There used to be an insistence by the colonial regime to recruit only those candidates as Class I teachers who had obtained degrees from Europe.
Prof. Nayyar Laeeq Ahmad (who later became Principal, Andheri College, Bombay), and Prof. Jadunath Sarkar were also recruited. Sir Fakhruddin resisted this racism, without much success at the time, even though it was diluted subsequently in 1940s when Prof. K K Datta (History, 1944) was taken in.
Sir Fakhruddin brought a bright professor of Law from BHU to make him Principal, Law College, and Prof. Boman Sanjana of Bombay was brought in the Civil Engineering.
In order to overcome the dearth of talented teachers he also instituted State Scholarship programme on which promising students of BA and MA were sent oxford and Cambridge for higher degrees and they had to return back to teach in the colleges of Patna University.
Kishori Prasad Sinha, Fazlur Rahman, and Kalimuddin Ahmad for English literature; Ghanshyam Das for History, Balbhadra Prasad and Qamruddoja for Chemistry, Bhairavnath Rohtagi for Economics were few such luminaries. Sadly, with the death of Sir Fakhruddin this bright scheme also died.
The Bihar School of Engineering was upgraded to ‘College’ by him. He also established the Veterinary College of Patna and recruited many teachers from outside.
Besides education, he also held the portfolio of cooperative and he made it a movement of sorts, more particularly in Tirhut. He convened a conference of Cooperatives in Hajipur when Ahmad Husain (1886-1948), an Aligarh graduate of Muzaffarpur, was posted as SDO in Hajipur.
For all these unforgettable contributions, Dr Rajendra Prasad held him in very high esteem.
Sir Fakhruddin, a bearded, fair-skinned fellow was a devout practicing Muslim with punctualities of namaz. Sherwani, pajama, Turkish cap was his preferred dress. The masjid near the Patna Railway Junction was reconstructed by him by investing around Rs. 20-25 thousand, which is now the Jama Masjid of Patna; for long it was called ‘Sir Fakhruddin Masjid’.
As a minister, he never used government quarters; rather he preferred to work from his own house in Patna, nor did he accept police protection. He was a good orator in both English and Urdu.
His sons- Azizul Haq was a renowned advocate of Patna High Court, Anisul Haq was Deputy Collector, Habibul Haq was in judicial services.
(Mohammad Sajjad, Assistant Professor at Centre of Advanced Study in History, AMU, Aligarh)
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home / by Mohammad Sajjad / October 13th, 2025
Dr. Mustafa Basthikodi, Professor and Head of the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management (SCEM), Mangaluru, has been appointed as a Member of the 9th Academic Senate of Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi.
The appointment was officially notified through the Karnataka Governor’s Secretariat Notification (No. GS 06 TUM 2025) dated June 25, 2025, under Section 22 of the VTU Act, 1994. The announcement was made by the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of VTU.
The Academic Senate is the highest academic body of the university and plays a key role in shaping academic policies and strategies. Dr. Basthikodi’s appointment is considered a recognition of his work in the field of technical education and research.
source: http://www.english.varthabharati.in / Vartha Bharati / Home> Karavali / by Vartha Bharati / June 26th, 2025
Khumrail Village (Kupwara District) , JAMMU & KASHMIR :
Nineteen-year-old Zubair-ul-Islam Bhat had every reason to give up. A teenager from the remote village of Khumrail in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, he found himself in police custody last year, dangerously close to being booked under the harsh Public Safety Act (PSA) – a move that could have shattered his future. But fate had other plans.
Given a second chance, he did not waste a moment. He buried himself in his books, held onto hope and has now cleared National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), a national-level medical entrance examination.
Zubair was granted a second chance by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, who ultimately decided not to book him under the stringent PSA. Seizing the opportunity, he focused on his studies and went on to excel in NEET, the results of which were announced on June 14.
Just nine months ago, the 19-year-old was in police custody. He had been arrested in September on suspicion of using a VPN and engaging in what authorities deemed suspicious phone activity. A PSA dossier was even prepared. His future hung by a thread – until Sajad Lone, the chairman of the People’s Conference, stepped in.
Sharing the story on social media, Lone recalled how Zubair’s family had reached out to him in desperation.
