Category Archives: Books (incl.Biographies – w.e.f.01 jan 2018 )

Shahid Husain demonstrates rare loyalty towards Mukarram Jah

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders

Hyderabad, TELANGANA:

Hyderabad: 

There might be numerous people grieving the passing away of Nawab Mir Barakat Ali Khan who is popularly known as Mukarram Jah Bahadur. But I know at least one person, Shahid Husain Zuberi who is weeping inconsolably since the news of the death of Prince Mukarram Jah hit him in the early hours of Sunday.


Jah had passed away at around 10-30 pm in Istanbul on Saturday night.

Royals usually have loyal followers. They incidentally also have more turncoats that change colours according to changing times. Shahid Hussain represents the first category with élan.

He left his formal association with the Prince in 1989 after serving him for 20 long years in various capacities. People close to Hussain said that he has been living off and on in a mood of melancholy since then. He remembers Jah.

That is true because when I phoned him on Sunday he said in a choked voice, “Ayoob Ali Khan Saheb, I have become a yateem (orphan) today.”

He added, “I would do anything for Sarkar anytime he asks me. I have always said this.”

His overwhelming attachment to the Prince is spread all over the pages of the Auraq e Maazi (Pages from the Past) which he wrote in Urdu and published in 2019. The book was released at the Salar Jung Museum Hall which was overflowing with people. He has almost finished working on the English version of this book which he plans to publish soon.

Shahid Hussain was only 23 (now he is 76) when he joined the service of Jah. Over the years, Jah noticing his dedication and work, began giving him more responsibilities and finally made him his GPA or General Power of Attorney.

Perhaps Hussain is the only person who has not made any money illegally while working with Jah.

Husain met Jah in 1961 when he was only 14. That was a brief encounter but it never left his memory. He never thought that he would be joining his service formally eight years later.

The last time Hussain met Jah was at the inaugural ceremony of the Falaknuma Palace Hotel. The palace is still the property of Jah that has been given on lease to the Taj Group of Hotels.

Jah loved Hyderabad because it was Hyderabad that had given him the lineage and the status. He treated his elders like Basalat Jah Bahadur and Hashim Jah Bahadur with respect they deserved as seniors in the family. He also cared about members of his entourage with care and affection. At the same time, he never allowed anybody to take liberties with him while in his presence. He maintained a dignified distance with all. That had put everybody his
The passing away of Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan in 1967, Hyderabad turned out to be a “massive problem” for him.The government would hunt and haunt him for taxes that he had never dreamt of and bother him for small things. He had to give away a large portion of the King Kothi Palace in lieu of the reported taxes to the government.

The government is now running a ramshackle hospital from there.

Besides the government numerous cases were filed against him by the members of the Nizam’s family and few others. Soon he realized that he has lost the ability to make a difference between a foe and a well-wisher within the family.

In spite of these difficulties, he managed to get his tax slate cleaned up by 1989.

Husain believes that Jah loved Hyderabad and its people. At one time when he was in Hyderabad communal riots broke out. Following that a delegation came to him for help for the affected Muslims. He told that delegation politely that Hindus and Muslims are equal in his eyes. If they are addressing to him as the Eighth Nizam, they should seek help for both affected parties. But if they wish to seek assistance only for the Muslims they should address him as Barakat Ali Khan, not the Nizam. The delegation went away disappointed.

The Prince moved to Australia within four years of becoming the Seventh Nizam. He had bought huge track of land there and became involved in sheep farming. He met Helen Simmons in Australia. He has a son with her who is variously called Azam Jah and Alexander Jah.

“I was not present in any of his weddings,” declares Husain.

Husain said that Jah took interest in the affairs of the city and established Princess Esra Hopital, Princess Durru Shehvar Hospital. He gave the land for these hospitals and also extended financial assistance.

There is also another college in the name of his daughter Shahkyar which is run by the Anwarul Uloom Educational Society.

Jah also gave away a portion of his land for the expansion of road near Makkah Masjid and Charminar.

Finally he established Mukarram Jah School in 1987 over eight acre land in Purani Haveli, the old quarters of Hyderabad. The school campus hosts five buildings with 15-18 classrooms each.

The school is run by Mukarram Jah Trust for Education and Learning. Faiz Khan, a member of the Paigah family, is an active member of its managing committee.

Husain left his job with the Prince in 1989. Husain had some difference of the opinion with the other associates of the Prince who wished to sell his properties.

Husain expressed deep feelings about the departed soul and believed that God would be granting him place in paradise.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Featured News / by Mir Ayoob Ali Khan / January 16th, 2023

Karnataka Sahitya Akademi winning writer Sara Abubakar dies at 86

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Karnataka (under research project), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , ,

Kasargod, KERALA / Mangaluru, KARNATAKA :

She was one of the first girls in her community of Muslim families in Kasargod to be educated, graduating from a local Kannada school. 

Renowned Kannada novelist, essayist, and translator Sara Abubakar.
Renowned Kannada novelist, essayist, and translator Sara Abubakar.

Mangaluru :

Renowned Kannada novelist, essayist, and translator Sara Abubakar passed away on Tuesday. She was 86. She died around 1 pm at a private hospital due to illness.

Some of her noted works include Chandragiriya Theeradalli, Hottu Kanthuva Munna, and more. Her novels deal with trials and tribulations in Muslims’ lives as well as women’s empowerment.

Sara was born in a Malayalam-speaking family from Kasaragod to advocate P Ahmad and Zainabi on June 30, 1936. She was one of the first girls in her community of Muslim families in Kasargod to be educated, graduating from a local Kannada school.

She bid goodbye to her studies after her marriage with Abu Bakar, an engineer. But Sara was always interested in reading and addicted to the writings of Shivaram Karantaru, Inamdar, Bhairappa, Ananthamurthy and Vaikom Basheer.

Sara had once stated that her desire to pursue her education was constrained by community norms that restricted female access to higher education.

