Syed Ubaidur Rahman, a Delhi based historian and author, has been single-handedly trying to resurrect Indian Muslim history over the past decade. He is a man with a mission, and that mission is to preserve the Indian Muslim history.
Over the past ten years, he has authored at least six books on medieval Indian history dealing with different aspects of the history. His books include, ‘Biographical Encyclopedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters’, ‘Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India’, ‘Ulema’s Role in India’s Freedom Movement’ and his recently published book ‘Peaceful Expansion of Islam in India’. The latest book has become a talking point across India and beyond, as it debunks the fallacious notion of forced conversion of the local population to Islam. He proves, through meticulous research, that Islam came to South India, much before its arrival in the North and spread thanks to the efforts of Arab and Persian merchants besides Sufis who came in large number and settled throughout India.
Moin Qazi, while discussing the work of Syed Ubaidur Rahman, in his detailed essay in Transcend says, “A Muslim historian Syed Ubaidur Rhahman has brought a new secular perspective that presents the Muslim view boldly…He is the right person with the zeal and appetite to resurrect the vast culture of the South. His research will undoubtedly help in redefining the landscape of Muslim history. It is a tenacious task, but Ubaidur Rahman is a scholar of deep commitment to the cause”.
In order to create awareness about the Muslim history of India, Syed now offers at least three courses on different aspects of medieval and late medieval history of India, particularly the period dealing with the Muslim rule in Delhi and different parts of the country. His ‘3-month course on Indian Muslim History’ begins with the arrival of Islam and the conquest of Sind by Muhammad bin Qasim, followed by Mahmud of Ghazni and his conquests, Muhammad of Ghur and the establishment of Delhi Sultanate. It deals with different dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate and the spread of Islamic rule to South India during Alauddin Khalji and Muhammad bin Tughluq.
This course also covers Mughal rule as well as different Muslim ruling dynasties in Kashmir, Bengal, Malwa, Khandesh, Gujarat, Sharqis of Jaunpur, Bahmanis of Gulbarga/Bidar, the successor Deccani Sultanates of Ahmadnagar, Bijapur and Golconda as well as Nizam of Hyderabad and Mysore Sultanate of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan. This course, that is covered in 24 sessions and conducted on Zoom, attracts participants from around the world.
He also runs another month long (8 session) course focusing on South Indian Muslim History. The history of South Indian Muslims has been completely ignored by both the historians and the Muslim community, notwithstanding the fact that in much of the Deccan and South India, Bahmani Sultanate ruled for close to two hundred years. The successor Deccani Muslim states ruled for another 200 years and Muslim dynasties, including Nizams, Nawabs of Carnatic, Mysore Sultans, continued to rule the region for a very long time.
Syed has just introduced another course that deals with India’s freedom movement and Muslim role. This course covers Muslims’ extremely important role in India’s first war of independence of 1857 against the British colonial rule. Muslims played leadership role in it. It will also cover Moplah Revolt, Reshmi Rumal Tehrik, Naval Mutiny of 1946 and also discuss thousands of Muslim prisoners who were imprisoned in the feared Cellular Jail of Andaman and Nicobar, remembered by most people as Kala Pani.
When asked as to why he has launched such courses, 48-year old Delhi based Syed says, “as history is being re-written in the country, and medieval history dealing with the Muslim period is being slowly erased from course books, it was imperative to teach our young generation about our history and heritage and our great past.
Thankfully, as opposed to people’s disheartening views, the courses have gone on to become a huge hit with people from around the country and beyond trying to enroll for the three courses, alhamdulillah. I am surprised as reputed scholars, professors, experts of Persian and even Chagatai languages enroll in our course from around the world. I am sure these courses and related efforts will prove help bring about long-term change”.
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(Syed Ubaidur Rahman can be reached at 91-9818327757. Email: syedurahman@gmail.com. He tweets at https://x.com/syedurahman)
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslims> Interviews / by Special Correspondent / August 07th, 2024
In a programme at the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH) headquarters on the theme of “Rewriting History: Fact or Fiction,” historian and author Syed Ubaidur Rahman raised alarm over ongoing efforts to “rewrite” India’s historical narrative—efforts, he asserts, led by right-wing ideologies seeking to diminish the legacy of Muslim rule in India.
Syed Ubaid whose latest book ‘Peaceful Expansion of Islam in India’ was published earlier this year, began by asking, “What is history? And more importantly, what is its role in shaping the future? It is alarming that in this era, when Muslims have little interest in history, some forces are working tirelessly to distort the historical truth.”
He pointed out that the rise of the right wing elements had led to a systematic campaign to dilute nearly a thousand years of Muslim rule in India. “Their basic objective is clear: to erase the history of Muslim influence, whether in architecture, education, science, or culture—from India’s curriculum,” Ubaid emphasized, saying that this was part of a broader strategy to make the history of the Muslim community “invisible.”
Syed Ubaid stated, “Muslims have impacted all aspects of life in India. There was a period of almost 1000 years of Muslim rule during which architecture, education, science, language, food, and every aspect of life were influenced. Today, these very aspects are under attack by these elements. They not only want to rewrite political history but also wish to rewrite all these aspects.”