“I was convinced Zubair is special. The Kupwara SSP was understandably cautious. I personally assured them of Zubair’s good conduct. We had multiple discussions, often disagreeing, but eventually, the SSP called back and said, ‘I am convinced Zubair needs a chance.’ And he was released,” Lone wrote.
Zubair said that he was arrested after police discovered he had been using a VPN. “I was kept in custody for two days. I explained that I used VPNs for studying, gaming and saving data. They checked my phone but found nothing incriminating. Once Lone Sahib got involved, I was released,” he added.
This was his second attempt at NEET, and he scored 535 out of 720.
A proud Lone later posted Zubair’s pictures on X (formerly Twitter) and congratulated him, writing, “He is much more than a young boy who cracked NEET. I share a special bond with him. From the depths of despair a year ago, Zubair has bounced back and will soon begin a career in medicine. I don’t know what it was, but I just knew Zubair had to be given a chance. I believed he had the potential to excel academically and build a bright future.”
Lone also thanked the Kupwara SSP, saying, “His decision to release Zubair means he has added a doctor to society. I would never have spoken publicly about this, but Zubair’s journey is a story of hope, love, and compassion. Perhaps there’s a message in all this—a message I hope our decision-makers hear. My thanks also go to @OfficeOfLG J&K. Without the consent of senior officials, this would not have been possible. In Kashmir, true victory lies in love and compassion.”
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Education / by TCN News / June 23rd, 2025
M. Nurul Islam with some of the future doctors at Al Ameen Mission Khalatpur campus
M. Nurul Islam is a proud man as 472 students of Al Ameen Mission have qualified for free medical seats in government medical colleges across West Bengal through NEET (UG) 2025.
Muslims remain one of the most disadvantaged communities in India. In West Bengal—among the more underdeveloped states—their educational and socio-economic struggles are even more pronounced. Districts like Murshidabad and Malda, with significant Muslim populations, rank among the most backward in the country.
When the NEET results were announced, 154 students from Murshidabad and 77 from Malda scored above 500 marks, making them eligible for free medical education in the state’s government colleges.
What stands out is the socio-economic background of these students. Of the 472 successful candidates, 278 (59%) come from modest backgrounds: 194 (41%) belong to middle and upper-middle-income families, 152 (32%) to lower-middle-income groups, and 126 (27%) are from poor and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families.
The success of these students reflects not only academic excellence but also the transformative impact of Al Ameen Mission in empowering underprivileged communities through education.
“This year’s exam was comparatively tougher than in previous years, but by the grace of Allah, our students performed even better,” said M. Nurul Islam, founder general secretary of Al Ameen Mission, while speaking to Muslim Mirror.
Nurul Islam, the visionary general secretary of Al-Ameen Mission—often referred to as the Sir Syed of West Bengal—is widely recognized among the 100 most influential Indian Muslims. He pioneered an educational movement aimed at uplifting underprivileged Muslim students in West Bengal, significantly increasing their representation in medical colleges, even exceeding their population proportion in the state.
Born in 1959 in the small village of Khalatpur in Howrah district, Nurul Islam came from a humble background. His passion for education and community service became the foundation of a lifelong mission. In 1986, while he was a student, he started a hostel with just seven students inside the madrasa building. This initiative was sustained by a grassroots campaign—collecting a fistful of rice from every household in the village. In January 1987, this effort took shape as Al-Ameen Mission.
Today, the Mission has 77 branches across 23 districts of West Bengal, housing nearly 23,000 residential students. Over 49,000 students have passed from Al Ameen Mission, which follows the WBBSE, WBHSE, and CBSE curricula. In 2015, the West Bengal government honored M Nurul Islam with the Banga Bhushan Award for its contributions to education.
The Mission also engages in charitable work, offering financial aid and scholarships to unemployed Muslims. Under Nurul Islam’s leadership, it has become a beacon of holistic education, blending academic excellence with Islamic ethical values. The institution has produced hundreds of successful NEET and JEE candidates, changing the lives of many.
