Manazir Ahsan Gilani (1 October 1892 – 5 June 1956) was an Indian Sunni Islamic scholar and former Dean of the Faculty of Theology at Osmania University. Some of his notable works include Tadwin-e-Hadith, Muqaddama Tadwin-e-Fiqh, Sawanih-e-Abu Dharr Ghifari, and Sawanih-e-Qasmi.[1] Muhammad Hamidullah, a historian and hadith researcher, was among his students.[2]

Manazir Ahsan Gilani
Personal
Born1 October 1892
Died5 June 1956(1956-06-05) (aged 63)
ReligionIslam
RegionIndia
DenominationSunni
JurisprudenceHanafi
Main interest(s)Hadith, History, Fiqh, Urdu Literature
Notable work(s)Sawanih-e-Abu Dharr Ghifari, Sawanih-e-Qasmi, Tadwin-e-Hadith, Muqaddama Tadwin-e-Fiqh, Imam Abu Hanifa Ki Siyasi Zindagi
Alma materDarul Uloom Deoband
Muslim leader
Influenced

Birth and education edit

Manazir Ahsan Gilani was born on the 9th of Rabiul Awwal 1310 H (1 October 1892) in Asthawan, a small village in Patna district (now Nalanda district) of Bihar. His father’s name was Abul Khair Gilani. Their Arab descendants reached the Indian subcontinent about three centuries ago via Iran and finally settled in a village which came to be known as Gilani (based on surname of their ancestors). [3]

His elementary education was at home and then he stayed in Tonk, Rajasthan for six years studying with Hakeem Barakaat Ahmad. Thereafter, he was admitted in Darul Uloom Deoband (1912). His other teachers at Darul Uloom Deoband include: Maulana Shabir Ahmad Usmani, Mufti Azizur Rahman Usmani, Maulana Habibur Rahman Usmani and Maulana Syed Ashghar Hussain Deobandi. At Darul Uloom Deoband he studied Sahih al-Bukhari and Jami` at-Tirmidhi with Mahmud Hasan Deobandi and also accepted him as his spiritual mentor.[1] He studied Sahih Muslim with Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Sunan Abu Dawud with Shabbir Ahmad Usmani and Asghar Hussain Deobandi, Sunan an-Nasa'i with Hussain Ahmad Madani, Ibn Majah with Ghulam Rasool Hazarwi and Muwatta Imam Malik with Azizur Rahman Usmani.[4]

Career edit

Gilani was appointed Dean of the Faculty of Theology in Osmania University, remaining there for 25 years.[5][6] His students included Muhammad Hamidullah and Ghulam Muhammad Rabbani.[7][8] In 1948, he retired from Osmania University and returned to his homeland of Gilani, where he devoted most of his time to writing.[citation needed]

Literary works edit

Gilani’s books include:[9]

  • An-Nabiul Khatim (The Last Prophet)
  • Sawanih-e-Abu Dharr Ghifari (Biography of Abu Dharr Ghifari)
  • Imam Abu Hanifa ki Siasi Zindagi (Political life of Imam Abu Hanifa)
  • Tazkara-e-Shah Waliullah (Remembrance of Shah Waliullah)
  • Savanih-e-Qasmi - Biography of Muhammad Qasim Nanautawi[10]
  • Hindustan me Musalmano ka Nizame Taleem-o-Tarbiat (System of Education and Edification of Muslims in India)
  • Islami Muashiyaat (Islamic Economics)
  • Tadween-e-Hadith (Compilation of Hadith)[11][12][13][14]
  • Ad-deenul Qayyim (Established Perfect System)
  • Tadween-e-Quran (Compilation of Quran)[15]
  • Tadween-e-Fiqh (Compilation of Fiqh)
  • Muqalaat-e-Ahsani (Sayings of Ahsan)
  • Tazkeer bi Surat Al-Kahf (Mention of Sura al-Kahaf)
  • Musalmano ki Firqabandion ka Afsanaa (Tale of Sectarianism among Muslims)
  • Sulooq-o-Aadaab (Behaviour and Manners)
  • Islam aur Hindu Mazhab ki Baaz Mushtarik Ta’leemaat (Some Common Teachings of Islam and Hinduism)
  • Arz-e-Ahsan (Excellent Presentation)
  • Agosh Mouj ka Aik Dar Tabinda ya Islami Hind ke Toofani Ahad mein Khuda ka Aik Wafadar Bandah
  • Duniya ke Do Bhai aur Deen ke Do Bhai (Two Brothers of the Duniya and Two Brothers of the Deen)
  • Dajjaali Fitne ke Numaya Khadd-o-Khaal (Salient Features of Dajjal’s Fitna), translated into Arabic by Arif Jameel Mubarakpuri under the title Al Fitna-tud-Dajjāliyyah wa Malāmihuha al-bārizah wa Ishārātuha Fī Sūrati al-Kahf[16][17][18]
  • Ihata Daar al-‘Uloom Mein Bite Hue Din" (Days Spent in the Premises of Dar-al-‘Uloom)
  • Hazar(1000) Saal Pehley[19] (Thousand (1000) Year Earlier)