Weekly Ijtema || Rewriting History: Fact or Fiction || Syed Ubaidur Rahman / source: youtube / jamaat-i-islami hind
Raising a question about why they want to rewrite Indian history, Ubaid referenced Audrey Truschke, a respected historian of South Asian history at Rutgers University, USA who had critiqued the right-wing narrative. Truschke explained that Hindutva ideologues aim to claim Hindus as the only indigenous group in India, excluding Muslims and other minorities. “In their history, India’s past is framed as a glorious Hindu golden age followed by an era of Muslim oppression,” Truschke writes, “This narrative distorts the complex and multi-layered history of India.”
Syed Ubaid emphasized that political and religious identities are often conflated.
Syed Ubaid explains, “Audrey has written that there was no difference between the Muslim rulers and Hindu rulers in terms of religion, neither side attacked the other because of religion. Historian Khaleeq Ahmad Nizami has clearly written in his book that Muslim rulers had no religious or political intent or religious connotation behind their actions.”
Syed Ubaid remarked, “Earlier, the narrative was that Aurangzeb was hateful and tyrannical. But over time, they started painting all Muslim rulers with the same brush, whether it was Akbar, Alauddin Khilji, or any other Muslim ruler, they began targeting them all.”
Highlighting the growing tendency to remove crucial elements of history from school textbooks, Syed Ubaid said, ‘The revision of textbooks is not new. This has been a long-standing agenda of theirs.”
He lamented the sweeping changes that have been made to the school syllabus, stating, “About 30% of school syllabi have been altered. Specifically, content related to the Mughals, political science textbooks, secular ideas, Gandhiji and his assassination, the Delhi Sultanate, all of these aspects have been significantly altered or reduced.”
Highlighting significant changes to the history curriculum, especially in Class 7, where children are first introduced to historical narratives, Syed Ubaid pointed out that the achievements of Mughal kings, such as Humayun, Shah Jahan, Akbar, Jahangir, and Aurangzeb, which had previously been presented in a two-page chart in the history textbook Our Past Too, were removed. Ubaid also mentioned the removal of a chapter on Akbar’s plural politics, which had once depicted the Mughal emperor in a positive light.
Syed Ubaid said, “the Mughals, who had ruled India for almost 350 years, from 1526 to 1857, have been a primary target in these revisions.” He criticized the effort to dilute the significance of the Mughals in textbooks, asserting that while the Mughal rule weakened toward the end, regional rulers such as the Marathas, Rohillas, Tipu Sultan, and Hyder Ali continued to govern with the Mughal imperial mandates.
Refuting the claim that the Mughals were given disproportionate importance in history textbooks while regional kingdoms were underrepresented, Syed Ubaid pointed out that the Vijayanagara Empire in South India and the Kakatiya dynasty from the 15th and 16th centuries were well-documented in textbooks.
However, he observed that regional Muslim kingdoms, such as the Bahmani Empire in the Deccan and the Gujarat Sultanate, both of which played significant roles during the same period, received much less attention in the current syllabus. Despite their rich heritage, these Muslim kingdoms are scarcely mentioned.
Ubaid emphasized that these changes are not confined to schoolbooks but extend to university curricula as well.
Syed Ubaid said, “even at the Aligarh Muslim University, once renowned for its medieval history department, professors are struggling as much of the material has been cut. Senior historian from the AMU, Prof.Irfan Habib has also noted that the entire Delhi Sultanate is now covered in just one sub-unit in unit one at the graduation level.
Citing Prof. Irfan Habib, he noted, “In the revised syllabus, Khilji, Tughlaq, and the invasion of Taimur are now condensed into a single unit. Unit 2 omits significant figures and events, such as Akbar, and instead focuses on figures like Hemu, Vikramaditya, Rana Pratap, Rani Durgavati, and Chand Bibi. Mughals like Jahangir and Shah Jahan have been removed.” Ubaid’s concerns about the erasure of Muslim contributions to India’s history went beyond textbooks.
He criticized the ongoing attempts to rename cities founded during the Muslim rule, such as Faizabad, Aurangabad, Ahmedabad, and Ahmednagar.
Warning that these efforts to distort historical narratives are part of a broader trend, where online platforms will increasingly present biased versions of history, he said, “In the future, when you search for history on platforms like Google or Amazon, you will find only materials based on misrepresentations and backing their narratives.”
Ubaid concluded his speech with a call to action: “We must not allow the erasure of history to continue. We need to encourage our children to read books rooted in historical accuracy, to understand our past, and to defend the truth. We should foster an interest in history and make an effort to include such books in our personal libraries. Just as Muslims teach foundational religious texts to their children, we must ensure historical books are part of their education.”
Beginning his speech, Syed Ubaid outlined four key phases of Muslim history in India: the early arrival of Islam through traders especially in causal India, the establishment of the Delhi Sultanate, the rise of regional sultanates, and the powerful legacy of the Mughal Empire.
source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> Education / by Anwarulhaq Baig / December 03rd, 2024
The famous writer Kushwant Singh, once wrote: “Indian Freedom is written in Muslim blood, since their participation in the freedom struggle was much more, in proportion to their small percentage of the population.”
The story and history of India’s independence are written with the blood of Muslims. According to historical references, 65% of those who stood, fought and sacrificed against the British for India’s independence were Muslim freedom fighters, the hams live reported.
