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The Registan (Uzbek: Регистон, Registon) was the heart of the city of Samarkand of the Timurid Empire, now in Uzbekistan. The name Rēgistan (ریگستان) means "sandy place" or "desert" in Persian.
The Registan was a public square, where people gathered to hear royal proclamations, heralded by blasts on enormous copper pipes called dzharchis — and a place of public executions. It is framed by three madrasahs (Islamic schools) of distinctive Persian architecture. The square was regarded as the hub of the Timurid Renaissance.
The three madrasahs of the Registan are the Ulugh Beg Madrasah (1417–1420), the Sher-Dor Madrasah (1619–1636), and the Tilya-Kori Madrasah (1646–1660). Madrasah is an Arabic term meaning school.
Ulugh Beg Madrasah (1417–1420)
The Ulugh Beg Madrasah, built by Ulugh Beg during the Timurid Empire era of Timur, has an imposing iwan with a lancet-arch pishtaq or portal facing the square. The corners are flanked by high minarets. The mosaic panel over the iwan's entrance arch is decorated by geometrical stylized ornaments. The square courtyard includes a mosque and lecture rooms, and is fringed by the dormitory cells in which students lived. There are deep galleries along the axes. Originally the Ulugh Beg Madrasah was a two-storied building with four domed darskhonas (lecture rooms) at the corners.
The Ulugh Beg Madrasah (Persian: مدرسه الغ بیگ) was one of the best clergy universities of the Muslim Orient in the 15th century CE. Abdul-Rahman Jami, the great Persian poet, scholar, mystic, scientist and philosopher studied at the madrasah. Ulugh Beg himself gave lectures there. During Ulugh Beg's government the madrasah was a centre of learning.
Sher-Dor Madrasah (1619–1636)
In the 17th century Uzbek ruler of Samarkand, Yalangtoʻsh Bakhodir, ordered the construction of the Sher-Dor (Persian: شیردار) and Tillya-Kori (Persian: طلاکاری) madrasahs. The tiger mosaics with a rising sun on their back are especially interesting for their depiction of living beings and use of Turko-Persian motifs. The name of the madrasah comes from the patterns on the portal of the building as the word "Sher" means tiger.
Tilya-Kori Madrasah (1646–1660)
Ten years later the Tilya-Kori (Persian: طلاکاری, meaning "Gilded") Madrasah was built. It was not only a residential college for students, but also played the role of grand masjid (mosque). It has a two-storied main facade and a vast courtyard fringed by dormitory cells, with four galleries along the axes. The mosque building (see picture) is situated in the western section of the courtyard. The main hall of the mosque is abundantly gilded.
Mausoleum of Shaybanids
To the east of the Tilya-Kori Madrasah, the mausoleum of Shaybanids (16th century) is located (see picture). The real founder of Shaybanid power was Muhammad Shaybani—grandson of Abu'l-Khayr Khan. In 1500, with the backing of the Chaghataite Khanate, then based in Tashkent, Muhammad Shaybani conquered Samarkand and Bukhara from their last Timurid rulers. The founder of the dynasty then turned on his benefactors and in 1503 took old Tashkent. He captured Khiva in 1506 and in 1507 he swooped down on Merv (Turkmenistan), eastern Persia, and western Afghanistan. The Shaybanids stopped the advance of the Safavids, who in 1502 had defeated the Akkoyunlu (Azerbaijan). Muhammad Shaybani was a leader of nomadic Uzbek tribes. During the ensuing years they substantially settled down in oases of the Central Asia, Caspian shore, Tian Shan valleys, Russian steeps and Indostan . The one of the last and vast Uzbek invasion of the 15th century CE was the large component of today's Uzbek nation ethnogeny.
Chorsu trading dome
The trading dome Chorsu (1785) is situated right behind the Sher-Dor. Chorsu located at southeast of the Registan at the intersection of the cross-roads connecting Samarkand, Tashkent, Bukhara, and Shahrisabz. Chorsu is a word of Persian origin meaning "crossing roads," referring to this famous intersection of busy roadways. The building is old. It has a rather rich centuries-old history. At the moment, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List along with the rest of the historical part of the glorious city.
Chorsu was originally a bazaar constructed in the 15th century but was rebuilt in the 18th century, becoming a hat market. The current building was built during the reign of Amir Shahmurad, in 1785. Today, the bazaar which was previously located at Chorsu is nowadays the Siyob Bazaar near the Bibi-Khanym Mosque.
In 2005, ownership of Chorsu was transferred to the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan. While renovating the building, three meters of dirt were removed from the building revealing the original base construction. Chorsu now serves as an art gallery which offers the work of artists both contemporary and historical. The art of in the Chorsu gallery displays the arts, culture, history, and diversity of the multi-national Uzbek people.
Muhammad ﷺ
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تهمتن ز خشک اندر آمد به رود
پیاده شد و داد یل را درود
پس از آفرین گفت کز یک خدای
همی خواستم تا بود رهنمای
دیدار رستم و اسفندیار، شاهنامه فردوسی، نگارگر ناشناس، شیراز، آبرنگ طلا و بر روی کاغذ، برگ 36.8 در 30.2 نقاشی 9.4 در 23.8
Rustam Pleads for Tus Before Kai Khusrau," Folio from a Shahnama -Book of Kings
Author: Abu'l Qasim Firdausi -935–1020
Calligrapher: Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn `Ali ibn (?) Husaini, known as al-Mausili
Patron: Commissioned by al-Hasan Qawam al-Daula wa'l-Din ca. 1303–57
Object Name: Folio from an illustrated manuscript
Date: A.H. 741/A.D. 1341
Geography: Iran, Shiraz
Culture: Iranian
Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Dimensions: Page: 36.8 x 30.2 cm Painting: 9.4 x 23.8 cm Text block:29 x 24.6 cm
بفرمود کاسپ سیه زین کنید
به بالای او زین زرین کنید
پس از لشکر نامور صدسوار
برفتند با فرخ اسفندیار
بیامد دمان تا لب هیرمند
به فتراک بر گرد کرده کمند
ازین سو خروشی برآورد رخش
وزان روی اسپ یل تاجبخش
چنین تا رسیدند نزدیک آب
به دیدار هر دو گرفته شتاب
تهمتن ز خشک اندر آمد به رود
پیاده شد و داد یل را درود
پس از آفرین گفت کز یک خدای
همی خواستم تا بود رهنمای
که با نامداران بدین جایگاه
چنین تندرست آید و با سپاه
نشینیم یکجای و پاسخ دهیم
همی در سخن رای فرخ نهیم
چنان دان که یزدان گوای منست
خرد زین سخن رهنمای منست
که من زین سخنها نجویم فروغ
نگردم به هر کار گرد دروغ
که روی سیاوش گر دیدمی
بدین تازهرویی نگردیدمی
نمانی همی چز سیاوخش را
مر آن تاجدار جهان بخش را
خنک شاه کو چون تو دارد پسر
به بالا و فرت بنازد پدر
خنک شهر ایران که تخت ترا
پرستند بیدار بخت ترا
دژم گردد آنکس که با تو نبرد
بجوید سرش اندر آید به گرد
همه دشمنان از تو پر بیم باد
دل بدسگالان به دو نیم باد
همه ساله بخت تو پیروز باد
شبان سیه بر تو نوروز باد
چو بشنید گفتارش اسفندیار
فرود آمد از بارهٔ نامدار
Ibrahim Abd al-Halim Pasha 1870-1951.
Father: Muhammad Abdel-Halim Pasha 1831-1894.
Grandfather: Muhammad 'Ali (Muhammad Ali Pasha al-Mas'ud ibn Agha) 1769-1849, Wāli of Egypt, Sudan, Sham, Hejaz, Morea, Thasos, Crete (r.1805-1848).
Muhammad Rayyan, 5 mths - Dec2011
www.facebook.com/MyToddlerPhotos
Strobist info:
2 400W with softbox for backdrop
1 500W with beauty dish camera left
Everything you want to ask about Boxing. History of boxing,Greatest Heavyweight Champions of past and present, Boxing equipment, Boxing styles, Boxing Rules, Boxing Videos from Important Fights.Muhammad Ali
Sultan Muhammad, attributed, The Court of Kayumars (Safavid: Tabriz, Iran), c. 1524-25, opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper, 45 x 30 cm (Aga Khan Museum, Toronto), produced as part of a Shahnameh for Shah Tahmasp
D'oh! I was meant to get a reveal video for the Muhammad Ali canvas but instead just managed to get this short teaser clip. I'm not blaming anyone but sometimes you just have to remember to hit the button to start recording...
Muhammad Ali fought Ernie Shavers at Madison Square Garden on September 29, 1977 defending his title. Ali took a unanimous decision although in the second round, Shavers hurt Ali badly with an overhand right. For more visit www.boxingmemories.com/
Imprint of seal stamped on letters attributed toProphet Muhammad(صلي الله عليه وسلم.) Reads الله (GOD), رسول (Apostle) and finally, محمد (Muhammad.)
According to the Muslim tradition, the seal was used by Prophet Muhammad(صلي الله عليه وسلم)on outgoing letters, for recipient to be able to verify the source
Asia Muhammad from the Sacramento Capitals World Team Tennis team vs. the Philadelphia Freedoms at Villanova U in PA.
Muhammad-0201
Jan Smets
(lees het aangrijpende maar hoopvolle verhaal van de in Mechelen neergestreken Syrische vluchteling Muhammad Jarkas op Mechelenblogt:
www.mechelenblogt.be/2016/02/verleden-verleden-nu-telt-to...
When Muhammad and Imman (left and right, respectively) arrived in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, they had not eaten in days. They received high-energy biscuits, and later food to cook themselves provided by the UN World Food Program (WFP) and funded by USAID. Today, they carry food from a distribution site to the homes of people who need help such as orphans, the elderly and pregnant women. Both were farmers in Burma and hope to harvest rice, potatoes, tea and onions again in the future. Until then, their daily wages (350 Bangladeshi taka or $4 per day) help them supplement their own humanitarian food rations with vegetables, fish, spices such as turmeric and chili, and fuel to cook with. Maggie Moore, USAID
Royal Hong Kong Police Memorial.
In memory of the Hong Kong Police and Royal Hong Kong Police
Who died in the Two World Wars or in the Execution of their Duty
In World War I, many Hong Kong officers volunteered to serve in the British Armed Forces in Europe and ten are known to have died and one died of his wounds in 1919. World War II in 1941 following the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong over one hundred officers lost their lives resisting the Japanese or subsequently, whilst incarcerated in detention camps.
Virtual Memorial
WW1 fallen
Police Constable 25 Herbert George WAKEFORD. Hong Kong Police. Served as Corporal R/15516 2nd Kings Royal Rifle Corps. He enlisted into the army on the 9 September 1915 aged 27 years, residing at 8 Irchester Street, East Cliff, Ramsgate. Occupation, police officer with the Hong Kong Police. Killed in action 16/05/1916 aged 28 years. Born at Newhaven, Sussex to William and Rose Wakeford. In 1901 he was residing with his mother, siblings and stepfather Albert Smith at 4 Cobourge Place, Ramsgate. At the time of his death his mother was residing at 17, Camden Square, Ramsgate, Kent. At rest in St Patrick’s Cemetery, Loos, France
Police Constable 52. Arthur ALLCHURCH. Hong Kong Police Force. Served at Rifleman R/17759, 2nd Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Died 01/07/1916 aged 24. Son of Mrs. E. Still, of 25A, Standard Road, Hounslow, Middlesex. Came with the contingent from Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Arras Memorial, France.
Police Constable 27 Ernest George PAINTING. Hong Kong Police Force. Served as Lance Corporal R17760 2nd Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Died 01/07/1916 aged 22 years. Son of Ernest and Sarah Painting, of Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford, Berks. Volunteered from the Hong Kong Police Force.