Her mortal remains will be kept for public viewing at her residence at Hathill in Mangaluru and final rites will be held at 8 pm today.

Many dignitaries have mourned the death of Sara Abubakar, including leader of the opposition party, Siddaramaiah who tweeted about the death of the veteran writer.

Sara has won several awards, including the Karnataka Sahitya Akademi award of honour, the Karnataka Rajyotsava award, and the Daana Chintamani Attimabbe award from the Karnataka Government.

She is survived by four sons and many relatives.

(With inputs from Online Desk)

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Karnataka / by Divya Coutinho / Express News Service / January 10th, 2023

Book Review: Muslim Cosmopolitanism in the Age of Empire by Seema Alavi

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Women/Girls(since May26-2021), , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

INDIA :

Seema Alavi’s narrative is about the little known stories of five Islamic men of learning who played key roles in the 1857 rebellion against the British, fled India and made their way to west Asia, notes Dr Asiya Alam.

Book: Muslim Cosmopolitanism in the Age of Empire 
Author: Seema Alavi 
Publisher: Harvard University Press 
Pages: 504
Price: Rs 495

In Muslim Cosmopolitanism in the Age of Empire, Seema Alavi makes an admirable and successful attempt to rethink some key assumptions of South Asian and global history. Specifically, the book inserts into history five important Muslim men of religion, including Sayyid Fadl, Rahmatullah Kairanwi, Haji Imdadullah Makki, Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan and Maulana Jafer Thanesri, who were hounded by the British government for their role in 1857 and fled India to seek their fortunes in different cities of the Ottoman Empire.

Alavi’s broader aim is to challenge the paradigms of empire-based, global history. The “contours of global history need to be redrawn at the porous intersection of the British and Ottoman Empires” she argues. By focusing on Indian Muslims instead of Britons as key players, she offers new insights into the understanding of imperialism. Located at the cusp of British and Ottoman empires, these men became significant actors in trans-Asia politics of the 19th century involving the British, Arab polities, Ottomans and the Russian Empire.

Alavi skilfully demonstrates how Mughal pathways of trade and Sufi networks along with later British and Ottoman imperial connections and technological innovations in print, communications and shipping enabled these men to flee in the aftermath of 1857 and travel across the Indian Ocean.

To contextualise the lives of these five men, Alavi hypothesizes the emergence of a ‘Muslim cosmopolis’ in the 19th century, characterized by an intellectual sensibility as well as global networks that allowed these men to navigate imperial boundaries. The cosmopolitan sensibility constituted the eclecticism and compromised of Delhi Naqshbandi Sufi Shah Waliullah reflecting the social diversity of India; proficiency in Arabic, Persian and Urdu that aided these men to access both Indo-Persian society and Middle Eastern Arabic world; and support for Ottoman reforms that advocated ideas of science, reason and rationality. Alavi writes that the Muslim cosmopolis provided a ‘perfect global canvas’ for Ottoman Caliph Abd-al Hamid II to execute his reforms. Muslim emigres, in turn, brought back their cosmopolitanism to India, creating global interconnectedness between Middle-Eastern and South Asian societies.

Alavi also adds new discoveries to South Asian history. The multilingualism of these religious scholars isn’t accidental but an outcome of the Arabicist cultural and intellectual grid that emerged in South Asia in the late 18th and early 19th century. Exemplified by Shah Waliullah, Alavi argues it was based on compromise between the “more liberal Sufi saint Ibn-i Arabi and the conservative Naqshbandi Sufi sheikh Ahmad Sirhindi” which “produced an India-specific Arabic tradition with its stress on the individual, scriptures and social leveling” so that “religious knowledge was slowly disembodied from its hitherto inaccessible encasings: the person of the king, the body of the Sufi saint and single-copy Persian manuscripts”. Alavi attributes this gradual transition to the larger Mughal crisis, its disintegration in the late 18th century.

After laying out this rich, historical backdrop, Alavi foregrounds the individual, devoting a separate chapter to each of the five men, who have their own brand of Muslim cosmopolitanism. The life of Sayyid Fadl highlights the large presence of Arabs — immigrant and Deccan born — in Hyderabad, and signifies ethnic ambiguity and territorial connections of the ‘Indian Arab’, a category coined by the British. Rahmatullah Kairanwi’s life suggests a concern with cosmopolitan education. He started a madrasa in Mecca to combine religious and scientific learning offering a critique of the intellectual environment of the Hijaz that would later become a model for the Deoband seminary.

Haji Imdadullah Makki’s career suggests a vibrant culture of Muslim cosmopolitanism in Mecca, blending different Sufi orders, Naqshbandi reformism and a middle ground on religious issues. Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan was based in Bhopal and his political career and publications indicate his use of imperial networks and print technologies to further his ideas and connections with the Ottoman world.

Finally, Maulana Jafer Thanesri’s writings highlight a notion of ‘mulk’ or ‘felt community’ and his ideas of ‘Hind’ produced a proto-nationalist critique of British discrimination. In each of these lives, Alavi questions a pan-Islamic approach and repeatedly shows that they weren’t only motivated by religion but operated within imperial rivalries and opportunistically pushed their careers, ambitions and desires.

This excellent book subverts dominant frameworks of our past and should be necessary reading for anyone interested in South Asian and global history.

(Dr Asiya Alam is an Islamic Studies scholar at Nirmala Niketan College.)

source: http://www.dnaindia.com / DNA / Home> Lifestyle / by Asiya Aslam / December 05th, 2017

School dropout Asif Sheikh’s UK company has Rs 5 crore turnover

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, NRI's / PIO's, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Srinagar, JAMMU & KASHMIR /Manchester, U.K. :

Sheikh Asif, founder, Thames Infotech, holding one of his books
Sheikh Asif, founder, Thames Infotech, holding one of his books

Breaking the stereotype of a company chief, Srinagar’s Asif Sheikh, a school dropout, is the CEO and founder of Thames Infotech, a Manchester-based company with a turnover of Rs 5 crore! He has just turned 28.

