Ali Husain Aasim Bihari who was a freedom fighter, big leader, organised workers in Bihar & Bengal, brought out newspapers, formed multiple organisations.
He, led Momin Ansari community, and all his life fought for workers’ rights. Suffered a lot in process and his family also lived in challenging circumstances.
Hailing from Bihar Sharif, Nalanda, he had to shift to Kolkata to earn a living and it was here that he began involved in freedom movement and started an unprecedented political and social journey despite financial constraints.
Aasim Bihari left a huge legacy but led a tough life. His family bore consequences of his immense passion for awakening the masses, at the cost of his own health and finances. He opposed partition of India and worked for uplift of downtrodden. He passed away in independent India and was buried in Allahabad.
I don’t think it is easy to write about his missionary zeal and his sacrifices without getting tears in eyes. He faced personal tragedies, the death of his brother, the lack of money that caused hardships to his daughter, the suffering of his wife and entire family.
He was ailing and couldn’t be treated. He had declined the post of minister, also refused to take a princely sum, luring offer from a major political party, and his integrity for the cause was unquestionable.
In a life of constant struggle. Aasim Bihari formed organisations, led agitations, ran campaign to release nationalist leaders from jails after Jallianwalabagh massacre by sending letters from people of all parts of country to Queen & Viceroy. Brought out journals, weavers were organised amd turned into a political force.
Born in 1889 [1890*], he passed away in 1953. From Jamiatul Momineen, his lifelong fight for rights, awareness, awakening and education among masses, continued.
CM recently released book on him and it has been decided to add a chapter on his life in school textbook.
Book ‘Banda e Momin Ka Hath’ by Prof Ahmad Sajjad , pic: rekhta.org
[There is slight variation in references about his year of birth. However, the date of birth is April 15.]
source: http://www.anindianmuslim.com / Indscribe / Home / by Shams ur Rehman Alavi (image of book cover edited – source: rekhta.org) / June 22nd, 2023
Jabasar Village (Jhunjhunu District) , RAJASTHAN :
Jhunjhunu :
Abdul Javed, a soldier from the 73 Armored Unit of the Army, was laid to rest with full state honors in his native village of Jabasar, Jhunjhunu district. He tragically lost his life in a road accident near Malsisar Alsisar while on his way to Jhunjhunu.
Abdul Javed had returned home on a month’s leave for Eid on April 2, but his visit was cut short by the unfortunate accident. The Rajputana Rifles contingent from Jaipur paid a heartfelt guard of honor to their fallen comrade during the burial ceremony.
The soldier’s funeral procession was preceded by a solemn tricolor rally organized by local youth as a mark of respect. Villagers, along with Abdul Javed’s father and elder brother, gathered to offer floral tributes and bid farewell to the departed soul.
The Army contingent that attended the funeral included Major Aziz Khan, Risaldar Asrar Ahmed, Risaldar Nasrat Hussain, Naib Risaldar Zakir Khan, and several other dignitaries. Additionally, local officials such as Naib Tehsildar Chhaganlal and Sarpanch Irshad Ahmed, along with community leaders and members, paid their respects during the ceremony.
The heartfelt turnout and gestures of respect from the community and the armed forces reflect the deep gratitude and reverence for Abdul Javed’s service and sacrifice. His memory will forever remain cherished in the hearts of his fellow soldiers and his village.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / April 08th, 2024
Several Muslim women were an active part of India’s freedom struggle, some of whom emerged from Hyderabad.
The list includes Abadi Bano Begum, Bibi Amtus Salam, Begum Anis Kidwai, Begum Nishatunnisa Mohani, Baji Jamalunnisa, Hajara Beebi Ismail, Kulsum Sayani, and Syed Fakrul Hajiya Hassan.
As India celebrates 75 years of Independence the country often recalls those that were instrumental in the country’s freedom struggle. But often those who aren’t talked about enough evanesce into the archives of history.
As men who took lead roles in the movement were put behind bars, the women ensured that the movement would not die down and the country attained the freedom a vast majority of it’s residents and citizens enjoy today.
The country’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech, on Monday, hailed women and the part they played during the times including, Rani Laxmibai, Jhalkari Bai, Durga Bhabhi, Rani Gaidinliu and Begum Hazrat Mahal among others.
These are a few among the many names that are a part of the country’s Independence struggle. Apart from Begum Mahal, who made it to the list of the PM’s speech, today, Muslim women have made their mark in Indian history.
Abadi Bano Begum, Bibi Amtus Salam, Begum Anis Kidwai, Begum Nishatunnisa Mohani Baji Jamalunnisa, Hajara Beebi Ismail, Kulsum Sayani, and Syed Fakrul Hajiya Hassan are among those who are often forgotten or lost in public memory.
Abadi Bano Begum (Born 1852- Died 1924)
Abadi Bano Begum was the first Muslim woman who actively took part in politics and was also a part of the movement to free India from the British Raj. Abadi Bano Begum referred to by Gandhi as Bi Amma, was born in 1852, in Uttar Pradesh’s Amroha.
Bi Amman was married to a senior official in the Rampur State, Abdul Ali Khan.
After the death of her husband, Bano raised her children (two daughters and five sons) on her own. Her sons, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jouhar and Maulana Shaukat Ali become leading figures of the Khilafat Movement and the Indian Independence Movement. They played an important role during the non-cooperation movement against the British Raj.
Bi Amma, despite her poor financial condition, from 1917-1921, donated Rs 10 every month to protest against the British Defense Act, after Sarojini Naidu’s arrest.
In 1917, Bano also joined the agitation to release Annie Besant and her sons, who were arrested by the British after their failed attempts to silence her home rule movement in 1917, launched alongside, Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
Despite being a conservative Muslim for the most part of her life Bi Ammah was one of the most prominent faces of Muslim women in India’s freedom struggle.
To get the support of women, Mahatma Gandhi encouraged her to speak in a session of the all-Indian Muslim league, she gave a speech which left a lasting impression on the Muslims of British India.