Police Constable 125 Harold Lee WILSON Hong Kong Police. Served as Lance Corporal R/15463, 1st King’s Royal Rifle Corps died of wounds 27/07/1916 aged 24 years. He enlisted into the army 9 September 1915 aged 26 years. Occupation police officer with the Hong Kong Police. Son of Edward and Mary Ann Wilson, of 53, Alexandra Street, Kettering. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Police Constable 114 Peter Boyd GARDNER Hong Kong Police Force. Served as Air Mechanic 1st Class 28923 Royal Flying Corps died 06/12/1916 aged 28 years. Son of Peter Boyd Gardner and Elizabeth Love Gardner,nee Love of Currie, Midlothian. In April 1916 he disembarked in London from Hong Kong aged 29, occupation police officer, Hong Kong Police. Born at Leven Hall, Musselburgh. At rest in Currie Parish Churchyard, Midlothian.
Police Constable 124 Ernest Frederick DRURY. (Military Medal) Hong Kong Police Force. Served as Sergeant R/15465 1st King’s Royal Rifle Corps. Killed in action 17/02/1917 aged 26. Son of Edward and Lucy Drury, of 14, Blackheath Hill, Greenwich, London. Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France.
Police Constable 155 Robert EDWARDS. Hong Kong Police Force. Served as Corporal 17812 48th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps died 30/04/1917. At rest in warlincourt Halte British Cemetery, Saulty, France.
Police Constable 120 Edward SILLIS Hong Kong Police Force. Served as Private 6810, 2nd Coldstream Guards died 01/08/1917 aged 28 years. Son of William and Alice Silliss, nee Gaffney of Old Buckenham, Attleborough, Norfolk. In 1911 he was residing with his parents and siblings at Old Buckenham, Attleborough. His father was granted a war gratuity 4 December 1917 revised 18 November 1919. Commemorated in the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium.
Police Constable 81 John DELAHUNTY. Hong Kong Police Force. Served as Private 10793, 2nd Irish Guards killed in action 09/10/1917 aged 27 years. Son of Michael and Mary Delahunty, of Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny. Commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, West Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Police Constable 69 Frederick James. SINGLETON. Hong Kong Police Force. Served as Sergeant 17803 of No 6 Aircraft Acceptance Park Royal Air Force died 02/11/1918. On the 1st January 1916 he disembarked at London from Hong Kong, occupation, police officer, Hong Kong Police Force. Residing at 78Barnaby Buildings, Old Kent Road, London. At rest in Glasgow Western Necropolis, Glasgow, Scotland.
Police Constable Albert Edmond CLARKE. Hong Kong Police Force. Served as Corporal 1405, Special Reserve, 1st King Edward’s Horse. Born 1889 at St Pancras, London, resided at Goole, Yorkshire.
On the 1st January 1916 he disembarked at Plymouth from Hong Kong with many others from the Hong Kong Police with the purpose of serving their country in the Great War. He was aged 27 years and he gave his residence in England as 27 Park Terrace, Goole Yorkshire. He died of his wounds at is home 15/05/1919. At rest in Goole Cemetery, Yorkshire.
WW2 Fallen
Police Constable 409 ABDUL AZIZ KHAN. Hong Kong Police Force Died 22/07/1943 aged 27 years Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 798 AHMAD KHAN. Hong Kong Police Force. Died 07/11/1942 aged 19 years. Son of Muhammad Bakhsh, of Murid, Jhelum, Pakistan. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 128 ALI MUHAMMAD. Hong Kong Police Force Died16/04/1942 aged 38 years. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 772 ALI MUHAMMAD Hong Kong Police Force Died 23/10/1943 aged 38 years. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant 612 ALLAH JAWAYA. Hong Kong Police Force. Died 19/12/1941. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong
Police Constable 478 ARJUN SINGH. Hong Kong Police Force. Died Between 01/12/1941 and 31/12/1941. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong
Police Constable 108 BABU KHAN Hong Kong Police Force Died 03/02/1942 aged 22 years. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Inspector ALBERT VICTOR BAKER Hong Kong Police Force Died 15/12/1941 aged 44 years. Son of Albert and Katherine Baker, of Barking, Essex husband of Edith Alice Baker, of Monrovia, California, U.S.A. At rest in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 235 BAKHSHISH SINGH Hong Kong Police Force Died 19/12/1941. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong
Police Constable 423 BALWANT SINGH Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable R/247 BANSI RAM. Died Between 01/01/1945 and 31/12/1945aged 45 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 521 BOG SINGH Died 19/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant LSA/68 William CAMPBELL, WILLIAM Hong Kong Police Force Died 02/10/1942 aged 31 years. years enroute from Hong Kong to Japan in He was a prisoner in ship Lisbon Maru when it was sunk by torpedo. Lisbon Maru was a cargo ship and it sank with thousands of Allied PoWs trapped in the hold by the Japanese. Son of James and Elizabeth Campbell. Husband of Ansonina Loughlin, of Hampstead, London,
England. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/9575914/The-las.... Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/442 CHAN CHAM. Died Between 01/09/1942 and 30/09/1942. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable R/755 CHANAN SINGH. Died Between 03/09/1939 and 31/12/1947 aged 25 years. Indian Coy, Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 168 CHEUNG PAK WING Died Between 01/08/1942 and 31/08/1942 aged 28 years.
Chinese Coy, Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Yeung Fong, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/544 CHOW LEUNG Died Between 01/10/1942 and 31/10/1942 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant LSA/191 PATRICK DONOHUE. Died 12/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Mrs. E. Donohue, of Woodside, Long Island, New York, U.S.A. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 394 DULA SINGH Died 19/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable R/1443 FAN WING KWAN Died Between 03/09/1939 and 31/12/1947 Chinese Coy.
Hong Kong Police Force Husband of Lei Sau Fong, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 136 FAZL DAD Died 21/04/1944 aged 22 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Bahadur Khan, of Karsal, Jhelum, Pakistan. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 395 FAZL ILLAHI Died 19/12/1941, Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 324 FAZL MUHAMMAD Died 16/10/1944 aged 40 years. Hong Kong Police Force
Buried at the time in Kowloon (Ho Man Tin) No. 3 Muslim Cemetery now at Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 127 FAZL MUHAMMAD Died 22/01/1945 aged 35 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable183 FAZL SHAH. Died 25/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant LSA/34 MICHAEL FLAHERTY. Died 22/06/1944 aged 45 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Lily Wong, of Hong Kong. At Rest in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable1070 FONG IU NIN. Died 18/12/1941. Chinese Coy, Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 456 GHAZAN KHAN. Died 03/05/1945 aged 23 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 165 GHULAM ALI. Died 30/01/1943 aged 21 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 797 GHULAM MUHAMMAD Died 16/10/1944 aged 44 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (Ho. Man Tin) No. 3 Muslim Cemetery now at Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Sub-Inspector CHARLES HENRY GOODWIN. Died 25/06/1944 aged 44 years. Hong Kong Police Force.
Son of Frederick and Caraline Goodwin; husband of Kwong Yuet Goodwin, of Kowloon, Hong Kong.
At Rest in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 47 GUL HUSAIN. Died 15/09/1942 aged 24 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Nur Husain, of Bhakri, Jhelum, Pakistan. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Constable 331 GURDAYAL SINGH. Died 10/10/1942 aged 30 years Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant 502 HAKIM ALI. Died 01/11/1944 aged 44 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (Ho Man Tin) No. 3 Muslim Cemetery now at Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Inspector HENRY GEORGE HALLAM. Of Police Headquarters Station, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Police. Formerly Hong Kong Police. Secret Service work in Singapore. Escaped 13.2.42 on Relau but intercepted by the Japanese 16.2.42 at Muntok. Force Died 18/07/1944 at a Civilian Camp, Sumatra. His effects went to Dora Eleanor Maud Howe married woman and Alfred Howe, Captain, British Army. He was orginally buried in Grave E2 at Muntok Cemetery, Indonesia. His body was removed after the 1960s. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant 476 HARNAM SINGH. Died 25/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 650 HAZURA SINGH. Died 30/01/1945 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/148 HON PAN. Died Between 01/09/1942 and 30/09/1942 Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Yeun Cheuk Man, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Inspector, ALBERT LESLIE HOPKINS, Hong Kong Police Force. 15th December 1941. Age 42. Son of Mr. and Mrs. A. Hopkins husband of Doreen M. Hopkins, of Bournemouth, Hampshire. At rest in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Wills and Admin, Ancestry. His residence in England was Bridgeford House, Gold Hill, Chalfont, St Peters Buckinghamshire. Died 19th December 1941 on war service. His effects went to Mary Elizabeth May Hopkins, widow.
Sergeant PSA/38 GEORGE ALFRED HUDSON. Died 12/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of George and Rosie Hudson, husband of Sarah Maria Hudson, of Deiniolen, Caernarvonshire, Wales.
Wills and Admin, Ancestry. His residence in Hong Kong was Prince Edward Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong and died on date stated. His effects went to Sarah Maria Hudson, widow. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/952 HUI PUK YUEN. Died Between 01/09/1942 and 30/09/1942. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Sergeant ILLIN, V. Died Between 01/12/1944 and 31/12/1944 Hong Kong Police Force and British Army Aid Group. At rest in Sai Wan Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Sergeant A/178 HERBERT WINKFIELD JACKSON. Hong Kong Police Force. Died 23/09/1945 aged 30 as the direct result of a shark attacks.
Wills and Admin, Ancestry. His residence in England was Hunt Lane, Taplow, Buckinghamshire died 24 September 1945 at Hong Kong. His effects went to John Jacob Jackson, farm manager.
At rest in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong
The following extract credit to Battle for Hong Kong and Military History by Philip G Cracknell
Jackson, Herbert Winkfield (27/10/1912 – 23/9/1945)
He was a Police Sgt who tragically died just after the war ended whilst still in Stanley Camp. He was swimming at Tweed Bay Beach when a shark attacked him. He died from shock and loss of blood after he was dragged ashore. "Some forty years ago when I was interviewing former Stanley internees, Mrs Irene Braude told me she was on the beach the day Sgt Jackson was attacked by the shark and helped to pull him out of the water. The shark had bitten Jackson's leg and he bled to death." (Source: Geoffrey Emerson). John Stanton, a teenage boy was also on the beach that day with his friends. "We heard a cry for help. We all jumped in and swam to the rock and splashed to frighten the shark off. We brought him back to the beach covered in blood, his left buttock missing." (Source: J.K. Stanton's Memoires IWM). An Australian newspaper reports that Captain A.M. Braude of HK Telephone Co rescued him. The news report goes on to say that large sharks have not been seen in Hong Kong bathing waters and it is believed this one followed a ship.
Police Constable 40 JAG MAL SINGH. Died 19/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 735 JAGAT SINGH. Died 16/04/1943. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 525 JERNAIL SINGH Died 19/12/1941.Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 271 JOGINDAR SINGH. Died 26/06/1944 aged 25. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 560 JOGINDAR SINGH. Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Sub-Inspector ALBERT JOSEPH JOHNSON. Born 1888, died of wounds received while on duty 18/12/1941 aged 53 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Henry and Mary Johnson, of East Dulwich, London, England. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 388 KALA SINGH. Died 23/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable KAM YUEN Died Between 01/08/1942 and 31/08/1942 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 01. KAPUR SINGH. Died 25/03/1942. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 89 KARAM SINGH. Died 19/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable R/264 KARAMAT, A K. Died 11/12/1944 aged 27 years Reserve (Indian Coy). Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 766 KARNAIL SINGH Died 27/03/1943 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 253 KARTAR SINGH. Died 15/02/1942 aged 30 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 417 KARTAR SINGH
Died Between 01/01/1945 and 31/12/1945 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 496 KARTAR SINGH Died 16/07/1943 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 258 KARTAR SINGH Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 72 KARTAR SINGH Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 491 KEHAR SINGH Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable R/266 KESAR ALI Died 18/12/1941 aged 45 years. Indian Coy. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 367 KIRPAL SINGH Died 17/12/1941 aged 35 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant 139 KISHAN SINGH. Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 590 LACHHMAN SINGH. Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/11 LAM CHI MING. Died 25/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Chung Yiu, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/665 LAU KAU. Died Between 01/09/1942 and 30/09/1942 Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Li Nga, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/297 LAU LOI. Died Between 01/01/1942 and 31/12/1942 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/606 LEE SHUN. Died Between 01/06/1943 and 30/06/1943 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant RICHARDSON BARRY LOXLEY LESLIE, Hong Kong Police Force. Born 4 May 1915 in Angus, Scotland. Died 26/12/1941 aged 26 years in the Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. Son of Samuel Hunter Leslie Marie Lerslie nee McWalter and stepson of Frances E. Leslie, of Cockerton, Darlington, Co. Durham. At rest in Hong Kong Cemetery.