“I believe that a person who works hard, with dedication and honesty is always successful; he can never give up even when many a time one loses the courage to carry on. There were setbacks and at the time I did seem to lose courage, but I did not give up,” Sheikh Asif told Awaz-the Voice in a telephonic interview.

Asif’s success is extraordinary given his poor educational background and reaching a position that many persons with degrees from top-end colleges aspire to.

Besides being a successful entrepreneur, Asif is also a professional web designer, developer, graphic designer, digital marketer, and writer. He also gives back to society by giving free tuition to students from all over the world.

Sheikh Asif’s work profile is interesting: he worked with a tour and travel company, sold medical equipment for a company, and with telecom companies like Airtel, Vodafone, and Aircel.

awazthevoice
Sheikh Asif deliving a talk on business

In the year 2000, Sheikh Asif was 8 years old when his father’s health deteriorated. His father was a head constable. Due to his father’s illness, the family was reduced to penury. Sheikh Asif says that his father’s illness remains a mystery as the family consulted experts and eminent doctors but nobody could diagnose it.

Sheikh Asif told Awaz-the Voice that his mother sold most of the household assets and took loans to pay for his father’s treatment.

Recalling those days, Asif says that he can never forget one particular day when he was studying in the eighth grade and was to write his exam, but he had no pen. “I was leaving for the examination hall and was worried. My mother came to know the reason for my worry, she sold a copper dish from her kitchen to buy me a pen.”

He says that his mother often sold household goods for the family, especially to meet the needs of the children.

The conditions at home were not conducive for Sheikh Asif to continue his studies. He left school and started working to support his family.

“I went against my mother’s wishes, as she wanted me to become a doctor most parents in Kashmir do, but I gave up my studies to support my financially broke family,” said. He was 15 years old in 2008 when he started earning for his family by doing odd jobs.

awazthevoice
Sheikh Asif

Sheikh Asif was always fascinated by computers and spent a lot of time on them. Due to this, he got his first job as a data entry operator with a local tour and travel company at the age of 16. He earned a salary of Rs 1500.

Sheikh Asif said seeing his interest his father took a loan from a bank to buy him a computer. The turning point in his life came as he watched an interview with Microsoft founder Bill Gates on BBC.

He took full advantage of his computer and yet the challenge was the lack of a high-speed broadband facility in Kashmir. While the rest of the world was running 4G internet, in his locality only 2G internet was available.

He left his first job within two months and started working in a local shop as a salesman for four years. Here he honed his skills and learned all the basics including graphics designing, web designing, etc.

Again there was a rough patch in his life as in the 2014 Kashmir floods, his house was washed away. He used all his savings in rebuilding his house. The family had to start from scratch as all their household belonging had got damaged and washed away.

In the year 2014, he quit his job and started his business, but it turned out to be a year full of troubles for him.

awazthevoice
Sheikh Asif’s Srinagar office

However, fortunately, the next year Asif got an opportunity to work in Delhi, and the exposure there opened his mind to a bigger canvas.

“The 2014 flood severely damaged our house and we had to repair or renovate it periodically for four consecutive years after the flood and finally had to sell the house in 2018,” he said.

In the meantime, he worked with OLX from April 2015, and from there he was offered a job at Trimax Printing and Graphics, a UK-based company owned by Tajinder Singh. He was working for the company Hayes Harlington. The company runs an online general store and it had no element of graphic designing till then.

Sheikh Asif told Awaz-The Voice: “I worked for Chanda Trimax Printings & Graphics. Meanwhile, the killing of a militant in Kashmir saw the valley under lockdown for nearly three months. For this reason, I left for Delhi.”

When he met Tajinder Singh in Delhi, the latter was facing issues with his business. His business was suffering due to low sales. Having seen his latent, Tajinder Singh offered him a job at Hayes, Harlington, UK, where Tajinder’s brothers were already working.

Sheikh Asif says he consulted his mother before picking the UKL job. He signed an agreement to work for 18 months and an assured return flight ticket to India.

“They told me that they had changed the name of Trimax Printings & Graphics to Thames Infotech on June 6, 2016,” Asif said.

He set foot on foreign soil for the first time in the first week of November 2016. However, the business did not show positive results there either, thus Tajinder’s brother advised him to find a part-time job in the UK to meet his expenses.

“When I was looking for a part-time job, I met Rizwan, a Kashmiri man originally from Baramulla district in North Kashmir, who came to Manchester in 2000 and now runs a restaurant, Riz Spices.

Sheikh Rizwan offered him a space in his restaurant to set up a part-time business. “Two months later I met another man, Hamza Salim, a senior software engineer at Google, who asked me to build a website for his tech company, on the condition that only if he liked my work I would be paid,” he said.

After approving his website design, Hamza Salim offered him 50 percent equity in his firm.

pix05

During this time, Asif meet many people including natives and others, and kept looking for opportunities.

One such person was Rudrigo Ruiz Karvajal, who frequented the restaurant. He offered me a place that was quite conveniently located. He told me that his father had started his business from there.

“I got my first order for a logo for which I was paid 500 pounds and I was only expecting 30-40 pounds. They gave me another order to build a website for which I was paid 7000 pounds.”

 “I was wondering if it’s a dream. Never expected such high remuneration. This order was from the largest food chain in London called Zabka.”

On June 9, 2016, Asif took over the Thames Infotech Manchester UK company which has a current turnover of Rs 5 crore.

It has an office at Advent Colony in Naugam, Srinagar, Kashmir. He employs 35 locals including 32 in UK and 3 in Kashmir for website designing and development, digital marketing, graphics designing, personal branding, social media handling, etc.

