The quarter-century-old feud in Deoband seems to be coming to an end.
Stalwarts of Deoband, Maulanas As’ad Madani and Salim Qasimi have realised the futility of the dispute which led to a split in the world-famous Darul Uloom making way to two institutions, the old and a new one identified as “Waqf”. Personality clash between the two revered clans which dominated Darul Uloom, the then rector Qari Tayyib and scion of Maulana Husain Ahmad Madani, led to violent clashes in 1982 when firearms and knives were used to settle scores and the Madani group took over the institution allegedly with Indira Gandhi’s tacit support to Maulana Madani who was a Congress MP (Rajya Sabha) at the time.
The other group licked its wounds, moved on and built a new institution with same name and philosophy while the personality clash continued with disastrous results for the Muslim community in India and abroad which highly revered Deoband and many followed it too in matters of faith.
The split seemed final until recently when Maulana As’ad Madani was suddenly hospitalised during Haj, and on 28 January Urdu newspapers carried a report based on Jamiatul Ulama-e Hind sources that Maulana Madani is hospitalised in a critical condition in the King Fahd Hospital in Madinah.
Maulana Salim Qasimi took the initiative and phoned his archrival to enquire about Maulana Madani’s health and arranged for a meeting to pray for his health. This touched Maulana Madani deeply and on his return to India a few days later he wrote on 31 January to Maulana Qasimi thanking him and adding, “It is a fact that Hazrat Nanotwi, may his secret be sanctified, is the basis of this group. We do not equal even the dust beneath his feet. Whatever differences arose in the past were ill-fated. Let all that was said, done and occured be forgiven and not left for the Hereafter.”
Maulana Qasimi reciprocated the feeling and said in his reply on 9 February that these sentiments are a reflection of his own old wishes. He added that “Prestige of the [Deoband] group lies in an end to hurting the way of the great past leaders and ending the disputes altogether. In my view, at the last leg of my life, it is my shared wish and effort that you and me should not leave behind for the new generation this unblessed heritage. Rather we should prepare to meet Allah the Almighty according to the tradition of the ancestors based on unity, accord, theoretical and practical unity and shared sincere wishes to serve knowledge and faith.”
Thus a new phase was inaugurated in the recent sad history of Deoband. The two groups, whose influence runs to many countries around the globe, were not even on talking terms only a few weeks ago. A number of meetings over tea and dinner have been held since between the two groups. According to a report, Maulana Anzar Shah Kashmiri, an important member of the Qasimi group, has gone to the extent of saying to Maulana Madani that “everything is now placed in your hands.”
According to sources, both sides have agreed in principle to withdraw dozens of court cases which both sides had slapped against each other. A number of meetings have been held on various levels. Some resistance remains within both groups. The best outcome would be to merge the two darul ulooms into one (they stand facing each other) and both administrations absorbed into one. Even if vested interests prevent this desired outcome, the old enmity will give way to cooperation and mutual respect which in turn will be good omen for the entire Indian Muslim community.«
source: http://www.milligazette.com / The Milli Gazette Online / Home / by Zafarul-Islam Khan / 16-31 March 2025 / print edition
With scarcity of good ulama, the passing away of Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasmi, rector of Al-Jamia Al-Islamia Darul Uloom Waqf, Deoband, has sent a sense of gloom across India.
People have written obituaries describing his death as the loss of the last chain in the golden series of Khanwada-e-Qasmiyat, a metaphor used to describe the great legacy whose history got prominence with establishment of Darul Uloom in Deoband in 1867 against the backdrop of persistent British onslaught on Indians on the one hand and its ugly design to kill ulama in large numbers on the other hand, to mitigate the impact of resistance against the Colonial power.
Maulana Salim Qasmi was a witness to the British cruelty on Indians and the Indian ulama during the eventful years if Independence. He had lived those times as a young student of India’s most prominent madrasa that had been a great centre of anti-British movements like the Silk Letter Movement.
Being the great-grandson of Maulana Muhammad Qasim Nanautwi, Salim Qasmi knew well the role he had to play to live up to the reputation and expectations both of his family and its followers and admirers spread over countries and continents. He rightly did so. His demise thus has rightly been described as the end of that golden chain. However, as there are others from the same family trying to carry forward both the academic and social and historical legacy, will they be able to do justice with that, only time will tell.
Muhammad Salim was born on 8 January, 1926 at Deoband and received primary education from many teachers. He completed his studies in 1948 from Darul Uloom Deoband where his teachers included great luminaries like Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani, Maulana Aizaz Ali, Allama Ibrahim Balyawi, Maulana Syed Fakhrul Hasan Moradabadi.
He is said to be the last surviving disciple of Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi from whom he studied Mizan, an important book of Arabic grammar. Soon after passing out, he was appointed a teacher there. However, later, due to a serious conflict and crisis then in Darul Uloom, he along with some other colleagues, decided to stay away from it and established Darul Uloom Waqf which he nurtured till his last breath. Besides looking after its administrative affairs as a rector, he also taught Bukhari Sharif, the well-known book of hadith. Earlier, he had taught Muslim Sharif, another important book of hadith.
