Category Archives: Freedom Fighters (under research project)

Press Club of India Remembers Maulvi Baqar — India’s ‘First Martyr Journalist’

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DELHI :

Masoom Muradabadi’s book was launched at the Press Club on Thursday by eminent journalists

The event was organised to launch the Hindi translation of journalist Masoom Muradabadi’s book on Maulvi Baqar.

New Delhi :

The Press Club of India on Thursday held a seminar to commemorate the death anniversary of Maulvi Mohammad Baqar, the first journalist who was executed by the British following the rebellion of 1857.

A Hindi translation of the book titled ‘1857 Ki Kranti Aur Urdu Patrkarita’ (The Revolution of 1957 and Urdu Journalism) authored by journalist Masoom Muradabadi was released at the seminar.

It chronicles the life of Baqar as a journalist and freedom fighter. Moreover, two journalists — Swati Mathur, a reporter with The Times of India, and Shams Tabrez Qasmi, the editor of popular news portal Millat Times — were also felicitated with an award named after Baqar.

A number of veteran journalists and writers spoke on the occasion paying tributes to the ‘first martyr journalist’. They described Baqar as an icon of Hindu-Muslim unity whose ideals are increasingly relevant in the present times.”

“Maulvi Muhammad Baqir was one of the great journalists who preferred martyrdom to collaboration with Britishers.” A U Asif, a senior journalist and member of Press Club’s managing committee, said. “He is the ideal and role model for the new generation of journalists.

Satish Jacob, a BBC veteran, said Baqar was a journalist who sacrificed his life for the sake of the nation. He described him a proponent of Hindu-Muslim unity.

Jacob said he is proud of the fact that he hails from old Delhi which gave birth to a person like Baqar. He said that Baqar had started an Imam Barah in the Kashmere gate area which is still functioning. The Imam Barah was built with the expressed goal of communal harmony, he added.

Noted journalist Meem Afzal, who has been a member of Parliament and India’s ambassador in four countries, lashed out at the current government for communal divide and accused it of obliterating the contributions of people like Baqar. He said that Baqar used his pen to fight for the idea of India.

Maroof Raza, another journalist, appealed for steps to find the original source and preserve the archives of ‘Delhi Urdu Akhbar’, the newspaper Baqar used to publish.

Jai Shanakar Gupta, senior journalist and a member of the Press Council of India, urged the government to get copies of the newspaper that Baqar edited from Britain where they are lying in a museum.

SQR Ilyas, journalist and president of the Welfare Party of India, said that the sacrifice of Baqar should inspire the present-day journalists to speak truth to power. He lauded the Press Club for commemorating Baqar.

Similar sentiments were echoed by Syed Aijaz Aslam, editor of Radiance Viewsweekly.

Mathur and Qasmi expressed their gratitude to the Press Club for felicitating them with the award. “This recognition in the form of an award in Maulvi Baqar’s name is a big thing for me, ” said Mathur.

Qasmi credited his whole team of Millat Times for the work that earned him the award.

source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion / Home> Editor’ Pick / by Zafar Aafaq, Clarion India / September 16th, 2021

A different take on the Assamese Muslims

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Dibrugarh, ASSAM / NEW DELHI :

A book titled ‘The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims’, authored by Zafri Mudasser Nofil, attempts to define the Assamese Muslims as distinct from the Muslims in other parts of India and different from the immigrant Muslims in Assam.

New Delhi-based author Zafri Mudasser Nofil, who hails from Dibrugarh, says the Assamese Muslims are different from the rest of the community in the country.

Over the years, they have assimilated to the greater Assamese society to such an extent that barring religion, there is not much to differentiate them.

But of late, this community has been suffering from the ignominy of being bracketed with illegal immigrants as ‘Miya’, Nofil, who himself is an Assamese Muslim, laments.

Muslims residing in the state for centuries consider themselves to be an integral part of Assamese society, he writes.

In the book, he cites an example of this aspect: The ancestors of the Daullahs, a respected Muslim family in Sivasagar town played the negera – a kind of drum – at the Dols in Sivasagar during the reign of the Ahom kings.

During those days, animals were sacrificed on Ashtami day of Durga Puja as offering to the goddess.

As a gesture of respect to people of other beliefs, the Sivasagar Dol Development committee offers a sacrificial goat to the Daullah family even now. (From an edited excerpt)

Another excerpt which reveals the assimilation reads: “Magh Bihu for Deshi Muslims is Pushna while Bohag Bihu is Beshoma. On Goru Bihu, the first day of the Bohag Bihu, people in the state give a traditional bath to their cows and bulls they rub a paste of pulses and turmeric and then birch them very gently with leaves of some shrubs… After the cattle are given a bath the Deshis eat Misheli, a preparation of fried rice, lentils, onions and chillies.”

Nofil says that the contribution of Assamese Muslims over the years had been multi-faceted, diverse and immense.

