A Look
back at the life and contributions
of Syed
Abul Hasan Nadwi (1914-1999)
Dr.
Mozammel Haque
2019 is the 20th death anniversary
of Syed Abul Hasan Nadwi who passed away in December 1999. Syed Abul Hasan
Nadwi, popularly known as Maulana Ali Miah, was born on 3rd Muharram
1333 (1914) in an Academic and literary (both spiritual and material) dynasty
of Ulema, Mujahideen, Professors, ICS officers and Barristers and was the
descendant of Syed Ahmad Shaheed who fought with Imperial forces face to face
and eventually martyred in the Battlefield.
It is very important to remember and to
cast some lights on His Eminence Abul Hasan Nadwi Rahimullah. He passed away in
1999. I believe it is important for new generation of Muslims, everywhere, not only here in the UK, to remember always
and to talk about their scholars, about their great figures, especially those
who influenced the societies, peoples’ minds, of course in the positive way.
Syed
Abul Hasan Nadwi
I am talking about Maulana Abul Hasan
Nadawi Rahimullah who is one of the great scholars in India; not only in India,
he started in India but he became one of the great scholars of the Islamic
world. I still remember in the 1980s when he came to Rabita al-Alam al-Islami,
Makkah al-Mukarramah; I used to hear and listen Abul Hasan Nadawi. He used to
come Rabita al-Alam al-Islami, Makkah al-Mukarramah on different occasions in
one of the conferences, seminars in Makkah on Islamic fiqh etc.
Awards and Accolates
Abul Hasan himself received many prizes. He
was awarded many times. Syed Abul Hasan Nadwi received many awards and
accolades. He received Faisal Award announced in his name in 1980. Kashmir
University awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Literature in 1981. In
1992 Padma Bhusan highest award of India was offered by the Indian Prime
Minister, which was politely refused being against family traditions and
practice. In 1999 Sultan of Brunei Award
was announced by Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies UK.
Members
of many international organisations
Syed Abul Hasan was a member of many
Councils and Forums; for example; he was a member of Arabic Language Council in
Damascus; he was also member of Arabic Council in Amman in Jordan; he was also
member of many organisations in Saudi Arabia. In 1962 Syed Abu Hasan was
appointed Member of Rabitah al-Alam Al-Islami, Makkah al-Mukarramah. He was also
member and Chairman of Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies in 1983. He is
something like an international man who played main role in many things
everywhere.
Education
and Upbringing
It is very important to look back at his
life, education, training and upbringing as well as his contributions He was
brought up by learned and pious parents. His father Maulana Hakeem Syed Abdul
Hai Nadwi was a great scholar of his time and had written many books, one of
which Nuzhatul Khavatir is very famous and consists of 8 Volumes. He
served as Rector, Nadwatul Ulema till he breathed his last on Friday 2nd
February 1923 when Shaikh Abul Hasan was only eight or nine years of age. His
mother was also a pious lady and played an important role in his up-bringing
and tarbiyah and taught him to write soon after Bismillah ar-Rahman
ar-Rahim.
Having lost his father young, Ali (as his
mother used to call him), was growing up under the shadow of his pious mother,
under the guardianship of his beloved brother Hakim Doctor Abdul Ali Nadwi (
who having qualified from both Darul Uloom Deoband and Nadwatul Ulema was
pursuing a course of study at Medical College and was in 4th year of
his MBBS) and according to family traditions under the tutorship of Syed
Muhammad Ismail and Master Muhammad Zaman Khan who taught him Persian, Urdu and
Arithmetic respectively.
Young Ali was approaching the age of ten
when his brother decided to change the direction of his education to Arabic and
handed him over to the tutorship of the learned scholar Shaikh Khalil ibn
Muhammad ibn Hussain Yamani Bhopali, a lecturer in Lucknow University, who put
him to a book originally prepared by Egyptian Ministry of Education for
children. Shaikh Khalil (Arab Saheb as used to be called) used to teach him
along with his younger brother on return from University. He thus gained
maximum attention of his teacher in a small class of two and very soon started
speaking in Arabic which his teacher made obligatory. While the emphasis during
this period was on Arabic he was also learning English.