Some of the key positions he held at the time of his death are as follows:
Vice-President, All India Muslim Personal Law Board,
Member, Aligarh Muslim University Court,
Member of Advisory Board and Managing Committee, Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama,
Member of Advisory Board, Mazahir Uloom Waqf, Saharanpur,
Permanent Member of the Fiqh Council, Al-Azhar,Cairo,
President, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat (before two fractions of it finally united),
Patron, Kul Hind Rabta-e-Masajid,
Patron, Islamic Fiqh Academy, India.
About his written contribution to the domain of knowledge, the website of Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband mentions that besides being:
… one of the top speakers of ulama, his articles and writings are also much admired. Some of the books are worthy to be mentioned here like (1) Mabaadi al-Tarbiyat al-Islami (Arabic), (2) Jaiza Tarjama Quran Karim, (3) Taajdar-e-Arz-e-Haram ka Paigham, (4) Mardaan-e-Ghaazi, (5) Ek Azeem Tarikhi Khidmat, (6) Safar Nama-e-Burma.
(7) The book Khutbat-e-Khatibul Islam (a collection of his speeches) has been published in 5 volumes. Moreover, there are many articles and scripts awaiting publication.
Formally, Maulana received bai’at (a reformative and self-actualization method historically in vogue for quite long as an Islamic tradition in certain schools of thought) at the hand of Maulana Shah Abdul Qadir Raipuri. However, he received much of the training from his glorious father, Qari Muhammad Tayyib (d. 17 July, 1983)
A remarkable trait of his personality was to maintain the dignity of a true aalim (religious scholar) by not partaking in sectarian lines as is the wont of some Ulama. He was therefore respected among all sections of Muslims and his views were very well received. Maulana Salim did not create the binary division of education between religious and modern. He believed that ‘the source of all streams of knowledge is one’.
In recognition of his services to the domain of knowledge and ideas Maulana Salim was honoured with many awards, some of which are as follows:
Nishan-e-Imtiyaz (Mark of Distinction) from the Government of Egypt for being a distinguished aalim of the Indian Sub-Continent,
Imam Muhammad Qasim Nanotwi Award,
Shah Waliullah Award.
Prominent leaders and ulama from different countries have expressed grief over the demise of Maulana Salim Qasmi. In her telephonic message, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said that Maulana Salim’s love for education was amazing. Outside the country he worked as an exemplary ambassador of education. Congress President Rahul Gandhi said Maulana Salim Qasmi illuminated the world through education and he would touch people through simplicity. Samajwadi Party chief, Mulayam Singh Yadav said that Maulana never asked anything for himself. He was a crown prince of education whose absence would be felt long.
Former Justice of Pakistan’s Shariah Court, Mufti Taqi Usmani described Maulana Salim Qasmi as an ocean of knowledge. His death is a huge loss to the Islamic world. The simplicity with which he lived is rare, he said adding, “His service in the field of education is a golden chapter”.
Member of Parliament and AIUDF President Maulana Badruddin Ajmal Qasmi termed the demise of Maulana Salim Qasmi as ‘end of an era’ whose enumerable services are worth to be written in golden words. Senior leaders Ahmad Patel, Ghulam Nabi Azad, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain and others also sent their condolence messages.
Maulana Syed Rabey Hasani Nadwi, President of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, who had closely worked with Maulana Salim Qasmi and had also been his classmate at Darul Uloom Deoaband, wrote an article in which he stated that Maulana Salim Sahab had acquired many of the qualities of his father Qari Tayyib Sahab and his great grandfather Maulana Qasim Nanautwi. He worked in a similar way from whom different sections of ummah benefitted. His death therefore has caused concerns about the void in the ummah and in religious circles.
Maulana Arshad Madani described Maulana Salim Qasmi’s death as a loss which does not seem to be filled in near future. “Whenever there is a crisis he would be remembered’ he said. The responsibility to protect the institution that he established falls on all of us.
Prof Humayun Murad said that Maulana knew well how to avoid confrontation and find peaceful and constructive ways. Darul Uloom Waqf Deoband is its living example.
Maulana Muhammad Sayeedi, nazim, Mazahir Uloom Waqf said, “In the passing away of Maulana Salim Qasmi, Mazahir Uloom has been deprived of one of its true guide and patron”. He was its member since 1988. Mufti Muzaffar Husain would trust him a lot and his suggestions were highly helpful.
As against the commonly held opinion of ulama who do not tire of speaking about the division of knowledge between religious and modern or worldly, Maulana Salim Qasmi, in June 2013, had in a public programme, very categorically said that all the available forms of knowledge are from Allah. There is nothing as religious and worldly knowledge.
Maulana Qasmi said that the division of knowledge (between religious and worldly) is a political creation because all streams of knowledge flow from God. He then asked heads of madrasas to invite people of other faiths to their madrasas and exchange views and, share their problems with them also.
As I write this obituary, his soft-spoken words remind me of the sincerity with which he would draw the attention of the people to real issues and to the approaches that need to be adopted to find their solution.
