THE DAILY GREATER KASHMIR SRINAGAR, SUNDAY, 6 MUHARRAM-UL-HARAM 1430 AH ; SUNDAY, JANUARY 04, 2009 CE
Saints and Saviours of Islam
A good work that need be read seriously
REVIEW BY DR MUHAMMAD MAROOF SHAH
If it is great labour, diligence and indefatigable spirit of work that defines scholarship then Prof. Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi has few rivals in our state. To his credit are more than two dozen books including the present one, viz., Saints and Saviours of Islam (Sarup & Sons, New Delhi) which is here reviewed and dozens of papers in different journals. Despite many repetitions and a great bulk of quotes which characterize his works this is still by all means an enormous output that is enviable for most of his colleagues though qualitatively it may not be so bulky. This prolific output could only be attributed to great passion, zeal and commitment to his work and mission. He is a truly an encyclopaedic scholar who has good command over his subject of Islamic Studies that he teaches. His wide and diverse interests in such diverse fields as philosophy, theology, mysticism, literature, history and even science establish his credentials as a scholar . Staggering labour and deep familiarity with almost all the important fields of Islamic discourse is a perquisite of writing the book under review. It is so easy and fashionable to be a “critic” and so difficult to be a writer oneself. We are habitual of dismissive criticism without bothering to try one’s worth on the subject by writing a similar work on which one gives expert opinion. Combining the diverse gifts of a poet, a journalist, a social worker, a polyglot, and a teacher with deep love for Islamic intellectual heritage and great zeal to breathe fresh spirit in increasingly fossilized thought structures bequeathed to us from our recent past, Prof. Hamid is a voice to be heard. He has been a pioneer in stimulating comparative dialogue in the Shah Hamdan Institute of Islamic Studies and this book is informed by this comparative spirit. He has a rare knack of discerning parallels across traditions and thinkers and foregrounding much neglected dimensions of Islamic thought. It is not easy demanding great concentration and patience which Prof. Hamid is gifted with to sustain a long comparative analysis of as divergent thinkers as Ibn Taymiyah and Ibn Sina, Descartes and Ghazzali. Hamdani, Waliullah and Sirhindi. Prof. Hamid has hardly any negative critical remark for any of the personalities discussed in the book. He can change gears from theologian to a philosopher to a Sufi and it is evidence of his catholicity of thought. Iqbal deserved some space, perhaps the last chapter as he is one of the greatest saints and saviours of Islam in post-Waliullah Islam. The chapter on Hamdani makes the book a study of culture as well rather than personalities only. The chapter on Sufism in Kashmir adds indigenous colour to the history of Islamic revivalist and intellectual tradition. The lesser known Sufis are introduced in it. All the ten chapters of the book are independent essays and most of them treat their subject comprehensively. The last chapter sums up contribution of Muslims to science but one feels it could be enriched by enframing in the distinct perspective of traditional science of which Islamic science is an application. The critical sense which any student of philosophy and comparative religion must cultivate diligently, is not absent in Prof. Hamid and he hardly leaves any orientalist misreading go uncensored. It is difficult to be always consistent for him.Prof Hamid’s book reveals him to be a versatile scholar, a good complier, an informed reader. Though not mystically oriented he respectfully approaches Sufism and though critical of philosophizing religion, he is sympathetic to Muslim philosophers and though not an exoteric aalim he ably defends the formal structure of Islam and though not modernist in his approach to Islam he steers cautiously out of the neofoundationist dogmatist trap and all these things make him an intellectually balanced and to a great extent objective chronicler and critic.It is hoped that he will continue to give us more scholarly works and for that he will continue to read more focussedly, widely, critically and dispassionately. He musters enough energy to devour volumes and volumes of classical works in important classical traditional languages. The book discusses important philosophers, Sufis, theologians and scientists – the saviours of Islamic spirit especially of the Middle Ages. The author discusses life and important works of all the selected personalities which include Ibn Taymiyah, Ibn Sina, Ghazzali, Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi and Shah Waliulllah. Of particular significance is the chapter on Shah Waliullah and Rational Sciences in Medieval India. The chapter on Ibn Taymiyah’s approach to scholasticism and logic is illuminating. An attempt to show that Ibn Taymiyah anticipated Mill and modern critiques of Greek logic is quite interesting contribution. The book provides much more information than criticism. It doesn’t advance a series of theses of its own but primarily limits itself to present the views of the personalities discussed. It is not clear who is his hero and with whom he sides in his interpretation of Sufism, Ibn Arabi, Sirhindi or Shah Waliullah. He seems to concede much of Ibn Taymiyah’s critique of Sufism and has little to disagree with Waliullah or Sirhindi. Certain repetitions, typographical errors, grammatical mistakes have crept in otherwise a good scholarly work that could benefit students of Islam, philosophy and comparative religion and deserves not only to be praised but seriously read as it largely succeeds in presenting a critical review of major thought currents of Islam.(Feedback at marooof123@yahoo.com)
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
BOOKS BY PROF. HAMID NASEEM RAFIABADI)
World Religions and Islam: A Critical Study/
Edited and introduced by Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. New Delhi, Sarup & Sons, 2003, 2 Vols. 568 p., $65 (set). ISBN 81-7625-414-2.Rs.1600/, 2 volumes Contents Vol. I: Preface. Introduction. 1. Concept of religion—an analysis!/Mir Mohammed Ibrahim. 2. Typology of religions/Mir Mohammed Ibrahim. 3. Nature of ultimate reality in the Upanishads and the Quran/V.N. Sheshagiri Rao. 4. Dara Shikoh and comparative study of religion/S.P. Dubey. 5. Study of Islamic impact on Raja Rammohan Roy/Reeta Baghchi. 6. Islamic resurgence in Indonesia : the case of the Islah and Irshad Movement (1914-1943). 7. Spiritual economy—Syed Ali Hamadani and his role in the advancement of arts and crafts in Kashmir/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 8. The notions of divine being in various religions/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 9. Religious identity and security society/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 10. Sistan, Zoroastrianism and Islam—a socio—historical background/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 11. Islam, Christians and the west/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi.12. Islam and the west early history and political relations/Sheikh Jameil Ali. 13. An Introduction to the Bahai faith/Shoghi Effendi. 14. The meaning and significance of Bismillah/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 15. What does Ism—mean?/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 16. What the word Allah signifies?/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 17. What do the terms Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim mean?/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 18. Whether Bismillah is to be regarded as a verse/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 19. Revelation of the Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 20. Muhkamat and Mutashabiat verses of the Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 21. Asbab-i-Nazool—or the background of the revelation of the Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 22. Nazm principle in the Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 23. Abrogation in the Quran—some reflection on old and new perspectives!/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 24. Concept of knowledge in Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 25. Quranology—in world wide scholarship/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. Index.Vol. II: 1. Civil liberties and Islam—some reflections on the freedom of conscience in Islam/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 2. Muslim contribution to medical sciences/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 3. Miskawayh on society and government/Badruddin Bhat. 4. Ibn Taimiyah-revisited—a study of his Ar –Raddo’Alal Mantaqiyin/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 5. The background of the Maktubat of Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi—a study in historical perspective/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 6. Shaykh Ahmad Sarhindi’s concept of Universe/Afroz Ahmad Bisati. 7. Ilmul-Al-Kalam of Shah Wali Allah of Dehalawi/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 8. The philosophy of Mulla Sadra with special reference to Eschatology of Ibn Sina/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 9. The Epistemology of Baqir-as-Sadar and his critique of modern western empiricist theories of knowledge/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 10. From Judaism to Zionism—a legacy of human rights violations/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 11. Islam and the contemporary ecological crisis with reference to population control/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 12. The phenomenon of education, Islam and women—a critical preview/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 13. Hope in peace and harmony from an Islamic perspective/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 14. World wide scholarship on Seerah/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 15. Rational sciences in medieval India/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 16. Women, world religions and Islam/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 17. Issues in the translation of religious texts/Aadil Amin Kak. 18. Ghazzali and Ibn Rushd—conflict and concord/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 19. Biotechnology—some issues and challenges?/Firdous A. Wani. 20. Values and ethics : the Islamic perspective/Ishtiyaqh Danish. Index, and researchers and teachers of Islamic studies. The book is also mean to cater the requirements of the students of comparative religions and Islamology" (jacket)
2-Saints and Saviours of Islam/
Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. New Delhi, Sarup and Sons, 2005, xix, 344 p., ISBN 81-7625-555. Contents: Preface. 1. Ghazzali and revival of Islamic sciences. 2. Ibn Taimiyah--an introduction. 3. The attitude of Ibn-Taimiyah to philosophy and Ilm Al Kalam. 4. Ibn Taimiyah's critique of Greek logic--a study of Ar-Raddo 'Alal-Mantiqiyin. 5. Ilmul-Al-Kalam of Shah Wali Allah of Dehalawi. 6. The background of the Maktubat of Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi. 7. Rational sciences in medieval India. 8. Sufism in Kashmir. 9. Spiritual economy--Syed Ali Hamadani and his role in the advancement of arts and crafts in Kashmir. 10. Muslims contribution to medical sciences. Appendices. Index. "The history of Islam is full of such events, which have left their imprints on the pages of world history. Moreover, such Islamic personages have emerged on the scene from time to time, at various places of the vast Islamic world, who have rejuvenated not only the forgotten ideals and lessons of Islam, but transformed their societies as well, and left behind the legacy of great social and intellectual even scientific reformation and epistemological renaissance. The present book deals with the least known reformative, academic and social service related matters where Muslims have contributed clandestinely." (jacket)
Emerging from Darkness: Ghazzali’s Impact on the Western Philosophers/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. New Delhi, Sarup, 2002, viii, 392 p., Rs.1250/ISBN 81-7625-310-3.
Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Life and times of Al Ghazzali. 3. Ghazzali’s philosophical credentials. 4. Ghazzali’s philosophy. 5. Ghazzali’s method of doubt and his views on epistemology with special reference to Rene Descartes. 6. Ghazzali’s impact on medival western philosophers. 7. Ghazzali’s impact on Ibn Tufayl. 8. Ghazzali’s impact on Ibn Rushd. 9. Ghazzali’s impact on modern western philosophers. 10. Conclusions.