Sheikh Asif told Awaz-The Voice that our company is a leading web designing company and has won the 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020 awards as the Three Best Rated UK, and Best IT Service Provider Award 2018, 2019 organized by Top Developers USA, he claims.

Sheikh Asif said that he received the first award in the year 2003, less than one year after his launching of his company.

So far, Asif has trained around 1000 students, helped 40 businesses through the Covid-19 pandemic, and has published three books – Digitization In Business, Online Business Idea, and Start a Business.

Sheikh Asif was named Entrepreneur of the year 2022 by The Fireboxx. There he was honored by Google as a Digital Marketing Expert in 2018.

To the youth, Sheikh Asif says they must never lose hope and always keep their focus on business. Secondly, they must avoid drugs. They shouldn’t waste their lives by getting immersed in romantic liaison and heartbreaks; these are temporary phases of life and not a goal. “Your personality is your work,” he says.

source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Youth / by Shah Imran Hasan, New Delhi / December 17th, 2022

Role of Darul Uloom, Deoband in India’s Freedom Struggle

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, COVID 19 - Community of Soldiers, Education, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, Martyrs of the Nation, Museums, Libraries (wef. April 16th, 2022), World Opinion,

Deoband, UTTAR PRADESH :

When the English imprisoned Abu Zafar Sirajuddin Muhammad Bahadur Shah Zafar (1775-1862), the last Indian Moghul Emperor, in the Jail of Rangoon in 1857, instead of Indian Flag, Union Jack started hoisting at Dehli’s Red Fort and Queen Victoria became the full-fledged ruler of India without any obstacle, at that time, many country patriots came into field united to fight against the British rule.

Maulana Muhammad Qasmi Nanautavi (1832-1879) was one of them too.

In 1857, one Fatwa for Jihad against the English was issued.

The Fatwa carried the signature of 34 prominent Ulama. One among them was Maulana Nanautavi himself. As other elders had participated in the Jihad of Shamli in 1857, Maulana Nanautavi also had participated personally with his colleagues. Briefly in the battle of Shamli, Nanautavi and his colleagues got defeated to British forces.

He was a far sighted scholar. He comprehended that the British has not only occupied India and would attack the Indian culture, but even the faith of Indians would be at risk. Therefore, while on the one hand, he started fighting against the English, he began debating with clergyman on the other. But to that time, the freedom wasn’t destined for India, so he didn’t succeed in the mission.

In this situation, intending to free India from the British rule, in the company of some friends, Maulana Nanautavi adopted another policy to establish a Madrasa on 21st May, 1866 (a famous learning centre of Indian Subcontinent, Darul Uloom, Deoband) beneath a pomegranate tree in Chattah Masjid of Deoband. So that the trained products of the Madrasa would sacrifice themselves to preserve the country and Islam both in British India. Alhamdulillah, Nanautavi succeeded in his mission and a good number of Darul Uloom’s product gave sacrifices for the sake of Indian freedom and Islam.

The noted Islamic scholar Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani (1892-1956) quoted in his book, “Ihaatae Darul Uloom Men Beete Huwe Din” (The Days Passed in the Campus of Darul Uloom) from his teacher and the first graduate of the seminary, Shaikhul Hind Mahmood Hasan Deobandi (1851-1920) saying:“Did my teacher (Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanautavi) establish this seminary only for the teaching and learning? The seminary was established before me, as far as my knowledge goes, my teacher established this one in 1866 to compensate the defeat of 1857 from the British. I have chosen the same mission for which it was established before me.”

Very few people know the fact: “In the meeting of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind at Kolkata in 1926, the participants included graduates of Darul Uloom, Deoband and they supported the group which called for complete independence of India from the British rule.

Indian National Congress was to declare complete independence as its goal three years later, in its session at Lahore.” (Wikipedia, Darul Uloom Deoband)The famous freedom fighter, Frontier Gandhi, Khan Abdu Ghaffar Khan (1890-1988), who visited Darul Uloom, during his visit to India in 1969, had said, “I have had relation with Darul Uloom since the time, Shaikhul Hind Maulana Mahmood Hasan, was alive. Sitting here, we used to make plans for the independence movement, as to how we might drive away the English from this country and how we could make India free the yoke of slavery of the British Raj. This institution has made great efforts for the freedom of this country.” (Wikipedia, Darul Uloom Deoband)Due to the great interest in India’s freedom struggle, Shaikhul Hind became an icon of Indian independence movement. Though he was a teacher of Darul Uloom, but made much effort to start an armed revolution against British rule from the both inside and outside India.

He started a programme to train volunteers and his students in the seminary from India and abroad for that goal. The most eminent among those who joined the movement were his students: Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi (1872-1944), Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani (1879-1957), Maulana Muhammad Mian Mansoor Ansari etc.Shaikhul Hind sent Maulana Sindhi to Kabul and Ansari to the North-West Frontier Province to mobilize the popular support and recruit volunteers. And he with Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani travelled to Hijaz (KSA) to secure Turkish support. Getting the Turkish governor, Ghalib Pasha’s signature on a declaration of Jihad against the British, he planned to return to India via Baghdad and Bluchistan to start the rebellion.When Shaikhul Hind planned to return, the Silken Letter Movement was captured by Punjab CID.

Due to this movement, Shaikhul Hind was arrested in Hijaz. He was imprisoned in Malta, where he was tortured mercilessly, for more than three years.

Here it seems necessary to mention that what was the Silken Letter Movement. Shaikhul Hind wanted an armed revolution against the British rule, as I mentioned. So, he needed arms and ammunition. He and his colleagues, therefore, travelled to different countries to seek support from the anti-British countries; such as Afghanistan, Turkey and Russia. During the visiting different countries, letter exchanged between Shaikhul Hind and his colleagues, containing the outlines of the plan to recruit the volunteers for army and to establish a national government were written on silk piece of cloth. That is why the movement was known as the Silken Letter Movement/Tahreeke Reshmi Rumal (in Urdu)/Silk Letter Conspiracy (according to British government).When he returned to India, after release, was conferred upon by the title of Shaikhul Hind, leading leader of India.