Maulana Salim Qasmi was among the important personalities who had set up the Darul Uloom Waqf. His colleagues Maulana Muhammad Nayeem Deobandi died a little over a decade ago on 23 August, 2007, Shaikhul Hadith Maulana Syed Anzar Shah Kashmiri died 10 years ago on 26 April, 2008, Mufti Khursheed Alam died on 7 February, 2012, while Maulana Salim’s younger brother Maulana Muhammad Aslam Qasmi, an outstanding orator, died about five months ago on 13 November, 2017. Finally, this great son of the great Khanwada-e-Qasmiyat passed away on 14 April, 2018. He is survived by four sons and two daughters.
May the Almighty grant him an exalted place in Jannah!
The author is a PhD Fellow at the Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia and is also doing an online program “Contending Modernities” of the University of Notre Dame, USA.
source: http://www.twocircles.net / TwoCircles.net / Home> Articles> Indian Muslim> Lead Story / by Manzar Imam for TwoCircles.net / April 28th, 2018
CM Naim’s translation of 19th-century reformer Ashrafunnisa Begum’s biography was published in 2021. Naim, a translator and scholar of Urdu, died on July 9.
Choudhri Mohammed Naim, aka CM Naim, a prominent scholar of Urdu language and literature, died on July 9 at the age of 89. He was a professor emeritus at the University of Chicago.
Naim was also the founding editor of the Annual of Urdu Studies and Mahfil (now Journal of South Asian Literature), as well as the author of the definitive textbook for Urdu pedagogy in English.
He was born on June 3, 1936, in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh and educated at Lucknow University, Lucknow, Deccan College, Poona, and the University of California, Berkeley. In 1961, he joined the faculty of the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations at the University of Chicago, which he chaired from 1985 to 1991. He retired in 2001. He was a national fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla, in 2009, and a visiting professor at the Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, in 2003.
Some of his best-known works are Ambiguities of Heritage (1999), Urdu Texts and Contexts (2004), and The Muslim League in Barabanki (2013). He also translated Urdu writings into English some of which are Ghalib’s Lighter Verse (1972), Inspector Matadeen on the Moon: Selected Satires (1994), Curfew in the City (1998), and A Most Noble Life: The Biography of Ashrafunnisa Begum (1840–1903) (2021).
A Most Noble Life: The Biography of Ashrafunnisa Begum (1840–1903)by Muhammadi Begum (1877–1908) is the first complete English translation of Hayat-e Ashraf (1904), the extraordinary story of Ashrafunnisa Begum. Ashrafunnisa, born in a village in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, taught herself to read and write in secret, against the wishes of her elders and prevailing norms. She went on to teach and inspire generations of young girls at the Victoria Girls’ School – the first school for girls in Lahore. Her unusual life was written about with great poignancy by Muhammadi Begum – the first woman to edit a journal in Urdu, the weekly Tahzib-i-Niswan. Muhammadi Begum was a prolific writer of fiction and poetry for adults and children, and instructional books for women during her brief life. She aptly titled the biography Hayat-e Ashraf: it echoes the name of her subject, but also means “the noblest life”. Indeed, both biographer and subject may be described, says Professor CM Naim, as “noble lives”.
The two women, who met by chance at a wedding, instantly developed a strong mutual affinity, which grew into a lifelong bond. In Ashrafunnisa Begum, Muhammadi Begum saw not only the mother she had lost as a child, but also an inspiring role model who had led a principled life of her own making, and shown amazing grace and strength against grave odds.
This annotated translation by CM Naim, an eminent scholar of Urdu literature and culture, also provides the first detailed study of the life and works of its author, Muhammadi Begum, and highlights, in an “Afterword”, two key social issues of the time, women’s literacy and widow remarriage, which remain as relevant today.
In this conversation with writer Githa Hariharan (in 2022), CM Naim spoke of the lives and times of Muhammadi Begum and Ashrafunnisa Begum, their work, and the unique friendship that nurtured both of them.
Let me begin with asking you to comment on the ways in which this slim biography of Ashrafunnisa by Muhammadi Begum dispels the gloomy image of the silent and secluded Muslim woman of the 19th and possibly 20th century.
The trouble, as I see it, lies in the “totality” and “exclusivity” we allow to these claims. In the 19th century, a huge number of Muslim men were not literate, just as a huge number of Muslim women were not secluded, or not any more secluded than the non-Muslim women of the same class, occupation or region. The wives of Muslim weavers and barbers and food-sellers may have kept their faces covered while toiling alongside men but their lives were not secluded the way we assume them to be – rightly – for the women of the upper classes. Then there were the differences we see in Bibi Ashraf’s life. Her family was Shi’ah; the women of the household held weekly majlis where they read out texts from religious books. She lost her mother when she was only eight; otherwise, she would have learnt to read and write the way other girls in the family did. We also see a young Muslim widow, a Pathan, taking up employment with the family as a Qur’an instructress.
I found A Most Notable Life a fascinating entry point into the lives of two women I want to know more about. But I also want to know more about the context of their times and work. Ashrafunnisa’s account of how she learnt to read and write is, for me, the most moving section of the book. She encounters obstacles in learning how to read, but the challenges she faces in learning how to write seem far more severe. I am curious about this. Is it far-fetched to conclude that a writing woman presents a greater threat to the patriarchal establishment, because she assumes the power of an “inscriber” rather than merely being a body (or mind) to be inscribed upon?