Bano played an important role in fundraising for the khilafat movement and the Indian Independence movement.
Bibi Amtus Salam (Died 1985)
Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘adopted daughter’ from Patiala Bibi Amtus Salam was a social worker and his disciple who played an active role in combating communal violence in the wake of the partition and in the rehabilitation of refugees who came to India following the partition.
She has on several occasions risked her life by rushing to sensitive areas during the communal riots in Calcutta, Delhi and Deccan.
Bibi Salam was a Muslim inmate of the Gandhi ashram and had over time become an adopted daughter to Gandhi.
After the Noakhali riots, an article published in The Tribune on February 9, 1947, noted that Amtus Salam’s 25-day fast, which was intended to make offenders feel guilty, was one of the most significant outcomes of Gandhi and his disciples’ actions.
To protest the “negligence” of the state authorities in the effort to rescue kidnapped women and children, she sat on an indefinite fast at Dera Nawab in Bahawalpur.
Begum Hazrat Mahal (Born 1820-Died 1879)
An iconic figure of the 1857 uprising, Begum Hazrat Mahal fought against the British East India Company.
Begum, the wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, the ruler of Awadh, refused to accept any favours or allowances from the British. Begum, with the aid of her commander Raja Jailal Singh, battled the British East India Company valiantly.
Muhammadi Khanum, the future Mahal, was born in Faizabad, Uttar Pradesh, in 1830. Gulam Hussain is her father. She had an early understanding of literature. The East India Company’s destruction of mosques and temples to make room for highways served as the catalyst for her uprising.
When the British East India Company invaded Awadh in 1856 and her husband, the last Nawab of Awadh, was exiled to Calcutta, the Begum made the decision to remain in Lucknow along with her son, Birjis Qadir.
On May 31, 1857, they convened in Lucknow’s Chavani neighbourhood to declare Independence and drive the British out of the city.
On July 7, 1857, Begum Hazrat Mahal proclaimed her son, Birjis Khadir, the Nawab of Awadh. She raised 1,80,000 soldiers and lavishly renovated the Lucknow fort as the Nawab’s mother.
She died there on 7 April 1879.
Begum Anis Kidwai (Born 1906- Died 1982)
A politician and activist from Uttar Pradesh (UP) named Anis Kidwai devoted most of her life to serving the newly Independent India, working for peace and the rehabilitation of the victims of the terrible partition of India.
She represented the Indian National Congress (INC) in the Rajya Sabha from 1956 to 1962, serving two terms as a Member of the Parliament.
Anis Begum Kidwai remained active during the Indian National Movement. Despite gaining independence in 1947, India suffered from country division.
By then, her husband Shafi Ahmed Kidwai had been murdered by communal forces for his efforts to promote amity between Muslims and Hindus and to prevent the split of the country. She was deeply devastated by her husband’s passing.
She visited Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi following her husband’s passing as a result of this unfortunate tragedy.
In order to support and assist the women who were suffering similarly to her as a result of the country’s separation, she began working with women leaders like Subhadra Joshi, Mridula Sarabhai, and others under the direction of Mahatma Gandhi.
She also started rescue camps for the victims and supported them in all respects. They affectionately called her ‘Anis Aapa’. She penned her experiences during the division of the Nation in her book ‘Azadi Ki Chaon Mein’.
Begum Nishatunnisa Mohani (Born 1884- Died 1937)
Begum Nishatunnisa Mohani was born in 1884 in Awadh, Uttar Pradesh, and her notion of ultimate freedom was adopted by Gandhiji.
Married to Moulana Hasrat Mohani, a tenacious independence warrior and the one who gave the phrase “Inquilab Zindabad” its origin. Begum, a fierce opponent of British authority, supported the then-hardliner of the liberation struggle, Bal Gangadhar Tilak.
After his imprisonment for publishing an anti-British piece, she wrote to her husband, Hasrat Mohani, encouraging him and raising his spirits by saying, “Face the risks imposed upon you boldly. Do not give me any thought. No sign of weakness should come from you. ‘Be careful’.”
Later, when her husband was in prison, she took over the publication of his daily, Urdu-e-Mualla, and engaged in various legal disputes with the government.
Baji Jamalunnisa, Hyderabad (Born 1915- Died 2016)
Baji Jamalunnisa, who actively participated in the Telangana armed conflict, passed away in this city on July 22 2016, at the age of 101.
Jamalunnisa Baji was born in Hyderabad in 1915 and was a prominent advocate for racial peace and the independence cause.
She began reading the banned journal “nigar” and progressive literature as a young child after being raised by her parents in a liberal/progressive environment.
Despite being raised in the traditional religious traditions of the Nizam regime, a component of the British Raj, she actively participated in the nationalist movement.
She continued to participate in the independence movement despite the oppressive rule of the Nizam and the British rule over her in-laws’ objections.
Later, she met Maulana Hazrat Mohani (the man who coined the phrase “Inquilab Zindabad” and was known as “Thunder Bolt” in the Freedom struggle), who inspired her to join the anti-imperialist movement in the nation.
She provided sanctuary to freedom fighters trying to avoid being arrested by the Imperial Government while being a communist.
Despite lacking basic higher education, she was fluent in Urdu and English and founded the literary society Bazme Ehabab, which held debates in groups on socialism, communism, and unreasonable customs.
She is buried at the Hazrath Syed Ahmed Bad-e-Pah dargah in First Lancer. She was the sister of Syed Akthar Hasan, a former MLA and the founder of Payam Daily, and was better known as “Baji”.
She was a close friend and member of the Communist Party of Maqdoom Mohiuddin. Baji was also a founding member of the Progressive Writers Association and the Women’s Cooperative Society.
Hajara Beebi Ismail, Andhra Pradesh (Died 1994)
Mohammed Ismail Saheb’s wife, Hajara Beebi Ismail, was a freedom warrior from Tenali in the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh.