A large number of people from all religions and castes took part in the freedom struggle, undoubtedly. However, the struggles of many Muslim prominent personalities who also contributed to India’s freedom and even sacrificed everything including their lives are little known. Muslims have been at the forefront to oppose the British and stood shoulder to shoulder with people from other communities while fighting against them. Getting freedom was not easy, our ancestors had to go face a lot of struggles and difficulties to get us the freedom that we are enjoying now.
The First Call To Oppose British
In the 1750s, Nawab Siraj-ud-Daulah was the first awakened Indian ruler, who stood his ground against the British. He lost the Battle of Plassey in 1757 due to the betrayal of Mir Jafar (Commander of Nawab’s army). With this, Siraj-ud-Daulah’s reign marks the end of the last independent rule in India and the beginning of the East India company’s rule that was unabated for the next two hundred years.
First Freedom Struggle By Muslim Rulers
The first freedom struggle against the British was started by the rulers of Mysore Hyder Ali and his son, Tipu Sultan, during the 1780s and 90s. Both used the first iron-cased rockets and cannons effectively against the British invaders.
Tipu Sultan is considered to be one of India’s first freedom fighters for his fierce fight and brave against the East India Company. He resisted the conquest of the British in southern India and was reluctant to welcome them on his soil. He was the only Indian ruler who understood the dangers that the British posed to India, and fought four wars to oust them from the country.
The Unsung Heroines Of India’s Freedom Struggle
Begum Hazrat Mahal, the unsung heroin, played a very important role in India’s war of Independence. Being a woman, she led a rebellion against the British East India Company in 1857. She shot the British ruler, Sir Henry Lawrence and defeated the British army in a conclusive Battle at Chinhat in 1857.
In the great revolt of 1857, as many as 225 Muslim women sacrificed their lives in the uprising. These unsung Muslim women freedom fighters who have sloganeered, shed blood and given their lives for the country’s independence have now been forgotten to due biases.
A majority of freedom fighters did a nameless service to the nation and one such lesser-known name was Abadi Bano Begum (Bi Amma). Bi Amma was the first woman to address a political rally wearing an abaya. She took part in National freedom struggles, Khilafat Movement and propagated Hindu-Muslim unity. Following Mahatma Gandhi’s advice, Bi Amma played an. An important role in encouraging women to take part in the freedom movement. Further, she played a pivotal role in the Swadeshi movements.
In the book, Gandhi and the Ali Brothers: Biography of a Friendship by Rakhahari Chatterji, Maulana Mohammad Jouhar says, “Suffice it to say that, although she was practically illiterate, I have, in all experience, of men of all sorts of types, come across none that I could call wiser and certainly that was more truly godly and spiritual than our mother.”
Bi Amma was also the mother of Muhammad Ali Jauhar and Shaukat Ali popularly known as the Ali Brothers whom she raised on her own after her husband died when she was young.
Amjadi Begum, the wife of Muhammad Ali Jauhar and daughter-in-law of Bi Amma, is yet another Muslim women freedom fighter. Mahatma Gandhi also dedicated an article on her titled ‘A Brave Woman‘ where he admired her as a courageous wife of a courageous man.
At the age of 45, Asghari Begum, another forgotten Muslim woman, has also taken part in the 1857 revolt and challenged British rule in the present-day Uttar Pradesh. However, she was captured by the British in 1858 and burnt alive.
Habiba, a Muslim woman’s fought many battles against the British in Muzaffarnagar in 1857. However, she was captured and hanged along with 11 other female warriors at the age of 25.
The Great Revolt of 1857
During the Great Revolt of 1857, Hindus and Muslims under the leadership of the last Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar tried to oust the British from India. A majority of Hindu sepoys requested Zafar to lead them in the war of Independence. Although the Revolt failed due of several reasons, Muslims have always stood on the front line to oppose the British.
Former Prime Minister of India, Rajiv Gandhi during his visit to Bahadur Shah’s grave, wrote in the visitor’s book: “Although you (Bahadur Shah) do not have land in India, you have it here; your name is alive… I pay homage to the memory of the symbol and rallying point of India’s First War of Independence….”
Muslims came to India and ruled here for over 800 years but they did not steal anything from here as the British, the Dutch and the French did. By bringing plenty of knowledge in literature, architecture, judiciary, political structure, government body and management structure, which is still used in Indian management strategy, they helped India to progress into a unified and civilized nation.
Lighthouse of Rebellion
How many of us know that the organizer and leader of “First Indian freedom struggle” in 1857 was Moulavi Ahamadullah Shah. Known as the ‘Lighthouse of Rebellion’ in Awadh, he Faizabad free from British rule for almost one year, until his death at the hands of British agents on June 5, 1858.
“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,” according to researcher and historian Ram Shankar Tripathi.
The important role of Muslims in the uprising is the reason that the British government singled out the community for the worst revenge. From the Nawab, the King of Mysore, the last Mughal King, Princes, the landlords, the Ulemas, intellectuals, Urdu journalists, including common people, all members of the Muslim community have made great sacrifices for the freedom of India.
In the uprising of the 1857 revolt, thousands of ulema were slaughtered and the whole of Delhi was emptied of Muslims, according to excerpts from Syed Ubaidur Rahman’s book Biographical Encyclopedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters. They were not even allowed to return to their homes and reclaim their properties.