“Be it politics, civil services, literature, art, education, medical science, law, sports, music, films and entertainment, they have excelled in every field. Of the most valuable contributions to the cultural richness of Assam are the Zikir and Zari songs,” he elaborates.

“Litterateur Imran Shah says the contribution of Assamese Muslims to the greater Assamese society is unparalleled. But it’s a case of ‘little done and vast undone’ as far as documentation is concerned,” he further says.

As he was toying with the idea of this book, he remembered what Toni Morrison once said: “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

Despite the vastness of the subject and the challenges it posed, the fact that there was very little published materials regarding the Assamese Muslims prompted Nofil to go ahead and write the book on this topic.

The book unravels the journey of this community and looks at how they have contributed significantly to the composite heritage of the state.

It profiles icons like Bagh Hazarika and Bahadur Gaon Burha to achievers like Imdad Ali, Yamin Hazarika, Adil Hussain and Begum Parveen Sultana, and also looks at some of the interesting customs of Deshis, Moriyas and Julhas.

“Assam is a land representing cohesive social and cultural tapestry and Muslims have a history of over seven-and-a-half centuries in the state.”

“The indigenous Assamese Muslims trace their lineage to the medieval period when Muslim rulers and generals invaded the region. They came to Assam in various phases.

“Ali Mech is believed to be the first person to convert into Islam sometime in the early 13th century and ever since, Muslims have merged into the sociocultural milieu of Assam,” Nofil says.

“I have attempted to write this book as narrative non-fiction though I have profusely quoted from historical texts that are relevant to the discussion,” he adds.

There are several nuggets highlighting age-old camaraderie and also chapters on Azan Pir and his Zikirs, cuisine, Muslim marriages, the NRC and the CAA.

(‘The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims’ is available on Amazon and with Har-Anand Publications. The author can be reached at zafri.nofil@gmail.com and @zafrimn on Twitter)

source: http://www.nenow.in / North East Now / Home> Article / by Smita Bhattacharya / December 26th, 2020

Remembering Tippu Adam Khan, A Selfless Community Worker And COVID Warrior Who Strived To Help People And Save Lives

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Bengaluru, KARNATAKA :

A doting father and husband, a selfless community worker, our dear friend, and a beautiful human being,” is how one message circulating on social media remembers Tippu Adam Khan, a 42-year-old man who volunteered to help many people in different ways during this pandemic. He succumbed to COVID-19 on Friday. Tippu, a former Vice President at J.P. Morgan played an immense role as a community worker leaving a lasting impact on his family, friends, and even on people who had never met him.

Tippu, along with his friends, had set up ‘Oxygen Helpline‘, a volunteer network to help procure and supply oxygen cylinders for free to people in need across the city.

Humer Khan, who started ‘Oxygen Helpline’ with Tippu Adam Khan says they started the service after he saw the crippling health situation in the city and people dying due to shortage of oxygen supply.

The group has helped more than 500 people across the city so far to procure oxygen cylinders, besides educating people and rendering other assistance to patients.

“Tippu bhai was an inspiration to work with. He worked day and night to help people get oxygen cylinders. He had no fixed timings. You could find him on a call with volunteers at 3 in the night trying to procure cylinders. I have not seen another person like him,” he said.

Mohammed Kaif, co-founder of the NGO Small Appeal, and a friend of Tippu says, he was a relentless and an altruistic individual. Days before he was tested positive for COVID, Tippu had arranged for 9000 masks and dispatched them to Lakshadweep. “When he got to know that there was a rise in Covid cases in the islands, and there was a lack of essential medical supply. He jumped right into it and formed a team to procure medical supplies. He got in touch with people in each island in Lakshadweep to try to understand the needs of people there”.

But friends and associates of Tippu say his work goes beyond providing relief during the pandemic.

Abdullah Raj, a revert and a friend describes Tippu as a genuinely loving person, who was passionate about spreading the message of Islam to the world. “He would talk endlessly about Islam to people trying to clear their misconceptions about the faith”.

Raj said Tippu even left his job as a vice president at J.P. Morgan because it wasn’t complying with Islam, which prohibits interest-based banking. “He was committed to Islam, even at the cost of personal loss,” he said.

In an online condolence meet that was organized in Tippu’s memory on Friday by his friend Imtiaz Chowdhry, more than a hundred people gathered to share their memories of him. One friend Aslam, shared an incident of how Tippu had arranged for monthly groceries for a few widows when he heard that they had no one to support them. Aslam said the families wept when they heard of Tippu’s passing away.

From his children’s school teachers to colleagues, there were tens of people who shared their stories of how Tippu had touched their lives and had helped people. One friend mentioned that he was the grandson of Muslim Vellori (Mohammed Abdul Wahid Khan), a freedom fighter, and a prominent social activist of his time, who took part in many anti-colonial struggles and was jailed several times.

The meeting that was started at 11 pm went on till 2 am. His friends said they had to organize another online meeting the next day to accommodate those who couldn’t attend due to Zoom’s participant limitations.

