Veteran Indian diplomat Anwar Haleem today assumed charge as the Ambassador of India to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
The new Ambassador was given warm welcome by all Mission officials in Amman upon his arrival at the Embassy premises. He presented a copy of his Credentials to H.E. Mr. Zaid Al-Louzi, Secretary General, Foreign Ministry in Amman.
Anwar Haleem is an IFS officer passed out in 1991. He was working as the Additional Secretary in the National Defence College before taking charge as an ambassador.
Anwar Haleem obtained the MA degree in Indian History and International Studies from JNU. He joined M Phil in Disarmament Division as JRF Scholars. He has MBA Finance & LLB. He has a very distinguished academic record and varied experience in public affairs.
Anwar Haleem joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1991. He has served at Indian missions in Egypt, UAE and Saudi Arabia. He has vast experience of working in different divisions of the Ministry of External Affairs.
Haleem has served in different capacities in foreign missions, covering range of political, economic, cultural and community affairs activities as well as crisis management. He has Arabic as his foreign language with vast experience of Gulf and Muslims countries.
At South Block, he was the Desk officer for Sri Lanka and later Director for Latin American Countries, Director SAARC and Director Gulf. He has served as Deputy Director General of India Council of cultural Relations (ICCR), India Council of World Affairs (ICWA) and Joint Secretary in MEA.
Haleem has been the editor of ‘Gagananchal’ a Hindi magazine and ‘India Quarterly’, published by SAGE. He has published works on Technology Transfer from MacGraw Hill.
source: http://www.newsbharati.com / NewsBharati.com / Home / August 01st, 2019
Only a comprehensive, all-encompassing dialogue can resolve this situation and that is best-presented in a fast-paced drama.
Cover Image of the book ‘The Muslim Vanishes: A Play’ by Saeed Naqvi. (By arrangement)
“If we take the Muslim out of India, what becomes of the country?” This is the central question that veteran journalist Saeed Naqvi’s recent three-act play The Muslim Vanishes seeks to answer.
In a crisp preface he first explains the premise of his plot and then the choice of “play” as his genre: Politicians hold two interlocking triangles in their hands, both feeding on each other. The first is the caste pyramid, the second has three intrinsically intertwined sides — “India-Pakistan, New Delhi-Srinagar, Hindu Muslim”. Without the second, the Hindu Right will not be able to manage the first. Combine the two triangles with the deliberately misunderstood complications of Partition and you have the perfect recipe for hate. Only a comprehensive, all-encompassing dialogue can resolve this situation and that is best-presented in a fast-paced drama. Standing on this brief but compelling introduction, Naqvi dives straight into Act 1, Scene 1: a distraught and excited junior journalist rushes into a busy news studio telling two primetime anchors that all Muslims have vanished from India overnight and, along with them, has vanished the Qutab Minar. It seems they have “taken it back”. Much as this opening seems to lay the ground for what the reader can expect later, not one of the next 150 pages is monotonous.
As the scene progresses, the characters debate among themselves — What else did, or can, the Muslims take back? Writings of great poets — Mir, Ghalib, Josh. But what about Hindu poets of the ghazal — Brij Narain Chakbast, Raghupati Sahai Firaq? Can they take them back, too? And those exquisite terms used in our courts — munsif, farraash — will they also disappear? And what about our great musical repertoire, the gharanas? And food? Can they also reclaim nihari and kabab and the rista and gushtaba? Perhaps Hussain’s paintings will also magically vanish. But for those who think that the Muslim vanishing will only be about the loss of literature, art and culture, Naqvi has news. It will have far deeper socio-political consequences. It will change the power equation in a way few realise. In an early scene, a dalit, who had never dared to enter the main gate of a Hindu Brahmin leader’s house without being summoned, not only enters uninvited but also sits on the sofa without permission. The leader’s son, one of the two primetime anchors to whom the news of the vanishing Muslims was first broken, explains. “Today, without the Muslims, the battlelines have been redrawn. It is Savarnas versus Avarnas, upper castes versus lower castes”.