Mahatma Gandhi had a significant impact on the pair, who committed themselves to the Khadi campaign movement. In the Guntur district, her husband Mohammed Ismail opened the first Khaddar Store, earning him the moniker “Khaddar Ismail.”
Tenali served as the Muslim League’s headquarters during that time in the Andhra area, where it was particularly active.
Since Hajara and her husband supported Gandhi, they encountered fierce hostility from the Muslim League. Despite her husband’s repeated arrests for his involvement in the national movement, Hajara Beebi never lost spirit.
Kulsum Sayani (Born 1900- Died 1987)
On October 21, 1900, in Gujarat, Kulsum Sayani was born. She participated in the Indian National Movement and battled against social injustices.
Kulsum and her father met Mahatma Gandhi in 1917. Since then, she has travelled Gandhi’s path. Throughout the Indian National Movement, she advocated for social changes.
Dr. Jaan Mohamad Sayani, a well-known liberation fighter, was the man she wed. She participated actively in a number of events of the Indian Freedom Struggle, with her husband’s backing.
She began working with the illiterate and joined the Charkha Class. She also had a significant impact on the Indian National Congress’s “Jan Jagaran” campaigns, which raised public awareness of social ills.
Sayani’s operations included the suburbs and the metropolis of Mumbai.
Syed Fakrul Hajiya Hassan (Died 1970)
Syed Fakrul Hajiyan Hassan, who not only took part in the Indian freedom fight but also urged her children to do so. She was born into a family that immigrated to India from Iraq. She raised her kids to be freedom fighters who later gained notoriety as the “Hyderabad Hassan Brothers.”
Hajiya wed Amir Hassan, who had relocated to Hyderabad from Uttar Pradesh.
She adopted Hyderabadi culture as a result. Amir Hassan, her spouse, had a senior position in the Hyderabad government. He was required to travel to several locations as part of his employment.
She noticed the suffering of women in India while on her visits. She put a lot of effort into the growth of female children.
She lived in Hyderabad, which was governed by the British, yet she actively engaged in the National Freedom Movement since she was a lady with strong national emotions.
She burned foreign clothing at her Abid Manzil in Hyderabad’s Troop Bazaar in response to the demand of the Mahatma Gandhi. She took part in the non-cooperation and Khilafat movements.
She regarded each soldier in the Indian National Army as one of her children. Along with Smt. Sarojini Naidu, and Fhakrul Hajiya put a lot of effort into getting the heroes of Azad Hind Fouz released.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Featured News / by Marziya Sharif / August 17th, 2022
The first national flag hoisted in Demow after independence, 73 years ago has still been preserved well by the family of freedom fighter Commander Mohd. Maulobi Mohd. Hussain.
source: http://www.sentinelassam.com / The Sentinel / Home / by Sentinel Digital Desk / August 14th, 2019
The City Jama Masjid located in Pune’s Shukrawar Peth was built in 1839 for Rs 15,000 from public contributions.
The Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency of 1885 describes the mosque as a “chief Muhammadan place of worship in the city” built around 1839 by public subscription for Rs 15,000. (Express Photo)
On May 10, 1857, Indian sepoys in Meerut broke into an uprising that is now remembered as India’s first war of independence. While Pune, then Poona, did not see any active conflict unlike several other cantonment towns in the country, tension was palpable as the news reached the city through newspapers and word of mouth. The city did see surreptitious meetings, pamphleteering and a surge in rumours, as per accounts by historians.
Among the reactions to the mutiny that have been recorded by historians is that of prayers offered at City Jama Masjid on May 22, 1857, a Friday, for the success of the mutiny.
“After the usual Friday prayers, some 10-12 men remained in the mosque and commenced talking about the war operations before Delhi. The whole party simultaneously rose clapping their hands in the attitude of prayer, bought with the aid of the Prophet on behalf of the mutineers,” as per a contemporary government report quoted in South India in 1857 War of Independence by V D Divekar.
The attendees were identified as Jaffer Mulla, Mahomed Hayat, Hussain Arab, Rhaimu Naichiwala, Maddar Naichiwala, Imam Pattewala and Jamaluddin who were later reported to the police by the informers. It is not known if any punitive measure was taken against the attendees.
The Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency of 1885 describes the mosque as a “chief Muhammadan place of worship in the city” built around 1839 by public subscription for Rs 15,000.
“The back wall has a niche with a step against it, and is covered with texts from the Kuran. In front of the mosque is a well-sanded yard with a fountain in the middle. On one side is a washing cistern or haud. Attached to the mosque is a Persian school, a rest house and some dwellings whose rent go to the mosque fund. All Muhammadan social and religious meetings are held in this mosque,” reads the Gazetteer.
The mosque’s imam, says that a few decades ago, the mosque’s roof was extended by 15 metres to accommodate more namazees. (Express Photo)
Presently, the entrance of the mosque in busy Shukrawar Peth is easy to miss as vintage shops stand shoulder to shoulder. The narrow entrance opens into a moderately spacious courtyard, 100 feet in width and 15 feet in length, before the enclosed mosque starts. There is a wuzukhana, the washing cistern, on the left side with a small fountain-like structure in the middle and the cistern’s edges lined by stools for the namazees to sit on as they do the ablutions before prayers.
That the mosque is over 180 years old is barely recognisable – due to the fresh construction of the front Sahan, the courtyard where namaz is offered, and several coats of paint on the exteriors – until one enters the innermost area which reveals its stone build, topped by a dome.
Maulana Zameeruddin, 64, the mosque’s imam, says that a few decades ago, the mosque’s roof was extended by 15 metres to accommodate more namazees. The move, however, shortened the length of the courtyard and also required the removal of a fountain that was in front of the mosque.
Zameeruddin has been the imam here for the last 40 years. “Before me, my elder uncle was the imam. Earlier, people from far-off areas such as Khadki, Dapodi and Deccan used to come to offer Friday prayer here as this is a historic place. Now, people have shifted to newer areas of the city, such as Kondhwa, where bigger mosques have come up and people prefer to pray there. Still, some people make it a point to come here, especially for Friday prayer,” he said.