Now he issued a Fatwa making it a duty of all Indian Muslims to support and participate with Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948) and the Indian National Congress, who had prescribed a policy of non-cooperation and mass civil disobedience through non-violence.

He died on November 30, 1920 wishing to get martyrdom for India’s freedom.

Though Shaikhul Hind was no more, but he left a good number of students, who followed the footprint of their elders and worked tirelessly for the freedom of India.

Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi (1872-1944), a 1891’s graduate of Darul Uloom, was also among them. He was the most active and prominent member of India’s freedom movement. He was among those leaders of Darul Uloom who left India, following the commandment of Shaikhul Hind, during World War 1, to get support of the anti-British central powers for an armed revolution against British rule.

Maulana Sindhi reached Kabul to rally the Afghan Amir Habibullah Khan.

After a period of time, he offered his support to Raja Mahendra Praratab’s plans for revolution in India with German support. He joined the Provisional Government of India formed in Kabul on 1st December, 1915. In this government, he was nominated the Minister for India. It was declared a revolutionary government in exile, which was supposed to take the charge of independent India, if the British government has been overthrown according to the plan. But unfortunately, in 1919, the provisional government was dissolved under the diplomatic pressure to Afghanistan.

He stayed in Afghanistan for 7-year nearly.

Then visiting Soviet Russia,he reached Turkey, where he issued the charter for the independence of India from Istanbul.

He left Turkey for Hijaz and remained there until 1929. He journeyed from a country to country for the sake of India’s independence. He died on 22nd August, 1944, at Deenpur in Pakistan.

Shikhul Islam Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani (1879-1957) was also one of the Shaikhul-Hind’s students and graduate and latter Professor of Hadith at Darul Uloom, Deoband.

Though he had been not convicted, but he accompanied Shaikhul Hind to Malta voluntarily, to take care of him. He stayed in Malta three years upto the release of Shaikhul Hind. Returning to India, he actively became involved in the freedom struggle. He had been imprisoned several times by the British authority for his participation in the freedom movement. It was he who dared to issue a Fatwa in the meeting of Indian National Congress at Karachi that working as British army and police is Haraam. After this Fatwa, he was rewarded two years rigorous imprisonment. He never stepped down from the freedom struggle movement, until India got freedom.

At the time of independence, the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress were at logger heads on partition of united India. On that occasion, Madani opposed the partition thoroughly. He journeyed the different provinces of India along with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (1888-1958) and Mahatama Gandhi to assure the people safety and security and tried his level best to stop them to migrate from India to Pakistan. Many people targeted him, but he never conformed to the opinion of the partition.

After the independence, he was served a ministry, but he refused and restricted himself under the four walls of Darul Uloom and Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind for teaching and social works.

Like Madani and Sindhi, there were hundreds of Darul Uloom’s graduates, who actively took part in the freedom struggle of India. To mention the works of those patriots, the volumes and volumes are required.

It’s sorrowful matter that historians of modern India ignored completely the role played and efforts made by Darul Uloom for India’s freedom struggle. Today, most of the people aren’t aware of this historical institution. Some people know that Darul Uloom is a conservative seminary that produces merely Maulanas or a factory that only issues Fatwaas. And some say that Darul Uloom is “a Station of Terrorism” and “it produces terrorists”. This one is a famous opinion among Hindu fundamentalists, while the fact is otherwise as I stated in the essay.

It’s a bird’s eye view of the role of Darul Uloom, Deoband in India’s freedom struggle.

One who is interested on the topic, should go through the book, “Taarikhe Darul Uloom” (History of Darul Uloom).

May Allah accept the works of the seminary!

source: http://www.millattimes.com / Millat Times / Home> Special Column / by Khursheed Alam Dawood Qasmi , Email: qasmikhursheed@yahoo.co.in / August 15th, 2022

From the memoir: A retired IAS officer’s first-hand account of handling the dire 1972 Gujarat famine

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , ,

TAMIL NADU / INDIA :

Moosa Raza.

Even though there were pockets of tribal-populated areas in Bulsar district, such as Dharampur and Bansda, the district was, by and large, known to be fertile and well served by the monsoon. The southern part of the district contained large tracts of grasslands, mostly owned by the Desais and Parsis. Most of the districts of peninsular Saurashtra, however, had no irrigation facilities. This was before the Narmada Canal took the river water there and solved the problem of both irrigation and drinking, with the rare exception of Junagadh.

I had served in one of the most arid regions of Saurashtra, Surendranagar – rich in history and political leaders and poor in soil fertility and irrigation facilities. Saurashtra was also poorly fed by the monsoons, and since no perennial rivers pass through the region, no large reservoirs, too, could be built to retain substantial quantities of water.

The year 1972 proved a very difficult year for both Saurashtra and North Gujarat. That year the assessment revealed that almost 12,000 out of the 18,000 villages of Gujarat had a harvest of less than 25 per cent. The government, therefore, declared famine conditions in those 12,000 villages, that is two-thirds of the state, and applied the Bombay Famine Relief Code to provide regulated relief.

Since the state faced a major calamity with two-thirds of its population of humans and cattle facing the threat of death by hunger and thirst, the Cabinet met almost every day since the moment the assessment figures came to be known. They had known what had happened in the tragic historical famines in Bengal, Kashmir and Madras, where thousands had perished – parents sold their children, sons abandoned their parents and there were rumours of cannibalism in some pockets. A major famine in Gujarat was quite a scary prospect for the government.

One fine morning, in September of 1972, I was basking in the cool breeze of the sea blowing from the Indian Ocean in the west. After a great deal of persuasion and bribery, my daughter, Gazala, who was all of four years, had agreed to go to school. Then the telephone rang. It was KN Zutshi, the revenue secretary, on the line.