Tippu was admitted to the city’s Shifa Hospital on June 8th, his brother Tippu Ahmed Khan said. But within days, his condition started worsening and his oxygen level started fluctuating. But even in the hospital bed, Tippu did not stop going out of his to help people in need.

“He was texting and calling people to arrange for oxygen cylinders for other patients when his own health was fast deteriorating,” his brother said.

He was put on ventilator on Friday and he passed away in the evening.

Ameen-E-Mudassar, a Covid warrior who started the Covid Helpline Bangalore website said, in his last message to him, Tippu said that he wanted to start a school, as he had seen many people unable to afford school fees during the pandemic.

“If I come back alive, I want you to work with me on a plan for a school,” he had messaged Ameen. He never came back.

For Tippu’s friends, his silent efforts to help people, without letting anyone know about it is an inspiration they say they would carry forward for the rest of their lives. In the online condolence meeting, one constant statement everyone made about him was how despite knowing him for years there were facets of his life they were not aware of. He had touched the lives of many people in so many ways.

His friends are now planning to bring up a biography of Tippu, highlighting his life and contributions. “It will serve as an inspiration to friends and family and it will serve as a memory to his young children on what a selfless and beautiful man their father was,” said Ameen.

Tippu is survived by his wife and three children.

source: http://www.thecognate.com / The Cognate / Home> News / by Shaik Zakeer Hussain / June 20th, 2021

Freedom Fighter & Islamic Scholar Mufti Abd-Ur-Razzaq Of Bhopal Passes Away, Laid To Rest With State Honours

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Bhopal, MADHYA PRADESH :

Bhopal :

A leading Islamic scholar and freedom fighter Mufti Abd-ur-Razzaq Khan of Bhopal, who was national vice president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind (Maulana Arshad Madani faction), breathed his last after a prolonged illness here on May 26. He was about 96 years of age.

Mufti Abd-ur-Razzaq was laid to rest on May 27 afternoon with state Guard of Honours granted by the Madhya Pradesh Government. Since he was a popular figure and had followers cutting across the barriers of religion, cast and creed, the funeral was held amidst tight security apprehending mass turnout in the face of prevailing lockdown and Corona curfew in the city.

He had authored more than 50 books including Sarzamīn-e-Hind: Ambiyā kirām aur Islām; Qur’ān mai kya hai?, Āzādi; Aslāf aur Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind; Islāmi zindagi: paidā’ish se jannat tak; Ahle Qur’ān aur ahle kitāb etc.

Police sealed walled city 

Meanwhile, considering the popularity and his large number of followers, police took precautionary measures to avoid large congregation during his last rites because of corona curfew. The police put up barricades at prominent squares and roads of old city areas and police officers along with district administration also appealed people to avoid gathering because of the Corona curfew. Bhopal entry points from all sides were also sealed to prevent followers and admirers of the cleric from all the districts of the state from entering the city.

Police barricaded the roads in old Bhopal. Only family members and limited people were allowed to attend the funeral. The heavy police force was deployed at all the prime squares and areas including Tarjama Wali Mosque, Iqbal Maidan, Peer Gate, Bhopal Talkies, Nadra bus stand, Alpana Talkies, Sangam Talkies, Moti Masjid, Ret Ghat, Kamla Park and adjoining areas. In addition to barricading all the routes to old Bhopal, the old city area was guarded by additional force of 700 policemen. The routes connecting Bhopal from borders and the roads towards old city areas remained closed.

Equally respected in all circles

Mufti Abd-ur-Razzaq in 1958 had established the Madrasa Islamia Arabia in Bhopal and a mosque popularly known as Tarjama Wali Masjid of Bhopal. He used to teach Islamic preaching in Indian language because of which the mosque gained the name Tarjama (translation) mosque. He was an Indian Muslim scholar, mufti and an activist of Indian freedom struggle, who was equally respected in political, social, civil and all circles. The Governor of Madhya Pradesh, Anandiben Patel, honoured him in January 2021 for his participation in the Indian freedom struggle.

The high point of his life was that he was able to establish a chain of Madrasas/Maktabs all over Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh wherein thousands of students receive Deeni Taleem (Religious education). He was revered by leaders of all religions. He used to organise meetings of leaders of various faiths to establish inter-religious dialogue with objective of creating communal harmony among the people. He was among those religious leaders who ran one of the oldest Gaushala on the outskirt of the city.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh, MP Congress Committee president & former chief minister Kamal Nath, Rajya Sabha member and Digvijay Singh expressed grief over his demise.