For a long time, the Pune civic body’s Urdu-medium school (School No 22), operated from inside the rooms constructed within the courtyard until it shifted to a nearby location later.
Siraj Tamboli, a 65-year-old namazee who visits the mosque several times a day, said, “I belong to the third generation from my family that prays in this mosque. My sons and grandsons also come here.”
source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> News> Cities> Pune / by Atikh Rashid, Pune / July 29th, 2024
“We are Indians first and we are all Indians and will remain Indians. We shall fight for the honour and glory of India and we shall die for it. (Applause). We shall stand united. There will be no divisions among Indians. United we stand; divided we fall. Therefore we do not want a reservation. It means division. I ask the members of the majority community who are present here today: Will you allow us to stand on our legs? Will you allow us to be a part and parcel of the nation? Will you allow us to be an equal partner with you? Will you allow us to march shoulder to shoulder with you? Will you allow us to share your sorrows grief and joy? If you do, then for god’s sake keep your hands off reservation for the Muslim community.” Tajamul Hussain of Patna told this to the members of the Constituent Assembly in 1949.
The speech was a befitting reply to the erstwhile rulers of India, the British crown, and the Muslim League. When the Constituent Assembly was formed, in 1946, to frame a constitution of India, the whole exercise was criticised by the colonial rulers and Muslim League alike.
The case made against the assembly was that it was not a representative body of all Indians. To some extent, the allegation was true. The elections were not held under the Universal Adult Franchise; members were not directly elected. Moreover, seats for Muslims, Sikhs, Parsis, Anglo-Indians, Europeans, and Princely States were fixed. Muslims would vote among Muslim candidates, Hindus among Hindu candidates, and so on.
Tajamul Hussain
To make matters worse for the nationalists, the British-backed Muslim League won 73 out of 78 seats reserved for Muslims even when Congress secured 205 of the total 296 seats. Jinnah-led League boycotted the assembly and thus claimed that the Constituent Assembly was a Hindu body where only 4 Muslims (all Congress members) were present. The British Prime Minister Winston Churchill also called the assembly a ‘Hindu body’.
The British government tried to paint the Indian Constituent Assembly as anti-Muslim. It said, “Should a constitution come to be framed by a Constituent Assembly in which a large section of the Indian population had not been represented, the British Government could not, of course, contemplate…..forcing such a constitution upon any unwilling parts of the country.”
Sir Stafford Cripps also expressed a similar opinion when the Muslim League boycotted the assembly. The argument was far from the truth. It was a boycott only by the Muslim League and not by the Muslim community.
In July 1947 after the Partition was finalised at least 27 Muslim members, originally elected on the Muslim League tickets, joined the assembly. They decided not to go to Pakistan and Indian leaders welcomed them.
Naziruddin Ahmad, a former Muslim League member, while joining the assembly declared, “There was no need for any doubt whatsoever regarding the fact that we have come here as loyal and law-abiding citizens of India.” Interestingly one such Muslim League member was later included in a seven-member drafting committee chaired by Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar.
Constituent Assembly in session
Several Muslim members like Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Mohammed Sadulla, Hasrat Mohani, B. H. Zaidi, B. Pocker Sahib Bahadur, etc. played significant parts in the deliberations of the Constituent Assembly. They were members of several committees, moved amendments, brought resolutions, and debated matters of importance. These members made their presence, and in turn of Muslims, felt in the assembly.
Muslim members raised their voices for the integration of the country. The shock of partition was great and they wanted to give a message that Muslims are as much citizens of India as other community members are.
Hasrat Mohani told the assembly, “Why do you call the Muslims a minority? They can be termed as a minority only when they function as a communal body. So long as Muslims were in the Muslim League, they were in a minority. But if they elect to form a political party without any restriction leaving it open to any community, then you should remember that whenever political parties are formed, the Muslims would fight by forming coalitions. Therefore, I say that Muslims would not like to be called a minority. To say that Muslims are in the minority is to insult them. I cannot tolerate this even for a moment.”
B. H. Zaidi, who represented Rampur, also argued against any special treatment for Muslims. He felt that it would further alienate Muslims from the mainstream. In the assembly, he said, “There has been no occasion in the history of India when the Hindus have persecuted a minority” and affirmative action should be based on economic disparity. He said, “There is one minority in this country which has always been, and which is existing in every country, and will go on existing, and that is the minority of the good and the just, of the people who are humane and liberal-minded, and who work for the regeneration of mankind and the progress of humanity. There is that minority today in this country, and to that minority Sardar Patel and the Prime Minister of India, and you sir, who adorn the Chair, belong, and the Members of this House.”
In the Constituent Assembly Muslims contested the ideas of minority, reservations, and exceptionalism on different occasions. There is no denying that a few Muslims under the leadership of Mohammad Ali Jinnah partitioned India, but it is also a fact that several Muslims played their roles in making India a democratic republic.
source: http://www.awazthevoice.in / Awaz, The Voice / Home> Stories / by Saquib Salim / January 25th, 2024
(Left) Habeeb Yusuf Marfani (Right) Subhas Chandra Bose
When Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose launched his fight for the freedom of India from British rule, several likeminded people offered him their whole hearted support and help. But these people and their sacrifices have now been largely forgotten. One such man was Abdul Habeeb Yusuf Marfani, a wealthy businessman who donated all of his fortune totalling one crore and three lakh rupees, to the Indian National Army (INA). Back then it was a princely sum and it helped the INA immensely.
Marfani hailed from the town of Dhoraji in Saurashtra but later the family settled in Rangoon where they set up a flourishing and diverse range of businesses. During the Second World War, When Netaji took charge of the Indian National Army and revived its flagging strength Marfani was the first to come forward to donate a massive amount to the leader for strengthening his army. Netaji honoured him by awarding the Sevak-e Hind medal.
He was the first person who was presented with this medal by Netaji himself. Marfani’s donation was in the form of cash as well as jewellery and property deeds. Reportedly Netaji was very moved by the patriotism and generosity displayed by Marfani. He declared: “I feel very happy about what Seth Marfani has done for the liberation movement. It is extremely commendable.”