He was 12 years of age that his brother, in
consultation with his tutor decided to admit him to Lucknow University for a
course of Fazil-e-Adab which for
admission he had to compete with other candidates well qualified of Madaris-e-Arabia and matured, where as
he was a boy of 12.
Before going to University he had already
gained reasonable command of Persian, Urdu and Arabic and used to read
Newspapers and Magazines subscribed by his brother from Damascus and Palestine.
He completed his course in Fazil-e-Adab from Lucknow University
when he was only 15 and was awarded a First Class First with Gold Medal and a
scholarship for further studies which he utilised in gaining another degree in Fazil-e-Hadeeth. In the December 1929
convocation he was awarded his certificate by Sir Malcolm Healy, Governor of
U.P., which he would have preferred to receive from a pious Muslim scholar.
While in University he continued reading works of famous scholars and academics
in Urdu, Persian and Arabic and improved his proficiency in these languages and
enhanced his knowledge of Islam and contemporary subjects.
Mother’s advice and Dua
During this period encouraged by his Tutor
(Arab sahib) he also started learning English with full zeal and was preparing
for the Intermediate Examination when his pious mother, having known his
enthusiasm for English, wrote to him: “Ali! Don’t be mislead by others, if you
wish to gain Allah’s pleasure and my affection then follow those who spent
their lives in achieving Allah’s Deen like Shah Waliullah, Shah Abdul Aziz and
Shah Abdul Qadir and like others whose lives and death was enviable. Ali, if I
had 100 sons, I would have put all of them on such education, now you are alone
and I pray to Allah that you achieve qualities of 100 such pious and learned
scholars.
Pious mother’s letter backed by her prayers
(dua) worked and his own heart became disgruntled of English but he had
achieved so much knowledge that helped him later in life that he could read
English books and literature during his visits to England and America.
Travel
to Lahore
After successfully completing courses in
University he travelled to Lahore on the invitation of his uncle who introduced
him to various scholars of the time including Allama Iqbal and Shaikh
al-Tafseer-e-Qur’an Maulana Ahmad Ali Lahori. He also met three famous wrestlers
Rustam-e-Zaman and Professor Muhammad Shafi M.A. (Cantab) who having taste,
advised him to make Arabic his subject and attain perfection in it to the
utmost height.
In July 1929 on return from Lahore he was
admitted in Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulema where he spent 5 years to qualify its
prescribed course in Hadeeth, Tafseer, Fiqah and other subjects. While in Nadwa he was taught by Allama
Taqiuddin Hilali Marakashi, Shaikh Muhammad ibn Hussain Yamani, Muhammad Tayyab
Makki Rampuri and other learned and various scholars.
During this period he once again visited
Lahore and having spent some time in the Tafseer class of Mufassir-e-Qur’an Maulana Ahmad Ali Lahori, received his
credential. He then moved to Deoband, another seat of learning, and joined Bukhari
class of Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madni and received credential from him. He had
now had the opportunity of attending upon all the renowned scholar of the age.
First article published in “Al-Minar”
Young Ali had now grown up, a teenager, a
hockey player and a translator from Urdu to Arabic and preparing to write his
own articles. His first article on Saiyid Ahmad Shaheed was published in a well
Known Egyptian Magazine “Al-Minar” and was later published as a booklet in 1950
by the same Magazine, which not only encouraged him but put him on right track
of writing.
Lecturer at Nadwatul Ulema
Reaching the age of 20 and having qualified
from Nadwatul Ulema he was appointed as a lecturer where he was a student so
far. He started teaching Tafseer, Adab and other subjects from 1st
August 1934 and was allocated an upper class taken so far by a senior scholar
of good experience. His students were mostly of his own age and some even
older. He thus had to prepare hard and sometimes even travel miles to consult
senior scholar to teach to his student to their as well as his own
satisfaction.
At
Nadwatul Ulema
After completing his education he joined
Nadwatul Ulema as Lecturer in 1934. In 1945 he resigned from Nadwatul Ulema as
Lecturer and in 1947 he joined Executive Committee of the Nadwatul Ulema as a
member. In 1954 he was appointed Director of Education of Nadwatul Elema. After
the death of his beloved brother, he was appointed Rector of Nadwatul Ulema in 1961.