The problem has become so serious that a special court has been set up on the issue of the Muslim vanishing. And, this is where Naqvi shows his prowess as an eclectic thinker. To assist the court, an 11-member jury has been constituted. On the recommendation of the great Sufi saint of Barabanki, Shah Abdul Razaq, who has a deep mystical link with the Hindu court at Maihar, the jury is chaired by Urdu poet and Constituent Assembly member, Maulana Hasrat Mohani. Best known as the author of the romantic ghazal “chupke chupke raat din aansu bahaana yaad hai”, it was the Maulana who coined the slogan ‘Inquilab zindabad’. He is accompanied by the social activist Mahatma Phule, poets Raskhan, Salbeg, Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khana, Mohsin Kakorvi and Chunnalal Dilgeer, Classical singer Alladiya Khan, Kabir, Tulsi Das, an anonymous nominee of Guru Nanak and Amir Khusro.
The lawyer in me applauds Naqvi’s jury-selection skills — four Muslim poets who are devotees of Hindu dieties (Maulana and Raskhan of Krishna, Salbeg of Jagannath and Khan-e-Khana of Ram), one Muslim Urdu poet who uses Hindu imagery in praise of the Prophet (Kakorvi), one Muslim proponent of Marathi Natya sangeet (Alladiya), one Hindu poet known for his poetry on Karbala (Dilgeer), two mystic poets whose philosophy cuts across religion (Kabir and Tulsidas) and one anti-caste reformer (Phule).
The jury chooses Amir Khusrau as its spokesperson. Again, an incredible choice. Khusrau is one of the most influential figures in the cultural history of the subcontinent and perhaps the most transformational part of the “long tradition of eclectic liberalism” that Naqvi alludes to. Who better than him, then, to speak for a composite India?
The judicial proceedings that follow through an entangled web of examination and cross-examination, unravel the rich and diverse history of the Hindustan that was. From complexities of the partition to the making of the Constitution, from mystic syncretism to the politics of conversion, from the special status of Kashmir to urban Naxalism and from cultural renaissance to quelling free speech, Naqvi steers through Hindustan’s intricate landscape with a masterly hand. Riding on his vast knowledge of politics, society, history, literature, art and culture, he moves between time and space with tremendous poise. I wish he had occasionally interspersed his scenes with some Mir and Ghalib, like he does when he speaks, but this wish arises more out of my constant greed for ‘Saeed Naqviesque’ narratives than by any insufficiency in the script.
The expression “Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb” must be one of the most misused ones in recent times. In their bid to buy an imprimatur of approval from the majority, Muslim apologists have abused the idea to such an extent that it has now entered the realm of the ridculous: “Oh, but we are secular Muslims. We celebrate Raksha Bandhan and participate in Diwali puja.” Though the very foundation on which Naqvi’s play stands is “Ganga Jamuni tehzeeb”, he does not tom-tom it as a saleble commodity to barter acceptance with. Instead, he forcefully situates the followers of this tehzeeb as equal participants in the making of a secular, democratic republic, demanding their indispensability in all decision-making processes in the present. This, to me, is his biggest win.
Sociopolitical writing has immense potential to exhaust the reader. But Naqvi’s satirical tone and terrific sense of humour compel the reader to go on, and expect something exciting every now and then. To quote Asghar Gondvi: Sunta hoon bade ghaur se afsaana-e-hasti Kuchh khvaab hai, kuchh asl hai, kuchh tarz e ada hai.
[Intently I listen to his life-story. It’s part dream, part reality and part style.] The play has immense potential to be performed on stage and I hope that, when it is performed, none other than its author is persuaded to direct.
source: http://www.asianage.com / The Asian Age / Home> Books / by Saif Mahmood, The Asian Age / Februrary 13th, 2022
Senior Indian journalist P A Mubarak, 66, passed away on Friday night in hospital. He was undergoing treatment post Covid-19 complications for last two months.
He was the former Qatar correspondent for Chandrika daily in India. He worked with the Ministry of Commerce and was running his own business own company after leaving the ministry.
He was an active presence in Indian community activities over the years and has been general secretary of Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) and Pravasi, Indian expat organisations in Qatar.
He wife Najiya succumbed to Covid-19 in Qatar on April 30.
He is survived by two daughters Nadia Shameen and Fatima Mubarak and sons-in-law Muhammad Shameen (Etisalat, Dubai) and Parvez Vallikkad (Doha, Qatar Foundation).