Later Netaji realised that after the donation Marfani had become a pauper. So he asked Marfani what he wanted in return for donating his entire property. Marfani replied: “Give me the uniform of a soldier of the INA. I have donated my valuables. Now allow me to give my blood. I only want freedom for India and nothing else.”
His grand gesture inspired many others to come forward with donations. Several of the donations came from poor people like farmers, daily wage earners and coolies too. They donated whatever they could even if it was a few meagre rupees. In fact, Netaji was caught in two minds about whether it was right to take away the small earnings of these poor people. But at that stage one of his aides told him that he should not reject their sentiment or they will feel hurt and therefore Netaji obliged.
The qualities of generosity and sacrifice are held in high esteem in all cultures throughout the world. All people recognise that it takes a big heart and a great soul to be so generous. Whenever Netaji and his deeds are remembered, it is important to also remember the deeds of the men who stood behind the scenes and supported the freedom struggle with everything that they had.
source: http://www.siasat.com / The Siasat Daily / Home> Featured News> by Abhijit Sen Gupta / January 22nd, 2024
Kalpakancheri (Malappuram District), KERALA / Dubai, U.A.E:
Indian recalls journey from being a fundraiser to rebuild a mosque to emerging a tycoon.
A young Azad Moopen at the inauguration of one of his clinics / Image Credit: Supplied
HIGHLIGHTS
Dr Azad Moopen came to the UAE in February 1987 to raise money for the renovation of a mosque in his hometown, Kalpakancheri in Malappuram district, Kerala.
Dr Moopen leased a two-bedroom apartment in Bur Dubai to start a clinic
In 2008, Dr Moopen invited a private equity firm to invest in the company and they valued Aster DM Healthcare at $100 million.
In 2010 and 2011, Dr Moopen was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman and Padma Shri, respectively, by the Government of India.
Aster DM is listed at NSE and BSE
Dubai:
Azad Moopen came to Dubai 34 years ago to raise money for the renovation of a mosque in his hometown, Kalpakancheri, in the Malappuram district, Kerala. He needed Rs1 million then, or Dh250,000 as per the currency exchange rate in 1987. The plan was just to collect the funds and return home. He had no intention to settle in the UAE.
Destiny, however, had other plans for Moopen – a gold medallist in general medicine and a lecturer at the Calicut Medical College at the time. Looking back, Moopen said it was this noble intention that perhaps set the background for something big to happen in his life.
Fast forward to today, he is now a household name in the UAE. Just about everybody in the region knows him well as the multi-billion dollar businessman and developer of health-care facilities in the UAE and Asia-Pacific region. He is the chairman and managing director of Aster DM Healthcare, a conglomerate in the Middle East and India that Moopen founded in December 1987, just ten months after arriving in the UAE to raise funds for a mosque.
According to a report published in September 2018, he owned and managed 21 hospitals, 113 clinics and 216 pharmacies. The health-care company serves 50,000 patients a day in nine countries. In 2018, Aster treated 17 million patients across all its facilities. Of this these, 15 million patients were from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, while two million were from India.
In 2017, Forbes ranked him sixth on the ‘Top 100 Indian Leaders in UAE’ list and his total wealth was estimated at approximately $5.9 billion (Dh21.7 billion).
How it all started
“When I finished collecting money for the mosque reconstruction, my job was over in the UAE. It was time to return home, but when I went home, I was not happy. There was something pulling me back to this country as there was magic here,” said Moopen. “In June (1987), I came back on a visit to the UAE. I stayed with a friend in Ajman who was a doctor as well. There were plenty of opportunities for a doctor like me and I was raring to tap into some of them.”
Azad Moopen receives a Lifetime Achievement Award / Image Credit: Supplied
Moopen’s friend was setting up a clinic in Ajman and he invited him to join there as a physician. Back in the day, there were no post-graduate doctors practising in Ajman and Moopen, who was a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) and a Doctor of Medicine, with a a Diploma in treating Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases (DTCD), was already highly qualified. In fact, his varied degrees made him quite a sought-after doctor in Ajman.
“But my friend bowled me a googlie, as we say in cricketing terms! He turned around one day and told me to start a clinic in Dubai. To be honest, I thought he did not like me and that’s why he was pushing me away to Dubai. But I took his advice and today, I believe he is my guardian angel. That moment, when I heeded his advise and came to Dubai, it was the turning point in my life. I know now he was a friend, he was a God-sent and he is ‘the person’ in my life.”
No matter how successful you become in life, you never forget the people who helped you along the way. And this, to me, has been the biggest reason for my success.
– Azad Moopen
In December 1987, Moopen leased a two-bedroom apartment in Bur Dubai close to the Port Rashid area. “Port Rashid was one of the main areas in Dubai where there were many ongoing activities. A lot of people worked here and I wanted to serve them.”
He said the consultation charges were between Dh10 and 15. Some people got reimbursement from their companies while others paid the bills from their pocket.
“The challenge, however, was collecting money from some blue collared workers who could not afford to pay even this amount. So every Tuesday we started offering free consultations for half a day. We also kept sample medicines which we gave to these workers.”
Within a year, the clinic started receiving 100 patients a day. There were just two doctors – Moopen and a gynaecologist.
Dr. Azad Moopen receiving an award from late Indian President APJ Kalam / Image Credit: Supplied
“I myself worked from 8 in the morning until mid-night. But it was becoming very congested and we needed to move to a bigger place,” he said. “I found a three-bedroom apartment in Al Rafa and we moved there. We hired two more doctors – both paediatricians. We were able to see more patients as a result.”
By that time in 1988, Moopen was getting a hang of running a health-care facility. “One of the things we discovered early on was that people came to us for consultation, but were picking up medicines from another pharmacy. So, we thought why not make this in-house? And that is how Al Rafa Pharmacy was born.”