Nurul Islam’s resolute commitment to education and empowerment continues to inspire generations, reshaping the future of Muslim youth in Bengal and beyond.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirro / Home> Education> Indian Muslim> Positive Story / by Jasmine Nehar / June 25th, 2025
Fasihuddin Balkhi was born in 1885 in Bakshi Mohalla of Patna city. | Picture: Rekhta
Born in Patna, Bihar during the British era, Fasihuddin Balkhi made a tremendous contribution to history-writing in Urdu. Despite this feat, he remains largely unknown to this day.
Many historians have written about the history of Bihar. After taking a cursory overview of the works written by different scholars, one finds that history writing on Bihar, especially in the Urdu language has not yet received due attention in academic circles. Among many others who have written on Bihar and its history, the notable ones include Fasihuddin Balkhi (1885-1962); Taqi Rahim (1921-99); and Shad Azimabadi (1901-1978).
This piece is an attempt to highlight the life and works of Fasihuddin Balkhi. His work has received scant attention from those working in the Bihar region. His contribution remains largely under-acknowledged and under-explored in the existing literature of the Bihar province.
Balkhi was born in 1885, the same year that the Indian National Congress (INC) was founded, in Bakshi Mohalla of Patna city. After receiving his early education at home, he went to Calcutta where he completed his higher education. He became a teacher and initially taught at Poona Military School and later in Calcutta Fort William. Later on, he passed the law examination and was employed in the Bihar government. In 1914, he opted for military service which enabled him to visit different parts of the world like Palestine, Egypt, Iraq and Lebanon.
As India’s independence movement was drawing more followers, Balkhi too joined the movement. In 1921, he became part of the non-cooperation movement. After refusing to accept the post of deputy in Jaunpur, he had to face many hardships. Between 1926-27 he worked as the revenue officer and magistrate in Sarai Kela state.
After retirement, he left his ancestral home and lived the rest of his life till 1962 in his new house in Guzri Bazar Patna city (just behind the present Mohammedan Anglo Arabic school). In the last two years of his life, he worked at Patna University in the department of manuscripts. His hardworking and organizational abilities infused a new spirit in the department.
Although Balkhi was known as a good teacher and a successful officer, he was primarily a historian and researcher, as he stepped into some areas of research that were hitherto almost invisible. Even the noted Bihar-based historian, Syed Hasan Askari (1901-1990) has acknowledged Balkhi’s scholarly and literary abilities. Unfortunately, most of the works of Balkhi could not reach their desired audience. Some of his works remain unpublished even now.
Balkhi’s first book Tarikh-e-Magadh was published by Anjuman-e-Taraqqi-Urdu-Hind (Delhi) in 1944. The second book, Tazkira, was published as Tazkira-e-Niswane Hind (1956).
According to one source, he wrote his first work at the age of 25 in 1910 in Urdu on astrology, a rare case in Urdu, titled as Ilmi-e-Najoom. This work is not easily available or accessible to the readers. A pamphlet on the poetry of Shad Azimabadi titled as Inshad-e-Shad (Qaumi Press Bankipore, Patna, 1939) is his signature piece. The pamphlet demonstrates his power of critique.
Balkhi’s work only gained wider attention after his death. Well-known Urdu publisher Nadeem Bhatti published one of Balkhi’s works Tazkira-e-Hindu Shora-e-Bihar (Poets in Bihar/Urdu) in 1962. Some of Balkhi’s unpublished works such as Dastur-e-Sukhan, a collection of his works on historical places of Bihar province, Aasar-e-Balkhiya, are collected in the book. Several of his scholarly, literary and historical articles are also available in different magazines and journals. A well-researched article on Balkhi’s personality and research guidance was written by Qayyum Khazar for ‘All India Radio Patna.’ Khazar states that “Fasihuddin Balkhi was a great historian and researcher as well as a good poet.”
Balkhi’s work as historian Tarikh-e-Magadh is the first book that earned Balkhi fame as a historian. This seminal work in Urdu was published in 1944 by Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu (Delhi), which was then under the supervision of Maulvi Abdul Haq (Baab-e-Urdu). The book chronicles the history of Bihar province from the earliest times (642 BC) up to the second World War in 1943. The book contains as many as twenty chapters. The book is considered one of the most reliable accounts of the history of Bihar in the Urdu language. The work was constructed from authentic historical sources.