"While there is no dearth of books on Ghazzali the interest in his thought is growing with unqualified recognition. Dr. Hamid’s study of Ghazzali is not confined to the subject, but covers the whole range of Muslim thought and can serve as an introduction to Muslim thinkers as a whole. Unlike the all too common tendency of scholars to take recourse to secondary sources, the author has utilized the original texts and has availed himself of books in English, Arabic and Persian with equal facility. The material that he has amassed is truly amazing. He has convincingly brought out the fact that western thought is more indebted to Islam than is generally recognized. Now it is for the Muslim scholars to move forward with their heritage and produce work of their own with zest integrity." (Jacket)
KASHMIR UNDER THE SULTANS
(3rd Enriched edition)
Prof. Muhibbul Hasan,
Introduced by Dr. Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi.
GULSHAN PUBLISHERS, SRINAGAR, RS.825
“Kashmir under the Sultans” is a book, which has survived the vagaries of time and after about four decades, when it was first published; it has remained as a source book for the scholars, researchers and students of medieval Kashmir history; especially on the Sultanate period. The scholars have published several books after this book was published, but the authentic, objective and balanced approach, which singles this book out, has mainly been found lacking in most of these books. The reliance on sources, both Sanskrit and Persian, astute utilization of folk tradition, and comprehensive treatment of controversial episodes of Kashmir history, have achieved for this book a unique place in Kashmir Historiography.
One of the important characteristics of Muhibbul Hasan’s book is its objectivity and impartiality. The author has honestly tried to adhere to the principle of a cool and unbiased mode of research, where facts speak on their own. He has attempted to put forward a holistic assessment of the events, which unfounded in the juxtaposed political and social environs of medieval Kashmir.
“Mohibbul Hasan ‘Kashmir under the Sultans is the first scholarly attempt at producing a better understanding of the social, economic and particularly, political conditions of Kashmir under the Sultans. His brief analysis of the spread of Islam and its influence on Kashmir is useful.” (Prof. Ishaq Khan Kashmir’s Transition to Islam – The Role of Muslim Rishis” (Published by Manahor Publication Delhi, 1994, and 1999 p-17).The new edition of the book contains a detailed introduction of the editor, which includes the history of Islam in Kashmir, the role of Sufis and Rishis, new research books on Kashmir history and their analysis and the correct rendering of various names of villages and places which have been mentioned by Prof.Muhibbul Hassan.Thus this edition is a very enriched one of the already very important source on Sultanate period of Kashmir.
The Attitude of Islam Towards Science and Philosophy:
A Translation of Ibn Rushd’s (Averroes) Famous Treatise "Faslul-Al-Maqal"/translated by Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi and Aadil Amin Kak. New Delhi, Sarup and Sons, 2003, xii, 207 p., $23.Rs 450/ ISBN 81-7625-413-4.Contents: Preface. 1. Biography of Ibn Rushd/Aadil Amin Kak. 2. Ghazzali and Ibn Rushd/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 3. Conflict and concord: translation of Fasl-Al-Maqal. Appendix: 1. The question mentioned by the Shykh Abul-Walid in the decisive treatise. 2. Some reflections on thought and works of Ibn Rushd. Index.
"In the book, Ibn Rushd has attempted to discuss the problem of relation between religion, science and philosophy from Shariah point of view of Islam. The author has proved on basis of sound and substantial arguments that religion and philosophy, (science included,) are complementary to each other and philosophy is the ‘foster sister’ of religion of Islam. Ibn Rushd bring an important jurist of Islam himself has proved judgment about the affinity of philosophy and science to Islam. The positive attitude of Islamic Shariah towards philosophy and science can not be elucidated in any better way than that of Ibn Rushd, as he has done in this important classical Islamic treatise." (Jacket)
Muslim Philosophy Science and Mysticism/Hamid Naseem. New Delhi, Sarup and Sons, 2001, iv, 349 p., ISBN: 81-7625-230-1.Rs.1250/
Contents: Introduction. 1. Intellectual discussions in the early days of Islam. 2. Philosophy of Al-Kindi. 3. Philosophy of Al-Farabi. 4. Philosophy of IBN Sina. 5. Ghazalli’s philosophy. 6. Ghazalli’s impact on IBN Tufayl. 7. Ghazalli and IBN rushd-conflict and concord. 8. IBN Taimiyah—an introduction. 9. Philosophy of IBN—Taimiyah. 10. Rational sciences in medieval India. 11. Social philosophy of Ali Shariati. 12. Semantic philosophy and quranic studies. Appendices-I: The sources of Iqbal’s thought. II. Ghazzali and natural sciences. III. Indo-Iranian relations. IV. Sufism in Kashmir. Bibliography.
"Muslims have been provided by Allah a complete code of conduct in the form of Holy Quran. In Quran there are two types of verses i.e. allegorical (Mutashabiat) and categorical (Mukhamat). The Mutashabiat verses of Quran are mostly pertaining to the essence of Allah and his attributes, predestination, soul and life here after death etc. etc. Since these verses are outside the purview of human reasoning, much hair splitting and question begging has not been encouraged in this regard. Yet many of the Muslim thinkers and philosophers have ventured to enter into detailed discussions in these matters."In the first stage we find that the Muslims are engaged in explanation and elaboration of various Islamic doctrines in the light of Quran. Mutazilites, Asharites, Maturidians, Qadarites and Jabarites etc are the representatives of the period. In the second stage Muslim scholars (in some cases Jews and Christians as well ) started translating the transmitting Greek philosophy into Arabic Ishaq Ibn Hunayn, Hunayn Ibn Ishaq, Al-Kindi and many others were engaged in this process."In the fifth stage we observe that a critical appraisal of the Greek thought started. Al-Ghazzali criticised Greek philosophy and its Muslim adherents. In the sixth stage we observe that a revolt took place against all sorts of philosophy. Ibn Taimiyah criticised Muslim philosophers including Ghazzali for their indulgence in Greek thought. He highlighted the religious aspects of Islam to the extent, where logic or philosophy cannot work. Iqbal in a sense continued the same trend but with a specialized manner and compared Muslim philosophy to the Greek and Western philosophy". (Jacket
THE QURAN ILLUSTRATED
(A COMPREHENSIVE COMMENTARY ON THE QURAN)
VOL.1
THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF BISMILLAH
&
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE QURANIC SCIENCES
DR. HAMID NASEEM RAFIABADI, ABC, PUBLISHERS, SRINAGAR, RS.300/
For the preparation of this book, I have tried to avail from the exegesis of past and present commentators of the Quran belonging to various schools of thought provided the subject under discussion was not controversial. I have tried to avoid the personalized and sectarian views expressed by many commentators although I have availed from their technical expertise wherever possible. Unlike most modern commentators of the Quran, I have consulted the books on Qur’anic commentary written by both by Sunni and Shia scholars apart from taking assistance from non-Muslim scholars who have written on various aspects of Quran like its lexicography and glossary. However my over all approach has been non-sectarian to the Qur'anic exegesis and I have tried to be loyal to the spirit of Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet. Here I want to reiterate that I have not written any individual Tafsir of Bismillah on my own, but I have tried to present the views of old and new mufassirûn in my own way with out, however, passing value judgments, which is beyond my capacity and competence. Nevertheless, I have tried to make my position clear wherever I have found ostensibly any contradiction or conflict among the views of commentators or scholars. Thus this is a type of compilation rather than a full-fledged Tafsir, which also was aimed at safeguarding oneself from the admonitions of the Prophet, which he has made about the commentators of the Quran who indulge in guess work about Qur’anic contents.
The necessary sciences that are needed as prerequisites for the study of Quran have also been dealt with in some detail in this introductory book. A chapter on compilation and preservation of the Quran has been added for the beginners and the students who want to know the history of the sacred text. Moreover, the worldwide scholarship on Quranology has been dealt with briefly to bring home the trends in Tafsir writing both in east and the west.
CONTENTS1-The meaning and significance of Bismillah 2-What does Ism—mean 3-What the word Allah signifies?4- what do the terms Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim mean? 5-Whether Bismillah is to be regarded as a verse6- Revelation of the Quran7- Muhkamat and Mutashabiat verses of the Quran 8-Asbab-i-Nazool—or the background of the revelation of the Quran9- Nazm principle in the Quran10- Abrogation in the Quran—some reflection on old and new perspectives!11- Concept of knowledge in Quran/ 12-Quranology—in world wide scholarship
AFKAR-I-TAAZA
(MUNTAKHAB MAQALAT-I-SAYED JAMMALUDDIN AFGHANI)
Translation of the selected Maqalat of SYED JAMALUDDIN AFGHANI,.PRICE RS.250/
Jamaluddin Afghani was one of the pioneers of Islamic Renaissance in modern period. He has been described by Ali Shariati as “ the first herald of revolution in the East that had been caught in the drowsiness”, and Iqbal calls him the leader of the Sadat and a man who gives life to dust and stones by his innovative revolutionary ideas and thought. He authored a famous journal named Al –Urwatul -al–Wuthqa along with his one of the most illustrious students, Muhammad Abduh .The Journal was being published from Paris and created great strides in the lives and thoughts of Muslims through out Islamic world by its astute and timely appeal to the conscience of Muslims and also exposed the Imperialistic designs of the West in the context of Muslim world. He tried to bring unity in the rank and file of Muslims by this academic but bold initiative. There were several articles devoted to this purpose and the journal remains relevant for the Muslims of today, as they face the same challenges the period of Jamaluddin was facing. He discussed issues of Determinism, freedom of will, the divine principle of change, virtues and vices and their social base and impact, contributions of Muslims to science and knowledge etc.etc. This revolutionary journal was being published in Arabic. There was long back an Urdu translation available of the articles of the journal, but now for a quite long time no translation of Maqalat or articles of Al –Urwatul –Wuthqa was available in Urdu. Therefore the present translation of some most revolutionary Maqalat of Al –Urwatul -al–Wuthqa with detailed introduction of Jamaluddin Afghani’s life, philosophy and works has been published to cater the needs of students scholars and readers in general who are interested in the life inspiring, revolutionary and reverberating ideas of Syed Jamaluddin Afghani.