Moopen said that in 2008, he had his real brush with success. “Until then, I was just doing my job of opening clinics, hospitals and pharmacies. I was not really counting or sitting down to see and evaluate the success of my business. In 2008, as part of our expansion plans, we invited a private equity firm to invest with us. They valued our company at $100 million and that reality hit me. We had grown and how! It was an emotional moment for me, reading the valuation report and made me think of how hard the company staff and me had worked to bring it that far,” he said.
Dr. Azad Moopen with his youngest daughter Zeba Moopen who is now a practicing doctor / Image Credit: Supplied
In 2012, a second private equity firm came on board and they valued Aster DM Healthcare at $400 million. “This means we had grown four times in four years. It was massive.”
Today, Aster DM is listed at the National Stock Exchange of India (NSE) and the company’s total revenue in 2019 was fixed at a massive $1.4 billion.
Reason behind this phenomenal success
“Without batting an eyelid I will say that it is my staff, my people, my doctors who have made this company successful. I am blessed and lucky to have these people working for me for decades. Our doctor turnover at the consultant level is as low as five per cent. This means our doctors practically never leave us. And, because of this, our patients never leave us.
Azad Moopen with cricketer Sachin Tendulkar during the latter’s book launch. / Image Credit: Supplied
“No matter how successful you become in life, you never forget the people who helped you along the way. And this, to me, has been the biggest reason for my success. To give you an example, the other day, one of my CEOs brought me a staff member’s performance report. He wanted me to fire him as he was not performing well. When I saw the report I realised he was an old friend’s son. This friend, I remember, had loaned me Dh500 when I had come to the UAE for the first time.”
“As the memories flooded me, I simply refused to sign the sack letter. Instead, I called this young boy and his father and told them about the report. From my part, I have given this boy a second chance. I pray he will make use of the opportunity given to him.”
Challenges
Dr. Moopen during one of his philanthropic activities / Image Credit: Supplied
“There are always challenges in business. If you want your career graph to have a smooth ride, then you must not pick business as your profession. Success in business lies in finding your challenges and meeting them head-on,” said Moopen.
“For example, the UAE’s mandatory insurance has proved to be beneficial for the consumer, but for health-care providers like us, it is a challenge. People would come to us because of our credibility. Now, it has to do with the kind of insurance coverage they have.”
Philanthropy the way to life
Moopen has pledged to give 20 per cent of his wealth to charity. An off-shoot of this has been the ‘Aster Volunteers’ programme to help patients with free consultations, treatment and surgeries. More than 900,000 lives have been touched by the programme.
Dr. Moopen with his family in an earlier picture / Image Credit: Supplied
In 2010 and 2011, Moopen was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman and Padma Shri, respectively, by the Government of India.
Dr. Azad Moopen awarded the coveted Padma Shri in 2011 / Image Credit: Supplied
“By God’s grace, I have everything in life. Name, fame, wealth, a great family. It is my duty and responsibility now to help others. When I started out, I was in the right place at the right time with the right people. I want others to be in my shoes. I am nearing retirement and my only dream now is to hand over my business to my team of professionals who, I believe, will do a better job than me.”
The Champaran Satyagraha is a landmark chapter in India’s history, and an important catalyst for it was journalist Pir Muhammed Munis, whose letter to Gandhi set the stage for the monumental resistance.
In 1917, when British rule prevailed over India, the government prepared a list to keep track of 32 of MK Gandhi’s closest associates. At number 10 was a name that history hasn’t forgotten since.
Pir Muhammed Munis, a journalist known for the power of his pen, was instrumental in his role in the Champaran Satyagraha movement, also touted as India’s first organised act of civil disobedience.
Through his body of work, he scripted a record of heroism that is etched into the sands of time.
To truly appreciate Munis’ role in the struggle for Independence, we trace our steps to 1916, when the British Raj was exercising exceeding control over Indians. One particularly vulnerable group were the farmers in Champaran, Bihar.
The source of contention was the agrarian practices in the region. While the British were intent on the peasants growing indigo, a lucrative cash crop with sizable demand in the markets abroad, the farmers were deprived of land for growing food crops instead. This tussle culminated in a famine, causing the farmers to rise in revolt against the dominion of the British. As the conflict escalated, word reached Gandhi. How?
Pir Muhammed Munis was behind it.
A ‘rouge journalist’
The uprising of the peasants in Champaran wasn’t going unnoticed. The country was reading about it thanks to Munis, who left no stone unturned in letting his views reflect his patriotic feelings. In the years to come, Pir Muhammed Munis would go down in history as the journalist who raised his voice when it was most difficult to be heard.
He chronicled the efforts of the farmers, the unlawful practices of the British and more such news in Hindi — despite the elite class being fluent in Urdu, Persian and English — displaying his ardent love for the language. In his later life, he went on to advocate for Hindi to be propagated amongst the masses. Anecdotes suggest during his later interactions with Gandhi, Munis even went on to teach the legend the language, a skill that greatly helped the latter.
So persistent and vocal was he about his patriotic opinions that he was termed as “notorious”, “bitter” and “dangerous” by the British, eventually being branded as a ‘badmash patrakar (rouge journalist)’.
A British Police document from the Azadi Ke Deewane Museum at Red Fort reads, “Pir Muhammed Munis is actually a dangerous and hoodlum journalist who through his questionable literature, brought to light the sufferings of a backward place like Champaran in Bihar.”
The letter that set the stage for the uprising
Pir Muhammed Munis fought for the farmers in the Champaran region of Bihar, Picture source: Twitter: Muslims of India
But nothing stopped Munis from continuing to write, his pen a double-edged sword. His works appeared frequently in Pratap, a Hindi weekly, and monthlys such as Gyanshakti and Gorakhpur. He was also on the editorial board of Desh launched and edited by Dr Rajendra Prasad.
The most famous letter among his repertoire of literary works is a letter he penned with local farmer Rajkumar Shukla, intended to be sent to Gandhi on 27 February 1917. Shukla conveyed the grievances of the farming community, while Munis coupled this with his power of words. An excerpt from the letter reads, “Our sad tale is much worse than what you and your comrades have suffered in South Africa”.