Patna-based historian Imtiaz Ahmad, commenting on the significance of Tarikh-e-Magadh, has said, “It is written authentically and professionally, with proper references from sources (Persian texts).”
Balkhi also wrote another significant work entitled Wahabi Movement, posthumouslypublished in 1983. This book along with Qeyamuddin Ahmad’s seminal work The Wahhabi Movement in India (1966, reprinted 1994) are the most cited works on the history and role of the Wahhabi movement in India.
Balki’s slim book, despite being confined to the Bihar region, is distinctive in many new ways. The sources he cited are primary and useful, such as letters of Syed Ahmad Shah, Calcutta Review, Indian Muslim by Wilson Hunter, Tazkira-e Sadiqa and biographies of Syed Ismail and Syed Ahmad, the founding fathers of the movement in India.
Emphasizing the legacy left behind by the Wahhabi movement, Balkhi writes, “It is highly interesting to note that the use of three great weapons, namely, non-cooperation, passive resistance and establishing of parallel Govt. which the Congress leaders adopted in their fight against the bureaucracy, was originally advocated and preached by the Wahhabis in 1854.” (p. 16).
Apart from these historical accounts, Balkhi wrote another path-breaking book Tazkirah Niswan-e-Hind (1956) in which he documents the short biographical accounts of the notable women of India. He starts his book with Raziya Sultan of the early 13th century and covers the women from various fields across India such as Askari Begum ‘Hijab’ (Lucknow), Chander Mukhi Bose (Bengal), Lal Ded (Kashmir), Raziya Sajjad Zahir (Rajasthan/Bombay), Bibi ‘Tahira’ (Bihar), etc. This book serves as an important source of information on Indian women and their role in different times of history.
Balkhi has also written about the lesser-known aspects of Bihar. This can be gauged from his book Patna Ke Katbe in Urdu, published by Khuda Bakhsh Library, Patna in 1993. This book is a unique study of inscriptions found on graves, mosques, and tombs located in Patna.
Balkhi has made a tremendous contribution to writing the history of Bihar in Urdu. His work serves as a guiding light on the lesser known and under-explored aspects of Bihar. His work needs to be revisited and re-assessed to throw light on many ignored dimensions of Bihar history.
Mohd Hussain Ganie is a PhD student at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). He tweets at @GanaiHussain1
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Art-Culture / by Mohd Hussain Ganie, TwoCircles.net / August 12th, 2022
In an era of unprecedented majoritarian ascendance and anti-Muslim hatred, Bihar Collective, a platform of intellectuals and activists, has brought out a booklet highlighting the contribution of eminent Muslims in making the modern Bihar in the last 200 years.
The booklet titled Remembering Muslim Makers of Modern Bihar has been compiled and edited by renowned academician and writer Prof. Mohammad Sajjad on the initiative of Bihar Collective.
The booklet will be released at an event in Patna on Saturday (February 23).
On the occasion, a discussion will also be held with Prof Faizan Mustafa, Vice Chancellor, NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad; Prof Vivek Kumar, JNU, New Delhi; and Prof Mohammad Sajjad, AMU, Aligarh as panelists.
A Brief about Booklet:
Pre-empting a reasonable question about the title of the booklet, Prof Sajjad, who has compiled and edited it, writes in its preface: “A simple and obvious question that may readily arise is: why only Muslim makers of modern Bihar? Why not others too? This is indeed a valid and pertinent question.”
Responding to the question, he further says: “Candidly put, this is because of an unprecedentedly menacing rise of majoritarianism, bigotry, and anti-Muslim hatred, with open support of the state.
The Muslim identities are ominously threatened. There are also unabated attempts to dilute (or even take away) whatever little accomplishments have been made by the forces of social justice and secularism.
Only the Muslim segment however is threatened by the jingoist, exclusionary, violent nationalists, to be thrown out to another country. As if the other country is a dustbin, owned by these bigots, into which they can throw away everything they dislike! As if only the religious majority constitutes the nation! Notably, these jingoists had aligned with the British and had stayed away from the national movement.”