THE POETICAL COMPOSITIONS OF DR HAMID NASEEM RAFIABADI
ADAI IZHAR KI TAMANNA.
The book comprises on the Urdu Naats, Hamd, Ghazzals and Nazams apart from the introduction of Jenab Iftikhar Imam Siddiqui, the renowned Urdu poet and the editor of the famous Urdu literary magazine SHAYIR MUMBAI and the preface of Jenab Shabib Rizvi, a noted poet of Kashmir. The Dean Academics, Prof.Adus Salam Bhat released the book in July 2002 at the Iqbal Auditorium of Kashmir University and the noted literary stalwarts of Kashmir, Prof.Rahman Rahi, and Jenab Hakeem Manzoor, Prof. Bashir Ahmad Nahvi and Dr. Rashid Majrooh presented their scholarly papers while dealing
with the various aspects of the book. Professor Rahi described the book very unique and appreciated some of its verses like:
Sitara door tha khada tamasha been ki tarah
Wahan hoon aaj main khada jahan tha woh sanam kabhi
Hakim Manzoor described Hamid Naseem as the poet of Urdu Nazam and he highlighted several of his verses like
RANGO NOOR APNI NAZAR KA DAYKAR
IN DAEREECHOON KO SAJAYA JAYAA
While explaining this couplet the learned speaker related it to the global scenario where men have been led to destruction and the palatial houses they have left behind present a deserted look which speak volumes about the conflicting situation world over especially in the world of Islam.Dr. Bashir Ahmad Nahvi described Hamid Naseem a man of diverse intellectual and aesthetic tastes. According to Dr. Nahvi Naseem Rafiabadi has combined cool intellectual objectivity with the warm poetical romanticism of Urdu poetry.
Dr. Rashid Majrooh highlighted critically some of the literary dimensions of the book.
Professor Adus Salam said that Hamid Naseem has received wide recognition outside valley and “whenever I visit universities like Jamia Millia, people ask me whether I know Hamid Naseem?”
The book has been reviewed in Tribune Delhi, Kashmir Times Jammu, The Greater Kashmir, Srinagar and elsewhere by Prof. V.N.Datta, RK.Bharati, and Afaque Rashid respectively and has been reviewed on Door Darshan Srinagar also. A Delhi based scholar is transcribing the book into Hind script for its wide circulation.
“A well established scholar of Islam, with several works on the Islamic history to his credit, Rafiabadi is [was] Head Department of Islamic Studies, University of Kashmir.
In a short introduction to his poetical work, the author acknowledges his debt of gratitude to the stalwart
Urdu poets such as Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz from whom he has drawn inspiration. Ghalib’s saddest thoughts, Iqbal’s philosophy of action and Faiz’s well -tempered revolutionary fervor worked as a stimulus to his poetical composition.
The first two poems are invocation to God, expressing his utter helplessness in the immensity of the universe and then surrendering to His will in complete faith .The next three are addressed to the prophet
Muhammad (saw) whose charming personality and achievement invoke in the poet feeling of respect and
Reverential awe. A major portion of his work consists of the poems of varied moods, expressing anguish, sorrow, aspiration and ecstasy over the vicissitudes of life. There persists in three poems a continuous quest for the apprehension of beauty, but the entire mood is sober, serious and even grave-- there is seldom the lightness of touch, except in a few short love poems. It seems that there is a constant tension and coils within are tightly strung.
Free from moral exhortation, his poetry is tinctured with a moral sense devoid of any trace of sectarianism and narrow –mindedness. Quite unobtrusively, some intimation of the disturbing conditions in Kashmir is reflected in his poetry. Writing on the blood, toil, and tears in the valley of Kashmir, the poet writes (translation): “what a strange city and a strange people that they continue to live in the midst of death and destruction” .The last section of this work contains a number of poems on various themes such as Mona Lisa, Aligarh and Hyderabad. This highly promising poetical work reflects Rafiabadi’s sensitivity to beautiful things, his wide-ranging interest and lucidity in expression”. Professor V N Datta, Spectrum, The Tribune, Delhi, August 3, 2003
“Dr. Naseem is above sectarian feelings and restricted thought---the diction in his poems is a standard quality. The selection of themes is timely. Where he expresses the emotion of love, which is the basic quality of a Ghazal, he includes social demands of our times in his themes. Ghazal in its original sense means ‘talking to women’ or ‘praising the beauty of women.’ But Dr. Naseem ids much preoccupied with the pain of society that has engulfed human life…The book is divided into three parts, religious encomiums, ghazals and poems. There are five encomiums, 59 ghazals and 32 poems in the book. A few poems are of only four couplets. The writer is very hard working (kohna mashq) and it is hoped that he will make his mark in Urdu poetry one day. People like Dr.Naseem are engrossed in moderernizing the Muslim community and introducing true Islam to the world and preach the philosophy of universal brotherhood and concept of coexistence to mankind as enshrined in Islamic lore.”(R .K. Bharati, The Kashmir Times, Jammu, April 24, 2003)
\
GHAZZALI AND WESTERN THOUGHT
Publisher: Adam Publishers & Distributors-India, Rs.165/=
“Al-Ghazzali was well versed in philosophy and the Latin West knew him as "Algazel" the philosopher. Al-Ghazzali influenced Jewish, Christian and Western thought and thinking by way of those writers of the Thirteenth Century who wrote in Arabic, and by translating his works into Hebrew. Jewish writers in Spain gained and acquired great knowledge from this Moslem theologian. Thus Arab Medieval thought had a great impact on the western thought and inspired Jewish Medieval thought clandestinely, and the role of Ghazzali was tremendous in this respect. In this book such all influences have been brought to fore and detailed discussions have been made to analyse the relations between West and Islam in the medieval period”. The foreword by S.Ausaf Ali, the Former Director Indian Institute of Islamic Studies New Delhi.
Assam from Agitation to Accord
By H.N.Rafiabadi
When Mr.Rajiv Gandhi signed the Assam Accord,the nation believed the stormy days of agitation were over.Unfortunately this was not so .This only provided a new basis for the turmoil to continue.In Assam from 'Agitation to Accord'.Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi has done a signal service by presenting the lessor known side of the Assam Agitation;the disastrous implication of the Accord on the state minorities,especially the Muslims.The first half of this investigation details the background to the agitation ,makes the introduction to the Muslim predicament in Assam and discuss the implication of the Accord. The fourth chapter present specific instances of the misuse of the provision of the Accord.In the second half of the book are reproduced the actual documents concerning Assam Accord itself and the various reaction to its implication. Rafiabadi's study and analysis must make the discerning reader wonder where we as an Indian heading for The accord between Central Government and the Govt. of Assam the position of two million Muslims has been put in the stake. Their lives culture civilisation and even survival are in danger. That is why the IOS has taken up this issue and made critical analysis of the issue.
Contents : Preface Introduction, Chapter I Background of the Assam Agitation Chapter II Muslims in Assam -A brief Introduction Chapter III Implications of "Assam Accord" Chapter IV Some Practical Implications of the Accord Conclusion ,Appendices, Bibliography
PRICE : INRs 125($) Back PAGES: 149
KHUTBAT-I-IQBAL KA IK TANQEEDI JAYZAH ISLAMI TAILEEMAT KI ROSHNI MAIN
”SIR Muhammad Iqbal is easily one of the greatest of Urdu and Persian poets in India. He still continues to be read, but not so widely as he was in the pre-Partition days when he was much popular in North India. A spate of literary works has appeared on his poetry, philosophy and on his political role in the creation of Pakistan. It is calculated that more than 2,000 books have been published on him, but a great deal of it is hagiolatry, lacking critical rigour and dispassionate appraisal. However, Iqbal's religious thought has received little attention, and it is to this theme that Dr Hamid Nasim Abadi deals with in his book entitled Khutbate-e-Iqbal Ka Tanqidi mutaleya (Iqbal Institute, Kashmir University, Srinagar. Pages 176, Rs 50).