Death and legacy edit

Gilani suffered from heart problems from 9th November, 1953. After a second heart attack in March 1954, he was shifted to Patna Hospital and was being treated by Ahmad Abdul Hayy. Gilani was prohibited from writing and reading. He died on 5 June 1956 at his native place Gilani, Bihar. His funeral prayer was led by Faseeh Ahmad Asthanwi.[20][6]

On 1st and 2nd of December 2018, the Institute of Objective Studies, New Delhi organised a two-day national conference at the A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna, on “The Life and Contributions of Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani”.[21]

Gilani is often referred by the Islamic scholars as: Muhaqqiq-e-Islam (the researcher of Islam), Sultanul Qalam (King of the Pen), Mutakallim-e-Millat (The Philosopher of the Nation).[22]

Abu Salman Shahjahanpuri wrote Maulana Syed Manazir Ahsan Gilani : Shakhsiyat Aur Sawaneh (Manazir Ahsan Gilani: Personality and Biography).[23]

Dr Fahim Akhtar Nadwi wrote " Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani : Hayat, Khidmaat aur Ifkar"

See also edit

References edit

Citations edit

  1. ^ a b "The Distinguished Researcher and Litterateur: Mawlānā Manāzir Ahsan Gīlāni". IlmGate.org. 27 February 2015. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  2. ^ Qasmi, Dr Muhammadullah. "Maulāna Manāẓir Aḥsan Gīlāni: His Early Life at Deoband as Student, Editor and Teacher".
  3. ^ Miftahi, Zafeeruddin (1989). Hayāt-e-Maulāna Gilāni [Life of Maulana Gilani] (in Urdu) (1st ed.). Banaras: Maulana Yousuf Academy. pp. 24–30, 38.
  4. ^ Qasmi, Farooq Azam (2020). Manāzir-e-Gīlani (in Urdu) (2 ed.). New Delhi: Markazi Publications. p. 39.
  5. ^ Prakash, Gyan; Menon, Nikhil; Laffan, Michael (22 February 2018). The Postcolonial Moment in South and Southeast Asia. Bloomsbury. p. 249. ISBN 9781350038646.
  6. ^ a b Syed Mehboob Rizwi. Tārīkh Dārul Uloom Deoband [History of The Dar al-Ulum Deoband] (PDF). Vol. 2. Translated by Prof. Murtaz Husain F. Quraish. Dar al-Ulum Deoband: Idara-e-Ehtemam. pp. 85–86. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  7. ^ Muhammad Hamidullah. "Islami Qanoon Bain al-Mamalik". Khutbaat-e-Bahawalpur. Hafzi Book Depot, Deoband. p. 138.
  8. ^ Manazir Ahsan Gilani; Ghulam Muhammad Rabbani (2005). Tadwin-e-Quran: Yani Quran Ke Tahaffuz Par Ek Nazar. Karachi: Maktaba al- bukhari. p. 5.
  9. ^ Miftahi, Zafeeruddin (1994). "Tasāneef-o-tāleefāt". Hayāt-e-Maulāna Gilāni (in Urdu) (1st ed.). Lucknow: Majlis-e-Nashriyyāt-e-Islām. p. 212.
  10. ^ Ahmad, Ishtiaque (2020). Ulama E Deoband Ki Swaneh Umriyon Ka Tanqeedi Tajziya Azadi Se Qabl (PhD thesis) (in Urdu). India: Department of Urdu, Maulana Azad National Urdu University. pp. 129–142. hdl:10603/338413.