“Muslim contributions in the nation-making (and in the freedom movement) remain under-acknowledged, forgotten or even omitted. Erasure of their histories and memories seem to have become even more pronounced and vociferous, now, than ever before…The Bihar Collective therefore decided to compile a short profile of these inspiring role models, history-makers…This is small and humble step towards retrieving and restoring the nationalist provincial pantheons bearing Muslim identities,” says Prof Sajjad.
He, however, admits that the list of Muslim heroes of Bihar given in the booklet is not exhaustive as “…many have been left out essentially because of lack of documentations and researches. Not many have left their own accounts/memoirs; the available memoirs/accounts have not written much about all the personalities. In many cases, even otherwise “resourceful” descendants and/or associates of the history-makers have not been able to provide us with adequate (and credible/verifiable) details.”
Prof Sajjad hopes this small exercise may lead to some big academic work on these history-makers. “In short, this kind of venture may be said to be an ongoing exercise. This effort may hope to open up (and obtain) more details about such history-makers and would also get to know about many more of such peoples and processes, we failed to include here in this hastily prepared tiny volume, amidst constraints of resources and time.”
Names of Muslim Makers of Modern Bihar Mentioned in Booklet: 1. Syed Imdad Ali (d.1886] 2. Khuda Bakhsh (1842-1908) 3. Syed Amir Husain (1843-1910) 4. Imdad Imam Asar (1849-1934) 5. Shah Badruddin(1852-??) 6. Syed Ali Bilgrami (1853-1911) 7. Rasheed-un-Nesa (1855-1926) 8. Syed Noorul Huda (1855-1939) 9. Justice Syed Sharfuddin (1856-1921) 10. Shaikh Gulab (1857-1920) 11. Sarfaraz Husain Khan (1860-1931) 12. Maulana Mazharul Haque (1866-1930) 13. Batakh Miyan Ansari (1867-1957) 14. Sir Fakhruddin (1868-1933) 15. Syed Ali Imam (1869-1932) 16. Syed Hasan Imam (1871-1933) 17. Salahuddin Khuda Bakhsh (1875-1931) 18. Shafi Daudi(1875-1949) 19. Khwaja Md. Noor(1875-??) 20. Abdul Wadood (d.1955) 21. Syed Abul Hasan (1878-1960) 22. Sir Sultan Ahmad (1880-1963) 23. Maulana Sajjad (1880-1940) 24. Pir Mohammad Munis (1882-1949) 25. Abdul Bari (1882-1947) 26. Syed Sulaiman Nadvi (1884-1953) 27. Mohammad Yunus (1884-1952) 28. Shah Md. Zubair (1884-1930) 29. Syed Abdul Aziz (1885-1948) 30. Zubaida Begum Daudi (1886-1972) 31. Syed Tafazzul Karim (1886-1964) 32. Mr. Mohammad Shafi (1888-1955) 33. Qazi Ahmad Husain (1889-1961) 34. Dr. Syed Mahmud (1889-1971) 35. Ali Husain Aasim Bihari (1890-1953) 36. Shah Mohammad Umair (1894-1978) 37. Abdul Ahad Mohammad Noor (1894-1975) 38. Hakeem Md. Kabiruddin (1894-1976) 39. Maulana Usman Ghani (1896-1977) 40. Manzoor Ahsan Aijazi (1897-1969) 41. Shah Md Ozair Muni’mi (1899-1961) 42. Maghfur Aijazi (1900-1966) 43. Syed Jafar Imam (1900-1965) 44. Syed Badruddin Ahmad (1901-1983) 45. Mohammad Tahir (1903-???) 46. Syed Jafar Imam (1903-1979) 47. Syed Fida Husain (1904-80) 48. Abdul Qaiyum Ansari (1905-1974) 49. Wajihuddin Minhaji (1907-1984) 50. Syed Md. Aiyub (1910-1964) 51. Abdul Sami Nadvi (1913-????) 52. Abul Hayat Chand (1914-1958) 53. Ahad Fatmi(1915-1980) 54. Zawwar Husain (1916-80) 55. Shafiqullah Ansari (1917-1980) 56. Shah Mushtaq Ahmad (1917-2002) 57. Abdul Ghafoor (1918-2004) 58. Col. Mahboob Ahmad (1920-1992) 59. Taqi Raheem (1920-1999) 60. Zahra Daudi(1923-2003) 61. Shakoor Ahmad (1924-1981) 62. Syed Hasan (1924-2016) 63. Yunus Lohia (1925-2019) 64. Ghulam Sarwar (1926-2004) 65. Syed Shahabuddin (1935-2017)
A Brief about Author:
Prof Mohammad Sajjad teaches late-colonial and post-independent Indian history at the Centre for Advanced Study in History, Aligarh Muslim University. He has written several books including Muslim Politics in Bihar: Changing Contours; and Contesting Colonialism and Separatism: Muslims of Muzaffarpur since 1857.