The burial will be held this evening at Abu Hamour cemtary.
source: http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com / The Peninsula / Home> Doha Today> Community / October 27th, 2021
Veteran Congress leader, former MLC and former chairman of Karnataka State Minorities Commission, Haji K S Mohammed Masood, has been reelected as the new president of Kudroli Jamia Masjid in the city.
(L) K S Mohammed Masood / pix: thehindu.com
The general body meeting of the masjid was held in the auditorium of the masjid on Sunday February 27. Election for the office bearers of the managing committee of the mosque for the year 2022-2025 was held there.
Other office bearers elected were Yousuf Kardar (vice president), SV Khaleel Ahmed (general secretary), Maqbool Ahmed (secretary), Tajmul Ahmed (treasurer), Asif Sarfuddin (joint secretary), Dr Muhammed Arif Masood, Abdul Khaliq, Ashfaq Ahmed, Syed Iqbal and Saleem S (members).
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld / Home> Karnataka / by Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (SP) / Februry 28th, 2022
The funeral of Havaldar Altaf Ahmed (37), who martyred in Srinagar of Kashmir due to snowslide, was held with full state and military honours at his native place Virajpet on Saturday, February 26.
The funeral was held as per Islam traditions in the cemetery in the presence of his Virajpet family members, district administration, relatives and people representatives.
Altaf, who was born at the fish market of Virajpet had done his second PU and joined the AOC regiment of the Indian Army serving the country for 19 years.
Altaf’s mortal remains were brought by a special team of the Indian Army on the morning of Saturday.
It was kept for public view at the Taluk Maidan. MLAs K G Bopaiah, Santheyanda Veena Acchaiah, MP Suja Kushalappa, DC Dr B C Sathisha and SP M A Aiyappa offered their respects.
source: http://www.daijiworld.com / DaijiWorld.com / Home> Karnataka / by Daijiworld Media Network – Madikeri (MS) / February 27th, 2022
Safana Shamna who was selected for Sustainability Leadership Programme offered by Geneva-based United People Global. | Photo Credit: The Hindu
Safana Shamna, a young social worker and Kudumbashree trainer from Mankada in Malappuram district, has been selected for this year’s Sustainability Leadership Programme offered by Geneva-based United People Global (UPG).
She is among the handful of Indians who made it to the 500 young leaders selected from 159 countries. Announcing the selection, the UPG said that Ms. Shamna was selected after an intense review by 130 panelists.
The UPG offers training in sustainability leadership every year for select candidates from across the world. “It gives nine-week-long classes in sustainable leadership with the objective of attaining social sustainability,” said Ms. Shamna.
The chairperson of the Mankada Readers Forum, Ms. Shamna is also the district treasurer of Haritha, the women’s wing of the Muslim Students Federation. “I have been focusing on the idea of attaining sustainable development through mini training sessions,” she said.
The UPG Sustainability Leadership Programme classes will begin on March 14.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Kerala / by Staff Reporter / Malappuram – February 15th, 2022
Muskan khan was facilitated by members of Maharashtra-based NGOs [Special arrangement]
The family of Muskan Khan, a Muslim student who became a symbol of pro-hijab resistance after confronting an unruly mob and chanting the ‘Allah-u-akbar’ slogan in Karnataka, have expressed happiness over the widespread support they have received from across the world.
Muskan’s father Husain Khan said that after the college incident, they were a bite worried but Muskan calmed them down and told them that they are on the right path and they have nothing to worry about.
Karnataka’s Muskan Khan has become the poster girl of pro-Hijab protests. Muskan hogged headlines after her video of shouting “Allah Hu Akbar” went viral. The video showed Muskan being heckled by saffron-clad students in Karnataka. Muskan opened up about her viral video in an exclusive interview with ZEE News. / www.youtube.com / DNA India News _________________
“She is a daughter of a Pathan,” Khan proudly said.
“Muskan is a very religious girl who believes in the importance of connection with their creator and performs tahajjud on daily basis (midnight prayers.)” he said while speaking to this correspondent over a call.
He further said that he wanted Muskan to become an advocate but many well wishers are now suggesting her to start preparations for civil services exams.
“Insha Allah, we will do our best for her better education to become good a human being and serve her nation,” he said.
Hussain Khan raised his concerns over rumour and fake news about his family. “When our opponents spread rumours and fake news like receiption of crores of rupees ,gifts and rewards etc.,it can be ignored easily but when our own people do it and try to let us down by doing so then it hurts” he added.