First Journalist To Sacrifice His Life During The Great Revolt
Moulvi Muhammad Baqir, a scholar and activist of Indian independence activist was the first journalist to be executed following the rebellion in 1857. The editor of Urdu newspapers, Delhi Urdu Akhbar, was washed dead on 16th September 1857 for writing Nationalist articles, without even a trial.
Although India got independence on 15 August 1947, the foundation of the freedom struggle was laid before 1857. Since the time of the Revolt of 1857, which is considered to be the beginning of India’s freedom struggle, Muslim leadership has spearheaded the cause.
First Muslim To Be Hanged For Conspiring Against East India Company
At the age of 27 years, Shaheed Ashfaqulla Khan was the first Muslim to be hanged for conspiring against the British Raj. Khan was hanged to death on December 19, 1927. With this, he became a martyr and a legend among the people because of his love for the country and his unshakeable spirit.
Reshmi Rumal Tehreek (The Silk Movement)
Muslims not only took the lead in the uprising, but also stood in the front line in all other efforts to topple the British colonial regime in India.
After the revolt of 1857, the Muslim leaders changed their strategy of resistance by setting up educational institutions across the country. Reshmi Rumal Tehreek or The Silk Letter Movement (1913-1920) was an initiative by Deobandi Leaders Maulana Mahmud Hasan and Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi to topple the British Empire.
However, when British intelligence learned about it, hundreds of sympathizers of the initiative were arrested and put in prison for years without any trial. The top leaders including Maulana Mahmud Hasan and half a dozen of his followers were banished to Malta after a faux trial where they faced the worst hardship.
Role of Muslims in Congress’ anti-colonial struggle
Justice Abbas Tyabji, an Indian freedom fighter from Gujarat and associate of Mahatma Gandhi, was the first Muslim president of the Indian National Congress party. Justice Tyabji is also known for leading Salt Satyagraha following Gandhi’s arrest in 1930.
Another Congress president during the colonialism was Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, who is one of the chief Muslim leaders of the anti-colonial nationalist movement. He became the youngest President of the Indian National Congress in 1923 at the age of 35. He faced multiple imprisonments by the colonial state.
From Justice Tayabji to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, there have been eight Muslim leaders who were in the Indian National Congress’s freedom movement. The other prominent Muslim leaders include, Muhammad Ali Jauhar, Shaukat Ali, Maulana Azad, Dr Mukhtar Ansari, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Maulana Mahmud Hasan and many others. They made every possible sacrifice for the cause of the end the colonial rule.
Frontier Gandhi
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a Pashtun independence activist who campaigned to end the rule of the British Raj in India. He founded the Khudai Khidmatgar resistance movement against British colonial rule in India. He was also known as Frontier Gandhi for his principles of non-violence and friendship with Gandhi. Khan worked towards the formation of a united, independent, secular India.
Muslim Man Coins “Jai Hind”
The patriotic slogan “Jai Hind” was initially coined by Zain-ul Abideen Hasan, but it was adopted by Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. It is now used as a way of salutation throughout India. It means “Victory to India” in English.
The Creation Of the National Flag
For a majority of us, the current national flag was designed by Pingali Venkayya. However, it was a Muslim Lady Surayya Tyabji, who created the flag’s final look today.
Although we have recounted several names of the Muslims who have contributed to India’s freedom struggle, there are several thousands of them who fought on the streets against the British Raj.
source: http://www.thecongnate.com / The Cognate / Home> History / by Rabia Shireen / August 15th, 2022
Syed Ubaidur Rahman is an author based in New Delhi who seems to have completely dedicated his life for preserving Indian Muslim history. In the last five years he has authored at least five books, three of which have been highly acclaimed. Among these are ‘Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India: Bahmani Empire, Madurai, Bijapur, Ahmadnagar, Golconda and Mysore Sultanates’, ‘Ulema’s Role in India’s Freedom Movement’, and ‘Biographical Encyclopaedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters’. His objective is to systematically preserve Indian Muslim history. In this interview, we discuss his work and the obstacles he has encountered. Following is an excerpt from his interview.
MM: Why you are trying to preserve Indian Muslim history?
SUR-This is a bitter truth that as a community Muslims are good in forgetting their heroes. If I ask you to name a couple of heroes here from south India, there may not be many people who would be able to name more than a couple of names. And certainly not about the Bahmanis or the Adil Shahis or Nizam Shahis. This is a tragedy of Himalayan proportions and we are paying the price for our ignorance when our own history is being threatened with completely being erased not by other people or other organizations or the government, but by ourselves.
Books on Indian Muslims history penned by Syed Ubaidur Rahman
MM: Muslim history was usually written in Urdu language. Why did you find the need to write in English
SUR: That assumption might not be true. Books have been written on the history of South India, including Bahmani Empire, Adil Shahi, Nizam Shahi, Qutb Shahi and Mysore Sultanates, though in very small numbers. However, most of them are out of print. Haroon Khan Sherwani, a renowned historian from Hyderabad had written an excellent book on the history of Bahmani Empire, besides also writing in detail on the history of the Qutb Shahis of Golconda Sultanate, however, unfortunately these books are out of print and nowhere available. I don’t find any meaningful book written either on the Bahmani Empire or the subsequent Deccani sultanates in Urdu. There are many good books written on the Mysore Sultanate, especially on the life of Tipu Sultan and the best of them are in English. Muhibbul Hasan’s biography of Tipu Sultan is English and it is among the best.