In his introductory chapter, Abadi has given historographical survey of the literature published on some aspects of Iqbal's religious thought. In this connection, he has specifically mentioned the contributions of Syed Nazir Niazi, Khalifa Abdul Hakim, Syed Akabarabadi, Professor Sharif Baqa and Syed Wahiduddin. According to the author, Syed Wahiduddin has raised some of the fundamental problems relating to Iqbal's religious views, and he endorses Wahiduddin's view that though
Iqbal was influenced by Islamic thought and western ideas, he had an independent voice of his own, and was grappling with issues of cardinal human importance on his own terms—fearlessly. Abadi holds the view that despite some shortcomings, Wahiduddin's remains the best work on the subject.Dr Rafi Ahmed emphasizes that Iqbal's conception of God differed from the pantheistic Sufism as unity of existence (Wahdat ul Wajid) or Vedantic duality. Iqbal rejected the Marxist notion of determinism. He exhorted man to play his independent role unrestrained by the compulsions of necessity or conditioning circumstances. According to him, God had created the whole universe so that 'he (man) should play his creative role with passionate zeal for the higher ideals of truth, justice, and social good. He expected man to reach such a height that he might stand up and say, 'Here I have time with God'. In the final chapter of his study, Abadi deals with the notion of time and space which Iqbal regarded as a question of life and death for the Muslims, and to which he gave much importance in his lectures and poetical works. He wrote: 'Space and time are interpretations which thought puts upon creative activity of ultimate ego'. He provided an integrated view of God, time and space. He emphasized that beyond His (God's creation), there was no time and no space. In the final chapter of his study, Abadi deals with the notion of time and space which Iqbal regarded as a question of life and death for the Muslims, and to which he gave much importance in his lectures and poetical works. He wrote: 'Space and time are interpretations which thought puts upon creative activity of ultimate ego'. He provided an integrated view of God, time and space. He emphasised that beyond His (God's creation), there was no time and no space.Iqbal examined the vitality of time in the light of Sufism and modern philosophical and scientific systems of thought. He made a clear distinction between a serial and pure time which he called 'pure duration', a genuine creative moment, a life force, which in T. S. Eliot's expression, is 'an intense living experience of self-illumination'. In other words, to Iqbal 'time is conquered in time’. For Iqbal, time is not alien to man. It forms an integral part of human activity. He believed that time is God's attribute, and even God. The Prophet had warned, ‘Do not abuse time.’ Iqbal's theory of time is in accord with the Quran and the latest philosophical and scientific thought. In the 10th Discourse Lord Krishna said in the Bhagavad-Gita, 'I am everlasting time.’ Lord Rama, whom Iqbal claimed as Imam-e-Hind, spoke on the value of time: For the whole world of life time is the most potent entity'. In Khizr-I-Rah (The Guide) in Bang-I-Dora Iqbal expressed in a poetical rhythm the concept of time as a ceaseless duration. The same message he delivered in his poem Saqi-nama.According to Iqbal, time is free and is a process of change but not deterministic. The reality of change is the acceptance of the reality of time. Time, being an independent and restless activity, begins to influence man who apprehends the negative and positive features of it. Iqbal expounded his views: 'History is not the unfoldment of reason, absolute or infinite, but a continuous creative activity of the ego, both the absolute ego and finite ego.' In short, Iqbal regards time as an instrument of conquering finitude and infinitude. Thus human life comes to acquire a higher and nobler purpose circumventing limitations and difficulties, and by widening intellectual horizons and strengthening moral fervour it seeks to attain the supreme bliss for which Ishq (love) serves as the key to open the whole wonder of the world! In this small and unpretentious work of outstanding scholarship written with verve and judicious restraint, Abadi has shown remarkable insights in analyzing some of the fundamental issues of life that had agitated the poet-philosopher Iqbal's mind. This is bound to become a standard work on the subject.(V.N DATTA)
S MUKHTAR SRINAGAR
I remember when a famous Kashmiri educationist Prof. Agha Ashraf released the first edition of Muslim Philosophy and Science ---An Introduction authored by Dr Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi on 14th July 1998 in the Ghandi Bhavan auditorium of the university, he congratulated the then Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir Prof Yasin Qadri that such a book was written by one of the scholars of his university during his tenure of Vice chancellorship.
A hard working and dispassionate Kashmiri scholar of Islam and Comparative religions has yet come out with an encyclopaedic series on contemporary Islam
Entitled CHALLENGES TO RELIGIONS AND ISLAM, (A STUDY OF MUSLIM MOVEMENTS, ISSUES TRENDS AND PERSONALITIES), published by Sarup & Son, New Delhi, 2007, so beautifully and professionally that the three volume book seems to be a rich edition to the existing literature on cotemporary Islam.
This is really a good omen for the present vice chancellor of the University Prof Wahid Qurayshi whose leadership has inspired researchers like Prof Rafiabadi to rub their shoulders with the world renowned scholars of Islam like Hossein Nasr and M. M. Sharif who have preceded with voluminous books on the similar themes as the one under review. Though Prof. Naseem has broken fresh ice and has stolen a march on these stalwarts even as can be evident by cursively glancing through the themes of this marvelous book.
This voluminous book deals with the unexplored areas of research and scholarship on the very important and significant developments which took place in the wake of tremendous and unprecedented challenges posed in modern times to Religions in general and Islam and Muslims in particular from different quarters. The present era was especially tumultuous for the Muslims and their religion.
From the beginning of the 20th century till date, on the one hand, Muslims were face to face with unprecedented challenges from the imperialist west, as most of the Muslim countries were either grabbed or dominated by its brute forces, well equipped with all possible modern sophisticated weaponry and intellectual backup, or were brought under its control overtly or covertly through the agency of stooges and mercenaries in a big way, and on the other ,after the sack of Baghdad in medieval period the greatest blow to Muslims was the debacle of the Ottomans of Turkey, then the occupation of Palestine by the Israeli forces working in tandem with the western and communist blocks, and finally the occupation of Afghanistan by Soviet Union and the bloody war which ensued in its after math culminating in the emergence of Mujahideen and Taliban cult and the mechanizations of USA making its entry into Afghanistan under diplomatic garb, and finally the second Sack of Iraq by the American and allied forces .These are some heart rendering events in recent history of Muslims and Islam.
But the positive side of this, otherwise, gloomy picture of state of affairs is that great stalwart thinkers reformers, revolutionaries, scholars, visionaries and luminaries emerged to face these challenges individually, and by launching great movements through out the Islamic world. These movements were meant to rejuvenate the Islamic spirit and create a great fervour in the Islamic world and bring new hopes to fore after a great spell of dormancy in the world of Islam.
The book profiles the seminal epoch making efforts made by the personages of Islam like Sayyid Jamaluddin Afghani,Dr .Iqbal, Mawlana Mawdudi, Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad, Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Mawlana Sonaullah Amritsari, Shaikh Nasiruddin Albani , Dr Sayed Hossein Nasr and Dr Ziauddin Sardar etc.
The Islamic Movements which emerged to address these challenges have been discussed in this book in light of their signal work to rejuvenate Islamic spirit, are Jamaat-i-Islami, Tablighi Jamâ’at, Jamiet-i-Ahl-i-Hadith, Ikhwan –al –Muslimûn of Egypt , Islah and Irshad Movement (1914-1943) ,Indonesia,etc.The issues and trends which have been discussed in great detail in substantial portion of this book visa viz Islam are touching upon the subjects like Education, Birth Control, Media, women empowerment, orphanage, secularism and religious identity, science and Technology, Human Rights and civil liberties, Uniformity in Islamic Calendar, History writing,ecology,religious dialogue,Khilafat,meditation,Marxism,and peace etc. The challenges posed to religions in modern times and the possible responses have also been analysed in a scholarly and lucid manner by the erudite scholars hailing from USA to Malaysia.
Among the many contributors to these volumes mention may be made ,as a special case of, P.K.Justice Shamsuddin, (a retired Judge of Kerela High Court, a prominent social worker and the President of World Forum for Inter Religious Councils Kerala), S Ausaf Ali, (a renowned scholar of Islam, the former Director of Indian Institute of Islamic Studies New Delhi, and present Director Hamdard Archives, Jamia Hamdard), Reverend Canon Brian Cox , (Senior Vice-President of the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy in Washington DC) ,Dr.Ahmed Ibrahim Abu Shouk,( Associate Professor, Department of History and Civilization, International Islamic University, Malaysia),Dr. Yoginder Sakind,( former Reader Faculty of Islamic Studies and Social Sciences, Hamdard University, New Delhi and a renowned scholar of Islamic studies and Comparative Religion, presently working in Jamia Millia Islamia and has formally confessed his faith in Islam now named as Noor Muhammad ), Prof. Bashir Ahmad Dabla ,(professor and Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work University of Kashmir, Srinagar),and Professor Noor Ahmad Baba,( professor and Head of Department, Political science, University of Kashmir, Srinagar).
Dr Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi the editor of the book has established himself in the academic field with more than 25 research publications and more than 100 scholarly papers on the themes of Islam, Islamic luminaries Comparative Religions and philosophy, Quranic studies, Islamic history etc to his credit which have been published from New York, Geneva, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Deoband, Delhi and Srinagar. He is the editor of Insight Islamicus, S.H Institute of Islamic Studies University of Kashmir. Among his important academic contributions, Muslim Philosophy, Science and Mysticism, (two editions), Hijrah –A turning Point in Islam (five editions), Emerging from Darkness, Ghazzali’s impact on Western philosophers, World Religions and Islam –A Critical study (two volumes) , The Illustrated Quran(a comprehensive Tafsir of Bismillah) , and Saints and Saviours of Islam are worth mentioning.
Dr. Rafiabadi was appointed as the Director of the prestigious Shah -i–-Hamadan Institute of Islamic studies, University of Kashmir in 2002, and he has visited several Muslim countries like Iran, Bangladesh, and UAE apart from visiting almost all major universities of India in connection with his academic programmes and deliverance of lectures and reading of research papers. He has presided over important academic seminar sessions at Jamia Millia New Delhi and Dhaka University on Syed Ali Hamadani and Medical History of Asia respectively. He was invited to an International workshop on Religion and Ecological Crisis by the Institute of Religion and Science California ,USA in 2002 and International Center for Religion and Diplomacy Washington in 2003 respectively .
Coming again to the book under review it can safely said that this is a serious academic effort on the part of Professor Rafiabadi that he has single handedly produced a commendable encyclopaedia on Contemporary Islam and its various dimensions. The contributors to these three volumes are well established scholars and the themes selected for deliberations are timely and rewarding. Although there are scores of books written on Islam by the western scholars or the westernized Eastern intellectuals who have faithfully toed the trodden path of their Orientalist mentors .But to write something on Islam from an insiders point of view has had been eluding the readers for last several decades now.Prof.Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Prof. M Sharif are at least the two Islamic scholars who have edited books on Islamic thought ,philosophy and culture .But they too have depended mostly on the write ups of the Muslim scholars working in the Western countries or at times attempted to avail the scholarship of the Christian and western Orientalists for writing on Islam and its various intellectual aspects. The names of Alessandro Bausani, H G Farmer, Z Ulken, William Chittick ,Oliver Leanman, , Parviz, Morewedge, Henry Corbin, Deborah L. Black, David Burrell, Kiki Kennedy-Day and Norman Calder are among the scores of writers these two stalwart scholars have relied upon for providing “insights” into Islamic ethos and scholarly enterprises. But Professor Rafiabadi in his earlier books on Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism as well as in this voluminous book has consciously selected the researchers from amongst the Muslims themselves and has not trusted the penmanship of orientalists for systematically presenting an authentic picture of Islamic thought and Philosophy ranging from Spirituality to Media. There is only one American Scholar whose contribution adorns this book that too on the subject of Abrahamic faiths .Moreover unlike the earlier scholars Rafiabadi has expanded the canvass of his book to cover the most recent themes touching upon women’s empowerment, environmental concerns, Bio-ethical and educational issues, matters pertaining to dialogue and peace, Ijtihad, and media onslaught and Muslims and finally the genesis of Taliban etc.
