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Nuzhat al-Khawatir

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Nuzhat al-Khawatir wa Bahjat al-Masam' wa al-Nawazir
Cover of the 1965 Urdu Edition from Pakistan
Author
Original titleنزهة الخواطر وبهجة المسامع والنواظر
Working titleAl-I'lam biman fi Tarikh al-Hind min al-A'lam'
LanguageArabic
SubjectIslam in India
GenreBiography
PublisherDairatul Maarifil Osmania
Publication date
1931–1968
Publication placeIndia
Media typePrint
OCLC43503633
920.71
LC ClassDS434 H373 1999

Nuzhat al-Khawatir wa Bahjat al-Masam' wa al-Nawazir (Arabic: نزهة الخواطر وبهجة المسامع والنواظر, lit. 'Promenade of Thoughts and Delight of the Ears and Eyes'), commonly abbreviated as Nuzhat al-Khawatir, is an 8-volume Arabic historical account of Greater Indian Muslim figures, primarily scholars, spanning the 1st to 14th centuries AH, corresponding to the 7th and 20th centuries CE.[1] It was originally published by Dairatul Maarifil Osmania between 1931 and 1968, comprising approximately 4,500 entries.[2] Authored by Abdul Hai Hasani, the work is widely regarded as his magnum opus, with seven volumes completed before his death in 1923, and the final volume left unfinished and later completed by his son, Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi, after which the entire series was republished under the title Al-I'lam biman fi Tarikh al-Hind min al-A'lam' (Arabic: الإعلام بمن في تاريخ الهند من الأعلام).[3] The second volume of the series was published first, as a supplement to Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani's Al-Durar al-Kaminah. Compiled using 300 sources in Persian, Urdu, and Arabic, the work distinguishes itself from traditional Indo-Persianate historical narratives by adopting a methodical and objective approach to religious personalities. Aimed at introducing the role of Indian Muslim figures to the Arab world, the work is organized chronologically: the first volume covers the 1st to 7th centuries AH, while each subsequent volume focuses on a specific century from the 8th century AH onward.[4]

Scholarly examination

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It has received scholarly attention for its approach to biographical writing and its broader research on the intellectual, historical, political, and religious landscape of Greater India. The İslâm Ansiklopedisi, published by Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs, highlights its value beyond biography, noting its extensive coverage of various topics.[1] Taqi Usmani, a former judge of Supreme Court of Pakistan, regarded it as a significant resource for scholars and historians.[5] Syrian scholar and writer Ali Al-Tantawi acknowledged its importance in the field, noting its usefulness and relevance.[6] Indian historian and Islamic scholar Sulaiman Nadvi compared it to Ibn Khallikan's Deaths of Eminent Men and the Sons of the Epoch, emphasizing its role in the biographical tradition.[7] Muhammad Qasim Zaman, a professor of Islamic Studies at Princeton University, interpreted the work as a response to the colonial-era Muslim identity crisis, highlighting its use of Arabic to assert cultural authenticity and connect with the Islamic heartland.[8] Mohsin Ali, a scholar at the University of California, analyzed its historiographical significance, noting its departure from Indo-Persianate traditions by focusing on intellectual lineages rather than saintly miracles. He further argued that the book represented a shift in Indo-Muslim historical writing, illustrating the persistence of Arabic historiographical methods alongside the rise of historicism.[9] Shafiqul Islam Ansary, a scholar at B.H. College, noted the book’s accessible language and clear structure.[10] Samee Ullah Bhat from the University of Kashmir emphasized its importance as a significant biographical work on the Indian Ulama, written in Arabic.[11] Jubailiya P from the University of Calicut acknowledged the book as the first extensive documentation of Indian scholars.[12] Ahmed Mohammed Al-Jawarneh, a scholar at Yarmouk University, highlighted the book’s scholarly value.[13] Muhammad Hasan Musa, author of Al-Mukhtar al-Masun min A'lam al-Qurun, pointed out its rarity in focusing on Indian history within historical literature.[14] Abul Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi, founding chairman of the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, commended the book’s thoroughness and its role in consolidating information from various sources, making it a valuable resource for researchers.[15] Md. Hamid Uddin from Patharkandi College recognized its pioneering role in documenting the Arabic writers of India, emphasizing its importance for scholars and researchers in the field.[16] Abdulla Yaseen, a scholar at Maulana Azad National Urdu University, highlighted the book’s clarity of expression and smooth narration, noting its natural flow and absence of artificiality.[17] Abdul Hakeem, a scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, considered it a significant reference work in its field.[6] Naushad Noori Qasmi, in an article on The League of Syrian Scholars, described the book as one of the most notable historical works in India, emphasizing its linguistic richness and well-executed style.[18]