Mufti Abd-ur-Razzaq was born on 13th August 1925. He was schooled in “Masjid Malang Shah”, Jamia Darul Uloom Ilāhiya and Jamia Aḥmadiya in Bhopal. In July 1952, he joined the Darul Uloom Deoband to complete his studies. He studied Sahih Bukhari with Hussain Ahmad Madani; Sahih Muslim with Fakhrul Hasan Moradabadi; Jami’ al-Tirmidhi with Muḥammad Ibrāhim Balyawi; Sunan Abu Dawud with Bashīr Aḥmad; Sunan Nasai and Sunan ibn Majah with Mubārak Hussain; Muwatta Imām Muḥammad with Meraj-ul-Haq Deobandi; Muwatta Imam Malik with Sayyid Hasan; Shama’il Muhammadiyah with Muhammad Tayyib Qasmi; and Sharah Wiqāyah with Muhammad Salim Qasmi. He completed studying the “Dars-e-Nizami” course in 1377 AH and then specialized in “Ifta” with Mahdi Hasan Shahjahanpuri.

Participated in freedom struggle

Mufti Abd-ur-Razzaq participated in the Indian freedom struggle. In 1947, he was part of a fight that took place in Bhopal’s Qazi camp against the British colonialism. In 1958, he established Madrasa Islamia Arabia, one of the oldest and largest Islamic seminary in Bhopal. He was patron of various Islamic seminaries in Madhya Pradesh. He was also the state-president of the Darul Uloom Deoband’s “Rābta Madāris-e-Islamiya” for Madhya Pradesh. He is credited with the growth and development of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind in Madhya Pradesh. He served as its national vice-president and the state-president for Madhya Pradesh. In 1958, he was appointed the vice-mufti of Bhopal’s “Dārul Qadha” (Islamic court); and chief-judge in 1968. He served as the Mufti of Bhopal city from 1974 to 1983. He promoted inter-religious harmony by organizing meetings with leaders of various faiths.[10] He was a vivid speaker and instructed Muslims to cope with communal riots with ways befitting the situation.

In 2016, denouncing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Vishva Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activities in Madhya Pradesh, he told Muslims to maintain peace and not to engage in rioting or other things that could damage the peaceful atmosphere in the State. He expressed, “if someone attacks you and you don’t have any other solution but to kill him or to die for saving others from rioters, do not hesitate and go ahead. He also asked the political leaders of Madhya Pradesh to control these right-wing organisations and stop them from attacking and abusing Muslims.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Featured> Religion / by Parvez Bari, India Tomorrow / May 31st, 2021

The Revolt of 1857: Maulavi Ahmadullah Shah, the Rebel Saint of Faizabad

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The Maulavi of Faizabad managed to keep the city free from British rule for almost a year until his death at the hands of British agents on June 5, 1858.

Faizabad (Ayodhya District), UTTAR PRADESH :

The Relief of Lucknow, 1857, by Thomas Jon Barker. Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Ahmadullah Shah, born in 1787, more famously known as Maulavi of Faizabad, was one of the leading figures of the great Indian revolt of 1857. In the Awadh region, Maulavi Ahmadullah Shah was known as the ‘Lighthouse of Rebellion’. Hailing from a noble warrior family of Awadh in Faizabad, he grew up to be a political leader committed to armed revolutionary insurrection against British rule in India.

Maulavi Ahmadullah Shah. Credit: YouTube screengrab

During the freedom struggle, Maulavi made Faizabad the centre and launched revolts in all of the Awadh region. He made the local mosque Masjid Sarai located in Chowk area of Faizabad his headquarters. As he liberated Faizabad and the larger part of Awadh region, he used the premises of this mosque to hold meetings with rebellion leaders.

Maulavi Ahmadullah Shah kept Faizabad free from British rule for almost one year, until his death at the hands of British agents on June 5, 1858.

According to researcher and historian Ram Shankar Tripathi, “With being a practicing Muslim, he was also the epitome of religious unity and Ganga-Jamuna culture of Faizabad. In the revolt of 1857, royalties like Nana Sahib of Kanpur, Kunwar Singh of Arrah fought alongside Maulavi Ahmadullah Shah. Maulavi’s 22nd Infantry Regiment was commanded by Subedar Ghamandi Singh and Subedar Umrao Singh in the famous Battle of Chinhat.”

Tripathi narrates, “Maulavi wanted Raja Jagannath Singh of Pawayan, a zamindar in district Shahjahanpur of Uttar Pradesh, to join the anti-colonial war. On June 5, 1858, with prior appointment, he went to meet Raja Jagannath Singh in his fortress-like house. On arriving at the gate, he was greeted with a volley of gunshots from Jagannath Singh’s brother and retainers. The Maulavi breathed his last on the spot.”

“The martyr’s head was severed and carried in a piece of cloth with blood still oozing from it to the district magistrate, Shahjahanpur, by the zamindar. The district magistrate was at lunch with his friends. But the depraved feudal lord rushed in and presented the severed head of the hero on the dining table of the district magistrate. With a reward of Rs 50,000, he returned home, flying atop the flag of loyalty.”

According to another historian Roshan Taqui, “Maulavi use to bring out revolutionary pamphlets mobilising the masses to do ‘Jihad’ against the British. Maulavi was arrested by the British in January 1857 and was held captive in Faizabad, but three months before the revolt broke out in Lucknow on June 3,  he escaped and launched a war against the British in Awadh region including Faizabad, Lucknow and Shahjahanpur.”