“There was a Cabinet meeting this morning to review the scarcity situation. It was decided to post you as director of famine relief to take charge of the relief operations. You better pack up and move over to Gandhinagar. The chief minister wants you here yesterday. You have 48 hours to reach here. Handover charge to your resident deputy collector,” he ordered me.

Though I had been in Bulsar for more than three years, the normal tenure of a collector, still the sudden transfer came as a surprise. Bulsar was such a pleasant district to govern – open-minded and reasonable people, able and committed staff, and a flourishing club that I had established. When I announced my transfer to my officers as soon as I reached the collectorate, there was all-round consternation. By noon, the whole district had come to know of the transfer. As I was having lunch in my chamber, the peon announced that a delegation of MLAs from the district wanted to meet me.

“Sir, there are so many development works going on. All surplus land has not yet been taken over from the Desais. You cannot leave the task half-completed. You should not move,” they said.

“I have completed my tenure here. If the government wants me at Gandhinagar, I have to move,” I said. Left to myself, I would have liked to serve another four or five years in Bulsar. I learnt later that all the MLAs of the district, including those from the opposition, had driven to Surat. They had persuaded Zinabhai Darji, the president of the state Congress, to accompany them to Gandhinagar to persuade the CM, Ghanshyambhai Oza, to cancel the transfer. One of the MLAs later told me that the CM had asked them only one question.

“Is Mr Moosa Raza unhappy with this transfer? Does he want to stay back in Bulsar?”

“No, sir, but we want him there in the interest of the district.”

“Don’t you think that the larger interest of the state should override the interests of a single district?” the CM had asked reasonably.

They had no answer. The next day, after handing over charge to the resident deputy collector (RDC), I drove down to Gandhinagar to call on the CM. I had known him during my tenure in Surendranagar, his hometown. Having been a member of the Parliament for two terms, Mr Oza was a suave and polished politician, exuding politeness and bonhomie at every movement. He received me graciously, and as I was taking my seat, he pointed to a large pile of telegrams on his table.

“Do you know what they are?” he asked me with a smile. “No, sir,” I replied truthfully.

“Over 500 telegrams from Bulsar district requesting me to cancel your transfer.”

“I had nothing to do with them, sir,” I said. But I would have been less than human not to feel pleased at this show of appreciation from the people I had served.

“But I had to disappoint your fans in Bulsar. The state is facing a severe challenge, and your work in Surendranagar, Surat, Bulsar, and Dangs has convinced the Cabinet that you are the best officer to shoulder the task.”

“We have done a preliminary survey and made an initial assessment of the various requirements. A budget of Rs 120 crore has been sanctioned. Your mandate is to ensure that not a single human life is lost for want of food and water, all cattle are provided fodder, and all villages supplied with water. The Land Revenue Code mandates that the able-bodied villagers are not given doles. That encourages a dependent mindset. You have to organise relief works through which all those who can work are provided employment. The wages should be paid every week. The revenue department will brief you on the organisational arrangements. So, get cracking.”

The next port of call was Mr Zutshi, the revenue secretary. Mr Zutshi, as his name indicated, hailed from a family of Kashmiri Pandits. An old-style civilian, with impeccable credentials, he believed in management by the book. He would not deviate an iota from the rules, and everything had to be put down in black and white before he would commit himself to a course of action. Though he used the telephone as a necessary evil, he would not trust any conversation carried out on that unreliable machine.

One had to go over to his room to discuss even petty issues.

“Bhai, Deolekar has prepared an organisational chart for you. We think you will need around ninety staff to manage this huge operation. I think you should speak with him, and he will help you to get the necessary staff in place. We will ask the various departments to depute the needed staff. The PWD will provide the furniture and other necessary equipment,” he said.

The PWD would naturally dispose of its rejected furniture – broken, roughly repaired and not required by others. Also, the staff would be from those divisions where they had proved their dispensability. I would, therefore, start with a severe handicap, which would never be overcome during my entire tenure as a director of famine relief. Nor would I be able to successfully meet the challenge of the worst famine Gujarat had seen in its decades-old history with rejected equipment and discarded staff.

Excerpted with permission from Of Giants and Windmills, Moosa Raza, Niyogi Books.

source: http://www.scroll.in / Scroll.in / Home> Book Excerpt / by Moosa Rooza / December 05th, 2022

Adil Shahi literature translated to Kannada to fill gap in history of Deccan India

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Education, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders

Vijayapura (Bijapur), KARNATAKA:

Dr. P.G. Halakatti Research Centre of Vijayapura in north Karnataka has spearheaded the project that is historically significant.

Members of the Adil Shahi Literature Translation Committee at Dr. P.G. Halakatti Research Centre in Vijayapura. | Photo Credit: File photo

Vijayapura-based BLDE Society’s Dr. P. G. Halakatti Research Centre has just completed the ambitious task of translating literature and documents pertaining to the reign of Adil Shahi kings in the 15th and 16th century. The work was carried out in association with the government of Karnataka.

Books in Persian, Arabic and Dakhani have been translated to Kannada. The project generated around 4,500 pages in 19 volumes.

The translated books include epics like Tareekh-e-Farishta, a history of the kingdom by Mohammad Kasim ‘Farishta’, Basateen-e-Salateen by Ibrahim Zuberi, Ibrahim Nama by Ibrahim Dehelvi in Dakhani, Guldasta-e-Bijapur by Mir Ahmed Ali Khan, Hafta Kursi by Fitur Khan Lari, and Futuhat-e-Alamgeer by Eshwar Das Nagar.

Challenge of finding experts in Persian language as well as Kannada

“This is a milestone in the cultural history of Karnataka,” says Krishna Kolhar Kulkarni, director of the centre. “It has been completed after painstaking work by scholars and translators who are good in both the original language and the target language. It was not easy to find them, as there are few persons who are well-versed in Persian or Dakhani. It also took us a lot of time to visit libraries and research centres to gather the books and documents.”