In another letter dated 22 March 1917, Munis once again voiced his concerns about the peasants in Champaran, and asked Gandhi to pay them a visit. And when he did on 10 April 1917, people commended the bond between the two, often calling Munis Gandhi’s pillar as he hatched plans for the Champaran Satyagraha.
As the first Satyagraha movement, it set the stage for future mass protests and uprisings. Gandhi set up schools in the Champaran area, gathered volunteers, conducted village surveys, organised protests, and strikes, and advocated for control over the sale of crops to be given to the farmers. And through this mutiny, Munis was by his side.
This did not go down well with the British. As a letter written by W H Lewis, sub-division officer to the commissioner of Tirhut division indicates, “… Mr Gandhi got offers of assistance, the most prominent is Pir Muhammad. I have not (sic) full details of his career, but either Whitty or Marsham could give them. He is, I believe, a convert to Muhammadanism and was a teacher in the Raj School. He was dismissed from his post for virulent attacks on local management published in or about 1915 in the press. He lives in Bettiah and works as a press correspondent for the Pratap of Lucknow, a paper which distinguished itself for its immoderate expressions on Champaran Questions… Pir Muhammad is the link between this Bettiah class of mostly educated and semi-educated men and the next class, i.e. the Raiyats’ own leaders…”
The result of the tyranny
History never forgets the cries of the just, and the Champaran Satyagraha was proof of this.
The mutiny ended with the British officers agreeing to formulate the Champaran Agrarian Act of 1918. The Act abolished the forcible cultivation of indigo and thus relieved tremendous pressure being put on the farmers here. The event has gone down in history as one of the first major revolts that forced the English to introduce a Bill in favour of the Indians.
With the Tinkathia system being abolished, the farmers thought the worst was over. But the British continued to oppress them in different ways. Fuelled by ending this once and for all, Munis started Raiyati Sabha, a platform that would advocate for and protect the rights of the farming community. For this, Munis faced a six-month jail term.
This wasn’t the last of imprisonment. In 1930 he was imprisoned in the Patna Camp jail for three months for his participation in the Salt Satyagraha of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
However, nothing could deter him from his goal of protecting the rights of his countrymen. In 1937, he led sugarcane producers who were protesting against intermediaries who were pocketing a major part of the earnings. He was also elected member of the Champaran Zila Parishad (District Board) on the Congress ticket and became President of Bettiah Local Board, from which he resigned to join the Individual Civil Disobedience Movement.
Throughout his lifetime, he advocated for rural development, popularisation of Hindi in primary schools and the rights of his fellow Indians. Until his passing away on 23 September 1949 Munis continued to be a leader worth looking up to for his countrymen.
Lauding the efforts of Munis on his passing away, Pratap editor Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi, wrote in his newspaper, “We have the utmost sorrow that Pir Muhammed Munis of Bettiah, Champaran district has died. We have the privilege to see such souls who are quietly lying aside. The world doesn’t come to know anything about their issues. The lesser these sons of Mother India are renowned, the more profound is their work, the more philanthropic.”
He further wrote, “You recited the dreadful story of Champaran to Gandhi ji and this was a result of your hard-work only that Mahatma Gandhi visited Champaran which made this land a pious place and the place which is unerasable in the pages of history”.
Indian freedom fighter Mohammad Ali Jauhar was buried in the compound of Al-Aqsa Mosque after his death on 4 January 1931
On 4 January 1931, the legendary freedom fighter, journalist, educationist and Islamic philosopher Mohammad Ali Jauhar (born 10 December 1878) passed away. He is known as one of the most dynamic and versatile leaders of the subcontinent and, indeed, the Muslim world. The story of his passing and burial in Palestine is as captivating as his role in India’s freedom struggle from British rule.
In November 1928, during his European tour, information was received in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) that Jauhar would visit Palestine on his way back to India. This news brought immense joy to the Palestinian Muslims, particularly those deeply devoted to him, and they awaited his arrival eagerly.
One Palestinian observer, Nazir Hassan Al-Ansari, wrote a detailed report on this impending visit in the Delhi-based Urdu newspaper Hamdard. In the 3 December, 1928, issue, he said that Jauhar’s telegram from Damascus was received by Syed Amin Al-Husseini, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, and the Head of the Muslim Supreme Council in British Mandate Palestine. He was due to arrive in Al-Quds from Damascus on 15 November, and the spacious rooms above the Sharia Department in Al-Quds were prepared for him.
According to the same report, this news spread rapidly throughout Palestine, and preparations for his reception started on the border, from the ancient crossing over of the River Jordan, Banat Yaqoob, all the way to Al-Quds. Thousands gathered along the roads, observing customary Arab traditions with horse riders and women singing Arabic songs of welcome. Although anticipated to arrive around noon, Jauhar was delayed until 10pm, leading to disappointed crowds heading homeward.
His entry into Palestine was initially declined by the British Mandate High Commissioner of Palestine, Sir (later Lord) Herbert Plumer on 16 November, despite the fervent anticipation of the Palestinians. He was finally permitted to enter Palestine on 20 November, arriving in Tiberias late in the evening in the chilling cold. Despite the adverse weather conditions, his arrival in Al-Quds the following day was met with wholehearted warmth, sincerity and enthusiasm from the people of Palestine.
Comrade and Hamdard were both newspapers published in India by Mohammad Ali Jauhar, in which he gave plenty of column inches to Palestine. He was always concerned about Palestine, and wrote about it from the beginning of his career in journalism. He was particularly vocal after the 1917 Balfour Declaration. The British government closely monitored him and others who expressed their apprehension about the fate of Jerusalem, and opposition to the Zionist movement.
