Syed Sulaiman Nadvi (22 November 1884 – 22 November 1953) was a British Indian, and then Pakistani, Islamic scholar, historian and a writer, who co-authored Sirat-un-Nabi and wrote Khutbat-e-Madras.[1]

Syed Sulaiman Nadwi
Autochrome portrait by Auguste Léon, 1920
Personal life
Born
Syed Sulaiman Nadvi

(1884-11-22)22 November 1884
Died22 November 1953(1953-11-22) (aged 69)
Main interest(s)History, Seerah, Urdu Literature
Notable work(s)Khutbat-e-Madras, Sirat-un-Nabi, Arb-o-Hind Ke Talluqat, Naqoosh-e-Sulaimani
Religious life
ReligionIslam
Founder ofDarul Musannifeen (Shibli Academy), Azamgarh
Muslim leader
Disciple ofAshraf Ali Thanwi

He was a member of the founding committee of Jamia Millia Islamia University.[2]

Early life and education

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Sulaiman Nadvi Nadvi was born on 22 November 1884 in Desna, a village of Nalanda District, Bihar, India (then in the Patna District, in the Bengal Presidency of British India). His father, Hakeem Sayyed Abul Hasan was a Sufi.[1]

Sulaiman Nadvi was influenced by Shibli Nomani at Lucknow. In 1906, he graduated from Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama.[1] In 1908, Nadvi was appointed as an instructor of Modern Arabic and Theology at Nadva. Sulaiman Nadvi was one of the favorite pupils of Maulana Shibli Nomani. Sulaiman Nadvi became one of the biographers of the Prophet of Islam and a historian during his own lifetime. Alllama Iqbal, too was a great admirer of his erudition and used to refer to him as Ustad ul Kul ("Teacher of all"), and is said to have approached him on religious matters.[3]

Aligarh Muslim University conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctorate of Literature (DLitt) in 1941.[1]

Contribution to Islamic literature

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In 1933, he published one of his major works, Khayyam. The nucleus of this book was an article on the noted Persian scholar and poet Omar Khayyam.[4][5][1]

Sulaiman Nadvi, along with others who favored Hindu-Muslim unity in British India, suggested that the term "Urdu" be abandoned in favour of "Hindustani" because the former conjured up the image of a military conquest and war whereas the latter had no such symbolic baggage.[6]

Sulaiman Nadvi founded Darul Musannifeen (Academy of Authors), also known as the Shibli Academy, at Azamgarh. The first book published there was Ard-ul-Quran (2 volumes).[1]

Later life and death

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In June 1950, Nadvi moved to Pakistan and settled in Karachi.[1] He was appointed Chairman of Taleemat-e-Islami Board to advise on Islamic aspects of Pakistan's Constitution. He died on 22 November 1953 in Karachi at the age of 69.[7][1]

However, his son Salman Nadvi asserts that they didn't move to Pakistan with the intention of migration. Right after they reached Pakistan, Sulaiman Nadvi's health deteriorated and he tried unsuccessfully to get his permit extended from the Indian embassy, which caused grief and pain.[8]

Commemorative postage stamp

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Pakistan Post Office issued a commemorative postage stamp to honor his services in its 'Pioneers of Freedom' Series on 14 august 1992.[3][9]

Literary work

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Nadvi's works include:

  • Ahl-us-Sunnah-wal-Jamā‘ah[7]
  • The Arab Navigation, lectures delivered in Bombay during March 1931.
  • Khayyam, about the contributions of Omar Khayyam, published in 1933, OCLC 295035038.[1]
  • Khutbat-e-madras[1]
  • Rahmat-e-Aalam[1][7]
  • Seerat-e-Aisha[1]
  • Sirat-un-Nabi (Life of the Prophet) by first Shibli Nomani, the teacher of Sulaiman Nadvi. Shibli started writing this book, which was later finished by Sulaiman Nadvi after Shibli’s death in 1914.[1]
  • Rahmat e alam[10]
  • Tarikh ardul Quran [11]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Profile and books by Sulaiman Nadvi on Archived Open Library (California State Library) website. Retrieved 19 February 2024
  2. ^ "History of Jamia Millia Islamia". Jamia Millia Islamia. Archived from the original on 30 June 2007. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Pioneers of Freedom Series 14 August 1992 - Profile of Syed Sulaiman Nadvi (scroll down to read title 'Pioneers of Freedom)". Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  4. ^ Syed Sulaiman aur Tibb Unani by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Mutallae Sulaimani, edited by Prof. Masoodur Rahman Khan Nadvi and Dr. Mohd. Hassan Khan, Darul Uloom, Tajul Masajid, Bhopal 1986, p. 285-293.
  5. ^ A book titled, Syed Sulaiman Aur Tibb Unani by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, Akhbar-ul-Tibb, Karachi, Pakistan, Nov. 1987, p. 9-12.
  6. ^ "Myths about Urdu". Dawn newspaper. 26 November 2009. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2024.
  7. ^ a b c Profile and graveside monument of Sulaiman Nadvi in Karachi, Pakistan. Retrieved 9 October 2019.
  8. ^ Mufti Ata-ur-Rahman Qasmi. "A discussion with Professor Salman Nadwi regarding Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad". Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad: Ek Tajziyati Mutala [Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad: An analytical study]. New Delhi: Mawlana Azad Academy. pp. 468–480.
  9. ^ Enlarged Image of Commemorative Postage Stamp - Pioneers of Freedom Series - 1992
  10. ^ Khan, Mohammad Talib (2018). Contribution of Aligarh Muslim University to Seerah Literature (PhD) (in Urdu). India: Department of Sunni Theology, Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 448–449. hdl:10603/364770. Archived from the original on 26 October 2023. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  11. ^ Adrawi, Asir (1995). Dabistan-i Deoband ki Ilmi Khidmaat (PDF) (in Urdu). Deoband, UP, India: Darulmuaallifeen. pp. 53–55. OCLC 47964786.

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