“During the revolt, the revolutionaries appointed him as chief of 22nd Infantry Regiment that fought the famous battle of Chinhat in Ismailganj of Lucknow on June 30, 1857, against British forces led by Henry Lawrence. Britishers were badly defeated in this war,” informed Roshan Taqui.

British officers like George Bruce Malleson and Thomas Seaton have made mentions about courage, valour, personal and organisational capabilities of Maulavi Ahmadullah Shah. Malleson has repeatedly mentioned Ahmadullah in the History of Indian Mutiny, a book written in six volumes covering the revolt of 1857.

source: http://www.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> History / by Arshad Afzal Khan / June 05th, 2018

Dr Abidullah Ghazi – Founder, Author, Poet – Iqra Int’l Educational Foudation – Chicago, US – Laid to rest : April 12th, 2021

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Watch Video: Dr Abidullah Ghazi laid to rest in Chicago

Ambehta (Sahranpur District),(formerly United Provinces) UTTAR PRADESH / INDIA, Chicago, U.S.A. :

Dr Abidullah Ghazi’s wife Dr Tasneem and others at the funeral ceremony held in Chicago on Monday afternoon.

The 85-year-old founder of Iqra International Educational Foundation was ailing since last few years and died on Sunday.

Chicago: 

Dr Abidullah Ghazi – Scholar, Poet, Author, Philosopher and Activist, was laid to rest in the afternoon Monday April 12, 2021 in Chicago.

The 85-year-old founder of Iqra International Educational Foundation was ailing since last few years and under medication at a Chicago hospital-cum-rehab. He passed away in the wee hours of Sunday April 12, 2021.

He is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters.

Immediate family members, including his wife Dr Tasneema Ghazi and children, were present when he was buried at Chicago cemetery on Monday.

The funeral that lasted for more than one and half hours was limited only to the immediate family members due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Dr Abidullah Ghazi was born to Maulana Hamid Al Ansari – freedom fighter and a renowned journalist of his time, on July 6, 1936 in India. His mother had died when he was still in her early age. Under the guardianship of his grandmother, he was admitted in Jamia Millia at the age of 08.

Later he completed M A (Political Science) and BTh from Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). He went on to do M A in Economics from the London School of Economics and later wrote thesis on the revivalist views of Raja Rammohan Roy for his Ph.D. at the Ivy League, Harvard University.


Dr Ghazi also published, ‘Zikr-e-Saman Izaraan’, an anthology of Urdu poems.

After completing his education he first migrated to the United Kingdom and then to the United States where he stayed till his last breath.

Dr. Ghazi, who had also done Ph.D. in comparative religions from Harvard University, was a fixture in America’s Muslim community and a pioneer in providing quality Islamic education to our children.

Video:

https://www.facebook.com/abidullah.ghazi.7/videos/10158529719212054/?t=12

Dr Ghazi was the author and editor of over 150 text and support books on Islamic syllabus designed with his wife Dr Tasneema Ghazi especially for Muslim children living in Western countries or studying in English-medium schools.

He had established Iqra Foundation in Mumbai which is run and taken care of by his younger brother Salman Ghazi and his wife Uzma Nahid.

Dr Abidullah Ghazi was named by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre as being among the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World. Besides, Dr. Ghazi was also the recipient of numerous awards notably the Citizen’s Award, the Ronald Regan Award, Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Order of Excellence) from Pakistan, a Certificate of Welcome from the City of Los Angeles many others.

Condolences pour in

Condolences are pouring in from different circles and by prominent people who termed the demise of Dr Abidullah Ghazi a great loss not just for the Muslims in the United States but also for those living in other parts of the world, especially India.

“Dr Ghazi, a prominent alumnus, enriched cerebral legacy of Aligarh Movement. He was among a bunch of highly motivated, adventurous persons who broke barriers and went on to distinguish themselves in their chosen fields,” AMU Vice Chancellor, Prof Tariq Mansoor said.

Extending condolences to the bereaved family of the deceased, the Vice Chancellor said:

“I shared a warm personal rapport with Dr Ghazi. The AMU fraternity will always carry Dr Ghazi’s memory in hearts.”

In his condolence message, renowned literary personality Hashmat Sohail said:

“It’s hard to believe Dr. Ghazi is no longer with us. I spent many years together. He will be remembered forever in the worldwide literary community.”