This monitoring is evident in a letter from the office of the Lieutenant Governor’s Camp of the United Province, dated 1 December, 1917, to Sir James DuBoulay. The letter discussed concerns regarding the growing Muslim interest in Jerusalem and the need to monitor the New Era newspaper. “[We] are watching this particular newspaper, which is sailing as near the wind as the Comrade and Hamdard used to do; and it may be at any moment necessary to impose pre-censorship upon it or in some other way to draw its teeth.” This letter is available in the national archives of India.
Jauhar was always raising awareness about Palestine through his writing and speeches, along with his brother Shaukat Ali. A delegation from Palestine came to India in 1923–24. On 29 January 1924, the Khilafat Committee organised a public meeting in Chhota Kabrastan, Grant Road, Bombay (now Mumbai), where members of the Palestine Deputation were also present.
A report in the Times of India on 31 January 1924, headed “Palestine Deputation: An Appeal for Funds”, detailed the arrival of Muhammed Ali, Shaukat Ali and their mother, Bi Amma, who were greeted with cries of Allahu Akbar (God is Great).
The report said that after meeting the members of the Palestine Deputation, Mohammad Ali moved the following resolution: “This meeting of the Musalmans [Muslims] of Bombay offers its hearty welcome to the Palestine Deputation that has come to India to ask for financial support for the necessary repairs of Masjid-i-Aqsa and Masjid-i-Sakhra [Dome of the Rock] and is of the opinion that it is the duty of every Muslim man, woman and child to take part in this work and thus achieve prosperity and salvation in this world and the world to come.” He also appealed for donations from the Muslims, successfully mobilising the Indian Muslims for the cause of Palestine.
Mohammad Ali Jauhar arrived in London in 1930 to participate in the Round Table Conference for the Independence of India, despite his ailing health. His speech there was historic. He breathed his last at London’s Hyde Park Hotel on 4 January 1931. The funeral prayer was scheduled for the following day at 6pm in Paddington Town Hall. The then Afghan Ambassador, Egyptian Ambassador, Iranian Ambassador and all the members of the Round Table offered their shoulders to carry the bier on which lay Jauhar’s body. There was a huge crowd of British people outside the hall, and British representatives of all parties were also present inside the hall.
Everyone wanted Jauhar to be buried in their city. The people of London believed that he should be buried there, but his family was against it. His widow, Amjadi Bano Begum, wanted to take him to India, and hundreds of telegrams came from India calling for him to be taken home.
The Grand Mufti of Palestine, Amin Al-Husseini, requested that Mohammad Ali Jauhar be buried in Baitul Muqaddas, Jerusalem. It is said that his motive was to associate the Muslims of India with Palestine on religious grounds. Just as the Muslims of India love Makkah and Madinah, so too should they love Baitul Muqaddas.
Shaukat Ali agreed to the Grand Mufti’s request. The body was kept in London for five days, then it was sent by ship to Egypt, arriving in Port Said on 21 January 1931, where it was placed under the supervision of representatives of the Egyptian government and conveyed to the Abbas Mosque, accompanied by a police bodyguard. Egypt presented a piece of the Kiswa (the cloth that covers the Ka’bah in Makkah) to be placed on the coffin. The funeral prayer was performed again in the mosque, after which Jauhar’s remains were carried through the streets lined by respectful crowds.
According to Reuters, special prayers were held in mosques across Palestine after the midday prayer. The news that the body was being taken for interment in the Noble Sanctuary of Al-Aqsa (Haram Al-Sharif) was welcomed widely as evidence of the strengthening of the friendship between the Muslims of India and Palestine.
When Mohammad Ali Jauhar’s remains arrived in Jerusalem on 23 January, all shops closed out of respect.
Shaukat Ali and Mufti Amin Al-Husseini led the funeral procession; navigating through a massive crowd, it took them three hours to reach Masjid Al-Aqsa. Following the Friday prayer, the funeral prayer was offered for the third time, with an estimated congregation of around two hundred thousand people. Mohammad Ali Jauhar was finally laid to rest amidst speeches by numerous prominent Muslim leaders.
According to a report by the Times of India on 14 September 1929, Jauhar presided over a public meeting of Muslims in Bombay the day before. The meeting deliberated on the appropriate next steps considering the responses of British ministers and the Government of India to the unified demands of Muslims regarding the ongoing events in Palestine. He was reported to have said that the Muslims alone were the owners of Jerusalem, which was the land of their first Qibla (direction of prayer) and thus held in great reverence.
“The British wanted to give the Jews full rights over the Wailing Wall,” said Jauhar. “The divide-and-rule policy of the Europeans had proved useful. Instead of withdrawing the Balfour Declaration, the government wanted to enforce it on the Arabs, and the only reply they could give to it was that the Mussalmans [sic] should ask for the independence of India and free it from the shackles of India.” The meeting and other such events were utilised by him to garner support for India’s freedom and educate Muslims about Palestine.
He was also reported to have said that he would sacrifice his life and see that no stone was left unturned to liberate Palestine from British control. He urged Indian Muslims to intensify their efforts to secure India’s freedom, stating that the freedom of Palestine and other Islamic countries from foreign domination hinged on India’s independence.
An article in the Palestine Bulletin on 5 January 1931 following his demise mentioned Jamaal Husseini’s visit to the esteemed leader just before leaving London. During their meeting, Mohammad Ali Jauhar assured Husseini: “Do not think that I have forgotten Palestine. The memory of Palestine will be in my mind as long as I live.” He then asked him to give his greetings to all of the Muslims of Palestine.
The life of Mohammad Ali Jauhar was an exemplary bridge between the Muslims of India and Palestine. After his death, his brother Shaukat Ali took over the task of further strengthening the cause of Palestine in India. As ongoing events in Israeli-occupied Palestine demonstrate, that need is as great today, if not more so, than it was a century ago.
Afroz Alam Sahil is an Indian journalist and author. Afshan Khan is a PhD candidate in Political Science and International Relations at Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University. She can be contacted at @AfshanKhanSahil on X.
source: http://www.middleeastmonitor.com / Middle East Monitor (MEMO) / Home> Opinion / by Afzoz Alam Sahil and Afshan Khan / January 04th, 2024