Detective Constable PCC/98 LEUNG MING. Died Between 01/01/1942 and 31/12/1942, Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Li Wu, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Private 2057 LEUNG SHUI MING. Died Between 20/12/1941 and 25/12/1941 aged 27 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Yung Shau Han, of Kowloon, Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Private 2040 LI FU. Died Between 19/12/1941 and 25/12/1941 aged 29 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Wong Sau Chang, of Kowloon, Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/292 LI LIM SANG. Died Between 01/12/1941 and 31/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Kwan Ling. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/289 LI WAH. Died Between 01/05/1942 and 31/05/1942. Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Tang Kwan Tai, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Engineer E/22 LO WUN. Died 17/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/398 LO YUI. Died Between 01/01/1942 and 31/01/1942. Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Ho Wai Lan, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Assistant Superintendent LOIE, DAVID. Died Between 03/09/1939 and 31/12/1947. Chinese Coy.
Hong Kong Police Force. Awarded King's Police Medal for Gallantry. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Staff Sergeant PSA/45 PETER HENRY LOUGHLIN Hong Kong Police Force. (Royal Naval Dockyard Police)
Died 02/10/1942 aged 35 years enroute from Hong Kong to Japan in He was a prisoner in ship Lisbon Maru when it was sunk by torpedo. Lisbon Maru was a cargo ship and it sank with thousands of Allied PoWs trapped in the hold by the Japanese. Husband of Ansonina Loughlin, of Hampstead, London,
England. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/9575914/The-las...
Wills and Admin, Ancestry. His address was Police Headquarters, Hong Kong, China died at se on date stated. His effects went to Antonia Loughlin, widow.
Lance Serjeant LSC/698 MAK PUI Died Between 01/05/1945 and 31/05/1945 Hong Kong Police Force Husband of Chan Kwai Chu. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 734 MALIK KHAN Died 23/12/1942 aged 27 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (ho Man Tin) No.3 Muslim Cemetery. Now at rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/419 MAN LUNG. Died 03/04/1943 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 123 MEHDI KHAN. Died 29/01/1942 aged 30 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable355 MEHNGA KHAN
Died 12/02/1945 aged 35 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (ho Man Tin) No.3 Muslim Cemetery. Now at rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 690 MIR ZAMAN. Died 25/09/1942 aged 22 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 259 MIRAN KHAN
Died 28/11/1944 aged 37 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (ho Man Tin) No.3 Muslim Cemetery. Now at rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 150 MUHAMMAD AMIN. Died Between 01/12/1941 and 31/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 555 MUHAMMAD DIN. Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 795 MUHAMMAD KHAN. Died 29/07/1943 aged 23 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (ho Man Tin) No.3 Muslim Cemetery. Now at rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 195 MUHAMMAD KHAN. Died 13/05/1945 aged 25 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (ho Man Tin) No.3 Muslim Cemetery. Now at rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 349 MUHAMMAD SADIQ. Died 27/03/1945 aged 25 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (ho Man Tin) No.3 Muslim Cemetery. Now at rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 161 MUHAMMAD YUSUF. Died 07/07/1942 aged 28 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Constable307 MUKHTIYAR SINGH. Died 01/04/1943 aged 22 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 346 MUNSHA SINGH. Died 07/06/1944 aged 38 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 05. NADIR KHAN. Died 14/09/1942 aged 25 years Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Mawaz Khan, of Rupwal, Jhelum, Pakistan. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant 444 NAND SINGH. Died 06/04/1945 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable274 NAND SINGH. Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 17 NATHE KHAN. Died 16/08/1945 aged 48 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Constable113 NAZAR SINGH. Died 26/10/1943 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable R/1291 NG CHI TAT. Died Between 03/09/1939 and 31/12/1947. Chinese Coy. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Chung Yuk, of Kowloon, Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant 157 NG PING KWONG. Died 21/02/1942 Chinese Coy. Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Wong Lai Fan, of Kowloon, Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 601 NIAMAT KHAN. Died 16/10/1944 aged 42 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 81 NUR DAD. Died 08/03/1945 aged 38 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 784 NUR HUSAIN SHAH. Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Inspector NUR MUHAMMAD. Died 13/08/1945 aged 48 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Inspector THOMAS O'CONNOR. Police Department Hong Kong Police Force. Died in action 18/12/1941 aged 46 years. Son of Thomas and Isabella O'Connor, husband of Lily Maud O'Connor, of Purley, Surrey, England. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant LSA/92 THOMAS ARTHUR PORRITT. Died of wound received while on duty 18/12/1941 aged 40 years Hong Kong Police Force. Born 29 April 1907 at Stokesley Yorkshire to John Robert and Susanaha Porritt, nee Thompson of Great Ayton, Yorkshire, England. In 1911 aged 3 he was residing with his parents and siblings at Cleveland Street California, Great Ayton, Yorkshire.
He served in the Royal Navy, enlisting 24 May 1923 on HMS Ganges as Boy 2nd Class J107335. Leaving the service 2 September 1928 off Vivid I. He re-enlisted 24 March 1931 on HMS Emerald, leaving the navy by purchase 7 February 1944 of HMS Devonshire.
Wills and Admin, Ancestry. His residence in England was 10 Pool Terrace, Monkabecq Road, Great Ayton, Yorkshire. Died on dat. and place stated. His effects went to Susannah Porritt, widow.
Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Inspector EDWARD GEORGE POST . Police Department Hong Kong Police Force. Died in action 18/12/1941. Husband of Myrtle G Post, nee Palmer. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable652 PURAN SINGH. Died 15/03/1945 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 809 PYARA SINGH. Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 726 RATAN SINGH. Died 25/10/1943 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Sergeant A/149 MALCOLM KENNETH ROSS. Police Department, Hong Kong Police Force Killed in action 18/12/1941 aged 30 years. Son of Malcolm M. and Margaret Ross, of Aberdeen, Scotland.
Wills and Admin, Ancestry. His residence in England was 38 Ashvale Place, Aberdeen. Died on date stated. His effects went to William John Ross. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 751 RUSTAM KHAN. Died 21/01/1945 aged 42 years. Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Constable 50 SAHIB KHAN. Died 11/01/1945 aged 25 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (ho Man Tin) No.3 Muslim Cemetery. Now at rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 607 SANTA SINGH. Died 14/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Deputy Commissioner WALTER RICHARDSON SCOTT. Police Department Hong Kong Police Force and British Army Aid Group. He was sentenced to death by the Japanese and was executed in Hong Kong 29/10/1943 aged 44 years along with Volunteer William John Whire, British Aid Group. . It may have been the discovery of an escape plan. Son of Walter Norman and ' Dora Lydia Scott, nee Carlisle. Husband of June Samson Scott, of Los Angeles, California, U.S.A. In 1911 aged 11 years he was residing with his parents and siblings at 14 Coley Terrace Fulwell, Durham, Sunderland
He served in the ranks as 58561 with the Northumberland Fusiliers. Gained commission, served as Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers during the Great War.
On the 4 November 1922 he embarked from Liverpool bound for Hong Kong aged 22, Police Officer. His residence in England was 6 Arlington Street, Hull.
At rest in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong. (Photo) credit find a grave
Police Constable 630 SHER KHAN. Died 16/03/1945 aged 23 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Buried at the time in Kowloon (ho Man Tin) No.3 Muslim Cemetery. Now at rest in Sai Wan War Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 110 SHER MUHAMMAD. Died Between 01/01/1945 and 31/12/1945. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 96 SHER MUHAMMAD. Died 16/01/1945 aged 35 years Hong Kong Police Force. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 98 SULTAN MUHAMMAD. Died 17/08/1942 aged 21 years. Hong Kong Police Force. Son of Sharaf Khan, of Chawli, Jhelum, Pakistan. At rest in Happy Valley Muslim Cemetery, Hong Kong.
Seaman 53 SUNG SHUI CHING. Died 19/12/1941. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Lance Sergeant 02. SURAYAN SINGH. Died 26/12/1944 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Cremation Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 29 SURJAN SINGH. Died 19/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 244 SWARUP SINGH. Died Between 01/01/1944 and 31/12/1944 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Coxswain 100 TAM TIM. Died 11/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Wong Fuk Yee. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/556 TANG WING. Died Between 01/01/1942 and 31/01/1942 Hong Kong Police Force. Husband of Chan Yuet. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/65 TANG YAU. Died 25/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force Husband of Leung Yung, of Hong Kong. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable 162 TEJA SINGH. Died 22/12/1941 Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Police Constable PCC/343 TSE MUK YUEN. Died Between 01/01/1942 and 31/12/1942. Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Constable 67 WALI DAD. Died 09/02/1944 aged 38 years Hong Kong Police Force. Commemorated on the Sai Wan Memorial, Hong Kong.
Sub-Inspector JOHN JOSEPH WALSH. Hong Kong Police Force. Died 04/03/1942 aged 43 years of a coronary infraction in Tweed Bay Hospital, Stanley Camp Honk Kong. Son of Thomas and Briget Walsh, of Macroom, Co. Cork, Irish Republic, husband of Jeannette Monica Walsh, of Macroom.
In 1911 he was residing with his parents and siblings at 56 Mountmassy Road, Macroom, County Cork. His father was a retired policeman. At rest in Stanley Military Cemetery, Hong Kong.
I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Hyderabad (Listeni/ˈhaɪdərəˌbæd/ HY-dər-ə-bad; often /ˈhaɪdrəˌbæd/) is the capital of the southern Indian state of Telangana and de jure capital of Andhra Pradesh. Occupying 625 square kilometres along the banks of the Musi River, it has a population of about 6.8 million and a metropolitan population of about 7.75 million, making it the fourth most populous city and sixth most populous urban agglomeration in India. At an average altitude of 542 metres, much of Hyderabad is situated on hilly terrain around artificial lakes, including Hussain Sagar - predating the city's founding - north of the city centre.
Established in 1591 by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, Hyderabad remained under the rule of the Qutb Shahi dynasty for nearly a century before the Mughals captured the region. In 1724, Mughal viceroy Asif Jah I declared his sovereignty and created his own dynasty, known as the Nizams of Hyderabad. The Nizam's dominions became a princely state during the British Raj, and remained so for 150 years, with the city serving as its capital. The city continued as the capital of Hyderabad State after it was brought into the Indian Union in 1948, and became the capital of Andhra Pradesh after the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. Since 1956, Rashtrapati Nilayam in the city has been the winter office of the President of India. In 2014, the newly formed state of Telangana split from Andhra Pradesh and the city became joint capital of the two states, a transitional arrangement scheduled to end by 2025.
Relics of Qutb Shahi and Nizam rule remain visible today, with the Charminar - commissioned by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah - coming to symbolise Hyderabad. Golconda fort is another major landmark. The influence of Mughlai culture is also evident in the city's distinctive cuisine, which includes Hyderabadi biryani and Hyderabadi haleem. The Qutb Shahis and Nizams established Hyderabad as a cultural hub, attracting men of letters from different parts of the world. Hyderabad emerged as the foremost centre of culture in India with the decline of the Mughal Empire in the mid-19th century, with artists migrating to the city from the rest of the Indian subcontinent. While Hyderabad is losing its cultural pre-eminence, it is today, due to the Telugu film industry, the country's second-largest producer of motion pictures.
Hyderabad was historically known as a pearl and diamond trading centre, and it continues to be known as the City of Pearls. Many of the city's traditional bazaars, including Laad Bazaar, Begum Bazaar and Sultan Bazaar, have remained open for centuries. However, industrialisation throughout the 20th century attracted major Indian manufacturing, research and financial institutions, including Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the National Geophysical Research Institute and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology. Special economic zones dedicated to information technology have encouraged companies from across India and around the world to set up operations and the emergence of pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in the 1990s led to the area's naming as India's "Genome Valley". With an output of US$74 billion, Hyderabad is the fifth-largest contributor to India's overall gross domestic product.
