By Afzal Usmani for TwoCircles.net
The month of November has special significance in the life of Allama Shibli Nomani as he died in this month 99 years ago on November 18, 1914. His scholarship is unmatched by his contemporaries and in some case even with his predecessors and those who followed him. Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy is planning to commemorate a centenary of the death of this legend and also celebrate the 100 years of the establishment of India’s first think tank. Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy was founded on November 21, 1914, just three days after the sad demise of Allama Shibli Nomani.
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Allama Shibli Nomani
Allama Shibli’s association with Sir Syed and Aligarh Movement has a special place in the history. People tried to create a fictional rift between these two great men of the modern history and even succeeded up to a certain extent too. But this is not the time to open this chapter of history. Allama Shibli was a strong believer and follower of Aligarh Movement and immediately in the same year of his joining of Mohammadan Anglo Oriental (M.A.O.) College, he established a modern school in Azamgarh. It was Allama Shibli who conceptualized the idea of a Modern Madrasah under Nadwatul Ulema and later established it and served as its Founding Secretary. He also conceptualized the idea of Darul Musannefin but died before he can establish it. But his students realized the dream of their teacher and mentor and established Darul Musannefin within three days of his death. Darul Musannefin later became Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy and still functional and just like the founder, has unmatched academic credentials in its respective field of research and publication. The same Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy is still publishing oldest surviving Urdu journal Maarif since August 1916 and so far did not missed a single issue of its publications.
The latest issue of Maarif (November 2013 - http://shibliacademy.org/maarif ) caries an article/news about a proposal of Allama Shibli Nomani to establish an Islamic University in Mecca (Makkah). The proposal was originally published on April 15, 1913 in the newspaper Zamindar. This newspaper was started and owned by Maulana Zafar Ali Khan who was a student of Allama Shibli Nomani at Mohammadan Anglo Oriental (M.A.O.) College, Aligarh. Thanks to Prof. Ishtiyaq Ahmad Zilli, a retired Professor of History from Aligarh Muslim University and present Director (Nazim) of Darul Musannefin Shibli Academy for bringing up this missing piece of history which was missed by many who studied and still studying Allama Shibli. The proposal was made in 1913 and at that time Mecca was under Khilafat-e-Osmani (Ottoman Empire) and Hussein bin Ali was Sharif and Emir of Mecca. Probably due to Bulkan war and later World War I and later Allama Shibli’s death in 1914, the proposal did not move towards realization.
Even after 100 years of his death Allama Shibli Nomani did not get his due recognition as a reformer. Muslims consider him great theologian, Islamic scholar, Urdu scholar but do not give him his place in the category of social and educational reformer of the community. I hope this missing part of history recovered by Prof. Zilli will force many to reconsider their stand of Allama Shibli Nomani.
Here is said article/news about the proposal of Allama Shibli Nomani to establish an Islamic University in Mecca (Makkah) published in Maarif of November 2013.
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The original proposal which was published in Zamindar on its issue on April 15, 1913:
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Translation of the proposal:
Proposal for an Islamic University: Shamsul Ulema Allama Shibli Nomani
(Zamindar – April 15, 1913)
Everyone has witnessed that the recent events will make Muslims perish. If Muslims do not make collective efforts, the chances of their survival are minimal. This is becoming a common and undisputed perception but emergence of common solution is still a distant reality.
In my opinion, establishment of a University at Mecca which can impart high quality religious and modern education is of prime importance. It is an established fact the education is a key element of power of a nation. The nation can only survive if they have complete high quality religious, modern education and well verse with modern technology.
There are many reasons to establish this University in Mecca;
1. Mecca is the center of Islamic/Muslim world and Muslims from every part of the world can be attracted to go there by their choice. The same cannot be done for Egypt or Constantinople.
2. Good amount can be raised for a University in Mecca than for any other place.
3. If every year even 10/-Rs per Haji is received, a huge sum of money can be collected for the University.
4. A wonderful library is available in Mecca.
5. Weather of Taif, the adjacent city to Mecca is very pleasant and students and teachers can spend summer in Taif.
6. One of the main beneficiaries of this University will be Arabs who are illiterate for thousands of years. Centers of this University can be open in different major tribal areas of Arabian Peninsula. Through scholarships Arabs and Bedouins can be attracted for education.
The biggest obstacle for this project will be government of Turkey (Ottoman Empire) as they may not permit to open this kind of University as Turks never wanted education as culture to propagate in Arabs and so you will not find government institutions even in major cities of Arabian Peninsula. But now Turks have realized their mistakes. Indian Muslims have secured a special position in the courts of Ottoman Empire due to their dedicated loyalty towards them and if they make a unanimous proposal to the Turkey, it cannot be refused. It is also necessary not to give a political flavor this proposal as this is a pure educational proposal. Even though it will be tough these days as everything becomes political even after taking great care.
If you like this proposal, I request Islamic newspapers to spread the idea in the community and specially to the concerned community members like Agha Khan Sahab, Raja Ali Mohammad Khan Sahab (Sir Mohammad Ali Mohammad, Raja Mahmudabad), Nawab Sahab of Dacca (Nawab Khawaja Salimullah), Qazalbash Khan, Nawab Viqarul Mulk, Sahabzadah Aftab Ahmad Khan, Mr. Mohammad Ali, Editor Sahab of Al-Hilal (Maulana Abul Kalam Azad) who will be more effective and fruitful.
I can make a tour of entire India and then migrate to Mecca and render all my services to this blessed University.
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Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Editor of Al-Hilal published his comments in the issue of Al-Hilal on April 30, 1913. Here is the copy of Al-Hilal where his comments were published. He appreciated the idea of Allama Shibli Nomani and endorsed the proposal. But he suggested that instead of establishing a new University, it will be easy and convenient to promote Madarsah Saulatiyah to a University. Madarsah Saulatiyah was established by an eminent Indian Islamic scholar Maulana Rahmatullah Keranvi in 1874 in Makkah.
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Historic building of Madarsah Saulatiyah which was close to Haram Shareef in Makkah but shifted to the outskirts when expansion of Haram was done recently.
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Afzal Usmani is the editor http://www.AligarhMovement.com