The chief obstacles are the wilful grandfather and uncle. The grandfather holds the most authority, and the uncle is more immediately present in the lives of the women in the household. The grandfather is not against female literacy in principle. He willingly allows it until the widowed female teacher gets remarried. That is a worse “sin” in his eyes than reading and writing. But then he considers the fact of his son, Bibi Ashraf’s father, taking up a pesha, a profession – he moved to Gwalior and became a lawyer – an equal threat to his honour. The family’s attitude toward writing is complex. Her grandfather tolerated some girls in the family learning writing from their mothers; her father rejoiced when he learned that Bibi Ashraf could read and write so well, but her uncle became more furious and punitive. I feel writing in the upper classes, where seclusion was more closely observed, was seen as an instrument that could make it possible for women to break out of that seclusion. We should not assume that writing was then considered an integral element of education. Transmission of essential or requisite knowledge to a majority of males and females could be done orally. Or so, arguably, the society believed at the time.
I am amazed by the use of multiple genres by both women – poetry, essays, memoir, biography, novels, stories for children, “instruction” manuals. Was this characteristic of the “educated” of the times, or was it driven by the need to be useful to a range of readers? And would you say that in the case of women, or these two women at least, the autobiographical element links all the genres they make use of?
That’s a very interesting question, and I don’t have a clear answer. I can only assert with some confidence that before the 20th century, most prose writings also contained verses. Very often, these were original verses by the author of the text, alongside quoted verses by well-known or obscure poets. The purpose could have been to emphasise a point by reiteration in a more memorable form, or adding the authority of the past to the point being made. The same is done, for instance, by using proverbs. Nazir Ahmad, the reformist novelist, was a great versifier and public orator. His lectures and long poems at the annual sessions of the organisations he supported were hugely popular. So, anyone who learned to read in those days encountered poetry from day one. And if you had creative impulses, you trained yourself to write verses as well as sentences. In the case of Muhammadi Begum, she was indeed driven by a powerful urge to be useful to other women – her sisters, bahneñ – in particular her contemporaries, i.e. young wives, and girls, and wrote in several genres.
Since the education of women is so crucial in the context of the two women’s lives and work, the writing does a balancing act between the creative and the expression of the self on the one hand, and the didactic on the other. To what extent does such didactic literature – or “instructional books” – differ when authored by men (such as Nazir Ahmad, whose work took up women’s education as well as conduct), and women such as Ashrafunnisa and Muhammadi Begum? My friend, writer and critic Aamer Hussein, writes that “Muhammadi Begum reworks and amends, with affection and insight, the reforms suggested by Nazir Ahmad.” In what ways do the women, Muhammadi in particular, take the project forward, not only as writers, but as journalists, teachers and publishers?
What we now label “didactic fiction” was not thought of as merely instructional by its authors; they meant it to entertain too. It would have been Khel khel meñ kam ki bateñ, “useful words in playtime”. The authors simply called them novels. And this applies to female writers and readers too, until they began to learn English.
As for your core question, I can best answer it by exaggerating my response. Nazir Ahmad, Hali and other male reformists wanted to educate women so that they would be good mothers to their children and proficient in managing their homes. Bibi Ashraf and Muhammadi Begum prize these goals too, but they also prize education as a means of mental and spiritual self-improvement. For better self-expression, even. But the most important thing with Muhammadi Begum is that she lays great emphasis on a commonality of sorts, on a sisterhood of peers. She also wishes to make women proficient beyond her kinfolk, and even beyond the threshold of her own home. To that extent, it may be more the aspiration of an upper-class woman. But it also suggests that for her, female literacy was a given. As indeed it was by that time for the salaried middle-class.
It’s clear that propriety is the framework within which these two women, and others like them, have to work to reap some gains. Keeping this in mind, may I ask you to unpack the word “hayat” for us? The biography is called Hayat-e Ashraf, and you have translated it as A Most Noble Life. I am thinking of the difference in English between “respectable” and “noble” when I ask you to explain “hayat” for those of us who do not know Urdu.
“Unpacking” hayat would require explaining what “life” meant to Muhammadi Begum or to an Urdu writer in the 19th century – a tall order. I can only say that Muhammadi Begum seems to have chosen the most apt title for her book. It echoes the title of Altaf Husain Hali’s iconic biography of Sir Syed, Hayat-i-Javaid (An Everlasting Life), published only three years earlier. Hayat-i-Ashraf can be read as “The Life of Ashraf[unnisa Begum]” or as “An Ashraf Life,” i.e. “A Most Noble Life.” Ashraf is the superlative of sharif, and the latter, of course, is a marker of numerous presumed personal attributes, ranging from nobility of birth to modesty in speech and much more. Muhammadi Begum organised her book in a similar manner: first, a chronological account, followed by short sections on what she considered her subject’s exemplary traits or, as she put it, her “Disposition, Habits and Manners.” Throughout the text, she never fails to remind her readers – her “sisters” – to exert themselves and follow Bibi Ashraf’s example.