HISTORY
TOPONYMY
According to John Everett-Heath, the author of Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Place Names, Hyderabad means "Haydar's city" or "lion city", from haydar (lion) and ābād (city). It was named to honour the Caliph Ali Ibn Abi Talib, who was also known as Haydar because of his lion-like valour in battles. Andrew Petersen, a scholar of Islamic architecture, says the city was originally called Baghnagar (city of gardens). One popular theory suggests that Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, the founder of the city, named it "Bhaganagar" or "Bhāgnagar" after Bhagmati, a local nautch (dancing) girl with whom he had fallen in love. She converted to Islam and adopted the title Hyder Mahal. The city was renamed Hyderabad in her honour. According to another source, the city was named after Haidar, the son of Quli Qutb Shah.
EARLY AND MEDIEVAL HISTORY
Archaeologists excavating near the city have unearthed Iron Age sites that may date from 500 BCE. The region comprising modern Hyderabad and its surroundings was known as Golkonda ("shepherd's hill"), and was ruled by the Chalukya dynasty from 624 CE to 1075 CE. Following the dissolution of the Chalukya empire into four parts in the 11th century, Golkonda came under the control of the Kakatiya dynasty from 1158, whose seat of power was at Warangal, 148 km northeast of modern Hyderabad.
The Kakatiya dynasty was reduced to a vassal of the Khilji dynasty in 1310 after its defeat by Sultan Alauddin Khilji of the Delhi Sultanate. This lasted until 1321, when the Kakatiya dynasty was annexed by Malik Kafur, Allaudin Khilji's general. During this period, Alauddin Khilji took the Koh-i-Noor diamond, which is said to have been mined from the Kollur Mines of Golkonda, to Delhi. Muhammad bin Tughluq succeeded to the Delhi sultanate in 1325, bringing Warangal under the rule of the Tughlaq dynasty until 1347 when Ala-ud-Din Bahman Shah, a governor under bin Tughluq, rebelled against Delhi and established the Bahmani Sultanate in the Deccan Plateau, with Gulbarga, 200 km west of Hyderabad, as its capital. The Bahmani kings ruled the region until 1518 and were the first independent Muslim rulers of the Deccan.
Sultan Quli, a governor of Golkonda, revolted against the Bahmani Sultanate and established the Qutb Shahi dynasty in 1518; he rebuilt the mud-fort of Golconda and named the city "Muhammad nagar". The fifth sultan, Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah, established Hyderabad on the banks of the Musi River in 1591, to avoid the water shortages experienced at Golkonda. During his rule, he had the Charminar and Mecca Masjid built in the city. On 21 September 1687, the Golkonda Sultanate came under the rule of the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb after a year-long siege of the Golkonda fort. The annexed area was renamed Deccan Suba (Deccan province) and the capital was moved from Golkonda to Aurangabad, about 550 km northwest of Hyderabad.
MODERN HISTORY
In 1713 Farrukhsiyar, the Mughal emperor, appointed Asif Jah I to be Viceroy of the Deccan, with the title Nizam-ul-Mulk (Administrator of the Realm). In 1724, Asif Jah I defeated Mubariz Khan to establish autonomy over the Deccan Suba, named the region Hyderabad Deccan, and started what came to be known as the Asif Jahi dynasty. Subsequent rulers retained the title Nizam ul-Mulk and were referred to as Asif Jahi Nizams, or Nizams of Hyderabad. The death of Asif Jah I in 1748 resulted in a period of political unrest as his sons, backed by opportunistic neighbouring states and colonial foreign forces, contended for the throne. The accession of Asif Jah II, who reigned from 1762 to 1803, ended the instability. In 1768 he signed the treaty of Masulipatnam, surrendering the coastal region to the East India Company in return for a fixed annual rent.
In 1769 Hyderabad city became the formal capital of the Nizams. In response to regular threats from Hyder Ali (Dalwai of Mysore), Baji Rao I (Peshwa of the Maratha Empire), and Basalath Jung (Asif Jah II's elder brother, who was supported by the Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau), the Nizam signed a subsidiary alliance with the East India Company in 1798, allowing the British Indian Army to occupy Bolarum (modern Secunderabad) to protect the state's borders, for which the Nizams paid an annual maintenance to the British.
Until 1874 there were no modern industries in Hyderabad. With the introduction of railways in the 1880s, four factories were built to the south and east of Hussain Sagar lake, and during the early 20th century, Hyderabad was transformed into a modern city with the establishment of transport services, underground drainage, running water, electricity, telecommunications, universities, industries, and Begumpet Airport. The Nizams ruled their princely state from Hyderabad during the British Raj.
After India gained independence, the Nizam declared his intention to remain independent rather than become part of the Indian Union. The Hyderabad State Congress, with the support of the Indian National Congress and the Communist Party of India, began agitating against Nizam VII in 1948. On 17 September that year, the Indian Army took control of Hyderabad State after an invasion codenamed Operation Polo. With the defeat of his forces, Nizam VII capitulated to the Indian Union by signing an Instrument of Accession, which made him the Rajpramukh (Princely Governor) of the state until 31 October 1956. Between 1946 and 1951, the Communist Party of India fomented the Telangana uprising against the feudal lords of the Telangana region. The Constitution of India, which became effective on 26 January 1950, made Hyderabad State one of the part B states of India, with Hyderabad city continuing to be the capital. In his 1955 report Thoughts on Linguistic States, B. R. Ambedkar, then chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution, proposed designating the city of Hyderabad as the second capital of India because of its amenities and strategic central location. Since 1956, the Rashtrapati Nilayam in Hyderabad has been the second official residence and business office of the President of India; the President stays once a year in winter and conducts official business particularly relating to Southern India.
On 1 November 1956 the states of India were reorganised by language. Hyderabad state was split into three parts, which were merged with neighbouring states to form the modern states of Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The nine Telugu- and Urdu-speaking districts of Hyderabad State in the Telangana region were merged with the Telugu-speaking Andhra State to create Andhra Pradesh,with Hyderabad as its capital. Several protests, known collectively as the Telangana movement, attempted to invalidate the merger and demanded the creation of a new Telangana state. Major actions took place in 1969 and 1972, and a third began in 2010. The city suffered several explosions: one at Dilsukhnagar in 2002 claimed two lives; terrorist bombs in May and August 2007 caused communal tension and riots; and two bombs exploded in February 2013. On 30 July 2013 the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of India declared that part of Andhra Pradesh would be split off to form a new Telangana state, and that Hyderabad city would be the capital city and part of Telangana, while the city would also remain the capital of Andhra Pradesh for no more than ten years. On 3 October 2013 the Union Cabinet approved the proposal, and in February 2014 both houses of Parliament passed the Telangana Bill. With the final assent of the President of India in June 2014, Telangana state was formed.
GEOGRAPHY
TOPOGRAPHY
Situated in the southern part of Telangana in southeastern India, Hyderabad is 1,566 kilometres south of Delhi, 699 kilometres southeast of Mumbai, and 570 kilometres north of Bangalore by road. It lies on the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of the Deccan Plateau. Greater Hyderabad covers 625 km2, making it one of the largest metropolitan areas in India. With an average altitude of 542 metres, Hyderabad lies on predominantly sloping terrain of grey and pink granite, dotted with small hills, the highest being Banjara Hills at 672 metres. The city has numerous lakes referred to as sagar, meaning "sea". Examples include artificial lakes created by dams on the Musi, such as Hussain Sagar (built in 1562 near the city centre), Osman Sagar and Himayat Sagar. As of 1996, the city had 140 lakes and 834 water tanks (ponds).
CLIMATE
Hyderabad has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen Aw) bordering on a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh). The annual mean temperature is 26.6 °C; monthly mean temperatures are 21–33 °C. Summers (March–June) are hot and humid, with average highs in the mid-to-high 30s Celsius; maximum temperatures often exceed 40 °C between April and June. The coolest temperatures occur in December and January, when the lowest temperature occasionally dips to 10 °C. May is the hottest month, when daily temperatures range from 26 to 39 °C; December, the coldest, has temperatures varying from 14.5 to 28 °C.
Heavy rain from the south-west summer monsoon falls between June and September, supplying Hyderabad with most of its mean annual rainfall. Since records began in November 1891, the heaviest rainfall recorded in a 24-hour period was 241.5 mm on 24 August 2000. The highest temperature ever recorded was 45.5 °C on 2 June 1966, and the lowest was 6.1 °C on 8 January 1946. The city receives 2,731 hours of sunshine per year; maximum daily sunlight exposure occurs in February.
CONSERVATION
Hyderabad's lakes and the sloping terrain of its low-lying hills provide habitat for an assortment of flora and fauna. The forest region in and around the city encompasses areas of ecological and biological importance, which are preserved in the form of national parks, zoos, mini-zoos and a wildlife sanctuary. Nehru Zoological Park, the city's one large zoo, is the first in India to have a lion and tiger safari park. Hyderabad has three national parks (Mrugavani National Park, Mahavir Harina Vanasthali National Park and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park), and the Manjira Wildlife Sanctuary is about 50 km from the city. Hyderabad's other environmental reserves are: Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy Botanical Gardens, Shamirpet Lake, Hussain Sagar, Fox Sagar Lake, Mir Alam Tank and Patancheru Lake, which is home to regional birds and attracts seasonal migratory birds from different parts of the world. Organisations engaged in environmental and wildlife preservation include the Telangana Forest Department, Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the Animal Welfare Board of India, the Blue Cross of Hyderabad and the University of Hyderabad.
ADMINISTRATION
COMMON CAPITAL OF TELANGANA AND ANDHRA PRADESH
According to the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014 part 2 Section 5: "On and from the appointed day, Hyderabad in the existing State of Andhra Pradesh, shall be the common capital of the State of Telangana and the State of Andhra Pradesh for such period not exceeding ten years. After expiry of the period referred to in sub-section, Hyderabad shall be the capital of the State of Telangana and there shall be a new capital for the State of Andhra Pradesh."
The same sections also define that the common capital includes the existing area designated as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation under the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Act, 1955. As stipulated in sections 3 and 18 of the Reorganisation Act, city MLAs are members of Telangana state assembly.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) oversees the civic infrastructure of the city's 18 "circles", which together encompass 150 municipal wards. Each ward is represented by a corporator, elected by popular vote. The corporators elect the Mayor, who is the titular head of GHMC; executive powers rest with the Municipal Commissioner, appointed by the state government. The GHMC carries out the city's infrastructural work such as building and maintenance of roads and drains, town planning including construction regulation, maintenance of municipal markets and parks, solid waste management, the issuing of birth and death certificates, the issuing of trade licences, collection of property tax, and community welfare services such as mother and child healthcare, and pre-school and non-formal education. The GHMC was formed in April 2007 by merging the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (MCH) with 12 municipalities of the Hyderabad, Ranga Reddy and Medak districts covering a total area of 625 km2. In the 2009 municipal election, an alliance of the Indian National Congress and Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen formed the majority. The Secunderabad Cantonment Board is a civic administration agency overseeing an area of 40.1 km2, where there are several military camps. The Osmania University campus is administered independently by the university authority.
Law and order in Hyderabad city is supervised by the governor of Telangana. The jurisdiction is divided into two police commissionerates: Hyderabad and Cyberabad, which are again divided into four and five police zones respectively. Each zone is headed by a deputy commissioner.
The jurisdictions of the city's administrative agencies are, in ascending order of size: the Hyderabad Police area, Hyderabad district, the GHMC area ("Hyderabad city") and the area under the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). The HMDA is an apolitical urban planning agency that covers the GHMC and its suburbs, extending to 54 mandals in five districts encircling the city. It coordinates the development activities of GHMC and suburban municipalities and manages the administration of bodies such as the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB).