Ali Khan, President and Founder of Urdu Semaj Chicago, in his condolence message said:

“He was a legend in our community and a very genuine, Urdu lover People from Chicago will especially miss the late Dr. Abid Ghazi This is a total loss for us. He was devoted and inspirational leader for the whole community.”

http://www.iqra.org

source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India>Life & Style / by ummid.com news network / April 13th, 2021

After Wali Rahmani, Anees Chisti also left for heavenly abode

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Pune, MAHARASHTRA :

Pune:

Well known educationist, intellectual, thinker and author of several books, Professor Anees Chishti has passed away in Pune at the age of 79.  He was unsung hero of the community who made tremendous contributions in the progress of the community in the country.   He will be also remembered for his dawha works as he translated Islamic literature into local Marathi language. He was a close confidant of late Maulana Abul al Hasan Nadvi who launched All India Tahreek e payam e insaaniyat with an aim to dispel misunderstandings about Islam.   Chisty was one the pillars of this movement.

According to Anees Chishti’s family, he first suffered a heart attack and then later normal infected by COVID-19. During his treatment at Azam campus Unani hospital Pune He took his last breath and was buried on Monday, April 5, after Isha prayers at Muhammad Jamia Hussaini Masjid in the city.

As news of his demise spread, condolence messages flooded on social media. Many important personalities expressed their grief and sorrow who acknowledged the scholarly and social services of Anees Chishti.

Chisti was born on February 6, 1943 in Pune. His father Shakeel Ahmad was a freedom fighter. He was educated in Pune and Sholapur. Pune is considered the brain of Brahminical forces.

Expressing condolences on the demise of Anish Chishti, PA Inamdar administrator of Azam Campus Pune, said his demise is a great  loss to the nation. He said that Anees Chishti was recognized as an authority in Islamic studies and science and literature.

Munawar Pir Bhai from Pune termed the demise of Anis Chishti as a great loss of the society and said that he was a very capable and intelligent person. Traveled to many countries, he had a keen eye on Islam and Allama iqbal. And he described the death of Anis Chishti as his personal loss.

Talha, nephew of Anees Chishti, said that after the death of Maulana Wali Rahmani, he had gone to Lucknow to meet Maulana Rabi Hasni Nadvi.

After returning from the trip, his health deteriorated and on April 5, at around 5.30 pm, he passed away. The personality of Anees Chishti was a person with various attributes.  He was a member of the Majlis-e-Shura of Darul Uloom Nadwa tul Ulema, Lucknow and member of the, All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

He was very close to Maulana Syed Abul Hassan Ali Nadvi, a thinker of Islam, and he was the General Secretary of the All India Tahreek e payam e insaaniyat. The movement was launched in the backdrop of Babri masjid dispute which had been used by the communal forces to spread lies about Muslims and Islam in the country.

He was the author of many Urdu, Marathi and English books. His books have been translated into various languages. He was a connoisseur of calligraphy, a teacher of calligraphy, an Islamic scholar, and an educator. Apart from Urdu, many of his books have been published in Marathi.

Mirza Abdul Qayyum Nadvi, a bookseller and activist from Aurangabad, said that he had spoken to Anis Chishti two days before his death. More than 53 of his books have been published. Anis Chishti was fluent in many languages. These included Urdu, Marathi, Hindi, English, Arabic, Persian and other languages. He was a very good man, a man of knowledge, a good teacher, a good writer, a credible writer, an eloquent speaker, a guest lecturer on the panel of high-ranking training institutes. He has received numerous accolades for his books on education, and books on Muslim freedom fighters .and other books. In many countries, his Urdu and English language books are included in the Syllabus.

He trained soldiers at the Indian Institute of Education, College of Military Engineering Pune. He has delivered sermons and lectures on Islamic and scientific and literary topics in different parts of the country. He is survived by a daughter and four brothers.  Arguably, his demise made the community further poorer as it was in the shocked after Muslim Personal Law Board General Secretary Maulana Mohammad Wali Rahmani in Patna just two days before.

source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim / by Abdul Bari Masoud / April 07th, 2021

Assam epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity: CM Sonowal on new book ‘The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims’

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

ASSAM / NEW DELHI :

CM Sarbananda Sonowal calls Zafri Mudasser Nofil’s new book, The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims, an informing and inspiring read as it significantly highlights the Assamese Muslims and their lineage to the medieval period when Muslim rulers and generals invaded the region

Assam epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity: CM Sonowal on new book 'The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims' | Hindustan Times
Assam epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity: CM Sonowal in foreword of Zafri’s new book(Twitter/zafrimn/sarbanandsonwal)

Assam has over the years set a perfect example of harmonious coexistence and is an “epitome of unity” between Hindus and Muslims, which is reflected in the Zikir devotional songs popularised by Muslim mystic Azan Pir and inspired by Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Sankaradeva, says Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

He makes these remarks in the foreword to a new book “The Identity Quotient: The Story of the Assamese Muslims” written by journalist Zafri Mudasser Nofil and brought out by Har-Anand Publications.

“Assam has over the years set a perfect example of harmonious coexistence of Hindus and Muslims. The state has been an epitome of Hindu-Muslim unity which becomes evident from the symbiosis of Hindu-Muslim friendship,” Sonowal says.