Pioneers have to be remembered not only for what they did – given their times – but also in connection with their descendants. Would you speculate on the ways in which Muhammadi opened doors for the Urdu women writers who came after her in the 20th century?
Muhammadi Begum was not the first woman poet in Urdu, nor the first fiction writer. She was, however, the first in several other ways. She was the first woman to edit an Urdu journal and to write on many of the issues that were of great concern to women of her community and class. She also wrote “manuals” for women – on writing letters, on managing the household, or on meeting their peers outside the kinship network. In everything she wrote, she made it clear there were no limits to women’s abilities. And most importantly, she made it clear that women can help each other in discovering and putting to use these abilities. I should emphasise one point here. It was her husband’s dream to publish a journal for sharif women that was also edited by a sharif woman – contra the two journals that had appeared earlier and failed. Mumtaz Ali was a champion of Muslim women’s causes, and he strongly believed in gender equality. No doubt he viewed himself as a wise guide, and never hesitated to publish in the journal his own views on some subjects of concern; but what impressed me was his readiness to give space to opposing views, never adopting a patronising or dismissive tone in his responses.
Coming back to your question, Muhammadi Begum’s journal, Tahzib-i-Niswan, gained wide circulation, though subscriptions were slow in coming. But it soon became the journal of choice for aspiring female writers. Hijab Imtiaz Ali, Qurratulain Hyder and Rasheed Jahan made their debut in its pages. And Ismat Chughtai made her first appearance in print as an excited reporter from Aligarh informing the “Tahzib Sisters” that Rasheed Jahan had completed her medical course. So I think it is not so much the matter of opening doors that makes Muhammadi Begum’s journal important; it is the spirit of confident sisterhood that she identified and fostered.
I don’t want the two women, Ashrafunnisa and Muhammadi, to get lost in the jungle of history though, whether it is the history of women’s education or journalism or literature. I want to pay a tribute to their friendship – which allowed them to have a rich relationship that encompasses a role model, a colleague and a surrogate family. And this despite their age difference, despite one being Sunni and the other, Shia. Would you say their friendship gives an edge to their interest in writing memoir and biography?
Their close friendship, their deep trust in each other, was to my mind the most thought-provoking and inspiring thing about them. No doubt, they both had very painful childhoods – having lost their mothers at a tender age. But they also seemed to see in each other a kind of partner-in-arms, joined in some cause. The much older Bibi Ashraf unhesitatingly treated Muhammadi Begum, barely out of her teens, almost as her leader in a cause that concerns all women.
We should also recall that the “seclusion” of sharif women in those days was stricter. It even meant seclusion from the company of a great many females within the extended families as well their neighbourhoods. Muhammadi Begum started her journal Tahzib-i-Niswan in 1898, and amazingly, from the very beginning, she thought of it as a gathering place where women, previously strangers to each other, could meet and become “sisters”. She coined the expression tahzibi bahnen, ‘Tahzibi Sisters’, to describe this coming together. Then, acutely aware of the larger issue, she quickly proceeded to write a manual on the art of Mulaqat, explaining how a sensible woman should behave in the company of other women outside her own family, complete strangers. It was, of course, the time when men in government jobs at all levels, including the salariat middle- and lower-middle class jobs, were liable to be transferred from one district to another, requiring their wives to also move from place to place with them. They led a very lonely life unless they made an effort to know their neighbours – strangers or peers – with no past experience to guide them.
Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) Vice Chancellor, Professor Tariq Mansoor today released the Hindi translation of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s ‘Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind’ along with a special reprint of the book in Urdu. The translation has been done by Dr Jasim Mohammad.
The book was released in the presence of Professor Shafey Kidwai (Member-in-Charge, Public Relations Office, AMU).
On the occasion, the Vice Chancellor said that Sir Syed Ahmad Khan took upon himself the challenge of educating the masses by pushing ahead common people towards over all development with the most modern and scientific education. He added that it is imperative that the teachings Sir Syed should reach all corners of world through translations in various languages.
Dr Jasim said that the idea behind the translation of ‘Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind’ is to educate people on how Sir Syed with his nationalistic approach towards problems and controversies prevailing at that time took the unimaginable step of speaking against the British rule.
Dr Jasim has authored 26 books including ‘Sir Syed Ahmad Khan aur Aligarh Movement’, Aligarh Muslim University Minority Character: A Comprehensive Study’ and ‘Urdu Mass Media aur Rabta-e-Aama’. He regularly writes articles and opinion pieces in Hindi, Urdu and English languages for national dailies. Dr Jasim is also a recipient of Bharat Gaurav Samman, Acharya Hasthi Karuna Institutional Award and Rais Uddin Rais Award.
source: http://www.indiaeducationdiary.com / India Education Diary / Home> Academics> Competition> Edu Events> National News / by India Education Diary Bureau / pic: edited – facebook.com/proamuofficial / September 09th, 2017
Prof Shahab Fazal of the Department of Geography, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), has been conferred the prestigious National Geospatial Faculty Fellow Award at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
The award was presented in recognition of Prof Fazal’s significant contribution to advancing geospatial education through his textbooks and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). His work has played a vital role in popularising geospatial technologies and making them accessible to students across the country.