MM: Why you wrote on the history of South Indian Muslims?
SUR: There is no denying the fact that there is a huge population of Muslims down south. However, unfortunately, unlike Muslims in North India, the history of South Indian Muslims, their ruling dynasties and the Muslim empires hasn’t been documented in as much detail as it was needed. Even in the case of north India, the focus has always remained on the history of Mughals who ruled the country for close to three hundred years. The history of the Delhi Sultanates and its different dynasties has been rather very well documented. But other than the Mughals and the Delhi sultanates, not much has been written on different dynasties that have ruled different regions in the North including the ruling dynasties of the Sharqi Sultanate that was based in Jaunpur or the Muslim sultanates of Bengal, that were very powerful and existed for centuries. Similarly the history of ruling Muslim dynasties of sultanates of Gujarat, Malwa and Khandesh hasn’t been given much attention.
I am trying to document the history of Muslims in medieval India and my book ‘Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India’ is the first volume of the series. This book documented Bahmani Empire, Adil Shahi Sultanate of Bijapur, Nizam Shahi Sultanate of Ahmadnagar, Qutb Shahi Sultanate of Golconda and Mysore Sultanate that was founded by Hyder Ali.
The next volume will cover the history of Sultanate of Gujarat, Sultanate of Malwa and also the sultanate of Khandesh, besides a detailed chapter on the Nizams of Hyderabad, inshaAllah.
I must add here that the history of the Muslims in South India is as dazzling as the Delhi Sultanate or the Mughal Sultanate. At one point in early fifteenth century, the Bidar based Bahmani Empire was the most powerful empire not just in South India but across the Indian Subcontinent.
MM: What do you feel about the rewriting of history project in India
SUR: There is no denying that among the many serious challenges facing the Indian Muslim community at the moment, the foremost is preserving their history and heritage. Without any iota of doubt, this has become all the more important given the fact that there are efforts to rewrite Indian history now. And the most important period they intend to rewrite is the medieval period. This project, spearheaded by the Indian Council of Historical Research titled ‘Comprehensive History of India’, is expected to have at least twelve volumes. They have emphasized that while writing these volumes they will not be depending on ‘Euro-centric’ resources and would go by vernacular resources. However there isn’t much literature available on history in vernacular languages even regarding important political events of the medieval period. It may sound completely bewildering to many, but there is no reference at all in any medieval Indian texts regarding the numerous raids conducted by Mahmud of Ghazni deep inside India. Abraham Eraly believes the Indian chroniclers of the time didn’t consider those events worth recording as they were more interested in penning ‘inane romances’.
MM: What is the impact of your work till now?
SUR: It is a rather very short period of time to make any impact felt. It will take time to reach a wider audience and create awareness about our own history and heritage. However, my books on the freedom movements including ‘Biographical Encyclopaedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters’ and ‘Ulema’s Role in India’s Freedom Movements’ have helped create awareness about the Muslim community’s major contributions in India’s different phases of the freedom movement. Without the involvement of the Muslim community, especially the clergy or ulema, the dream for an independent India would have remained a mere pipedream.
Similarly, my latest book ‘Forgotten Muslim Empires of South India’ has brought the history of Muslim kingdoms, sultanates and empires in South India in focus. Many people, who call themselves well-read, have admitted to me personally that they never had any idea that there was a Muslim sultanate in Madurai. Not many thought that a powerful empire ruled a huge swath of land in South India, an empire that stretched from coast to coast. Bijapur’s Adil Shahi sultanates, in the 17th century had taken over the remnants of the Vijayanagar Empire and had become a huge empire in itself. Besides, the beauty and splendour of the Bahmani courts or the courts of the subsequent sultanates was dazzling. The rich history of the Muslims in south India is mesmerising and a revelation of sorts for not just people in the north, but in South India itself.
source: http://www.muslimmirror.com / Muslim Mirror / Home> Indian Muslim> Interview / by Syed Ubaidur Rahman / May 28th, 2023
In a glittering ceremony, two books on Muslims’ contribution in India’s Freedom movement were launched here in Patna on 17th December. The function was presided over by Harsh Mandar, former IAS officer and human rights defender in the country.
The books ‘Muslim Freedom Fighters: Contribution of Indian Muslims in the Independence Movement’ and its Urdu version ‘Muslim Mujahideen-e-Azadi aur Tehrik-e-Azadi Mein Unki Khidmat’ have been authored by Delhi based author and journalist Syed Ubaidur Rahman.
The two books try to fight the oft-repeated allegations that Muslims are anti-national and have not contributed for the freedom of the nation. The books nail the lie and prove that Muslims not just participated in the freedom movement, they went on to lead the freedom struggle for a long time. The first war of Independence or Mutiny of 1857 was led by Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar in Delhi and Begum Hazrat Mahal in Lucknow. The Independence Movement in the first two decades of the twentieth century was led by Mahmud Hasan and ulama of Deoband and they had respect and support of everyone including Hindus and Muslims.