As the seat of the government of Telangana, Hyderabad is home to the state's legislature, secretariat and high court, as well as various local government agencies. The Lower City Civil Court and the Metropolitan Criminal Court are under the jurisdiction of the High Court. The GHMC area contains 24 State Legislative Assembly constituencies, which form five constituencies of the Lok Sabha (the lower house of the Parliament of India).
UTILITY SERVICES
The HMWSSB regulates rainwater harvesting, sewerage services and water supply, which is sourced from several dams located in the suburbs. In 2005, the HMWSSB started operating a 116-kilometre-long water supply pipeline from Nagarjuna Sagar Dam to meet increasing demand. The Telangana Southern Power Distribution Company Limited manages electricity supply. As of October 2014, there were 15 fire stations in the city, operated by the Telangana State Disaster and Fire Response Department. The government-owned India Post has five head post offices and many sub-post offices in Hyderabad, which are complemented by private courier services.
POLLUTION CONTROL
Hyderabad produces around 4,500 tonnes of solid waste daily, which is transported from collection units in Imlibun, Yousufguda and Lower Tank Bund to the dumpsite in Jawaharnagar. Disposal is managed by the Integrated Solid Waste Management project which was started by the GHMC in 2010. Rapid urbanisation and increased economic activity has also led to increased industrial waste, air, noise and water pollution, which is regulated by the Telangana Pollution Control Board (TPCB). The contribution of different sources to air pollution in 2006 was: 20–50% from vehicles, 40–70% from a combination of vehicle discharge and road dust, 10–30% from industrial discharges and 3–10% from the burning of household rubbish. Deaths resulting from atmospheric particulate matter are estimated at 1,700–3,000 each year. Ground water around Hyderabad, which has a hardness of up to 1000 ppm, around three times higher than is desirable, is the main source of drinking water but the increasing population and consequent increase in demand has led to a decline in not only ground water but also river and lake levels. This shortage is further exacerbated by inadequately treated effluent discharged from industrial treatment plants polluting the water sources of the city.
HEALTHCARE
The Commissionerate of Health and Family Welfare is responsible for planning, implementation and monitoring of all facilities related to health and preventive services. As of 2010–11, the city had 50 government hospitals, 300 private and charity hospitals and 194 nursing homes providing around 12,000 hospital beds, fewer than half the required 25,000. For every 10,000 people in the city, there are 17.6 hospital beds, 9 specialist doctors, 14 nurses and 6 physicians. The city also has about 4,000 individual clinics and 500 medical diagnostic centres. Private clinics are preferred by many residents because of the distance to, poor quality of care at and long waiting times in government facilities, despite the high proportion of the city's residents being covered by government health insurance: 24% according to a National Family Health Survey in 2005. As of 2012, many new private hospitals of various sizes were opened or being built. Hyderabad also has outpatient and inpatient facilities that use Unani, homeopathic and Ayurvedic treatments.
In the 2005 National Family Health Survey, it was reported that the city's total fertility rate is 1.8, which is below the replacement rate. Only 61% of children had been provided with all basic vaccines (BCG, measles and full courses of polio and DPT), fewer than in all other surveyed cities except Meerut. The infant mortality rate was 35 per 1,000 live births, and the mortality rate for children under five was 41 per 1,000 live births. The survey also reported that a third of women and a quarter of men are overweight or obese, 49% of children below 5 years are anaemic, and up to 20% of children are underweight, while more than 2% of women and 3% of men suffer from diabetes.
DEMOGRAPHICS
When the GHMC was created in 2007, the area occupied by the municipality increased from 175 km2 to 625 km2. Consequently, the population increased by 87%, from 3,637,483 in the 2001 census to 6,809,970 in the 2011 census, 24% of which are migrants from elsewhere in India, making Hyderabad the nation's fourth most populous city. As of 2011, the population density is 18,480/km2. At the same 2011 census, the Hyderabad Urban Agglomeration had a population of 7,749,334, making it the sixth most populous urban agglomeration in the country. The population of the Hyderabad urban agglomeration has since been estimated by electoral officials to be 9.1 million as of early 2013 but is expected to exceed 10 million by the end of the year. There are 3,500,802 male and 3,309,168 female citizens - a sex ratio of 945 females per 1000 males, higher than the national average of 926 per 1000. Among children aged 0–6 years, 373,794 are boys and 352,022 are girls - a ratio of 942 per 1000. Literacy stands at 82.96% (male 85.96%; female 79.79%), higher than the national average of 74.04%. The socio-economic strata consist of 20% upper class, 50% middle class and 30% working class.
ETHNIC GROUPS, LANGUAGE AND RELIGION
Referred to as "Hyderabadi", residents of Hyderabad are predominantly Telugu and Urdu speaking people, with minority Bengali, Gujarati (including Memon), Kannada (including Nawayathi), Malayalam, Marathi, Marwari, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Uttar Pradeshi communities. Hadhrami Arabs, African Arabs, Armenians, Abyssinians, Iranians, Pathans and Turkish people are also present; these communities, of which the Hadhrami are the largest, declined after Hyderabad State became part of the Indian Union, as they lost the patronage of the Nizams.
Telugu is the official language of Hyderabad and Urdu is its second language. The Telugu dialect spoken in Hyderabad is called Telangana, and the Urdu spoken is called Dakhani. English is also used. A significant minority speak other languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Odia, Tamil, Bengali and Kannada.
Hindus are in the majority. Muslims are present throughout the city and predominate in and around the Old City. There are also Christian, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist and Parsi communities and iconic temples, mosques and churches can be seen. According to the 2001 census, Hyderabad district's religious make-up was: Hindus (55.41%), Muslims (41.17%), Christians (2.43%), Jains (0.43%), Sikhs (0.29%) and Buddhists (0.02%); 0.23% did not state any religion.
SLUMS
In the greater metropolitan area, 13% of the population live below the poverty line. According to a 2012 report submitted by GHMC to the World Bank, Hyderabad has 1,476 slums with a total population of 1.7 million, of whom 66% live in 985 slums in the "core" of the city (the part that formed Hyderabad before the April 2007 expansion) and the remaining 34% live in 491 suburban tenements. About 22% of the slum-dwelling households had migrated from different parts of India in the last decade of the 20th century, and 63% claimed to have lived in the slums for more than 10 years. Overall literacy in the slums is 60–80% and female literacy is 52–73%. A third of the slums have basic service connections, and the remainder depend on general public services provided by the government. There are 405 government schools, 267 government aided schools, 175 private schools and 528 community halls in the slum areas. According to a 2008 survey by the Centre for Good Governance, 87.6% of the slum-dwelling households are nuclear families, 18% are very poor, with an income up to ₹20000 (US$300) per annum, 73% live below the poverty line (a standard poverty line recognised by the Andhra Pradesh Government is ₹24000 (US$360) per annum), 27% of the chief wage earners (CWE) are casual labour and 38% of the CWE are illiterate. About 3.72% of the slum children aged 5–14 do not go to school and 3.17% work as child labour, of whom 64% are boys and 36% are girls. The largest employers of child labour are street shops and construction sites. Among the working children, 35% are engaged in hazardous jobs.
NEIGHBOURHOODS
The historic city established by Muhammad Quli Qutb Shah on the southern side of the Musi River forms the "Old City", while the "New City" encompasses the urbanised area on the northern banks. The two are connected by many bridges across the river, the oldest of which is Purana Pul ("old bridge"). Hyderabad is twinned with neighbouring Secunderabad, to which it is connected by Hussain Sagar.
Many historic and tourist sites lie in south central Hyderabad, such as the Charminar, the Mecca Masjid, the Salar Jung Museum, the Nizam's Museum, the Falaknuma Palace, and the traditional retail corridor comprising the Pearl Market, Laad Bazaar and Madina Circle. North of the river are hospitals, colleges, major railway stations and business areas such as Begum Bazaar, Koti, Abids, Sultan Bazaar and Moazzam Jahi Market, along with administrative and recreational establishments such as the Reserve Bank of India, the Telangana Secretariat, the Hyderabad Mint, the Telangana Legislature, the Public Gardens, the Nizam Club, the Ravindra Bharathi, the State Museum, the Birla Temple and the Birla Planetarium.
North of central Hyderabad lie Hussain Sagar, Tank Bund Road, Rani Gunj and the Secunderabad Railway Station. Most of the city's parks and recreational centres, such as Sanjeevaiah Park, Indira Park, Lumbini Park, NTR Gardens, the Buddha statue and Tankbund Park are located here. In the northwest part of the city there are upscale residential and commercial areas such as Banjara Hills, Jubilee Hills, Begumpet, Khairatabad and Miyapur. The northern end contains industrial areas such as Sanathnagar, Moosapet, Balanagar, Patancheru and Chanda Nagar. The northeast end is dotted with residential areas. In the eastern part of the city lie many defence research centres and Ramoji Film City. The "Cyberabad" area in the southwest and west of the city has grown rapidly since the 1990s. It is home to information technology and bio-pharmaceutical companies and to landmarks such as Hyderabad Airport, Osman Sagar, Himayath Sagar and Kasu Brahmananda Reddy National Park.
LANDMARKS
Heritage buildings constructed during the Qutb Shahi and Nizam eras showcase Indo-Islamic architecture influenced by Medieval, Mughal and European styles. After the 1908 flooding of the Musi River, the city was expanded and civic monuments constructed, particularly during the rule of Mir Osman Ali Khan (the VIIth Nizam), whose patronage of architecture led to him being referred to as the maker of modern Hyderabad. In 2012, the government of India declared Hyderabad the first "Best heritage city of India".
Qutb Shahi architecture of the 16th and early 17th centuries followed classical Persian architecture featuring domes and colossal arches. The oldest surviving Qutb Shahi structure in Hyderabad is the ruins of Golconda fort built in the 16th century. The Charminar, Mecca Masjid, Charkaman and Qutb Shahi tombs are other existing structures of this period. Among these the Charminar has become an icon of the city; located in the centre of old Hyderabad, it is a square structure with sides 20 m long and four grand arches each facing a road. At each corner stands a 56 m-high minaret. Most of the historical bazaars that still exist were constructed on the street north of Charminar towards Golconda fort. The Charminar, Qutb Shahi tombs and Golconda fort are considered to be monuments of national importance in India; in 2010 the Indian government proposed that the sites be listed for UNESCO World Heritage status.
Among the oldest surviving examples of Nizam architecture in Hyderabad is the Chowmahalla Palace, which was the seat of royal power. It showcases a diverse array of architectural styles, from the Baroque Harem to its Neoclassical royal court. The other palaces include Falaknuma Palace (inspired by the style of Andrea Palladio), Purani Haveli, King Kothi and Bella Vista Palace all of which were built at the peak of Nizam rule in the 19th century. During Mir Osman Ali Khan's rule, European styles, along with Indo-Islamic, became prominent. These styles are reflected in the Falaknuma Palace and many civic monuments such as the Hyderabad High Court, Osmania Hospital, Osmania University, the State Central Library, City College, the Telangana Legislature, the State Archaeology Museum, Jubilee Hall, and Hyderabad and Kachiguda railway stations. Other landmarks of note are Paigah Palace, Asman Garh Palace, Basheer Bagh Palace, Errum Manzil and the Spanish Mosque, all constructed by the Paigah family.
ECONOMY
Hyderabad is the largest contributor to the gross domestic product (GDP), tax and other revenues, of Telangana, and the sixth largest deposit centre and fourth largest credit centre nationwide, as ranked by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in June 2012. Its US$74 billion GDP made it the fifth-largest contributor city to India's overall GDP in 2011–12. Its per capita annual income in 2011 was ₹44300 (US$670). As of 2006, the largest employers in the city were the governments of Andhra Pradesh (113,098 employees) and India (85,155). According to a 2005 survey, 77% of males and 19% of females in the city were employed. The service industry remains dominant in the city, and 90% of the employed workforce is engaged in this sector.