His introduction to the book is very exhaustive and has covered the dimensions of almost all the subjects discussed in the subsequent three volumes of the book and has provided vital inputs on the authority of the world famous writers on Islam and its contours. Thus the introduction serves the purpose of locating everything in the context of present Islamic world and Muslim predilection.
We find a mine of informative data in several articles of the book especially the statistical figures when the issues related to women and orphans are discussed .The end notes of the articles add the utility and elucidation of the book tremendously. What is more important Prof Rafiabadi has put the articles of established and world renowned scholars side by side with the articles of young researchers of Islam. Significantly the budding scholars of Kashmir University find place in the book along with their teachers and well established men of letters, thus generating a hope that a new band of researchers will get inspiration to explore heretofore un-explored areas of research.
The serene, intellectually oriented editor of the book has thus done a pioneering work by venturing this academic pursuit which will go a long way in paving the way for the rejuvenation of the age old penmanship of kashmiri intellectual fertility for which Kashmir was renowned world over. The book is relevant to the students of Islam in modern age, the researchers on Muslim movements and general public who want to discover the epoch making vitality of Islamic thought. Moreover, it contests plethora of stereo types about Islam, Muslims and their history which have bee set in motion by the unscrupulous western scholars and the enemies of Islam that my be.
Thus the contents and printing of the book both are excellent in all respects and demand the serious attention of the scholars both of Islam and other religions especially the researchers academicians, and general public. However, there are some spelling mistakes here and there which need to be corrected in the next edition of the book. It is hoped that the book will become a standard work on the subject and will receive warm welcome from the fraternity of scholars world over as other books of the editor of the book have received. It is a matter of pride for us Kashmiris that in the present tumultuous times ,there are some of them who are wholeheartedly engaged in search of the light at the end of the tunnel when everything ostensibly seems to have relegated to the oblivious position and a sense of disillusionment and gloom prevailing every where in the Muslim world. May Allah provide him with more energy to serve Islam in general and humanity at large, as both are synominous.Ameen
World Religions and Islam: A Critical Study/
Edited and introduced by Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. New Delhi, Sarup & Sons, 2003, 2 Vols. 568 p., $65 (set). ISBN 81-7625-414-2.Rs.1600/, 2 volumes Contents Vol. I: Preface. Introduction. 1. Concept of religion—an analysis!/Mir Mohammed Ibrahim. 2. Typology of religions/Mir Mohammed Ibrahim. 3. Nature of ultimate reality in the Upanishads and the Quran/V.N. Sheshagiri Rao. 4. Dara Shikoh and comparative study of religion/S.P. Dubey. 5. Study of Islamic impact on Raja Rammohan Roy/Reeta Baghchi. 6. Islamic resurgence in Indonesia : the case of the Islah and Irshad Movement (1914-1943). 7. Spiritual economy—Syed Ali Hamadani and his role in the advancement of arts and crafts in Kashmir/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 8. The notions of divine being in various religions/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 9. Religious identity and security society/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 10. Sistan, Zoroastrianism and Islam—a socio—historical background/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 11. Islam, Christians and the west/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi.12. Islam and the west early history and political relations/Sheikh Jameil Ali. 13. An Introduction to the Bahai faith/Shoghi Effendi. 14. The meaning and significance of Bismillah/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 15. What does Ism—mean?/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 16. What the word Allah signifies?/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 17. What do the terms Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim mean?/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 18. Whether Bismillah is to be regarded as a verse/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 19. Revelation of the Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 20. Muhkamat and Mutashabiat verses of the Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 21. Asbab-i-Nazool—or the background of the revelation of the Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 22. Nazm principle in the Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 23. Abrogation in the Quran—some reflection on old and new perspectives!/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 24. Concept of knowledge in Quran/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 25. Quranology—in world wide scholarship/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. Index.Vol. II: 1. Civil liberties and Islam—some reflections on the freedom of conscience in Islam/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 2. Muslim contribution to medical sciences/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 3. Miskawayh on society and government/Badruddin Bhat. 4. Ibn Taimiyah-revisited—a study of his Ar –Raddo’Alal Mantaqiyin/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 5. The background of the Maktubat of Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi—a study in historical perspective/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 6. Shaykh Ahmad Sarhindi’s concept of Universe/Afroz Ahmad Bisati. 7. Ilmul-Al-Kalam of Shah Wali Allah of Dehalawi/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 8. The philosophy of Mulla Sadra with special reference to Eschatology of Ibn Sina/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 9. The Epistemology of Baqir-as-Sadar and his critique of modern western empiricist theories of knowledge/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 10. From Judaism to Zionism—a legacy of human rights violations/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 11. Islam and the contemporary ecological crisis with reference to population control/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 12. The phenomenon of education, Islam and women—a critical preview/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 13. Hope in peace and harmony from an Islamic perspective/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 14. World wide scholarship on Seerah/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 15. Rational sciences in medieval India/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 16. Women, world religions and Islam/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 17. Issues in the translation of religious texts/Aadil Amin Kak. 18. Ghazzali and Ibn Rushd—conflict and concord/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 19. Biotechnology—some issues and challenges?/Firdous A. Wani. 20. Values and ethics : the Islamic perspective/Ishtiyaqh Danish. Index, and researchers and teachers of Islamic studies. The book is also mean to cater the requirements of the students of comparative religions and Islamology" (jacket)
2-Saints and Saviours of Islam/
Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. New Delhi, Sarup and Sons, 2005, xix, 344 p., ISBN 81-7625-555. Contents: Preface. 1. Ghazzali and revival of Islamic sciences. 2. Ibn Taimiyah--an introduction. 3. The attitude of Ibn-Taimiyah to philosophy and Ilm Al Kalam. 4. Ibn Taimiyah's critique of Greek logic--a study of Ar-Raddo 'Alal-Mantiqiyin. 5. Ilmul-Al-Kalam of Shah Wali Allah of Dehalawi. 6. The background of the Maktubat of Shaikh Ahmad Sarhindi. 7. Rational sciences in medieval India. 8. Sufism in Kashmir. 9. Spiritual economy--Syed Ali Hamadani and his role in the advancement of arts and crafts in Kashmir. 10. Muslims contribution to medical sciences. Appendices. Index. "The history of Islam is full of such events, which have left their imprints on the pages of world history. Moreover, such Islamic personages have emerged on the scene from time to time, at various places of the vast Islamic world, who have rejuvenated not only the forgotten ideals and lessons of Islam, but transformed their societies as well, and left behind the legacy of great social and intellectual even scientific reformation and epistemological renaissance. The present book deals with the least known reformative, academic and social service related matters where Muslims have contributed clandestinely." (jacket)
Emerging from Darkness: Ghazzali’s Impact on the Western Philosophers/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. New Delhi, Sarup, 2002, viii, 392 p., Rs.1250/ISBN 81-7625-310-3.
Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Life and times of Al Ghazzali. 3. Ghazzali’s philosophical credentials. 4. Ghazzali’s philosophy. 5. Ghazzali’s method of doubt and his views on epistemology with special reference to Rene Descartes. 6. Ghazzali’s impact on medival western philosophers. 7. Ghazzali’s impact on Ibn Tufayl. 8. Ghazzali’s impact on Ibn Rushd. 9. Ghazzali’s impact on modern western philosophers. 10. Conclusions.
"While there is no dearth of books on Ghazzali the interest in his thought is growing with unqualified recognition. Dr. Hamid’s study of Ghazzali is not confined to the subject, but covers the whole range of Muslim thought and can serve as an introduction to Muslim thinkers as a whole. Unlike the all too common tendency of scholars to take recourse to secondary sources, the author has utilized the original texts and has availed himself of books in English, Arabic and Persian with equal facility. The material that he has amassed is truly amazing. He has convincingly brought out the fact that western thought is more indebted to Islam than is generally recognized. Now it is for the Muslim scholars to move forward with their heritage and produce work of their own with zest integrity." (Jacket)
KASHMIR UNDER THE SULTANS
(3rd Enriched edition)
Prof. Muhibbul Hasan,
Introduced by Dr. Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi.
GULSHAN PUBLISHERS, SRINAGAR, RS.825
“Kashmir under the Sultans” is a book, which has survived the vagaries of time and after about four decades, when it was first published; it has remained as a source book for the scholars, researchers and students of medieval Kashmir history; especially on the Sultanate period. The scholars have published several books after this book was published, but the authentic, objective and balanced approach, which singles this book out, has mainly been found lacking in most of these books. The reliance on sources, both Sanskrit and Persian, astute utilization of folk tradition, and comprehensive treatment of controversial episodes of Kashmir history, have achieved for this book a unique place in Kashmir Historiography.
One of the important characteristics of Muhibbul Hasan’s book is its objectivity and impartiality. The author has honestly tried to adhere to the principle of a cool and unbiased mode of research, where facts speak on their own. He has attempted to put forward a holistic assessment of the events, which unfounded in the juxtaposed political and social environs of medieval Kashmir.
“Mohibbul Hasan ‘Kashmir under the Sultans is the first scholarly attempt at producing a better understanding of the social, economic and particularly, political conditions of Kashmir under the Sultans. His brief analysis of the spread of Islam and its influence on Kashmir is useful.” (Prof. Ishaq Khan Kashmir’s Transition to Islam – The Role of Muslim Rishis” (Published by Manahor Publication Delhi, 1994, and 1999 p-17).The new edition of the book contains a detailed introduction of the editor, which includes the history of Islam in Kashmir, the role of Sufis and Rishis, new research books on Kashmir history and their analysis and the correct rendering of various names of villages and places which have been mentioned by Prof.Muhibbul Hassan.Thus this edition is a very enriched one of the already very important source on Sultanate period of Kashmir.