Padma Shri Prof Kiran Kumar, Former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), presented the award during a special ceremony held at the Prof B. Nag Main Auditorium of IIT Bombay.
The award ceremony was a key highlight of the Open Source GIS Day Celebrations, organised by the FOSSEE GIS project of IIT Bombay. This initiative falls under the National Mission on Education through ICT (NMEICT), Ministry of Education, Government of India.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Pride of the Nation> Awards> Latest News / by Radiance News Bureau / July 18th, 2025
Inquilab and Mid-Day founder Abdul Hamid Ansari is an inspiration not just for journalists but millions of youngsters … A special report by Siraj Ali Quadri.
Indian journalist and Muslim nationalist Abdul Hamid Ansari founded Inquilab, an Urdu daily in Mumbai in l937. The newspaper soon became a landmark in Urdu journalism which caught the attention of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan. But when Jinnah asked Ansari to come to Karachi to publish the newspaper in the new country, Ansari said that he would prefer to live in India like the many million Muslims who would rather stay in the country than join Jinnah. Those who joined Jinnah undoubtedly left everything behind. Some flourished while others got established. But that’s another story, which has never ended since l947.
Today’s story is about the veteran journalist, publisher and businessman Khalid A.H. Ansari, son of Abdul Hameed. After passing out from St. Xavier’s in Mumbai, Khalid did his master’s at Stanford University in the US.
Khalid returned to Mumbai to establish Sportsweek, a weekly sports magazine, which became a huge success soon after its launch. The magazine’s immediate success can be attributed to the fact that its founder was himself an excellent sportsman and did a great job with the magazine, in addition to his father’s paper Inquilab.
Meanwhile, the idea came to launch India’s first daily tabloid, Mid-Day, which he modelled in many ways after the English tabloids from Fleet Street. During the planning phase of their new venture, he spent hours discussing it with staff and mulled over its format to ensure success, especially since there were already two eveningers in Mumbai, one by The Times of India and the other by the Indian Express. Both suffered from a lack of innovation to attract large numbers of readers. So when Mid-Day appeared with a new face and content, the two old ones just collapsed. Although the ToI eveninger protested the pace of time for a while, it eventually perished as it had already become obsolete.
Mid-Day became a resounding success, with many comparing it to the British Daily Mirror and Daily Mail. However, being an Indian tabloid, it was much quieter and a whole lot more civilized, without the British fondness for nudity and sex, and nonsensical stories of stupidity.
Khalid was helped by his wife, Rukaya. She was very active on the administrative side and contributed to the editorial content and layout, which helped the paper sustain itself in the demanding market of Mumbai. She knew what was going on in the office and in the newspaper that was fast becoming India’s flagship eveninger.
Meanwhile, Khalid accepted an offer to become editor-in-chief of the Dubai-based Khaleej Times, and handed over the paper to his son, Tariq. After a few years in Dubai, Khalid returned to Mumbai and launched Mid-Day in Bangalore and Delhi and a regional Gujarati version for millions of Gujaratis in the country.
He has been involved in various programmes with the Indian government during conferences in Delhi and New York, launching and editing newspapers, and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2001 while continuing to play and write about his old passion, cricket.
Writing about his eveninger, Khalid says, “Mid-Day is a light-hearted, easy-to-read, entertaining, and ‘naughty’ paper that now has a new purpose which is to make work fun. Gives young professionals an entertaining newsbreak. The focus is on young, urban, mobile professionals across India and the company is leaving no stone unturned to engage with them. Today’s workplace’s fast-paced work style and crazy deadlines are full of stress and pressure. Mid-Day as a brand believes in spreading the message of reducing stress and making work fun.”
“What’s on, a host of addictive, fun sections like Hit List Crosswords, Horoscopes, and Fun at Work ensure that the newspaper remains a welcome diversion for young professionals,” he adds.
Khalid’s Sportsweek later was shut down with the television boom making it hard to garner advertisements and interest. Khalid has also published his memoir (It’s A Wonderful World) and continues to inspire a stream of journalists apart from various generations to keep the boat afloat and touch new heights.
(The Author is Journalist & associated with Dainik Bhaskar)
source: http://www.asianlite.com / Asian Lite / Home / by Siraj Ali Quadri / October 10th, 2022
Indian envoy and AMU vice chancellor grace the occasion
The Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) alumni in Qatar, under the banner of AMUAAQ, celebrated the annual Sir Syed Day on December 27, 2024 at the Sheraton Grand Doha Resort & Convention Hotel.
Prof Naima Khatoon, the first female Vice-Chancellor of AMU, graced the occasion as the chief guest, while the Indian Ambassador to Qatar HE Vipul presided over the gala ceremony.
Other guests of honour included former Vice-Chancellor of AMU Prof Mohammad Gulrez, Moez Wajihuddin and Patron of AMUAAQ Sophia Bukhari. Mustafa M Hariyanawala, Yashir Nainar, Haroon Sataj Khan and Anwar Karim were special guests.
The programme began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, followed by a two-minute silence to mourn the passing of the former prime minister of India Dr Manmohan Singh.