He added that Muskan has received overwhelming media attention and activists from all over India keep coming to appreciate Muskan’s brave act.
Members of Maharashtra-based NGOS – Maharashtra active Forum, Gaziuddin Research Centre, Tahzeeb Foundation and Sada Foundation – visited Muskan to felicitate her. One of the visiting member Sarfaraz Ahmad said that motive behind the visit was protection of Muskan’s constitutional rights. All the present members including Muskan and family read “preamble to the constitution of India” there, he added.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Imran Inamdar / edited and video of DNA Indian News inserted / February 27th, 2022
Notably, Fathima’s father, Abdul Samad, an ex-Member of Parliament, won from the Harbour area during the 1958 urban local body polls.
AS Fathima Muzaffer led numerous anti-CAA protests in Chennai. (Photo | Special Arrangement)
Chennai :
The woman, who led numerous anti-CAA protests in Chennai, AS Fathima Muzaffer from the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML)-DMK alliance emerged victorious in ward 61 of the Chennai Corporation on Tuesday by a huge margin of votes.
After five and a half decades, IUML’s own symbol (ladder) was used and this is the first time in the history of the party that a woman candidate has contested in Chennai.
Notably, Fathima’s father, Abdul Samad, an ex-Member of Parliament, won from the Harbour area during the 1958 urban local body polls. Fathima bagged 6,347 of 11,443 votes in her ward.
“It is a historic moment for IUML as we contested only from one ward and won. This is a silent answer to the ongoing hijab fiasco. Also, this is my first political campaign. I have been a social activist largely and hope to do the same as a councillor — serve the public,” said Fathima, who is also the national president of IUML’s women’s wing.
With numerous colleges, a prestigious stadium and four slums in her ward, Fathima says she wishes to bridge the gap between the elite and downtrodden.
“I want to implement a lot of youth programmes. Since this ward has good population of youth, it is crucial. Apart from this, social equality and communal harmony will always be at the forefront.”
Fathima’s family has been in politics for three generations.
Her grandfather, Moulana Abdul Hameed Baqavi was a freedom fighter and reportedly the first person to translate the holy Quran into Tamil.
She has also won a lot of awards in the field of social service for her work on women’s empowerment and education, especially in the Muslim community.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities>Chennai / by KV Navya, Express News Service / February 22nd, 2022
If you thought your handwriting doesn’t matter in the digital world, think again.
Imran Baig,Global Penmanship Academy (File Photo)
Bengaluru :
Growing up, we’ve all heard that handwriting is a skill that never fades. However, over the years, writing has become less and less common thanks to gadgets taking over our existence. But Imran Baig, founder of Global Penmanship Academy, a handwriting analyst, is working on making people fall in love with writing once again, and supporting them to forge their future using the power of a pen.
“It’s a skill that many of us have but just don’t know the right approach to, and that’s why my workshops come in handy for them,” says Baig, who takes three classes over the weekends, teaching one the different tools to write and how to achieve the speed they want.
Baig got certified in 2004 from Handwriting University International, California, at the age of 21, making him the youngest individual in the world to pass out of the university. He has developed specialised programmes on Handwriting Development for children and Grapho Therapy for adults.
“Since children are growing up, starting them out early is a good approach. This way, they will learn about which pen or pencil is ideal for them, based on their finger structure. They will also learn the right speed to write in so they can attend their exams more efficiently,” he says.
“As for adults, finding their right signature is the most important factor as they are often influenced by something we have observed growing up. Through the workshops, I help them analyse and understand which style of theirs showcases their personality. This will help their personality development as well,” adds Baig.
He points out that grapho therapy — usually done after the detailed analysis of the overall personality of someone by studying their handwriting — is a great way to understand the compatibility of a person.
“Though the workshop I had before Valentine’s Day wasn’t really related to the day, it’s important to talk about how one’s handwriting can help understand your compatibility with another person. In a world of texting and typing, I’m trying to encourage people to write more, rewire the way they think and present themselves and develop their personality along the way,” says Baig, who points out that comments like “Thank you for introducing me to myself” from those who attended his workshop is why he does what he does.
source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home>Lifestyle> Books / by Anila Kurien, Express News Service / February 21st, 2022
I have been visiting Shah Jahan Mosque and the Brookwood cemetery in Woking for a few years now.