Procuring the books was not easy. Committee members visited Hyderabad, Delhi and Kolkata, to get copies of various books. The books were collected from the Salar Jung Museum in Hyderabad, the archives of Andhra Pradesh, and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) headquarters in New Delhi, and some individuals.

“It was tough work, but we persisted. For example, we got one of the only two copies of ‘Mohammad Nama’ by Kazi Nurallah. Even these copies are reproductions, and not originals,” he said.

Important historical project

“Though there have been a few books in English and Kannada about the history of medieval Karnataka, a lot of work needs to be done. The translation project hopes to fill that void. It will tell us not only about the history of Karnataka and the Deccan region, but also about India in those times,” he said. “Apart from documenting the life and times of medieval India, the translation project will help us drop our prejudices and dispel misconceptions about this phase of history.”

The project has been in the works for several years, says Dr. Kulkarni who is also the director of Adil Shahi Literature Translation Committee set up by the Ministry of Kannada and Culture. He worked for several years with M.M. Kalburgi who was vice-chancellor of Kannada University in Hampi.

M.B. Patil, BLDE Society chairman and founder of the research centre, recalls the contribution of Irrigation Minister Govind Karjol, who supported the project during his tenure as the minister for Kannada and Culture Minister.

The volumes were released in Bengaluru on December 18 in the presence of former Union Minister Salman Khurshid, writer Sudheendra Kulkarni, former Minister M.B. Patil, literary critic Devu Pattar, Mansoor Ali Khan of Centre for Research and Communication, G.K. Patil, president of Dr. P. G. Halakatti Research Centre.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnatkaka / by B. Rishikesh Bahadurdesai / December 19th, 2022

Hyderabad: Haziq and Mohi Rare Books planning to sell collection

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Hyderabad, TELANGANA :

Among the patrons of Haziq and Mohi Rare Book Sellers, back when its founder Awad Bafana was running it, also includes author (of White Mughals) William Dalrymple.

 An inside view of Haziq and Mohi rare book sellers. (Image: Yunus Lasania)

Hyderabad: 

For over four decades, Awad Bin Mohd Bafana ran a book store selling rare books in the Old City. A man of Arab descent, he had inherited the books from his grandfather’s personal library. Over a period of time, it became a go-to place for research scholars, and anyone else looking to buy something interesting and old. Haziq and Mohi Rare Book Sellers today is one of those ‘secrets’ that many love to discover among the city’s heritage.

Awad Bafanna, as he was known, passed away suddenly in 2015 over half a decade ago at the age of 74. He left behind thousands of books in his shop, which only he mentally kept track of. His nephews who run the shop today in Hyderabad, painstakingly have only managed to organise a section of the collection. “There was no inventory but he knew exactly where every book was in his head,” said Ibrahim, one of his nephews.

One can understand the enormity of the rare book collection at Haziq and Mohi while walking through it. There is literally space for only one person to walk in its hallway, and to then turn right into another section. Thankfully, Awad Bafana’s family have partially sorted out books based on subjects like history, politics, on Hyderabad etc. The bookstore is a haven for bibliophiles and research scholars who require particular titles.

A favourite of collectors and scholars

Among the patrons of Haziq and Mohi Rare Book Sellers, back when Awad Bafana was running it, also included author (of White Mughals) William Dalrymple. Ibrahim and his brothers still receive calls from abroad for specific books customers want. Awad Bafana’s grandfather had worked as a Jamadar in Barkas. for the Al-Quaiti family that headed the Yemeni community in Hyderabad.

Haziq and Mohi rare book sellers. (Image: Yunus Lasania)

Hyderabad’s Barkas, where their descendants live even today, is believed to be a corrupt word of the word barracks. It is essentially a mini Yemen of sorts and is a go-to place for foodies who want to eat authentic Yemeni cuisine.

Partial book collection up for sale

Now, seven years Mr. Bafanna’s demise, Awad Bafana’s extended family that runs Haziq and Mohi Rare Book Sellers is looking to part with a chunk of its collection. The Bafana family runs the rare book store in Hyderabad’s old city near the Chowk Ki Masjid at Hussaini Alam road. The collection is huge, and the family still has to go through the entire thing in order to catalogue it.

“We are not selling away all our books, nor are we shutting down the store. However, there are some monetary requirements at home due to which we decided to do this. Anyone who is interested can come take a look and discuss it with us,” Ibrahim told Siasat.com.

Haziq and Mohi has a treasure trove of books in mainly Urdu, English, Persian and Arabic. Many book lovers who wander there usually end up sticking around for hours, mostly going back with books they never knew they wanted in the first place. The collection of rare books include several official gazettes, and other publications that are even a century old. One will have to sift through it to even figure out what is there.

Anyone interested in purchasing the collection that is up for grabs can contact the Bafana family for the same (finding it is easy on Google Maps) on +919160161301.

Haziq and Mohi rare book sellers. (Image: Yunus Lasania)

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Hyderabad / by Yunus Lasania / December 14th, 2022

Belgaum: 800-yr-old Shaikh Badruddin Dargah is a symbol of harmony

Amazing Feats, Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), Travel & Tourism, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Belgaum, KARNATAKA :

The dargah Hazrat Syedina Shaikh Badruddin Shah Arif Chishti is in possession of several archival records, but its real claim to fame is a copy of the Holy Quran calligraphed by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir.

 The shrine of Shaikh Badruddin Chishti in Belgaum recently underwent renovation with some scintillating Persian glass work. (Image: Shafaat Shahbandari).

The historic town of Belgaum is home one of Karnataka’s oldest Dargahs. Located within the ancient fort of Belgaum, the dargah Hazrat Syedina Shaikh Badruddin Shah Arif Chishti is believed to be more than eight centuries of old.