Ghazala Yasmeen welcomed the guests, while Dr Ashna Nusrat and Dr Nayeem Aman conducted the programme as Masters of Ceremony. Dr Ashna Nusrat read a message of appreciation from the former Chancellor of AMU, Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, addressed to the members of the AMU Alumni Association Qatar.
President of AMUAAQ Dr Nadeem Zafar Jilani, in his address, paid rich tributes to Sir Syed Ahmed Khan. He recalled how Sir Syed travelled to England to study the British education system and established the MAO College based on the models of Oxford and Cambridge universities.
Prof Naima Khatoon spoke on the selected theme of the event, ‘One Team, One Dream’. She praised the unwavering love of alumni worldwide for their alma mater and its founder, Sir Syed Ahmed Khan.
Former Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammad Gulrez delivered the keynote address on ‘Jobs and Career Opportunities in the 21st Century’.
HE Vipul congratulated Aligarians on the Founder’s Day celebrations and acknowledged the contribution of great visionary Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in nation building.
Other dignitaries who spoke on the occasion included Sophia Bukhari and Anwar Karim.
As in previous years, AMUAAQ presented five achievement awards to eminent personalities. The first award, for lifetime achievement in the field of education, was presented to Prof Naima Khatoon. The award for outstanding community service was given to Safeerurahman, while Haroon Sartaj Khan, President of the AMU Alumni Association Oman, was named Aligarian of the Year. The Media Personality of the Year award was presented to RJ Aafrin of Radio Mirchi. Additionally, Akhtar Mehdi of the renowned Mehdi Hasan Tailors received a lifetime achievement award for his sartorial excellence in crafting traditional sherwanis, which have attracted many celebrities and former heads of state to his shop in Aligarh.
Er Jawed Ahmad, chairman of AMUAAQ, announced the formation of a pan-GCC Federation of AMU Alumni Associations to unite and bring together all Aligarians residing in the GCC countries—Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
Vice-President of AMUAAQ Faisal Naseem presented a vote of thanks to the sponsors, as well as the executive and advisory committee members of AMUAAQ.
Jawed Ahmad, chairman of AMUAAQ, proposed that the Vice-Chancellor Prof Naima Khatoon become the ex-officio patron of AMU alumni to strengthen AMUAAQ.
Another proposal regarding the establishment of an offshore AMU campus in Doha was also revisited. He further informed the audience that the AMUAAQ will sign MoUs with several companies to provide students with training and job opportunities.
AMU alumni from all walks of life attended the function with their families in large numbers. Many prominent residents of Doha were also present, including literary personalities such as Ateeq Anzer, Aziz Nabeel, Ahmad Ashfaq, Ashfaq Deshmukh, Wasi ul Haq Wasi, and Obaid Tahir, to name a few.
A raffle draw, sponsored by Malabar Gold, was held and won by Farhana, Imran, Kainat and Shoyeb.
An MoU was signed between AMUAAQ and Hind Guru Academy to support and guide NRI students during their stay in India.
In addition to thought-provoking speeches, the programme also featured an interactive ‘Kahoot Quiz’ on AMU and the Aligarh Movement.
Prizes were awarded to the top three winners, with Faisal Abdullah securing first place, Ayan as the first runner-up, and Ashfaque Deshmukh as the second runner-up. The quiz and IT support were expertly managed by Almas Ahmad.
Mementos and certificates were presented on behalf of AMUAAQ to the guests and notable achievers.
source: http://www.qatar-tribune.com / Qatar Tribune / Home> Nation / by Tribune News Network, Doha / January 02nd, 2025
Indian origin Sabih Khan, a native of Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh brought laurels to India in general and his hometown in particular on being appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Apple. He replaces Jeff Williams. Currently, Khan serves as Senior Vice President of Operations. Indeed, an honour to Sabih Khan, known for his extraordinary skill and a brilliant strategist besides an architect of Apple’s supply chain.
Bringing glory to his native Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, Sabih Khan (58) has been honoured with the post of Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Apple, marking a significant step in the company’s ongoing leadership transition. Notably, Khan has been with Apple for three decades and currently serves as Senior Vice President of Operations and will take over from Jeff Williams later this month, the iPhone maker announced in a statement.
Before joining Apple’s procurement group in 1995, he worked as an applications development engineer and key account technical leader at GE Plastics. A quick look into his biodata revealed that he was born in 1966 in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh and later moved to Singapore during his school years before settling down in the US. Interestingly, he is armed with dual bachelor’s degrees in economics and mechanical engineering from Tufts University, and a master’s in mechanical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
Sabih Khan’s father Saeed Ullah Khan was a resident of Rampur who had settled down in Singapore decades ago. Sabih received his primary education there, after which he moved to America and received higher education from there. Apple CEO Tim Cook described him as “a brilliant strategist and one of the central architects of Apple’s supply chain.”
“Sabih leads with heart and values, and I know he will make an exceptional chief operating officer,” Cook added. “He helped ensure that Apple can be nimble in response to global challenges.”