“The Zikir and Zari of Azan Pir inspired by Srimanta Sankaradeva essentially preach the secular message, the same way as to how Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s songs reverberate the message of equality, peace and unity between religions and humanism,” he adds.

The Zikirs and Zaris are Muslim devotional songs in Assamese ascribed to Azan Pir who has become a spiritual icon of Assam exemplifying universal brotherhood. He was inspired by Srimanta Sankaradeva and was successful in building a bridge of unity.

The chief minister notes that the book significantly highlights the Assamese Muslims and their lineage to the medieval period when Muslim rulers and generals invaded the region. Nofil, himself an Assamese Muslim, covered Assam for ‘The Sentinel’ newspaper in Guwahati before moving to New Delhi where he is now working as a Senior News Editor for Press Trust of India (PTI) on its national desk. “I am happy with the book which encapsulates vignettes of the contributions of the Muslims of the state, their customs, traditions and their unique cuisines. With its uniqueness of being a narrative non-fiction with vivid quotes from historical texts, I am sure the book will be read and appreciated by all. I hope the book informs and inspires many,” Sonowal says.

In the book, Nofil traces the history of Muslims in Assam in the medieval era, their amalgamation with the locals and discusses their contribution to the state up to the present day, when talks of a controversial citizenship law and national register of citizens (NRC) have caused tension among the community “This book tells how Muslims of Assam are different from the rest of the country. They take pride in calling themselves Assamese first and never consider themselves to be lesser Assamese than Assamese Hindus,” Nofil writes. The book draws information from multitudes of credible historical documents and archives, interactions with litterateurs, scholars and artistes.

The contribution of Assamese Muslims has been multifaceted, diverse and immense. Be it politics, civil services, literature, art, education, law, sports, music, films and entertainment, they have excelled in every other field, Nofil says in the book.

It profiles several achievers, who have made a mark in their respective fields. They include former president Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed to actor Adil Hussain and classical singer Begum Parveen Sultana, to several people from the community who have many firsts to their names.

But of late, he says, the indigenous Muslims have been “suffering the ignominy” of being bracketed with illegal immigrants as ‘Miya’, an Urdu word meaning gentleman, which is, however, used in Assam for Bangladeshi-origin Muslims who mostly live in ‘char’ areas or floating river islands.

(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com / Hindustan Times / Home> Lifestyle / by Press Trust of India / posted by Zafarshan Shiraz,New Delhi / December 14th, 2020

Durga ‘Bhabhi’ and Maulvi Liaquat to get their due at the Allahabad Museum

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, Martyrs of the Nation, Travel & Tourism

Allahabad, UTTAR PRADESH :

₹8 crore project for ‘one of its kind’ Azad Gallery will tell the story of revolutionaries in the Indian freedom movement.

From the spirit of the Ghadarites to the sacrifice of Durga ‘Bhabhi’, a section of historians and the political class feel that the contribution of revolutionaries to the Indian freedom movement has not been well-documented. In a bid to strike a balance, the Allahabad Museum is in the process of creating a “one of its kind” Azad Gallery, where the story of the revolutionary struggle of the Indian freedom movement would be told through artefacts and interactive displays.

Named after Chandra Shekhar Azad, who attained martyrdom at about 300 metres from the museum, the gallery is expected to be complete by July 23, 2021, the 115th birth anniversary of the revolutionary.

Backed by the Ministry of Culture and the National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), the infrastructure for the “multi-pronged project is being developed with a budget of around ₹8 crore in 7,500 sq. ft. of space where the revolutionary struggle will be specially depicted, starting with 1857’s First War of Independence to the Azad Hind Fauj,” said Sunil Gupta, Director in-charge of the museum.

Dr. Gupta, who has spent three decades at the museum in different capacities, said the story of this struggle had not been comprehensively told through curatorial display and was being done for the first time by the Allahabad Museum.

Promising a “world-class experience”, Dr. Gupta said the infrastructure would be ready by January and the NCSM would then take over to implement the design.

One of the highlights of the museum has been the .32 caliber Colt pistol which belonged to Azad. It is showcased in a bulletproof case and is guarded by U.P. police personnel. “As per our records, the pistol is said to have been received from John Knott Bower, the police officer who led the encounter against Azad,” said Dr. Gupta.

One of the highlights of the museum has been the .32 caliber Colt pistol which belonged to Chandra Shekhar Azad. It is showcased in a bulletproof case and is guarded by U.P. police personnel.   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

On the theory that although the Colt could have belonged to Azad, it was a Mauser he used during the shoot out, Dr. Gupta said the records of Azad’s associates were being looked into. “Revolutionary Manmath Nath Gupta, in his book They Lived Dangerously, has recounted an incident in which a Mauser pistol owned by Azad went off accidentally. Gupta [the author] also recounted that Azad was also loading other pistols and revolvers that he had with him,” Dr. Gupta said.