The Attitude of Islam Towards Science and Philosophy:
A Translation of Ibn Rushd’s (Averroes) Famous Treatise "Faslul-Al-Maqal"/translated by Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi and Aadil Amin Kak. New Delhi, Sarup and Sons, 2003, xii, 207 p., $23.Rs 450/ ISBN 81-7625-413-4.Contents: Preface. 1. Biography of Ibn Rushd/Aadil Amin Kak. 2. Ghazzali and Ibn Rushd/Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi. 3. Conflict and concord: translation of Fasl-Al-Maqal. Appendix: 1. The question mentioned by the Shykh Abul-Walid in the decisive treatise. 2. Some reflections on thought and works of Ibn Rushd. Index.
"In the book, Ibn Rushd has attempted to discuss the problem of relation between religion, science and philosophy from Shariah point of view of Islam. The author has proved on basis of sound and substantial arguments that religion and philosophy, (science included,) are complementary to each other and philosophy is the ‘foster sister’ of religion of Islam. Ibn Rushd bring an important jurist of Islam himself has proved judgment about the affinity of philosophy and science to Islam. The positive attitude of Islamic Shariah towards philosophy and science can not be elucidated in any better way than that of Ibn Rushd, as he has done in this important classical Islamic treatise." (Jacket)
Muslim Philosophy Science and Mysticism/Hamid Naseem. New Delhi, Sarup and Sons, 2001, iv, 349 p., ISBN: 81-7625-230-1.Rs.1250/
Contents: Introduction. 1. Intellectual discussions in the early days of Islam. 2. Philosophy of Al-Kindi. 3. Philosophy of Al-Farabi. 4. Philosophy of IBN Sina. 5. Ghazalli’s philosophy. 6. Ghazalli’s impact on IBN Tufayl. 7. Ghazalli and IBN rushd-conflict and concord. 8. IBN Taimiyah—an introduction. 9. Philosophy of IBN—Taimiyah. 10. Rational sciences in medieval India. 11. Social philosophy of Ali Shariati. 12. Semantic philosophy and quranic studies. Appendices-I: The sources of Iqbal’s thought. II. Ghazzali and natural sciences. III. Indo-Iranian relations. IV. Sufism in Kashmir. Bibliography.
"Muslims have been provided by Allah a complete code of conduct in the form of Holy Quran. In Quran there are two types of verses i.e. allegorical (Mutashabiat) and categorical (Mukhamat). The Mutashabiat verses of Quran are mostly pertaining to the essence of Allah and his attributes, predestination, soul and life here after death etc. etc. Since these verses are outside the purview of human reasoning, much hair splitting and question begging has not been encouraged in this regard. Yet many of the Muslim thinkers and philosophers have ventured to enter into detailed discussions in these matters."In the first stage we find that the Muslims are engaged in explanation and elaboration of various Islamic doctrines in the light of Quran. Mutazilites, Asharites, Maturidians, Qadarites and Jabarites etc are the representatives of the period. In the second stage Muslim scholars (in some cases Jews and Christians as well ) started translating the transmitting Greek philosophy into Arabic Ishaq Ibn Hunayn, Hunayn Ibn Ishaq, Al-Kindi and many others were engaged in this process."In the fifth stage we observe that a critical appraisal of the Greek thought started. Al-Ghazzali criticised Greek philosophy and its Muslim adherents. In the sixth stage we observe that a revolt took place against all sorts of philosophy. Ibn Taimiyah criticised Muslim philosophers including Ghazzali for their indulgence in Greek thought. He highlighted the religious aspects of Islam to the extent, where logic or philosophy cannot work. Iqbal in a sense continued the same trend but with a specialized manner and compared Muslim philosophy to the Greek and Western philosophy". (Jacket
THE QURAN ILLUSTRATED
(A COMPREHENSIVE COMMENTARY ON THE QURAN)
VOL.1
THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF BISMILLAH
&
AN INTRODUCTION TO THE QURANIC SCIENCES
DR. HAMID NASEEM RAFIABADI, ABC, PUBLISHERS, SRINAGAR, RS.300/
For the preparation of this book, I have tried to avail from the exegesis of past and present commentators of the Quran belonging to various schools of thought provided the subject under discussion was not controversial. I have tried to avoid the personalized and sectarian views expressed by many commentators although I have availed from their technical expertise wherever possible. Unlike most modern commentators of the Quran, I have consulted the books on Qur’anic commentary written by both by Sunni and Shia scholars apart from taking assistance from non-Muslim scholars who have written on various aspects of Quran like its lexicography and glossary. However my over all approach has been non-sectarian to the Qur'anic exegesis and I have tried to be loyal to the spirit of Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet. Here I want to reiterate that I have not written any individual Tafsir of Bismillah on my own, but I have tried to present the views of old and new mufassirûn in my own way with out, however, passing value judgments, which is beyond my capacity and competence. Nevertheless, I have tried to make my position clear wherever I have found ostensibly any contradiction or conflict among the views of commentators or scholars. Thus this is a type of compilation rather than a full-fledged Tafsir, which also was aimed at safeguarding oneself from the admonitions of the Prophet, which he has made about the commentators of the Quran who indulge in guess work about Qur’anic contents.
The necessary sciences that are needed as prerequisites for the study of Quran have also been dealt with in some detail in this introductory book. A chapter on compilation and preservation of the Quran has been added for the beginners and the students who want to know the history of the sacred text. Moreover, the worldwide scholarship on Quranology has been dealt with briefly to bring home the trends in Tafsir writing both in east and the west.
CONTENTS1-The meaning and significance of Bismillah 2-What does Ism—mean 3-What the word Allah signifies?4- what do the terms Al-Rahman and Al-Rahim mean? 5-Whether Bismillah is to be regarded as a verse6- Revelation of the Quran7- Muhkamat and Mutashabiat verses of the Quran 8-Asbab-i-Nazool—or the background of the revelation of the Quran9- Nazm principle in the Quran10- Abrogation in the Quran—some reflection on old and new perspectives!11- Concept of knowledge in Quran/ 12-Quranology—in world wide scholarship
AFKAR-I-TAAZA
(MUNTAKHAB MAQALAT-I-SAYED JAMMALUDDIN AFGHANI)
Translation of the selected Maqalat of SYED JAMALUDDIN AFGHANI,.PRICE RS.250/
Jamaluddin Afghani was one of the pioneers of Islamic Renaissance in modern period. He has been described by Ali Shariati as “ the first herald of revolution in the East that had been caught in the drowsiness”, and Iqbal calls him the leader of the Sadat and a man who gives life to dust and stones by his innovative revolutionary ideas and thought. He authored a famous journal named Al –Urwatul -al–Wuthqa along with his one of the most illustrious students, Muhammad Abduh .The Journal was being published from Paris and created great strides in the lives and thoughts of Muslims through out Islamic world by its astute and timely appeal to the conscience of Muslims and also exposed the Imperialistic designs of the West in the context of Muslim world. He tried to bring unity in the rank and file of Muslims by this academic but bold initiative. There were several articles devoted to this purpose and the journal remains relevant for the Muslims of today, as they face the same challenges the period of Jamaluddin was facing. He discussed issues of Determinism, freedom of will, the divine principle of change, virtues and vices and their social base and impact, contributions of Muslims to science and knowledge etc.etc. This revolutionary journal was being published in Arabic. There was long back an Urdu translation available of the articles of the journal, but now for a quite long time no translation of Maqalat or articles of Al –Urwatul –Wuthqa was available in Urdu. Therefore the present translation of some most revolutionary Maqalat of Al –Urwatul -al–Wuthqa with detailed introduction of Jamaluddin Afghani’s life, philosophy and works has been published to cater the needs of students scholars and readers in general who are interested in the life inspiring, revolutionary and reverberating ideas of Syed Jamaluddin Afghani.
THE POETICAL COMPOSITIONS OF DR HAMID NASEEM RAFIABADI
ADAI IZHAR KI TAMANNA.
The book comprises on the Urdu Naats, Hamd, Ghazzals and Nazams apart from the introduction of Jenab Iftikhar Imam Siddiqui, the renowned Urdu poet and the editor of the famous Urdu literary magazine SHAYIR MUMBAI and the preface of Jenab Shabib Rizvi, a noted poet of Kashmir. The Dean Academics, Prof.Adus Salam Bhat released the book in July 2002 at the Iqbal Auditorium of Kashmir University and the noted literary stalwarts of Kashmir, Prof.Rahman Rahi, and Jenab Hakeem Manzoor, Prof. Bashir Ahmad Nahvi and Dr. Rashid Majrooh presented their scholarly papers while dealing
with the various aspects of the book. Professor Rahi described the book very unique and appreciated some of its verses like:
Sitara door tha khada tamasha been ki tarah
Wahan hoon aaj main khada jahan tha woh sanam kabhi
Hakim Manzoor described Hamid Naseem as the poet of Urdu Nazam and he highlighted several of his verses like
RANGO NOOR APNI NAZAR KA DAYKAR
IN DAEREECHOON KO SAJAYA JAYAA
While explaining this couplet the learned speaker related it to the global scenario where men have been led to destruction and the palatial houses they have left behind present a deserted look which speak volumes about the conflicting situation world over especially in the world of Islam.Dr. Bashir Ahmad Nahvi described Hamid Naseem a man of diverse intellectual and aesthetic tastes. According to Dr. Nahvi Naseem Rafiabadi has combined cool intellectual objectivity with the warm poetical romanticism of Urdu poetry.
Dr. Rashid Majrooh highlighted critically some of the literary dimensions of the book.
Professor Adus Salam said that Hamid Naseem has received wide recognition outside valley and “whenever I visit universities like Jamia Millia, people ask me whether I know Hamid Naseem?”
The book has been reviewed in Tribune Delhi, Kashmir Times Jammu, The Greater Kashmir, Srinagar and elsewhere by Prof. V.N.Datta, RK.Bharati, and Afaque Rashid respectively and has been reviewed on Door Darshan Srinagar also. A Delhi based scholar is transcribing the book into Hind script for its wide circulation.