Hyderabad's role in the pearl trade has given it the name "City of Pearls" and up until the 18th century, the city was also the only global trading centre for large diamonds. Industrialisation began under the Nizams in the late 19th century, helped by railway expansion that connected the city with major ports. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Indian enterprises, such as Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL), Nuclear Fuel Complex (NFC), National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC), Bharat Electronics (BEL), Electronics Corporation of India Limited (ECIL), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), State Bank of Hyderabad (SBH) and Andhra Bank (AB) were established in the city. The city is home to Hyderabad Securities formerly known as Hyderabad Stock Exchange (HSE), and houses the regional office of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI). In 2013, the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) facility in Hyderabad was forecasted to provide operations and transactions services to BSE-Mumbai by the end of 2014. The growth of the financial services sector has helped Hyderabad evolve from a traditional manufacturing city to a cosmopolitan industrial service centre. Since the 1990s, the growth of information technology (IT), IT-enabled services (ITES), insurance and financial institutions has expanded the service sector, and these primary economic activities have boosted the ancillary sectors of trade and commerce, transport, storage, communication, real estate and retail.
Hyderabad's commercial markets are divided into four sectors: central business districts, sub-central business centres, neighbourhood business centres and local business centres. Many traditional and historic bazaars are located throughout the city, Laad Bazaar being the prominent among all is popular for selling a variety of traditional and cultural antique wares, along with gems and pearls.
The establishment of Indian Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Limited (IDPL), a public sector undertaking, in 1961 was followed over the decades by many national and global companies opening manufacturing and research facilities in the city. As of 2010, the city manufactured one third of India's bulk drugs and 16% of biotechnology products, contributing to its reputation as "India's pharmaceutical capital" and the "Genome Valley of India". Hyderabad is a global centre of information technology, for which it is known as Cyberabad (Cyber City). As of 2013, it contributed 15% of India's and 98% of Andhra Pradesh's exports in IT and ITES sectors and 22% of NASSCOM's total membership is from the city. The development of HITEC City, a township with extensive technological infrastructure, prompted multinational companies to establish facilities in Hyderabad. The city is home to more than 1300 IT and ITES firms, including global conglomerates such as Microsoft (operating its largest R&D campus outside the US), Google, IBM, Yahoo!, Dell, Facebook, and major Indian firms including Tech Mahindra, Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Polaris and Wipro. In 2009 the World Bank Group ranked the city as the second best Indian city for doing business. The city and its suburbs contain the highest number of special economic zones of any Indian city.
Like the rest of India, Hyderabad has a large informal economy that employs 30% of the labour force. According to a survey published in 2007, it had 40–50,000 street vendors, and their numbers were increasing. Among the street vendors, 84% are male and 16% female, and four fifths are "stationary vendors" operating from a fixed pitch, often with their own stall. Most are financed through personal savings; only 8% borrow from moneylenders. Vendor earnings vary from ₹50 (75¢ US) to ₹800 (US$12) per day. Other unorganised economic sectors include dairy, poultry farming, brick manufacturing, casual labour and domestic help. Those involved in the informal economy constitute a major portion of urban poor.
CULTURE
Hyderabad emerged as the foremost centre of culture in India with the decline of the Mughal Empire. After the fall of Delhi in 1857, the migration of performing artists to the city particularly from the north and west of the Indian sub continent, under the patronage of the Nizam, enriched the cultural milieu. This migration resulted in a mingling of North and South Indian languages, cultures and religions, which has since led to a co-existence of Hindu and Muslim traditions, for which the city has become noted. A further consequence of this north–south mix is that both Telugu and Urdu are official languages of Telangana.[164] The mixing of religions has also resulted in many festivals being celebrated in Hyderabad such as Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali and Bonalu of Hindu tradition and Eid ul-Fitr and Eid al-Adha by Muslims.
Traditional Hyderabadi garb also reveals a mix of Muslim and South Asian influences with men wearing sherwani and kurta - paijama and women wearing khara dupatta and salwar kameez. Muslim women also commonly wear burqas and hijabs in public. In addition to the traditional Indian and Muslim garments, increasing exposure to western cultures has led to a rise in the wearing of western style clothing among youths.
LITERATURE
In the past, Qutb Shahi rulers and Nizams attracted artists, architects and men of letters from different parts of the world through patronage. The resulting ethnic mix popularised cultural events such as mushairas (poetic symposia). The Qutb Shahi dynasty particularly encouraged the growth of Deccani Urdu literature leading to works such as the Deccani Masnavi and Diwan poetry, which are among the earliest available manuscripts in Urdu. Lazzat Un Nisa, a book compiled in the 15th century at Qutb Shahi courts, contains erotic paintings with diagrams for secret medicines and stimulants in the eastern form of ancient sexual arts. The reign of the Nizams saw many literary reforms and the introduction of Urdu as a language of court, administration and education. In 1824, a collection of Urdu Ghazal poetry, named Gulzar-e-Mahlaqa, authored by Mah Laqa Bai - the first female Urdu poet to produce a Diwan - was published in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad has continued with these traditions in its annual Hyderabad Literary Festival, held since 2010, showcasing the city's literary and cultural creativity. Organisations engaged in the advancement of literature include the Sahitya Akademi, the Urdu Academy, the Telugu Academy, the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language, the Comparative Literature Association of India, and the Andhra Saraswata Parishad. Literary development is further aided by state institutions such as the State Central Library, the largest public library in the state which was established in 1891, and other major libraries including the Sri Krishna Devaraya Andhra Bhasha Nilayam, the British Library and the Sundarayya Vignana Kendram.
MUSIC AND FILMS
South Indian music and dances such as the Kuchipudi and Kathakali styles are popular in the Deccan region. As a result of their culture policies, North Indian music and dance gained popularity during the rule of the Mughals and Nizams, and it was also during their reign that it became a tradition among the nobility to associate themselves with tawaif (courtesans). These courtesans were revered as the epitome of etiquette and culture, and were appointed to teach singing, poetry and classical dance to many children of the aristocracy. This gave rise to certain styles of court music, dance and poetry. Besides western and Indian popular music genres such as filmi music, the residents of Hyderabad play city-based marfa music, dholak ke geet (household songs based on local Folklore), and qawwali, especially at weddings, festivals and other celebratory events. The state government organises the Golconda Music and Dance Festival, the Taramati Music Festival and the Premavathi Dance Festival to further encourage the development of music.
Although the city is not particularly noted for theatre and drama, the state government promotes theatre with multiple programmes and festivals in such venues as the Ravindra Bharati, Shilpakala Vedika and Lalithakala Thoranam. Although not a purely music oriented event, Numaish, a popular annual exhibition of local and national consumer products, does feature some musical performances. The city is home to the Telugu film industry, popularly known as Tollywood and as of 2012, produces the second largest number of films in India with the largest number being produced by Bollywood. Films in the local Hyderabadi dialect are also produced and have been gaining popularity since 2005. The city has also hosted international film festivals such as the International Children's Film Festival and the Hyderabad International Film Festival. In 2005, Guinness World Records declared Ramoji Film City to be the world's largest film studio.
ART AND HANDICRAFTS
The region is well known for its Golconda and Hyderabad painting styles which are branches of Deccani painting. Developed during the 16th century, the Golconda style is a native style blending foreign techniques and bears some similarity to the Vijayanagara paintings of neighbouring Mysore. A significant use of luminous gold and white colours is generally found in the Golconda style. The Hyderabad style originated in the 17th century under the Nizams. Highly influenced by Mughal painting, this style makes use of bright colours and mostly depicts regional landscape, culture, costumes and jewellery.
Although not a centre for handicrafts itself, the patronage of the arts by the Mughals and Nizams attracted artisans from the region to Hyderabad. Such crafts include: Bidriware, a metalwork handicraft from neighbouring Karnataka, which was popularised during the 18th century and has since been granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag under the auspices of the WTO act; and Zari and Zardozi, embroidery works on textile that involve making elaborate designs using gold, silver and other metal threads. Another example of a handicraft drawn to Hyderabad is Kalamkari, a hand-painted or block-printed cotton textile that comes from cities in Andhra Pradesh. This craft is distinguished in having both a Hindu style, known as Srikalahasti and entirely done by hand, and an Islamic style, known as Machilipatnam that uses both hand and block techniques. Examples of Hyderabad's arts and crafts are housed in various museums including the Salar Jung Museum (housing "one of the largest one-man-collections in the world"), the AP State Archaeology Museum, the Nizam Museum, the City Museum and the Birla Science Museum.
CUISINE
Hyderabadi cuisine comprises a broad repertoire of rice, wheat and meat dishes and the skilled use of various spices. Hyderabadi biryani and Hyderabadi haleem, with their blend of Mughlai and Arab cuisines, have become iconic dishes of India. Hyderabadi cuisine is highly influenced by Mughlai and to some extent by French, Arabic, Turkish, Iranian and native Telugu and Marathwada cuisines. Other popular native dishes include nihari, chakna, baghara baingan and the desserts qubani ka meetha, double ka meetha and kaddu ki kheer (a sweet porridge made with sweet gourd).
MEDIA
One of Hyderabad's earliest newspapers, The Deccan Times, was established in the 1780s. In modern times, the major Telugu dailies published in Hyderabad are Eenadu, Andhra Jyothy, Sakshi and Namaste Telangana, while the major English papers are The Times of India, The Hindu and The Deccan Chronicle, and the major Urdu papers include The Siasat Daily, The Munsif Daily and Etemaad. Many coffee table magazines, professional magazines and research journals are also regularly published. The Secunderabad Cantonment Board established the first radio station in Hyderabad State around 1919. Deccan Radio was the first radio public broadcast station in the city starting on 3 February 1935, with FM broadcasting beginning in 2000. The available channels in Hyderabad include All India Radio, Radio Mirchi, Radio City, Red FM and Big FM.
Television broadcasting in Hyderabad began in 1974 with the launch of Doordarshan, the Government of India's public service broadcaster, which transmits two free-to-air terrestrial television channels and one satellite channel. Private satellite channels started in July 1992 with the launch of Star TV. Satellite TV channels are accessible via cable subscription, direct-broadcast satellite services or internet-based television. Hyderabad's first dial-up internet access became available in the early 1990s and was limited to software development companies. The first public internet access service began in 1995, with the first private sector internet service provider (ISP) starting operations in 1998. In 2015, high-speed public WiFi was introduced in parts of the city.
EDUCATION
Public and private schools in Hyderabad are governed by the Central Board of Secondary Education and follow a "10+2+3" plan. About two-thirds of pupils attend privately run institutions. Languages of instruction include English, Hindi, Telugu and Urdu. Depending on the institution, students are required to sit the Secondary School Certificate or the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education. After completing secondary education, students enroll in schools or junior colleges with a higher secondary facility. Admission to professional graduation colleges in Hyderabad, many of which are affiliated with either Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University Hyderabad (JNTUH) or Osmania University (OU), is through the Engineering Agricultural and Medical Common Entrance Test (EAM-CET).There are 13 universities in Hyderabad: two private universities, two deemed universities, six state universities and three central universities. The central universities are the University of Hyderabad, Maulana Azad National Urdu University and the English and Foreign Languages University. Osmania University, established in 1918, was the first university in Hyderabad and as of 2012 is India's second most popular institution for international students. The Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Open University, established in 1982, is the first distance learning open university in India.
Hyderabad is also home to a number of centres specialising in particular fields such as biomedical sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, such as the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) and National Institute of Nutrition (NIN). Hyderabad has five major medical schools - Osmania Medical College, Gandhi Medical College, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Deccan College of Medical Sciences and Shadan Institute of Medical Sciences - and many affiliated teaching hospitals. The Government Nizamia Tibbi College is a college of Unani medicine. Hyderabad is also the headquarters of the Indian Heart Association, a non-profit foundation for cardiovascular education.
Institutes in Hyderabad include the National Institute of Rural Development, the Indian School of Business, the Institute of Public Enterprise, the Administrative Staff College of India and the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy. Technical and engineering schools include the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH), Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani – Hyderabad (BITS Hyderabad) and Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H) as well as agricultural engineering institutes such as the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and the Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University. Hyderabad also has schools of fashion design including Raffles Millennium International, NIFT Hyderabad and Wigan and Leigh College. The National Institute of Design, Hyderabad (NID-H), will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses from 2015.