Dr. Gupta recalled Durga (Devi Vohra) ‘Bhabhi’, who assumed the identity of Bhagat Singh’s wife to help him escape from Lahore after Saunders’ assassination, grew up in Kaushambi near Allahabad before being married to revolutionary Bhagwati Charan Vohra. “She was no less than Bhagat Singh. A day after Bhagat Singh and his associates were sentenced to death, she fired at a British police officer and his wife from a moving car in Bombay,” he said.

Dr. Gupta argued it was not that she was not celebrated at all but that she was never made an icon. “She almost remained incognito till she died in 1999. She ran a small school in Lucknow and we are in the process of acquiring documents related to her,” he said.

Liaquat Ali   | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The museum also has a kurta–pyjama and sword of Maulvi Liaquat Ali, who was the leader of revolutionaries in 1857 in Allahabad. “Under him, Allahabad was liberated for at least 10-15 days. His headquarters was the historic Khusro Bagh, where he unfurled the flag of the Mughal emperor,” recounted Dr. Gupta.

In the arms and armoury gallery of the museum, there is a submachine gun of the First World War, “the kind which would have been used by Ghadar revolutionaries in 1915 had the rebellion not been thwarted because of international conspiracies,” Dr. Gupta said.

There are a number of welcome addresses as well which were “gifted to Pandit Nehru when he visited Singapore, Malaya and Burma in 1937-38 before the Second World War. They were given by Indian-origin merchants, who a few years later funded the INA (Indian National Army),” said Dr. Gupta.

There is also an original letter by Vishnu Sharan Dublish, an accused in the Kakori case.

World over, Dr. Gupta said, artefacts are backed by virtual experiences. “It excites children and helps fill the gaps in the narrative. Seven short films made by the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute will be on show,” he said.

On the ideological slant of the gallery, Dr Gupta said, “We already have galleries devoted to Gandhi and Nehru. As a student of history, I could say the revolutionaries have been horribly sidelined and in some cases, such as Durga ‘Bhabhi’, I would say it was consciously done. However, we were clear the museum is not just about the freedom struggle and have not parted with the [museum’s] Central Hall. We are located in the middle of the Gangetic civilisation and our sculpture collection is amazing. We are sending six-seven of them [sculptures] for an exhibition in the Metropolitan Museum, London.”

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National / by Anuj Kumar / Prayagraj – January 03rd, 2021

Syud Hossain: A forgotten ambassador brought back to life

Amazing Feats, Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Freedom Fighters (under research project), Leaders, NRI's / PIO's, World Opinion, , , , , , , , , , ,

Cairo, EGYPT :

New Delhi:

Among the multitudes of tombs in the City of the Dead in Cairo, there lies buried a lone Indian — an eminent scholar, writer, debonair statesman and a leader of the Indian freedom movement. Who is he? How did he get there? For a man who used both the lectern and the pen to devastating effect in the cause of the Indian Independence movement led by the likes of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru, very little is known of Syud Hossain.

Born to an aristocratic family in Calcutta, he started a career in journalism early in life and became the editor of Motilal Nehru’s nationalist newspaper, “The Independent”. After a brief elopement with Nehru’s sister, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Hossain, under immense pressure from Motilal Nehru and Gandhi, annulled the marriage and was asked to stay away from the country for a few years. Thus began several years of exile.

Eventually, he landed in the US where he imparted Gandhi’s message far and wide across the country. Gathering a group of Indian freedom fighters around him, he fought for India’s freedom from afar, decrying British oppression and garnering support in the US for his cause. Flitting from one place to another, making homes of hotel rooms, Syud Hossain inspired and irked in equal measure. With every speech he delivered and every editorial he penned, he sent a shiver down the spine of the colonial rulers.

Adding to his formidable list of causes, Hossain also took on the fight for Indian immigrant rights in the US, one that successfully culminated in President Harry Truman signing the Luce-Celler Bill into an Act in 1946. He returned to India to witness the triumph of her Independence, as well as the tragedy of Gandhi’s assassination. He was appointed the first ever Indian ambassador to Egypt, where he died while in service and was laid to rest in Cairo.

“A Forgotten Ambassador in Cairo” (Simon & Schuster) offers an illuminating narrative of Hossain’s life interspersed with historical details that landscapes a vivid political picture of that era. Through primary sources that include Hossain’s private papers, the British Intelligence files, letters of his friends and contemporary newspapers, N.S. Vinodh brilliantly brings to life a man who has been relegated far too long to the shadows of time. Vinodh, is a civil engineering graduate from IIT, Madras, and a M.B.A. from IIM, Lucknow. In a corporate career spanning 25 years, he has held senior positions in corporate real estate with leading multi-national financial services companies such as ANZ Grindlays Bank, HSBC, and Fidelity Investments. He opted for early retirement to start his own boutique real estate company, as well as pursue his passion of travelling and history. He is married to Sheela and they have two sons, both based in the United States. He is based in Bangalore.

IANS

source: http://www.thehawk.in / The Hawk / Home>Lifestyle / by IANS / December 30th, 2020