“A well established scholar of Islam, with several works on the Islamic history to his credit, Rafiabadi is [was] Head Department of Islamic Studies, University of Kashmir.
In a short introduction to his poetical work, the author acknowledges his debt of gratitude to the stalwart
Urdu poets such as Ghalib, Iqbal and Faiz from whom he has drawn inspiration. Ghalib’s saddest thoughts, Iqbal’s philosophy of action and Faiz’s well -tempered revolutionary fervor worked as a stimulus to his poetical composition.
The first two poems are invocation to God, expressing his utter helplessness in the immensity of the universe and then surrendering to His will in complete faith .The next three are addressed to the prophet
Muhammad (saw) whose charming personality and achievement invoke in the poet feeling of respect and
Reverential awe. A major portion of his work consists of the poems of varied moods, expressing anguish, sorrow, aspiration and ecstasy over the vicissitudes of life. There persists in three poems a continuous quest for the apprehension of beauty, but the entire mood is sober, serious and even grave-- there is seldom the lightness of touch, except in a few short love poems. It seems that there is a constant tension and coils within are tightly strung.
Free from moral exhortation, his poetry is tinctured with a moral sense devoid of any trace of sectarianism and narrow –mindedness. Quite unobtrusively, some intimation of the disturbing conditions in Kashmir is reflected in his poetry. Writing on the blood, toil, and tears in the valley of Kashmir, the poet writes (translation): “what a strange city and a strange people that they continue to live in the midst of death and destruction” .The last section of this work contains a number of poems on various themes such as Mona Lisa, Aligarh and Hyderabad. This highly promising poetical work reflects Rafiabadi’s sensitivity to beautiful things, his wide-ranging interest and lucidity in expression”. Professor V N Datta, Spectrum, The Tribune, Delhi, August 3, 2003
“Dr. Naseem is above sectarian feelings and restricted thought---the diction in his poems is a standard quality. The selection of themes is timely. Where he expresses the emotion of love, which is the basic quality of a Ghazal, he includes social demands of our times in his themes. Ghazal in its original sense means ‘talking to women’ or ‘praising the beauty of women.’ But Dr. Naseem ids much preoccupied with the pain of society that has engulfed human life…The book is divided into three parts, religious encomiums, ghazals and poems. There are five encomiums, 59 ghazals and 32 poems in the book. A few poems are of only four couplets. The writer is very hard working (kohna mashq) and it is hoped that he will make his mark in Urdu poetry one day. People like Dr.Naseem are engrossed in moderernizing the Muslim community and introducing true Islam to the world and preach the philosophy of universal brotherhood and concept of coexistence to mankind as enshrined in Islamic lore.”(R .K. Bharati, The Kashmir Times, Jammu, April 24, 2003)
\
GHAZZALI AND WESTERN THOUGHT
Publisher: Adam Publishers & Distributors-India, Rs.165/=
“Al-Ghazzali was well versed in philosophy and the Latin West knew him as "Algazel" the philosopher. Al-Ghazzali influenced Jewish, Christian and Western thought and thinking by way of those writers of the Thirteenth Century who wrote in Arabic, and by translating his works into Hebrew. Jewish writers in Spain gained and acquired great knowledge from this Moslem theologian. Thus Arab Medieval thought had a great impact on the western thought and inspired Jewish Medieval thought clandestinely, and the role of Ghazzali was tremendous in this respect. In this book such all influences have been brought to fore and detailed discussions have been made to analyse the relations between West and Islam in the medieval period”. The foreword by S.Ausaf Ali, the Former Director Indian Institute of Islamic Studies New Delhi.
Assam from Agitation to Accord
By H.N.Rafiabadi
When Mr.Rajiv Gandhi signed the Assam Accord,the nation believed the stormy days of agitation were over.Unfortunately this was not so .This only provided a new basis for the turmoil to continue.In Assam from 'Agitation to Accord'.Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi has done a signal service by presenting the lessor known side of the Assam Agitation;the disastrous implication of the Accord on the state minorities,especially the Muslims.The first half of this investigation details the background to the agitation ,makes the introduction to the Muslim predicament in Assam and discuss the implication of the Accord. The fourth chapter present specific instances of the misuse of the provision of the Accord.In the second half of the book are reproduced the actual documents concerning Assam Accord itself and the various reaction to its implication. Rafiabadi's study and analysis must make the discerning reader wonder where we as an Indian heading for The accord between Central Government and the Govt. of Assam the position of two million Muslims has been put in the stake. Their lives culture civilisation and even survival are in danger. That is why the IOS has taken up this issue and made critical analysis of the issue.
Contents : Preface Introduction, Chapter I Background of the Assam Agitation Chapter II Muslims in Assam -A brief Introduction Chapter III Implications of "Assam Accord" Chapter IV Some Practical Implications of the Accord Conclusion ,Appendices, Bibliography
PRICE : INRs 125($) Back PAGES: 149
KHUTBAT-I-IQBAL KA IK TANQEEDI JAYZAH ISLAMI TAILEEMAT KI ROSHNI MAIN
”SIR Muhammad Iqbal is easily one of the greatest of Urdu and Persian poets in India. He still continues to be read, but not so widely as he was in the pre-Partition days when he was much popular in North India. A spate of literary works has appeared on his poetry, philosophy and on his political role in the creation of Pakistan. It is calculated that more than 2,000 books have been published on him, but a great deal of it is hagiolatry, lacking critical rigour and dispassionate appraisal. However, Iqbal's religious thought has received little attention, and it is to this theme that Dr Hamid Nasim Abadi deals with in his book entitled Khutbate-e-Iqbal Ka Tanqidi mutaleya (Iqbal Institute, Kashmir University, Srinagar. Pages 176, Rs 50).
In his introductory chapter, Abadi has given historographical survey of the literature published on some aspects of Iqbal's religious thought. In this connection, he has specifically mentioned the contributions of Syed Nazir Niazi, Khalifa Abdul Hakim, Syed Akabarabadi, Professor Sharif Baqa and Syed Wahiduddin. According to the author, Syed Wahiduddin has raised some of the fundamental problems relating to Iqbal's religious views, and he endorses Wahiduddin's view that though
Iqbal was influenced by Islamic thought and western ideas, he had an independent voice of his own, and was grappling with issues of cardinal human importance on his own terms—fearlessly. Abadi holds the view that despite some shortcomings, Wahiduddin's remains the best work on the subject.Dr Rafi Ahmed emphasizes that Iqbal's conception of God differed from the pantheistic Sufism as unity of existence (Wahdat ul Wajid) or Vedantic duality. Iqbal rejected the Marxist notion of determinism. He exhorted man to play his independent role unrestrained by the compulsions of necessity or conditioning circumstances. According to him, God had created the whole universe so that 'he (man) should play his creative role with passionate zeal for the higher ideals of truth, justice, and social good. He expected man to reach such a height that he might stand up and say, 'Here I have time with God'. In the final chapter of his study, Abadi deals with the notion of time and space which Iqbal regarded as a question of life and death for the Muslims, and to which he gave much importance in his lectures and poetical works. He wrote: 'Space and time are interpretations which thought puts upon creative activity of ultimate ego'. He provided an integrated view of God, time and space. He emphasized that beyond His (God's creation), there was no time and no space. In the final chapter of his study, Abadi deals with the notion of time and space which Iqbal regarded as a question of life and death for the Muslims, and to which he gave much importance in his lectures and poetical works. He wrote: 'Space and time are interpretations which thought puts upon creative activity of ultimate ego'. He provided an integrated view of God, time and space. He emphasised that beyond His (God's creation), there was no time and no space.Iqbal examined the vitality of time in the light of Sufism and modern philosophical and scientific systems of thought. He made a clear distinction between a serial and pure time which he called 'pure duration', a genuine creative moment, a life force, which in T. S. Eliot's expression, is 'an intense living experience of self-illumination'. In other words, to Iqbal 'time is conquered in time’. For Iqbal, time is not alien to man. It forms an integral part of human activity. He believed that time is God's attribute, and even God. The Prophet had warned, ‘Do not abuse time.’ Iqbal's theory of time is in accord with the Quran and the latest philosophical and scientific thought. In the 10th Discourse Lord Krishna said in the Bhagavad-Gita, 'I am everlasting time.’ Lord Rama, whom Iqbal claimed as Imam-e-Hind, spoke on the value of time: For the whole world of life time is the most potent entity'. In Khizr-I-Rah (The Guide) in Bang-I-Dora Iqbal expressed in a poetical rhythm the concept of time as a ceaseless duration. The same message he delivered in his poem Saqi-nama.According to Iqbal, time is free and is a process of change but not deterministic. The reality of change is the acceptance of the reality of time. Time, being an independent and restless activity, begins to influence man who apprehends the negative and positive features of it. Iqbal expounded his views: 'History is not the unfoldment of reason, absolute or infinite, but a continuous creative activity of the ego, both the absolute ego and finite ego.' In short, Iqbal regards time as an instrument of conquering finitude and infinitude. Thus human life comes to acquire a higher and nobler purpose circumventing limitations and difficulties, and by widening intellectual horizons and strengthening moral fervour it seeks to attain the supreme bliss for which Ishq (love) serves as the key to open the whole wonder of the world! In this small and unpretentious work of outstanding scholarship written with verve and judicious restraint, Abadi has shown remarkable insights in analyzing some of the fundamental issues of life that had agitated the poet-philosopher Iqbal's mind. This is bound to become a standard work on the subject.(V.N DATTA)
S MUKHTAR SRINAGAR
I remember when a famous Kashmiri educationist Prof. Agha Ashraf released the first edition of Muslim Philosophy and Science ---An Introduction authored by Dr Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi on 14th July 1998 in the Ghandi Bhavan auditorium of the university, he congratulated the then Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir Prof Yasin Qadri that such a book was written by one of the scholars of his university during his tenure of Vice chancellorship.