If anyone has any doubt about the Muslim contribution in the freedom movement, the fact that the Indian National Congress had as many as nine Muslims as its president till the year 1947 will remove such doubts.
While speaking on the occasion, Harsh Mandar said that the divisive forces in the country are trying to divide the nation on the basis of religion and faith. He said that the danger from such forces for the national fabric and its unity has become grave.
Harsh Mandar added that the threat to the communal amity in the country was never so high as is today as divisive forces are doing every thing to pit one community against the other and create a fear psychosis among the majority community prompting it to turn it against minorities.
Khursheed Mallick, a Chicago based urologist, philanthropist and director of IMEFNA said that the book is a timely reminder to the nation that Muslims and Hindus both sacrificed for the nation and this fact must be clearly told to our young generation. He said Muslims sacrificed heavily for the cause of the freedom of the nation and efforts must be made to tell the history.
Syed Ubaidur Rahman, the author of the two books, while speaking on the occasion said Muslims have been rather loath to write about the sacrifices they have made for the cause of the Independence and freedom. He said Muslims suffered badly throughout the freedom movement. They were the worst suffers in the wake of the mutiny of 1857 and its aftermath when Muslims were hounded across North India and beyond. Tens of thousands of Muslims lost their lives for the freedom.
Syed added that ulama of Deoband played a stellar role in the freedom movement. Unlike the common perception, they were secular to the core and when they established a government in exile in Kabul in 1915, they appointed Raja Mahendra Pratap as its President and Maulana Barkatullah Bhopali as its Prime Minister.
The book documents the lives of forty renowned Muslim freedom fighters including, Shaikhul Hind Maulana Mahmud al-Hasan, Maulana Barkatullah Bhopali, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Dr Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, Ashfaqulla Khan, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Maulana Muhammad Mian Mansoor Ansari, Asaf Ali, Husain Ahmad Madani, Aruna Asaf Ali (Kulsum Zamani), Peer Ali Khan, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Mohammed Abdur Rahiman, Captain Abbas Ali, Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, Prof. Abdul Bari, Moulvi Abdul Rasul, Nawab Syed Mohammed Bahadur, Rahimtulla Mahomed Sayani, Syed Hasan Imam, Sir Syed Ali Imam, M.C. Chagla, Yusuf Meherally, Justice Fazal Ali, General Shah Nawaz Khan, Allama Fazle Haq Khairabadi, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Syed Mahmud, Maulana Mazharul Haque, Badruddin Tyabji, Col Mehboob Ahmed, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Maulana Shafi Daudi, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, Syed Mohammad Sharfuddin Quadri, Batak Mian
The book launch function was organized at Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu and was presided over by Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, chairman of Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu Bihar.
Name of the Book: Muslim Freedom Fighters: Contribution of Indian Muslims in the Independence Movement Author: Syed Ubaidur Rahman ISBN: 81-88869-43-0 Price Rs 225/- Global Media Publications E-42, G. Floor, AFE, Jamia nagar, Okhla, New Delhi-110025
source: http://www.ummid.com / Ummid.com / Home> India / by ummid.com News Network / December 12th, 2017
‘Biographical Encyclopedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters’ is an exhaustive work that brings to the fore many unknown facets of the freedom movement beginning with Faraizi Movement to 1857 Mutiny and to later part of the freedom movement.
BE it 1857 Mutiny or the later freedom movements, Muslims have played leading role in all such efforts. British officials and historians have accused Muslims for the 1857 Ghadar. To be true, both British historians and officials have named Muslims as the most important rebels and termed the Mutiny as a sinister plot by Muslim ulema and mujahideen to reclaim their lost powerhouse in India.
Here are excerpts from a chapter on Imam Baksh Sahbai, a great scholar of his time:
Imam Bakhsh Sahbai was one of the most renowned scholars of the 19th century Mughal India. He was among the best scholars of the Persian language and had earned respect as poet and litterateur of the Persian language. At a time when Urdu had almost replaced Persian as lingua franca in much of north India, he was still one of the greatest supporters of the Persian language and spent all his resources in its propagation.
He authored more than thirty books on Persian and Urdu literature that includes three books that were part of the curriculum in the famed Delhi College. He was reportedly appointed a professor of the Persian language there. However, he had a tragic end when after the 1857 Mutiny he and his entire family, including his two sons, who were also renowned scholars in their respective fields, were hauled, taken to Yamuna and shot dead from point blank range. At least 21 members of his family were slaughtered in this most horrendous fashion.
Imam Bakhsh Sahbai was among the most respected scholars of the time and, therefore, every prince wanted to study under him. He was very close to Ghalib, Zauq, Mufti Sadruddin Azurdah, Fazle Haq Khairabadi and even the last Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar. Many top scholars of the time were taught by him not just at Delhi College but also at his home. However, the slaughter of his family members including his two sons, and digging of his home by the British thugs had shocked the people of Delhi even during the worst phase of brutality. This digging of his house and the complete destruction of his library also destroyed much of his work. The destruction of his massive library that he had built over a period of decades must have been a huge loss for academia and scholarship. This is the reason that not much has survived on him.
Some twenty years after his macabre killing, when a Hindu disciple of Sahbai, Munshi Deen Dayal thought of collection and publication of his he couldn’t lay his hands on anything substantial. There was not much available on his life or work. Whatever he could gather, he published it in three volumes as Kulliyat-e-Sehbai.