  11. ^ Adrawi, Asir (1995). Dabistan-i Deoband ki Ilmi Khidmaat (PDF) (in Urdu). Deoband, UP, India: Darulmuaallifeen. pp. 179–180. OCLC 47964786.
  12. ^ Khatoon, Aaisha (2017). Aazadi ke Baad Hindustan ki Khidmaat e Hadith (PhD) (in Urdu). India: Department of Sunni Theology, Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 168–170. hdl:10603/364027. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  13. ^ Kamal, Mohd Arif (2020). Ulema e Hind ki Bisween Sadi Nisf Awwal mein Khidmat e Hadith Tanquidi Mutala (PhD) (in Urdu). India: Department of Sunni Theology, Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 173–176. hdl:10603/364940.
  14. ^ Kaleem, Mohd (2017). Contribution of Old boys of Darul uloom Deoband in Hadith Literature (PhD) (in Urdu). India: Department of Sunni Theology, Aligarh Muslim University. pp. 313–315. hdl:10603/364028. Archived from the original on 24 October 2023. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
  15. ^ Khan, Abdul Waris (1999). Islāmi Uloom mai Nadwatul Musannifeen ki Khidmāt: Ek mutāla [The contribution of Nadwatul Musannifeen in Islamic studies: A study]. New Delhi: Islamic Book Foundation. pp. 35–36.
  16. ^ Azmi, Abul Hasan (2019). "Maulana Arif Jameel Mubarakpuri Azmi". Yaadon Ki Kehkashan (in Urdu). Deoband: Al-Hira’ Book Depot. pp. 621–624.
  17. ^ Rahman, Obaidur (2021). مساهمة علماء ديوبند في اللغة العربية وآدابها ١٨٦٧م - ٢٠١٣م [Contribution of Olamae of Deoband to Arabic Language and Literature from 1867 to 2013] (PhD) (in Arabic). India: Department of Arabic, Banaras Hindu University. pp. 191–193. hdl:10603/536377.
  18. ^ Mubarakpuri, Muhammad Arif Jameel Qasmi, ed. (August–November 2021). "الشيخ نور عالم خليل الأميني باقٍ حبُّه في القلوب مابَقِيَ الليلُ والنهارُ" [Sheikh Noor Alam Khalil Amini's love remains as long as night and day]. Al-Da'i (in Arabic). 46 (1–3). Deoband: Darul Uloom Deoband: 44.
  19. ^ Manazir Ahsan Gilani. Hazaar Saal Pehle (in Urdu) (July 2004 ed.). Al-Ameen Kitabistaan, Deoband.
  20. ^ Abu Muhammad Maulana Sana'ullah Saad Shuja'abadi. "Maulana Sayyed Manazir Ahsan Gilani". Ulama-e-Deoband Ke Aakhi Lamhaat (in Urdu) (2015 ed.). Maktaba Rasheediya, Saharanpur. pp. 87–89.
  21. ^ "2-day IOS national meet on Maulana Manazir Ahsan Gilani". oldwebsite.iosworld.org. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  22. ^ Saif, Mashal (2015). "The Subject of Education and Edification: Manāẓir Aḥsan Gīlānī's Proposal for a Unified System of Muslim Education in British India". Islamic Studies. 54 (3/4): 169–184. JSTOR 26393676. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
  23. ^ "Maulana Syed Manazir Ahsan Gilani : Shakhsiyat Aur Sawaneh / Abu Salman Shahjahanpuri". MANUU Library System. Maulana Azad National Urdu University. Retrieved 7 February 2021.

Bibliography edit

External links edit