A hard working and dispassionate Kashmiri scholar of Islam and Comparative religions has yet come out with an encyclopaedic series on contemporary Islam
Entitled CHALLENGES TO RELIGIONS AND ISLAM, (A STUDY OF MUSLIM MOVEMENTS, ISSUES TRENDS AND PERSONALITIES), published by Sarup & Son, New Delhi, 2007, so beautifully and professionally that the three volume book seems to be a rich edition to the existing literature on cotemporary Islam.
This is really a good omen for the present vice chancellor of the University Prof Wahid Qurayshi whose leadership has inspired researchers like Prof Rafiabadi to rub their shoulders with the world renowned scholars of Islam like Hossein Nasr and M. M. Sharif who have preceded with voluminous books on the similar themes as the one under review. Though Prof. Naseem has broken fresh ice and has stolen a march on these stalwarts even as can be evident by cursively glancing through the themes of this marvelous book.
This voluminous book deals with the unexplored areas of research and scholarship on the very important and significant developments which took place in the wake of tremendous and unprecedented challenges posed in modern times to Religions in general and Islam and Muslims in particular from different quarters. The present era was especially tumultuous for the Muslims and their religion.
From the beginning of the 20th century till date, on the one hand, Muslims were face to face with unprecedented challenges from the imperialist west, as most of the Muslim countries were either grabbed or dominated by its brute forces, well equipped with all possible modern sophisticated weaponry and intellectual backup, or were brought under its control overtly or covertly through the agency of stooges and mercenaries in a big way, and on the other ,after the sack of Baghdad in medieval period the greatest blow to Muslims was the debacle of the Ottomans of Turkey, then the occupation of Palestine by the Israeli forces working in tandem with the western and communist blocks, and finally the occupation of Afghanistan by Soviet Union and the bloody war which ensued in its after math culminating in the emergence of Mujahideen and Taliban cult and the mechanizations of USA making its entry into Afghanistan under diplomatic garb, and finally the second Sack of Iraq by the American and allied forces .These are some heart rendering events in recent history of Muslims and Islam.
But the positive side of this, otherwise, gloomy picture of state of affairs is that great stalwart thinkers reformers, revolutionaries, scholars, visionaries and luminaries emerged to face these challenges individually, and by launching great movements through out the Islamic world. These movements were meant to rejuvenate the Islamic spirit and create a great fervour in the Islamic world and bring new hopes to fore after a great spell of dormancy in the world of Islam.
The book profiles the seminal epoch making efforts made by the personages of Islam like Sayyid Jamaluddin Afghani,Dr .Iqbal, Mawlana Mawdudi, Sir Sayyid Ahmad Khan, Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad, Mawlana Anwar Shah Kashmiri, Mawlana Sonaullah Amritsari, Shaikh Nasiruddin Albani , Dr Sayed Hossein Nasr and Dr Ziauddin Sardar etc.
The Islamic Movements which emerged to address these challenges have been discussed in this book in light of their signal work to rejuvenate Islamic spirit, are Jamaat-i-Islami, Tablighi Jamâ’at, Jamiet-i-Ahl-i-Hadith, Ikhwan –al –Muslimûn of Egypt , Islah and Irshad Movement (1914-1943) ,Indonesia,etc.The issues and trends which have been discussed in great detail in substantial portion of this book visa viz Islam are touching upon the subjects like Education, Birth Control, Media, women empowerment, orphanage, secularism and religious identity, science and Technology, Human Rights and civil liberties, Uniformity in Islamic Calendar, History writing,ecology,religious dialogue,Khilafat,meditation,Marxism,and peace etc. The challenges posed to religions in modern times and the possible responses have also been analysed in a scholarly and lucid manner by the erudite scholars hailing from USA to Malaysia.
Among the many contributors to these volumes mention may be made ,as a special case of, P.K.Justice Shamsuddin, (a retired Judge of Kerela High Court, a prominent social worker and the President of World Forum for Inter Religious Councils Kerala), S Ausaf Ali, (a renowned scholar of Islam, the former Director of Indian Institute of Islamic Studies New Delhi, and present Director Hamdard Archives, Jamia Hamdard), Reverend Canon Brian Cox , (Senior Vice-President of the International Center for Religion & Diplomacy in Washington DC) ,Dr.Ahmed Ibrahim Abu Shouk,( Associate Professor, Department of History and Civilization, International Islamic University, Malaysia),Dr. Yoginder Sakind,( former Reader Faculty of Islamic Studies and Social Sciences, Hamdard University, New Delhi and a renowned scholar of Islamic studies and Comparative Religion, presently working in Jamia Millia Islamia and has formally confessed his faith in Islam now named as Noor Muhammad ), Prof. Bashir Ahmad Dabla ,(professor and Head of the Department of Sociology and Social Work University of Kashmir, Srinagar),and Professor Noor Ahmad Baba,( professor and Head of Department, Political science, University of Kashmir, Srinagar).
Dr Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi the editor of the book has established himself in the academic field with more than 25 research publications and more than 100 scholarly papers on the themes of Islam, Islamic luminaries Comparative Religions and philosophy, Quranic studies, Islamic history etc to his credit which have been published from New York, Geneva, Iran, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Deoband, Delhi and Srinagar. He is the editor of Insight Islamicus, S.H Institute of Islamic Studies University of Kashmir. Among his important academic contributions, Muslim Philosophy, Science and Mysticism, (two editions), Hijrah –A turning Point in Islam (five editions), Emerging from Darkness, Ghazzali’s impact on Western philosophers, World Religions and Islam –A Critical study (two volumes) , The Illustrated Quran(a comprehensive Tafsir of Bismillah) , and Saints and Saviours of Islam are worth mentioning.
Dr. Rafiabadi was appointed as the Director of the prestigious Shah -i–-Hamadan Institute of Islamic studies, University of Kashmir in 2002, and he has visited several Muslim countries like Iran, Bangladesh, and UAE apart from visiting almost all major universities of India in connection with his academic programmes and deliverance of lectures and reading of research papers. He has presided over important academic seminar sessions at Jamia Millia New Delhi and Dhaka University on Syed Ali Hamadani and Medical History of Asia respectively. He was invited to an International workshop on Religion and Ecological Crisis by the Institute of Religion and Science California ,USA in 2002 and International Center for Religion and Diplomacy Washington in 2003 respectively .
Coming again to the book under review it can safely said that this is a serious academic effort on the part of Professor Rafiabadi that he has single handedly produced a commendable encyclopaedia on Contemporary Islam and its various dimensions. The contributors to these three volumes are well established scholars and the themes selected for deliberations are timely and rewarding. Although there are scores of books written on Islam by the western scholars or the westernized Eastern intellectuals who have faithfully toed the trodden path of their Orientalist mentors .But to write something on Islam from an insiders point of view has had been eluding the readers for last several decades now.Prof.Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Prof. M Sharif are at least the two Islamic scholars who have edited books on Islamic thought ,philosophy and culture .But they too have depended mostly on the write ups of the Muslim scholars working in the Western countries or at times attempted to avail the scholarship of the Christian and western Orientalists for writing on Islam and its various intellectual aspects. The names of Alessandro Bausani, H G Farmer, Z Ulken, William Chittick ,Oliver Leanman, , Parviz, Morewedge, Henry Corbin, Deborah L. Black, David Burrell, Kiki Kennedy-Day and Norman Calder are among the scores of writers these two stalwart scholars have relied upon for providing “insights” into Islamic ethos and scholarly enterprises. But Professor Rafiabadi in his earlier books on Islamic Philosophy and Mysticism as well as in this voluminous book has consciously selected the researchers from amongst the Muslims themselves and has not trusted the penmanship of orientalists for systematically presenting an authentic picture of Islamic thought and Philosophy ranging from Spirituality to Media. There is only one American Scholar whose contribution adorns this book that too on the subject of Abrahamic faiths .Moreover unlike the earlier scholars Rafiabadi has expanded the canvass of his book to cover the most recent themes touching upon women’s empowerment, environmental concerns, Bio-ethical and educational issues, matters pertaining to dialogue and peace, Ijtihad, and media onslaught and Muslims and finally the genesis of Taliban etc.
His introduction to the book is very exhaustive and has covered the dimensions of almost all the subjects discussed in the subsequent three volumes of the book and has provided vital inputs on the authority of the world famous writers on Islam and its contours. Thus the introduction serves the purpose of locating everything in the context of present Islamic world and Muslim predilection.
We find a mine of informative data in several articles of the book especially the statistical figures when the issues related to women and orphans are discussed .The end notes of the articles add the utility and elucidation of the book tremendously. What is more important Prof Rafiabadi has put the articles of established and world renowned scholars side by side with the articles of young researchers of Islam. Significantly the budding scholars of Kashmir University find place in the book along with their teachers and well established men of letters, thus generating a hope that a new band of researchers will get inspiration to explore heretofore un-explored areas of research.
The serene, intellectually oriented editor of the book has thus done a pioneering work by venturing this academic pursuit which will go a long way in paving the way for the rejuvenation of the age old penmanship of kashmiri intellectual fertility for which Kashmir was renowned world over. The book is relevant to the students of Islam in modern age, the researchers on Muslim movements and general public who want to discover the epoch making vitality of Islamic thought. Moreover, it contests plethora of stereo types about Islam, Muslims and their history which have bee set in motion by the unscrupulous western scholars and the enemies of Islam that my be.
Thus the contents and printing of the book both are excellent in all respects and demand the serious attention of the scholars both of Islam and other religions especially the researchers academicians, and general public. However, there are some spelling mistakes here and there which need to be corrected in the next edition of the book. It is hoped that the book will become a standard work on the subject and will receive warm welcome from the fraternity of scholars world over as other books of the editor of the book have received. It is a matter of pride for us Kashmiris that in the present tumultuous times ,there are some of them who are wholeheartedly engaged in search of the light at the end of the tunnel when everything ostensibly seems to have relegated to the oblivious position and a sense of disillusionment and gloom prevailing every where in the Muslim world. May Allah provide him with more energy to serve Islam in general and humanity at large, as both are synominous.Ameen
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