Member
of Rabitah al-Alam-Al-Islami
In 1962 Syed Abu Hasan was appointed Member
of Rabitah al-Alam Al-Islami, Makkah al-Mukarramah.
Writing
and overhauling syllabus.
As early as in 1937 Syed Abul Hasan
prepared New Syllabus for Aligarh University and revised syllabus of Nadwatul
Ulema in 1940 and in 1968 visited Riyadh University and overhauled its
syllabus.
Established
institutions
As early as in 1943 for the education of
children Syed Abul Hasan established Idara
Talimah and then in 1959 he established Academy for Research and Islamic
Publications which has up to now publish hundreds of books. Then after one year
in 1960 he established Deeni Taleemi
for the Education of Muslim children in India. Then in 1983 he established
Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies. He was chairman of the Board of Trustees of
the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, UK.
Syed Abul Hasan also formed in 1964
Majlis-e-Mushawarat to look after Muslim interest in India.
Visiting
Lecturer and delivered
Lectures
At Universities
In 1942 Syed Abul Hasan delivered a lecture
at Jamia-e-Millia Delhi on “Religion & Civilisation”. In 1956 he accepted
appointment as visiting lecturer at the Damascus University and also visited
Turkey and Lebanon and delivered many lectures. Then in 1963 he accepted
appointment as Visiting Lecturer at Jamia Islamia Madinah Munawwarah and
addressed Hujjaj from Shafaie Musallah in Haram-e-Makkah and then had the
opportunity of entering in Ka’aba Mukarramah.
Writings and publication
Syed Abul Hasan’s first article in Arabic
published in 1931. Then he published “Seerat Ahmad Shaheed” in Urdu in 1939.
After that he started writing Maza Khasar
alam which was published in Egypt in 1950 and then in English as “Islam and
the West.” In 1955, the first Volume of Tarikh
Dawat wa Azimat was published and the next year in 1956 the Second Volume
of “Tarikh Dawat wa Azeemat” was
published. Then in 1958, he published “Al-Qadiany
wal Qadianah in Arabic and later on translated into Urdu and English. In
1967 he published Arkan-e-Arba in
Urdu and later on as Four Pillars of Islam in English. Syed Abul Hasan
published “Al-Murtaza” the Life of
the Fourth Caliph Ali Murtaza in 1988 and later translated into English.
Visited
Arab countries and
met Heads
of States
In 1951 Syed Abul Hasan first visited Egypt
with very busy schedule of meetings with renowned scholars, Radio Broadcast,
meetings with ‘Ikhwan’ leadership, then to Sudan, Damascus, Bait al-Maqdas,
Palestine, Iraq and Jordan where he met with King Abdullah. In 1973 he led
Muslim World League’s deputation to Gulf States and met with King Hussain of
Jordan and Shaikh Sultan Qasimi of Sharjah. In 1974, he visited Morocco and met
with King Hasan II and discussed issues of the Ummah. In 1978 visited Pakistan
arranged by Rabitah al-alam al-Islami. He again visited Pakistan in 1984 met
President Zia ul Haq, presented a model of Dome of Rock. Syed Abul Hasan also
visited Malaysia in 1987 at the invitation of Student Union. In 1990 he met
Indian Prime Minister regarding Muslim Personal Law.
In 1963 Syed Abul Hasan first visited to
Europe at the invitation of Islamic Centre Geneva and then to United Kingdom,
France, Germany and Spain, then again in 1964 and 1969. Syed Abul Hasan
travelled to the United States of America in 1977 at the invitation of MSA and
addressed many meetings and seminars throughout the country. He again visited
in 1993.
Performed Hajj First in 1947 with 6 months
stay in Saudi Arabia.
Syed Abul Hasan Nadwi passed away on 22nd
Ramadan 1420 A.H. just before Salat al-Jumah, 31st December 1999.
May Allah Subhanahu wa Taala accept his
efforts for the cause and revival of Islam, Muslims, whole Islamic World,
shower His mercy and blessings upon him. Ameen.
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