Continuing legacy

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It has been the basis for various scholarly works examining its content and significance. In 1934, Muin al-Din Nadwi compiled Mu'jam al-Amkina al-Lati Laha Dhikr Fi Nuzhat al-Khawatir, an Arabic dictionary of places referenced in the text.[19] In 2016, Abid Hussain Shah Pirzada authored Nuzhat al-Khawatir ka Ilmi aur Tahaqqiqi Jaiza in Urdu, presenting a critical review of its academic approach.[20] Qazi Athar Mubarakpuri's 1957 work Rijal al-Sind wal-Hind acknowledged the text as a key source on Indian Ulama, while noting omissions of figures from early Arabic records, demonstrating areas for further investigation.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b Hatiboglu, Ibrahim (2007). "NÜZHETÜ'l-HAVÂTIR". TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. 33 (Nesi̇h – Osmanlilar) (in Turkish). Istanbul: Turkiye Diyanet Foundation, Centre for Islamic Studies. p. 308. ISBN 978-975-389-455-5.
  2. ^ Ali, Mohsin (2022). Modern Islamic Historiography: A Global Perspective from South Asia (PhD thesis). USA: University of California. p. 285.
  3. ^ Engineer, Asghar Ali (2002). Islam in India: The Impact of Civilizations. Indian Council for Cultural Relations. p. 166. ISBN 978-81-7541-115-9.
  4. ^ Mehmet, Maksudoglu (1988). "ABDÜLHAY el-HASENÎ". TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, Vol. 1 (Âb-ı Hayat – El-ahkâmü'ş-şer'i̇yye) (in Turkish). Istanbul: Turkiye Diyanet Foundation, Centre for Islamic Studies. p. 229. ISBN 978-975-954-801-8.
  5. ^ Usmani, Taqi (2005). Tabsre (in Urdu). Pakistan: Maktaba Ma'ariful Quran. p. 498.
  6. ^ a b Hakeem, Abdul (2019). "An In-Depth Analytical and Critical Examination of 'Nuzhat al-Khawatir'". Naqeebul Hind. ISSN 2455-5894.
  7. ^ Nadwi, Abul Hasan Ali Hasani (2004). Hayāt-e-Abdul Hai (PDF) (in Urdu). Lucknow: Syed Ahmad Shaheed Academy. p. 303.
  8. ^ Ali 2022, p. 291.
  9. ^ Ali 2022, p. 207.
  10. ^ Ansary, Shafiqul Islam (2022). "Development Of Arabic Prose in India". Journal of Positive School Psychology. 6 (3): 4595. ISSN 2717-7564.
  11. ^ Bhat, Samee Ullah (2019). Islamic Historiography: Nature and Development. New Delhi: Educreation Publishing. p. 41. ISBN 978-93-88910-50-7.
  12. ^ P, Jubailiya (2020). Darul Uloom Nadwathul Ulama its Contributions to the Development of Arabic Language and Literature: an analytical study (PhD thesis) (in Arabic). India: Department of Arabic, University of Calicut. p. 212. hdl:10603/306944. Archived from the original on 26 November 2023. Retrieved 29 November 2023.
  13. ^ Al-Jawarneh, Ahmed Mohammed (2024). Sources of Muslim History in the Indian Subcontinent (in Arabic). Jordan: Dar al-Khalij for Publishing and Distribution. p. 359. ISBN 978-9923-23-162-3.
  14. ^ Musa, Muhammad Hasan (1995). Al-Mukhtār al-Maṣūn min A‘lām al-Qurūn (in Arabic). Jeddah: Dar al-Undulus al-Khadra. p. 19.
  15. ^ Nadwi 2004, p. 299.
  16. ^ Uddin, Md. Hamid (2024). "Contribution of Sayeed Abdul Hai-Al Hasani to the development of Arabic language and literature in the Indian sub-continent" (PDF). The Echo. 12 (4): 315. ISSN 2278-5264.
  17. ^ Yaseen, Abdulla (2023). "Sayyid Abdul Hai Al-hasani And His Contribution To Indian Arabic Literature" (PDF). International Journal of Engineering Science and Advanced Technology. 23 (10): 29. ISSN 2250-3676.
  18. ^ Qasmi, Naushad Noori (14 June 2023). "A Study of the Book "Nuzhat al-Khawatir"". The League of Syrian Scholars.
  19. ^ Nadwi, Muin al-Din (1934). Mu'jam al-Amkina al-Lati Laha Dhikr Fi Nuzhat al-Khawatir (in Arabic). India: Matba'at Jam'iyat Da'irat al-Ma'arif al-Uthmaniyah.
  20. ^ Pirzada, Abid Hussain Shah (2016). 'Nuzhat al-Khawatir' ka Ilmi aur Tahaqqiqi Jaiza (in Urdu). Lahore: Muslim Kitabavi.
  21. ^ Ali 2022, p. 286.
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