Moreover, Khan has been playing a vital role in shaping the global supply chain that powers Apple’s operations around the world. In 2019, he was promoted to Senior Vice President of Operations, reporting directly to Jeff Williams. In this role, he led key initiatives in advanced manufacturing, expanding Apple’s global footprint, and navigating complex supply chain challenges, especially during turbulent global events.
According to sources, Khan has also been a major force behind Apple’s environmental efforts. Under his leadership, the company has reportedly reduced its carbon footprint by over 60 per cent, thanks to stronger supplier partnerships and green manufacturing practices.
Further, he also oversees Apple’s supplier responsibility programmes, which aim to improve labour conditions, and provide education and training for workers at production facilities globally. In his new role, Khan will be playing a vital role in shaping the global supply chain that powers Apple’s operations around the world. He has also been a major force behind Apple’s environmental efforts. Under his leadership, the company has reportedly reduced its carbon footprint by over 60 per cent, thanks to stronger supplier partnerships and green manufacturing practices.
Jeff Williams, who has been with Apple for 27 years, will continue to report to CEO Tim Cook and oversee Apple’s design team and health initiatives until his planned retirement later this year. His transition also signals a shift in the structure of Apple’s leadership, with the design team set to report directly to Tim Cook after Williams steps down. Sabhih Khan has made not only his native Moradabad but also his home country India proud.
[The author is former Indian Express and Deccan Chronicle chief]
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Pride of the Nation / by M Rafi Ahmed / July 10th, 2025
A fascinating history of Ansaris who began their journey in this mortal world a few thousand years ago in the peninsula of Arabia, then called Araba.
As Islam grew and took in its fold various other lands and nations, Ansars, being valiant warriors, became part of just about every major battle that took place from Badr to Constantinople, Qandahar, Herat, and finally to India.
Ansaris were not mere bystanders as history unfolded; they played significant roles and made valuable contributions in the fields of religion, medicine, literature, law, politics and media, no matter which part of the world they chose to settle in.
Since this book is about a branch of Ansaris who arrived in India, i.e. the Ansaris of Yusufpur, they will be covered in depth.
However, as the first book on Ansaris in English language, it would also be of interest to all Ansaris whose ancestors moved from Madinah-e-Munawwara to other countries of the Gulf, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and other parts of the world.
It is, after all, a common lineage and history that all Ansaris share from the pre-Islamic era and this book provides a ready reference to the origin and history of their ancestors.
This book is a fascinating history of Ansaris who began their journey in this mortal world a few thousand years ago.
As the first book on Ansaris in English language, it would also be of interest to all Ansaris whose ancestors moved from Madinah-e-Munawwara to other countries of the Gulf, Middle East, Iran, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and other parts of the world.
source: http://www.kobo.com / Rakuten Kobo / Home> Biography & Memoir / by Mahmud Ansari
Yusufpur (GhazipurDistrict), UTTAR PRADESH / NEW DELHI / London, U. K :
Begum Zohra Ansari sold away ‘Dar-us-Salam’ to raise party funds and worked for the victory of the candidates of the Indian National Congress and for the defeat of the candidates of the Muslim League, who wanted partition.
Begum Zohra Ansari, an activist of the Indian National Movement whom Mahatma Gandhi addressed as “Vasthad Bi, was born in Delhi. She was the adopted daughter of freedom fighters, Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ansari and Begum Shamsunnisa Ansari.
Besides playing an important role in the National Movement, her parents provided hospitality to leaders and a cadre of the Indian National Movement and scholars and people of repute in different walks of life in their residence ‘Dar-us-Salam’. It was very spacious like a royal palace.
While Begum Shamshunnisa Ansari was busy in these responsibilities, Zohra helped her. Thus she had an opportunity to see from close-quarters leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Motilal Nehru, and the Ali Brothers and to serve them. Right from childhood she evinced interest in literature, history, and social sciences. She also gained proficiency in Urdu, Arabic, Persian, and Hindi.
Zohra Ansari and Mahatma Gandhi
Zohra Ansari rendered her services in Wardha Ashram for a long time. Mahatma Gandhi came to know about her command over Urdu and started learning the language from her. He used to address her in his letters as ‘Vastad Bi’ and ‘Beti.
Zohra Ansari and Mahatma Gandhi used to have regular correspondence on various issues. In his letter dated 22 December 1932 to Dr Ansari, Gandhiji remarked that he used to look forward to Zohra’s letter every week. When Zohra expressed her desire to go to jail as a part of the National Movement, like her parents, Gandhiji asked her to wait and promised to allow her to go to jail.
Begum Zohra Ansari married Dr Shaukatulla Shah Ansari (1908-1972) who was her relative and leader of the Indian National Movement. Begum Zohra Ansari lost her father in 1936 and mother in 1938. She took an active part in the Freedom Struggle along with her husband. Both wife and husband opposed the partition of India.
She sold away ‘Dar-us-Salam’ to raise party funds and worked for the victory of the candidates of the Indian National Congress and for the defeat of the candidates of the Muslim League, who wanted partition. Post Independence, Begum Zohra Ansari led a simple life and passed away on 28 July 1988 in England.
source: http://www.heritagetimes.in / Heritage Times / Home / by Syed Naseer Ahamed / December 12th, 2023