Sahbai was born in the year 1805 in a respected family of Delhi. His father, Maulana Muhammad Bakhsh settled in Delhi from Thanesar, Punjab. Sahbai’s elder brother Hakim Peer Bakshi was a famed physician of his time. His early education was under Maulvi Abdullah Khan. Sehbai had two sons, Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Molwi Abdul Karim Soz. Both were accomplished scholars and well-known poets. Both were killed along with their father and other relatives after 1857 Mutiny.
While in the mid-19th century the power of Mughal Empire had diminished and its influence confined to the Old Delhi quarters, the capital of the Mughal empire still boasted a huge galaxy of scholars, poets and artists of all sorts. There is no denying the fact that the biggest draw of all were the poets and intellectuals. Altaf Husain Hali said that Ghalib, Zauq, Sahbai and Azurda made the capital one of the best places for the scholars and academics. “There gathered at this time in the capital, Delhi, a band of men so talented that their meetings and assemblies recalled the days of Akbar and Shah Jahan”, wrote Hali.
Hali, who had merely heard the stories of high standards of scholarship in Delhi, its great scholars and poets and great madrasas dotting the town, escaped Panipat and came on foot to Delhi. He eventually got admitted to one of the best madrasas of the town and started frequenting the classes of great scholars of his time before his family tracked him down eventually. However, much before that happened, he had got admission in ‘very spacious and beautiful’ madrasa of Husain Bakhsh and had begun his studies there. He says that he was witness to ‘this last brilliant glow of learning in Delhi, the thought of which now makes my heart crack with regret’.
William Dalrymple while describing the destruction and killing in Delhi in the aftermath of Mutiny says:
Worse still was the slaughter in Kucha Chelan, where an estimated 1,400 Delhiwallahs were cut down. Here Nawab Muhammad Ali Khan had attempted to resist the plundering and had shot dead three British soldiers who had climbed over his haveli wall and entered his zenana. Their companions went back to get the rest of their regiment, and returned with a field gun with which they blew the haveli apart.
Sahbai was respected by fellow scholars including Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, who himself was a top of the line poet and whose respect for scholars and poets was legendary. While Sahbai is not known to have directly fought in the 1857 Mutiny, however, what is known is that he was with Bahadur Shah Zafar and supported his revolt. This was the reason that the rampaging British forces, full of feeling of retribution and revenge were led to his home and the homes of other supporters of Mutiny. These spies were paid Rs 2 for every such input.
When after relentless killing and rapine the British and their allies got tired of killing and bayoneting the inhabitants, they marched forty survivors out to the river Yamuna, lined them up below the walls of the Fort, and shot them. Among the dead were some of top of the line scholars who would have been the pride of the place for any world class capital. While writing about this ghastly massacre Mirza Zahir Dehlavi says, “They were well-known and well-off people, men who were the pride of Delhi…They had had no parallels in their own day, nor will we ever see their like again.’
Mirza Zahir Dehlavi in his Dastan-e-Ghadar writes:
“For example, there was Miyan Amir Panja-kash, the great calligrapher, who had no one comparable to him on this earth. Then there was one of our greatest poets, Maulvi Imam Bakhsh Sahbai and his two sons, and Mir Niyaz Ali, the celebrated story teller of Kucha Chelan. About fourteen hundred people of that Muhalla were killed. Some were arrested and taken through the Rajghat gate to the river side and there they were shot. The bodies were all thrown into the river. Meanwhile, many of their women were so disturbed by what they saw that they left their homes with their children and jumped into the wells. For months afterwards, all the wells of Kucha Chelan were stacked with dead bodies. My pen refuses to describe this further.
“One of the survivors of Sahbai’s family was his nephew Qadir Ali who apparently lived with him in Delhi. He is reported to have told his escape to the Delhi historian Rashid ul-Khairi. “Delhi resembled a place of Judgment. A huge number of prisoners were being shot as hanging them was ‘tiresome’ for their killers.
As the soldiers readied their guns a Muslim officer came forward and told us that ‘your death is imminent. You will be shot to death immediately, so those people who know swimming should immediately jump in the river to survive.’ I knew swimming and was good at it, but Mamun Sahib [Sahbai] and his son, Maulana Soz, didn’t know how to swim. I was not ready to abandon Mamun Sahib and my cousins but he forced me to do so. Ultimately, I jumped in the river and swam away. I kept looking back, and after I had gone fifty or sixty yards, I heard the gunshots and saw the line of people falling dead”.
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Excerpted from: Biographical Encyclopedia of Indian Muslim Freedom Fighters by Syed Ubaidur Rahman; ISBN: 81-88869-51-1, PP 626 (Hard Bound), Price Rs 1195, Publisher: Global Media Publications, Tel: 9818327757
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source: http://www.clarionindia.net / Clarion India / Home> Books / by Syed Ubaidur Rahman / December 13th, 2021
In a glittering ceremony, two books on the Muslim community’s contribution to the Indian freedom movement were launched in Patna last week. The function was presided over by Harsh Mander, former IAS officer and human rights activist.