Among the first sufi saints to settle in the region, Shaikh Badruddin travelled across south India spreading the message of peace and harmony. The historic tomb in Belgaum is still a great symbol of harmony in the city.

“Hazrat Syedina Shaikh Badruddin Shah Arif Chishti arrived in Deccan more than 800 years ago. He travelled extensively across southern India to spread the message of peace and love. He was among the first sufi saints to settle down in this region,” said Rafeeq Ahmed Ghawwas, caretaker of the Dargah in Belgaum.

Located in the historic Belgaum Fort, the mausoleum of Shaikh Badruddin Chishti was revered by rulers from various dynasties irrespective of their faith. (Shafaat Shahbandari)

Origins

Originally from Delhi, Shaikh Badruddin he was a disciple of Hazrat Shaikh Qutubuddin Bakhtiyar Kaki, who was a 12th century saint and scholar based in Delhi.  According to Ghawwas, Shaikh Badruddin migrated to the Deccan in Belgaum on the advice of his spiritual master. He was the one who introduced the Chishti order of the revered saint Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti in the south.

“Our ancestors were the disciples of Shaikh Badruddin and we have been in the service of this place since the earliest times. I took over as the caretaker of this dargah from my uncle Khattal Ahmed, who had taken over from my father Abdur Raheem Mujawar. Before him our grandfather Ebrahim Ahmed was the caretaker, who took over from his father Shaikh Jangu Mian,” said Ghawwas, who has been the caretaker of the dargah for more than 30 years.

Venerated by kings, ministers and commanders of all faiths, the dargah and the saints of this order have had close ties with several dynasties across its history of almost 800 years.

Ghawwas with some prized remnants of Maratha, Mughal and Adil Shahi heritage. (Shafaat Shahbandari)

The Aurangzeb connection and the Quran

More interestingly, the dargah Hazrat Syedina Shaikh Badruddin Shah Arif Chishti is in possession of several archival records that reflect its rich and vibrant history. And among its biggest inheritances is a 16th century copy of the Holy Quran that was calligraphed and gifted by the sixth Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir.

Rafeeq Ahmed Ghawwas with his prized possession – a 17th century calligraphed copy of Quran. (image: Shafaat Shahbandari)

“The emperor had actually gifted the copy to the dargah of Khwaja Muinuddin Chishti in Ajmer, but we are not sure how and when it reached into the possession of our ancestors. We feel fortunate to have this blessed copy and we are doing our best to preserve it for posterity,” added Ghawwas, who has preserved the copy with great care.

According to local history, after his travels across South India, Shaikh Badruddin arrived in Belgaum and settled within the premises of the then newly built fort.  The fort was originally built in 1204 AD by Raja Jaya Raya of the Ratta Dynasty and Shaikh Badruddin lived here until his death in 1251 AD.

This mausoleum was built in the early 16th century by the Adil Shahi general and the then governor of Belgaum Asad Khan Lari.  The structure has been preserved with some renovation and restoration. Recently, the interiors of the dargah went through a facelift with Iranian glasswork adorning the walls, the dome and the ceilings.

Throughout its long history in Belgaum, the has received patronage from the rulers irrespective of their faith. The caretaker is in possession of several firmans and sanads issued by the Maratha rulers who venerated Shaikh Badruddin and offered their patronage.

The ornamented page of the calligraphed work representing the first chapter of the Holy Quran. (Image: Shafaat Shahbandari)

“This dargah has always been the abode of peace and harmony and we are continuing with our age-old motto of love for all,” added Ghawwas.

source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> News> Bangalore / by Shafaat Shahbandari / December 13th, 2022

Meet Class 12 Student Arbeen Tahir Who Hand-Wrote Quran In 6 Months

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Hajin (Baramulla District) JAMMU & KASHMIR:

Srinagar:

Phones have not stopped ringing at Tahir Ahmed Parray’s home in North Kashmir Hajin after his daughter Arbeen Tahir completed handwriting Holy Quran.

It took Arbeen six months to write the Quran using her calligraphic pen. With no formal training, she learnt calligraphy by watching YouTube videos before she tried her hand at writing the Quran.

“It was my childhood dream to write the holy Quran. I had no experience or training in calligraphy. I started watching videos and trying scribbling on paper before I learnt the art. I started writing the holy Quran in June and completed it in November. I was regularly showing manuscripts to my cousin for any correction,” she said.

Coming from a religious family, Arbeen’s father is a businessman dealing with fruits. She has a younger brother who studies in Class 10. Arbeen is living in a big joint family with all her uncles and cousins under one roof. 

Arbeen received religious education from her childhood. Well versed in different languages, she developed an interest in reading theology and religious scriptures.  

“I have written the manuscript on 900 pages. Now I plan to preserve this copy for posterity. I plan to bind it and keep it in my study. It is the prized possession,” she said.

Arbeen has become a role model for her clan and society. A student of class XII, she is now preparing for NEET and wants to become a doctor to serve humanity.

“I am working hard to crack NEET. My cousin is a doctor and she is my inspiration. I too want to become a doctor to serve mankind. I am preparing hard to achieve my goal,” she said.

The 18-year-old is also working on her debut book. “I am writing a book. `Tragedy of Innocence’ will soon hit the stands,” she said.

Arbeen is not the first student who has handwritten the Quran in Kashmir. Last year, Adil Nabi Mir of Srinagar completed writing the Holy Book in 58 days. Mir said he wrote the Quran in his handwriting purely for the ‘sake of Allah’ and to inspire the youth to follow Islamic teachings.

Coming from a humble background, Mir’s father is a mason. Mir said he received a lot of encouragement from his father and other family members.

He started writing on January 27, 2021, and it took him 58 days to complete the work. He used to write in his free time and spend 6-7 hours doing this. His fingers would ache a lot, but he persisted. Mir would rarely move out of the house barring visits to the mosque so that he could finish his task. 

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Religion / by Ishfaq-ul-Hassan (headline edited) / December 13th, 2022