SPORTS
The most popular sports played in Hyderabad are cricket and association football. At the professional level, the city has hosted national and international sports events such as the 2002 National Games of India, the 2003 Afro-Asian Games, the 2004 AP Tourism Hyderabad Open women's tennis tournament, the 2007 Military World Games, the 2009 World Badminton Championships and the 2009 IBSF World Snooker Championship. The city hosts a number of venues suitable for professional competition such as the Swarnandhra Pradesh Sports Complex for field hockey, the G. M. C. Balayogi Stadium in Gachibowli for athletics and football, and for cricket, the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium and Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, home ground of the Hyderabad Cricket Association. Hyderabad has hosted many international cricket matches, including matches in the 1987 and the 1996 ICC Cricket World Cups. The Hyderabad cricket team represents the city in the Ranji Trophy - a first-class cricket tournament among India's states and cities. Hyderabad is also home to the Indian Premier League franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad. A previous franchise was the Deccan Chargers, which won the 2009 Indian Premier League held in South Africa.
During British rule, Secunderabad became a well-known sporting centre and many race courses, parade grounds and polo fields were built. Many elite clubs formed by the Nizams and the British such as the Secunderabad Club, the Nizam Club and the Hyderabad Race Club, which is known for its horse racing especially the annual Deccan derby, still exist. In more recent times, motorsports has become popular with the Andhra Pradesh Motor Sports Club organising popular events such as the Deccan 1/4 Mile Drag, TSD Rallies and 4x4 off-road rallying.
International-level sportspeople from Hyderabad include: cricketers Ghulam Ahmed, M. L. Jaisimha, Mohammed Azharuddin, V. V. S. Laxman, Venkatapathy Raju, Shivlal Yadav, Arshad Ayub and Noel David; football players Syed Abdul Rahim, Syed Nayeemuddin and Shabbir Ali; tennis player Sania Mirza; badminton players S. M. Arif, Pullela Gopichand, Saina Nehwal, P. V. Sindhu, Jwala Gutta and Chetan Anand; hockey players Syed Mohammad Hadi and Mukesh Kumar; rifle shooters Gagan Narang and Asher Noria and bodybuilder Mir Mohtesham Ali Khan.
TRANSPORT
The most commonly used forms of medium distance transport in Hyderabad include government owned services such as light railways and buses, as well as privately operated taxis and auto rickshaws. Bus services operate from the Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station in the city centre and carry over 130 million passengers daily across the entire network. Hyderabad's light rail transportation system, the Multi-Modal Transport System (MMTS), is a three line suburban rail service used by over 160,000 passengers daily. Complementing these government services are minibus routes operated by Setwin (Society for Employment Promotion & Training in Twin Cities). Intercity rail services also operate from Hyderabad; the main, and largest, station is Secunderabad Railway Station, which serves as Indian Railways' South Central Railway zone headquarters and a hub for both buses and MMTS light rail services connecting Secunderabad and Hyderabad. Other major railway stations in Hyderabad are Hyderabad Deccan Station, Kachiguda Railway Station, Begumpet Railway Station, Malkajgiri Railway Station and Lingampally Railway Station. The Hyderabad Metro, a new rapid transit system, is to be added to the existing public transport infrastructure and is scheduled to operate three lines by 2015. As of 2012, there are over 3.5 million vehicles operating in the city, of which 74% are two-wheelers, 15% cars and 3% three-wheelers. The remaining 8% include buses, goods vehicles and taxis. The large number of vehicles coupled with relatively low road coverage - roads occupy only 9.5% of the total city area - has led to widespread traffic congestion especially since 80% of passengers and 60% of freight are transported by road. The Inner Ring Road, the Outer Ring Road, the Hyderabad Elevated Expressway, the longest flyover in India, and various interchanges, overpasses and underpasses were built to ease the congestion. Maximum speed limits within the city are 50 km/h for two-wheelers and cars, 35 km/h for auto rickshaws and 40 km/h for light commercial vehicles and buses.
Hyderabad sits at the junction of three National Highways linking it to six other states: NH-7 runs 2,369 km from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, in the north to Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu, in the south; NH-9, runs 841 km east-west between Machilipatnam, Andhra Pradesh, and Pune, Maharashtra; and the 280 km NH-163 links Hyderabad to Bhopalpatnam, Chhattisgarh. Five state highways, SH-1, SH-2, SH-4, SH-5 and SH-6, either start from, or pass through, Hyderabad.
Air traffic was previously handled via Begumpet Airport, but this was replaced by Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) (IATA: HYD, ICAO: VOHS) in 2008, with the capacity of handling 12 million passengers and 100,000 tonnes of cargo per annum. In 2011, Airports Council International, an autonomous body representing the world's airports, judged RGIA the world's best airport in the 5–15 million passenger category and the world's fifth best airport for service quality.
WIKIPEDIA
Golden Allah Muhammad !
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I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the outcast.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
Allah’s peace be upon Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), the glorious Prophet of Islam, and on his Companions and his followers.
TASAWWUF
"There is no doubt that Tasawwuf is an important branch of Islam. The word itself may have been derived form the Arabic word "Soof" (Wool) or from "Safa" (cleanliness), but its foundation lies in one’s personal sincerity in seeking Allah’s nearness and trying to live a life pleasing to Him. Study of the Quran, the Hadith, and the practical life of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) and his faithful Companions provide unmistakable support to this reality." (Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A)
SUFISM, AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ISLAM
Doubts exist not only in the minds of the Muslim faithful but also among the Ulema, notably the exoteric about Tasawwuf and its votaries. Often they lead to misunderstanding, as if Shariah and Tariqah were two separate entries, or that Tasawwuf was some obscure discipline foreign to Islam, or that it was altogether above the established laws and injunctions of our Religion. To help remove these misgivings and to reassure seekers, as well as scholars, our Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), Sheikh Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia, wrote Al-Jamal Wal Kamal, Aqaid-O-Kamalaat Ulmai-e-Deoband, Binat-e-Rasool (S.A.W), Daamad-e-Ali (R.A), Dalael-us-Salook, Ejaad-e-Mazhab Shia, Hayat-un-Nabi (S.A.W), Hayat Barzakhia, Ilm-o-Irfan, Niffaz-e-Shariat Aur Fiqah-e-Jaferia, Saif-e-Owaisi, Shikast-e-Ahdai Hussain and Tahkeek Halal Haram books.
BIOGRAPHY
Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chakrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The very year, he met Shaykh Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Shaykh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was right away established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years. In 1962 he was directed to carry out the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular enthusiasm and devotion for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss as per his/her sincerity and capacity. Shaykh Allah Yar Khan's mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and distinction.
Although Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A) have lived a major portion of his life as a scholar, with the avowed mission of illuminating the truth of Islam and the negation of fallacious sects, and this would appear quite removed from Tasawwuf, yet the only practical difference between the two, namely the use of the former as a media to expound the truth, and the latter to imbue people with positive faith. Nevertheless, people are amazed that a man, who until the other day, was known as a dialectician and a preacher of Islam, is not only talking of Mystic Path, but is also claiming spiritual bonds with the veteran Sufi Masters of the Past. This amazement is obviously out of place in the view of Quranic injunction: This is the bounty of Allah which He gives to whom He wills. (62:4)
THE PURIFICATION OF THE SOUL
The purification of the soul always formed part of the main mission of the Prophets; that is, the dissemination and propagation of the Devine Message. This responsibility later fell directly on the shoulders of the true Ulema in the Ummah of the last Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), who, as his genuine successors, have continued to shed brave light in every Dark Age of materialism and sacrilege. In the present age of ruinous confusion, the importance of this responsibility has increased manifold; of the utter neglect of Islam by Muslims has not only driven them to misery, but also grievously weakened their bonds of faith in Allah and His Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). The decay in their belief and consequent perversion in their conduct has reached a stage that any attempt to pull them out of the depth of ignominy and the heedless chaos of faithlessness, attracts grave uncertainties and apprehensions rather than a encouraging will to follow the Shariah, to purify the soul and to reform within. The Quranic Verse: Layers upon layers of darkness… (24:40) provides the nearest expression of their present state.
SHARIAH & SUFISM
Any action against the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) cannot be called Sufism. Singing and dancing, and the prostration on tombs are not part of Sufism. Nor is predicting the future and predicting the outcome of cases in the courts of law, a part of Sufism. Sufis are not required to abandon their worldly possessions or live in the wilderness far from the practical world. In fact these absurdities are just its opposites. It is an established fact that Tazkiyah (soul purification) stands for that inner purity which inspires a person’s spirit to obey the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If a false claimant of Sufism teaches tricks and jugglery, ignoring religious obligations, he is an impostor. A true Sheikh will lead a believer to the august spiritual audience of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). If you are fortunate enough to be blessed with the company of an accomplished spiritual guide and Sheikh of Sufism, and if you follow his instructions, you will observe a positive change in yourself, transferring you from vice to virtue.
ISLAM, AS A COMPLETE CODE OF LIFE
Islam, as a complete code of life or Deen, was perfected during the life of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W). He was the sole teacher and his mosque was the core institution for the community. Although Islam in its entirety was practiced during that blessed era, the classification and compilation of its knowledge into distinct branches like ‘Tafsir’ (interpretation of the Quran), Hadith (traditions or sayings of the holy Prophet- SAWS), Fiqh (Islamic law), and Sufism (the soul purification) were undertaken subsequently. This Deen of Allah passed from the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) to his illustrious Companions in two ways: the outward and the inward. The former comprised the knowledge defined by speech and conduct, i.e., the Quran and Sunnah. The latter comprised the invisible blessings or the Prophetic lights transmitted by his blessed self. These blessings purified the hearts and instilled in them a passionate desire to follow Islam with utmost love, honesty and loyalty.
WHAT’S SUFISM
Sufism is the attempt to attain these Barakah (Blessings). The Companions handed down Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) teachings as well as blessings to the Taba’een. Their strong hearts were capable of infusing these blessings into the hearts of their followers. Both aspects of Islam were similarly passed on by the Taba’een to the Taba Taba’een. The compilation of knowledge and its interpretation led to the establishment of many schools of religious thought; famous four being the Hanafi, the Hanbali, the Maliki, and the Shafa'i, all named after their founders. Similarly, in order to acquire, safeguard and distribute his blessings, an organized effort was initiated by four schools of Sufism: The Naqshbandia, the Qadria, the Chishtia, and the Suharwardia. These schools were also named after their organizers and came to be known as Sufi Orders. All these Orders intend to purify the hearts of sincere Muslims with Prophetic lights. These Sufi Orders also grew into many branches with the passage of time and are known by other names as well. The holy Quran has linked success in this life and the Hereafter with Tazkiyah (soul purification). He, who purified, is successful. (87: 14) Sufi Orders of Islam are the institutions where the basics of Tazkiyah (soul purification) and its practical application are taught. They have graded programs in which every new seeker is instructed in Zikr-e Lisani (oral Zikr) and is finally taught the Zikr-e Qalbi (Remembrance in heart).
ZIKR-E QALBI
However, in the Naqshbandia Order, Zikr-e Qalbi is practiced from the very beginning. Adherence to the Sunnah (Prophet’s way of life) is greatly emphasized in this Order, because the seeker achieves greater and quicker progress through its blessings. The essence of Zikr is that the Qalb should sincerely accept Islamic beliefs and gain the strength to follow the Sunnah with even greater devotion. ‘If the heart is acquainted with Allah and is engaged in His Zikr; then it is filled with Barakaat-e Nabuwwat (Prophetic blessings) which infuse their purity in the mind and body. This not only helps in controlling sensual drives but also removes traces of abhorrence, voracity, envy and insecurity from human soul. The person therefore becomes an embodiment of love, both for the Divine and the corporeal. This is the meaning of a Hadith, “There is a lump of flesh in the human body; if it goes astray the entire body is misguided, and if it is reformed the entire body is reformed. Know that this lump is the Qalb”.’