His articles are published in reputed academic journals from Routledge, Sage, EPW etc. and also in anthologies from the Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press.
Bihar Collective: It is a platform of artists, intellectuals, journalists and activists to promote diversity, pluralism and constitutional values. It aims at bridging the gap between people working in various fields such as media, culture, law, science, arts, human rights, gender equality, films, music, etc. Email: biharcollective@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/biharcollective
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Society / by India Tomorrow / February 21st, 2019
In the picturesque Chenab Valley’s Doda township in the Jammu region of Jammu and Kashmir, lives a man whose life is the epitome of service to humanity. Although a teacher by profession, Mohammad Hafeez Furqanabadi has changed the lives of many underprivileged boys and girls by leading them on the path of enlightenment through education.
Furqanabadi, 64, born in Ghat village, five km from Doda town, has been shaping young minds and uniting communities through education for four decades.
With a Master’s degree in Arabic (1989), Hafeez started teaching at the Royal Academy, a private school in Doda, after completing his 12th standard. Later, he moved on to teach Arabic, Urdu, and English at various other private institutions.
Mohammad Hafeez Furqanabad
For him, education is not just a profession, but a mission that goes beyond official responsibilities.
His life changed after he was appointed a government teacher in 1995 and posted at the Hanch High School in Doda, where he taught Arabic, Urdu, and English.
To his shock, he found most of the classrooms half-empty — especially of girls.
He decided to change this.
He began visiting families across Doda, urging parents to educate their daughters. “Education is not just a right — it’s a light,” he would often say.
Mohammad Hafeez Furqanabad
Gradually, mindsets shifted. Hafeez became more than a teacher — he was a reformer, a motivator, and a beacon of change.
His dedication extended far beyond school walls. With a few close friends, Hafeez founded a charitable trust in Doda, focused on educating underprivileged children of all religions.
The trust provided free education, school uniforms, shoes, and books to the students. His home became a refuge for learning as he offered free tuition to students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
In 2011, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir honoured him for his contributions by presenting him with the State’s One of the Best Teacher Award.
Perhaps what defines Hafeez Furqanabadi most is his unwavering commitment to communal harmony. In a region often marred by religious tensions, Hafeez worked tirelessly to promote Hindu-Muslim unity.
His efforts earned him respect from all communities. “He teaches humanity before anything else,” one of his former students, now a government officer, told Awaz-The Voice.
Beyond teaching, Hafeez has also made his mark as an author and poet. His three books — Tanzeel, Momin Ki Namaaz, and Intekhaab — are widely read and appreciated across Jammu for their spiritual and literary depth.
Mohammad Hafeez Furqanabad
Moreover, many of his poetic compositions are regularly recited in morning assemblies in schools throughout Jammu and Kashmir. His verses reflect not only sensitivity but also the deeply spiritual and humanistic values he lived and taught.
After a distinguished career, Mohammad Hafeez retired from government service in December 2022. His farewell was an emotional tribute, attended by hundreds of students, teachers, and community members, who shared moving stories of his life’s work — a testament to the legacy he leaves behind.
Even after his superannuation, Hafeez has been actively pursuing his mission — teaching the under, counseling, and inspiring others. He believes that one can retire only after one ceases to contribute to society. For Mohammad Hafeez Furqanabadi, that day is nowhere near.
Mohammad Hafeez Furqanabadi stands tall in the collective memory of Doda and Jammu for his lifelong commitment to building a kinder, more educated, and more united society.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> The Changemakers / by Danish Ali, Doda / June 24th, 2025