The books ‘Muslim Freedom Fighters: Contribution of Indian Muslims in the Independence Movement’ and its Urdu version ‘Muslim Mujahideen-e-Azadi aur Tehrik-e-Azadi Mein Unki Khidmat’ have been authored by well-known Delhi based author and journalist Syed Ubaidur Rahman.
The two books try to fight the oft-repeated allegations that Muslims are anti-national and have not contributed for the freedom of the nation. The books nail the lie and prove that Muslims not just participated in the freedom movement, they went on to lead the freedom struggle for a long time. The first war of Independence or Mutiny of 1857 was led by Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar in Delhi and Begum Hazrat Mahal in Lucknow.
The Independence Movement in the first two decades of the twentieth century was led by Mahmud Hasan and ulama of Deoband and they had respect and support of everyone including Hindus and Muslims.
If anyone has any doubt about the Muslim contribution in the freedom movement, the fact that the Indian National Congress had as many as nine Muslims as its president till the year 1947 will remove such doubts.
While speaking on the occasion, Harsh Mander said that the divisive forces in the country are trying to divide the nation on the basis of religion and faith. He said that the danger from such forces for the national fabric and its unity has become grave.
Mander added that the threat to the communal amity in the country was never so high as is today as divisive forces are doing every thing to pit one community against the other and create a fear psychosis among the majority community prompting it to turn it against minorities.
Khursheed Mallick, a Chicago based urologist, philanthropist and director of IMEFNA said that the book is a timely reminder to the nation that Muslims and Hindus both sacrificed for the nation and this fact must be clearly told to our young generation. He said Muslims sacrificed heavily for the cause of the freedom of the nation and efforts must be made to tell the history.
Syed Ubaidur Rahman, the author of the two books, while speaking on the occasion said Muslims have been rather loath to write about the sacrifices they have made for the cause of the Independence and freedom. He said Muslims suffered badly throughout the freedom movement. They were the worst suffers in the wake of the mutiny of 1857 and its aftermath when Muslims were hounded across North India and beyond. Tens of thousands of Muslims lost their lives for the freedom.
Syed added that ulama of Deoband played a stellar role in the freedom movement. Unlike the common perception, they were secular to the core and when they established a government in exile in Kabul in 1915, they appointed Raja Mahendra Pratap as its President and Maulana Barkatullah Bhopali as its Prime Minister.
The book documents the lives of forty renowned Muslim freedom fighters including, Shaikhul Hind Maulana Mahmud al-Hasan, Maulana Barkatullah Bhopali, Hakim Ajmal Khan, Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Mohammad Ali Jauhar, Dr Maghfoor Ahmad Ajazi, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad Ansari, Ashfaqulla Khan, Maulana Hasrat Mohani, Maulana Muhammad Mian Mansoor Ansari, Asaf Ali, Husain Ahmad Madani, Aruna Asaf Ali (Kulsum Zamani), Peer Ali Khan, Saifuddin Kitchlew, Mohammed Abdur Rahiman, Captain Abbas Ali, Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, Prof. Abdul Bari, Moulvi Abdul Rasul, Nawab Syed Mohammed Bahadur, Rahimtulla Mahomed Sayani, Syed Hasan Imam, Sir Syed Ali Imam, M.C. Chagla, Yusuf Meherally, Justice Fazal Ali, General Shah Nawaz Khan, Allama Fazle Haq Khairabadi, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Syed Mahmud, Maulana Mazharul Haque, Badruddin Tyabji, Col Mehboob Ahmed, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Maulana Shafi Daudi, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai, Syed Mohammad Sharfuddin Quadri, Batak Mian .
The book launch function was organized at Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu and was presided over by Abdul Qaiyum Ansari, chairman of Anjuman Taraqqi Urdu Bihar.
Syed Ubaidur Rahman is a New Delhi based writer and commentator. He has written several books on Muslims and Islam in India including Understanding Muslim Leadership in India.
source: http://www.sify.com / Sify.com / Home> SifyNews> National / by SIFY.com / Friday – December 22nd, 2017
Several books have been written on role of Muslims in India’s Independence movement. And from time to Muslim authors and journalists too have penned several books. This time around when there is talk about Muslims’ role in freedom movement, Okhla-based Sify columnist Syed Ubaidur Rahman has written a new book on this subject that continues to be of great interest to students, educationists, historians and journalists.
It is understood that the book is to hit shelf soon with the book already being submitted in the printing house.
“Just published… Name of the Book: Muslim Freedom Fighters: Contribution of IndianMuslims in the Independence Movement. Author: Syed Ubaidur Rahman. ISBN: 81-88869-43-0. Price Rs 225/,” Rahman wrote on his timeline getting a moderate response from users.
The book is being published by Global Media Publications and interested people can place order too by calling on this number which Rahman provided on his timeline: Tel; 9818327757, 9212011865; e-mail: gmpublication@gmail.com.”
When asked what prompted him to write this book, Rahman said it’s time to tell the young generation about the contributions of Muslims in freedom movement, instilling patriotism in them.
Interestingly, Rahman claimed to have introduced several new faces in the book whose contributions to freedom struggle have been immense but they are forgotten heroes.
Besides, writing for Sify and other national dailies from time to time, Rahman is a translator and author of several books.
source: http://www.okhlatimes.com / Okhla Times / Home>Local / by Okhla Times / December 07th, 2017