Woking, is a small town almost 30 miles from London. The town is famous for it’s first purpose build mosque in the UK .
During, the two great wars this mosque served a purpose of spiritual centre for Muslim soldiers in Britain.
A few miles from the mosque lies a burial ground which was a designated ground for Muslim soldiers of WWI. Later, it has been transformed into a memorial park.
Shahjahan Mosque, Woking
Brookwood Cemetery is situated almost five miles from the Shah Jahan Mosque. The Cemetery is one of the largest in Europe. There are a number of famous Victorian Muslims resting here. Today, Woking has large Muslim population, mostly from Pakistan and they are very active in the community and maintaining the mosque very well.
My, very first trip was unplanned and somewhat impulsive. Though it was incredibly enlightening as well as moving. In 2016 after Eid prayer, on a spur I decided to drive my family to Woking. At the time I had only two boys; My eldest was 3 and his brother a year old. I had no idea how to reach to the mosque and locate graves of the early ‘Victorian Muslims.’ However I was committed to do both on the same day. On my SatNav I entered the postcode of Shah Jahan Mosque.
After two hours of drive we reached the Shah Jehan Mosque. There, we saw young and old, boys and girls in Asian Eid costumes. Contrary to the typical British cloudy weather it was a sunny day. Green dome of the mosque and good size open space with another impressive brick building gave an impression as if we are in a small but an affluent village of India.
The festive mood and the perfect sunny day was inviting us to explore and finish the target. After spending an hour there, we decided to drive to Brookwood cemetery.
The most challenging part was to locate the old Muslim section of the cemetery, where I wanted to the visit graves of Abdullah Yusuf Ali, Marmaduke Pickthall and Lord Headley.
To solve the problem, after reaching the cemetery gate; my intuition suggested me to drive only on the road which took us to the right side of the cemetery. First right, second right and then the third right. After a very short drive it was evident that the direction of graves has started changing, Muslim names with some Islamic symbols – crescent and stars on grave stones reassured me that we have entered into the Muslim section of the cemetery. In the end I reached to the place I wished. It was not easy to recognise Mr. Pickthall’s grave, three rows further, very close to the road is buried my favourite Abdullah Yusuf Ali the well known translator of the Holy Qur’an in today’s contemporary world who passed away in 1953. I was in search of another unmarked grave of Mr. Abdullah Quilliam, when my wife called me to show something. She excitedly pointed to a marked grave of the first Prime Minister of Bihar.
Grave of Mohammed Yunus
My wife is born and brought up in the UK. However she is fluent in Urdu and has enormous interest in her Indian roots. She located the grave of the ‘First Prime Minister of Bihar’ – Haji Mohammad Yunus. It was a huge surprise for me.
Barrister Mohammed Yunus (Sitting)
I don’t have any direct relationship with Late Haji Mohammad Yunus Saheb. However one of his nephews was my grandfather’s junior in the court and was a very close friend of his. My paternal grandfather was a successful and famous criminal lawyer who practiced in a small town in Bihar. Both of them worked in the same Court. In the 1940s my grandfather’s friend (Haji Yunus’s nephew) was the only Muslim in the town who had a Radio.
Barrister Mohammed Yunus
In fact in our ancestral town it was his radio that broke the bad news of Mahatma Gandhi’s cold blooded murder. Broadcasts from his Radio clarified that the murderer of Gandhi was ‘not a Muslim but a right wing Hindu’ . Which was a momentous relief for the frightened local Muslim population during the violent and uncertain communal climate of the partition of India.
So, finding his grave reminded me of the old story of partition. When I was in school, our eldest uncle shared his experience as a child and narrated us with many stories of the partition; further, how they were taken to a safe place in Bengal for a short period of time by train.
Barrister Mohammed Yunus as Prime Minister of Bihar
Below are photographs of Haji Mohammad Yunus grave stone and other famous British Muslims residents of the Brookwood Cemetery. May they all rest in peace; may Almighty Allah accepts their deeds and grant them highest place in Paradise. Ameen.
source: http://www.heritagetimes.in / Heritage Times / Home> Bihar> Heritage / by M S Siddiqui / July 29th, 2020