PAS ANFAS
Recent History Khawajah Naqshband (d. 1389 CE) organized the Naqshbandia Order at Bukhara (Central Asia). This Order has two main branches – the Mujaddidia and the Owaisiah. The former is identified with Sheikh Ahmed Sirhindi, known as Mujaddid Alif Sani (literally: reviver of the second Muslim millennium), a successor to Khawajah Baqi Billah, who introduced the Order to the Indo- Pakistan sub-continent. The Owaisiah Order employs a similar method of Zikr but acquires the Prophetic blessings in the manner of Khawajah Owais Qarni, who received this beneficence from the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) without a formal physical meeting. The Zikr employed by the Naqshbandia is ‘Zikr-e Khafi Qalbi’ (remembrance of Allah’s Name within the heart) and the method is termed ‘Pas Anfas’, which (in Persian) means guarding every breath. The Chain of Transmission of these Barakah, of course, emanates from the holy Prophet- SAWS.
SPIRITUAL BAI’AT (OATH OF ALLEGIANCE
It is necessary in all Sufi Orders that the Sheikh and the seekers must be contemporaries and must physically meet each other for the transfer of these blessings. However, the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order goes beyond this requirement and Sufis of this Order receive these Barakah regardless of physical meeting with their Sheikh or even when the Sheikh is not their contemporary. Yet, it must be underscored that physical meeting with the Sheikh of this Order still holds great importance in dissemination of these Barakah. Sheikh Sirhindi writes about the Owaisiah Order in his book ‘Tazkirah’: ‘It is the most sublime, the most exalted, and the most effective…and the highest station of all others is only its stepping stone.’ By far the greatest singular distinction of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order is the honor of Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance) directly at the blessed hands of the holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W).
SHEIKH HAZRAT MOULANA ALLAH YAR KHAN (R.A)
The Reviver Sheikh Allah Yar Khan was born in Chikrala, a remote village of Mianwali District of Pakistan, in 1904. He completed his religious education in 1934. The same year, he met Sheikh ‘Abdul Rahim, who took him to the shrine of Sheikh Allah Deen Madni. By Divine Will his spiritual connection was immediately established with the saint of the 10th century Hijra (sixteenth century CE) and he started receiving spiritual beneficence. His sublime education in Sufism, signifying progressive spiritual growth and advancement, continued for about twenty-five years, after which he was directed to undertake the propagation of Prophetic blessings - a noble mission that he accomplished with singular zeal and dedication for a period spanning half a century. Anybody who visited him was duly rewarded with a share of spiritual bliss commensurate with his/her sincerity and capacity. Sheikh Allah Yar Khan’s mission produced men and women of deep spiritual vision and eminence. He authored eighteen books, the most distinguished being Dalael us-Sulook (Sufism - An Objective Appraisal), Hayat-e Barzakhiah (Life Beyond Life) and Israr ul- Haramain (Secrets of the two holy Mosques). He was undoubtedly one of the most distinguished Sufi saints of the Muslim Ummah and a reviver of the Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order. He passed away on 18 February 1984 in Islamabad at the age of eighty.
THE CHAIN OF TRANSMISSION OF NAQSHBANDIA OWAISIAH
1. Hazrat Muhammad ur-Rasool Allah (Sall Allah-o Alaihi wa Sallam), 2. Hazrat Abu Bakr Siddiq (Radhi Allah-o Unho), 3. Hazrat Imam Hassan Basri (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 4. Hazrat Daud Tai (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 5. Hazrat Junaid Baghdadi (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 6. Hazrat Ubaid Ullah Ahrar (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 7. Hazrat Abdur Rahman Jami (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 8. Hazrat Abu Ayub Muhammad Salih (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 9. Hazrat Allah Deen Madni (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi), 10. Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (Rahmat Ullah Alaihi).
THE SPIRIT OR RUH
The spirit or Ruh of every person is a created reflection of the Divine Attributes and it originates in Alam-e Amar (Realm of Command). Its food is the Light of Allah or the Divine Refulgence, which it acquires from the Realm of Command through the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him), whose status in the spiritual world is like that of the sun in the solar system. The Quran refers to him as the ‘bright lamp’. Indeed, he is the divinely selected channel of all Barakah. All Exalted Messengers themselves receive these Barakah from him.
LATAIF
The human Ruh also possesses vital organs like the physical body; through which it acquires its knowledge, food and energy. These are called Lataif (singular Latifah: subtlety). Scholars of various Sufi Orders have associated them with specific areas of the human body. The Naqshbandia Owaisiah Order identifies these Lataif as follows. First - Qalb: This spiritual faculty is located within the physical heart. Its function is Zikr. Its strength increases one’s capacity for Allah’s Zikr. Second – Ruh: The site of this Latifah, which is a distinct faculty of the human Ruh, is on the right side of the chest at the level of Qalb. Its primary function is concentration towards Allah. Third – Sirri: This is located above the Qalb and functions to make possible Kashf. Forth – Khaffi: This is located above the Ruh and functions to perceive the omnipresence of Allah. Fifth – Akhfa: This is located in the middle of chest, at the centre of the first four Lataif and makes it possible for the Ruh to perceive the closeness of Allah, Who is closer to us than our own selves. Sixth – Nafs: This Latifah is located at the forehead and functions to purify the human soul. Seventh – Sultan al-Azkar: This Latifah is located at the top centre of the head and serves to absorb the Barakah of Allah into the entire body, so that every cell resonates with Zikr.
FIVE EXALTED MESSENGERS OF GOD
There are Five Exalted Messengers among the many known and unknown Messengers of Allah. They are Hazrat Muhammad, Hazrat Nuh (Noah), Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham), Hazrat Musa (Moses), and Hazrat Esa (Jesus), peace be upon them all. Hazrat Adam is the first Prophet of Allah and the father of mankind. Each Latifah is associated with a particular Prophet. The Barakah and lights from Hazrat Adam (peace be upon him), descend on the first Latifah Qalb; its lights are reflected from the first heaven and are yellowish. The second Latifah is associated with Hazrat Nuh and Hazrat Ibrahim (peace be upon them). Its lights descend from the second heaven and appear as golden red. The lights descending upon the third Latifah are from Hazrat Musa (peace be upon him) and are white. One the fourth Latifah, the lights of Hazrat Esa (peace be upon him) descend from the fourth heaven and are deep blue. The fifth Latifah receives its Barakah directly from the holy Prophet Muhammad (may Allah’s choicest favors and peace be upon him). The lights associated with this Latifah are green, descend from the fifth heaven, and overwhelm all the first four Lataif. The Lights descending upon the sixth and seventh Lataif are the Divine Lights, whose color and condition cannot be determined. These are like flashes of lightening that defy comprehension. If Allah blesses a seeker with Kashf, he can observe all of this. The vision is slightly diffused in the beginning, but gradually the clarity improves.
SULOOK
Stages of the Path After all seven Lataif of a seeker have been illuminated with Divine Lights through Tawajjuh of the Sheikh and his Ruh has acquired the ability to fly, the Sheikh initiates its journey on the sublime Path of Divine nearness. The Path is known as Sulook, and its stages are not hypothetical imaginations but real and actually existing stations on the spiritual Path. These are also referred to as Meditations, because a seeker mentally meditates about a station while his/her Ruh actually ascends towards it. The first three stations that form the base of whole Sulook are described as; Ahadiyyat, a station of Absolute Unity of Divinity. It is above and beyond the seven heavens. It is so vast a station that the seven heavens and all that they encompass are lost within Ahadiyyat as a ring is lost in a vast desert. Its lights are white in color. Maiyyat station denotes Divine Company, ‘He is with you, wherever you might be.’ This station is so vast that Ahadiyyat along with the seven heavens beneath are lost within it as a ring is lost in a desert. Its lights are green in color. Aqrabiyyat station denotes Divine Nearness, ‘He is nearer to you than your life- vein.’ Again, Aqrabiyyat is vast as compared to Maiyyat in the same proportion. Its lights are golden red and are reflected from the Divine Throne. It is indeed the greatest favor of Almighty Allah that He blesses a seeker with an accomplished Sheikh, who takes him to these sublime stations. The final station that a seeker attains to during his/her lifetime becomes his/her Iliyyeen (blessed abode) in Barzakh and his/her Ruh stays at this station after death.
ZIKR
Why is Zikr Necessary for Everyone? Allah ordains every soul in the Quran to Perform Zikr. This not only means reciting the Quran and Tasbeeh but also Zikr-e Qalb. It is only through Zikr-e Qalbi that Prophetic Lights reach the depths of human soul and purify it from all vice and evil. Zikr infuses a realization of constant Divine Presence and a seeker feels great improvement in the level of sincerity and love towards Allah and the holy Prophet- SAWS. Such levels of sincerity, love and feelings of Divine Presence can never be obtained without Zikr. It would be a mistake to believe that Zikr may be a requirement only for the very pious and virtuous people. Zikr provides the Prophetic blessings which are in effect the life line of every human soul. It transforms even the most corrupted humans into virtuous souls by bringing out the best in them. The fact is that Zikr is the only way to achieve true contentment and satisfaction in life. The holy Quran has pointed to this eternal fact that it is only through Zikr Allah that hearts can find satisfaction. Such satisfaction and peace are the ultimate requirements of every person, regardless of religion, race and ethnicity. Practicing Zikr regularly removes all traces of anxiety and restlessness, and guides the human soul to eternal bliss and peace.
KHALIFA MAJAZEEN
Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), during his life time in 1974, presented a nomination list to Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), during Maraqba, of expected Khalifa Majazeen for Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia. Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) approved some names, deleted some of the names, and added down the name of Major Ghulam Muhammad as also Khalifa Majaaz of Silsila Naqshbandia Awaisia (which was not previously included in the list)
The approved names at that time included:
1. Mr. Muhammad Akram Awan Sahib,
2. Mr. Sayed Bunyad Hussain Shah Sahib,
3. Mr. Major Ahsan Baig Sahib,
4. Mr. Col. Matloob Hussain Sahib,
5. Mr. Major Ghulam Muhammad Sahib of Wan Bhachran Mianwali,
6. Mr. Molvi Abdul Haq Sahib,
7. Mr. Hafiz Abdul Razzaq Sahib,
8. Mr. Hafiz Ghulam Qadri Sahib,
9. Mr. Khan Muhammad Irani Sahib,
10. Mr. Maolana Abdul Ghafoor Sahib,
11. Mr. Syed Muhammad Hassan Sahib of Zohb.
These Majazeen were authorized to; held Majalis of Zikar (Pas Anfas) in their respective areas, arrange Majalis of Zikar in neighboring areas, train them on the way of Sulook, prepare them for Spiritual Bai’at (Oath of Allegiance), and present them to Sheikh Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan for Spiritual Bai’at at the Hand of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W), in the life of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A), and were all equal in status as Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Presently we are following Hazrat Major ® Ghulam Muhammad Sahib, Khalifa Majaaz of Hazrat Moulana Allah Yar Khan (R.A).
Born and raised in Louisville, Ali was born Cassius Clay, having been named after his father, who in turn was named after a famous fighter for emancipation — Kentucky planter and politician Cassius Marcellus Clay.
Ali would go on to make a name for himself.
This was taken at a Louisville pumpkin festival a few days before Halloween. Ali had passed away in June.
The Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qala'un Mosque is an early 14th century mosque at the Citadel in Cairo, Egypt (the sultan also built a religious complex in the center of the city, next to the one by his father Qalawun). It was built by the Mamluk sultan Al-Nasr Muhammad in 1318 as the royal mosque of the Citadel, where the sultans of Cairo performed their Friday prayers. The mosque is located across the street from the courtyard access to the Mosque of Muhammad Ali.
And Welcome me Back from a long vacation in Egypt, Lots of pictures to come, so stay tuned ;)
© Copy Rights Held By Walaa Almehry, You May Not Use Any Of My Pictures Without Permission.
A Nobel Peace Prize winner and ‘world’s banker to the poor’ will urge young people to use business for social and community benefit at a unique summit at the University of Salford later this month.
Bangladeshi economist Muhammad Yunus has helped millions across the world lift themselves out of poverty by making small, unsecured loans available through his community-based Grameen Bank to people who would otherwise be unable to access credit or other financial services.
And now he is hoping to inspire a new generation to set up businesses with a social conscience at the Muhammad Yunus: Building Social Business event to be held at the University on Saturday 18 May.
Full story at: www.salford.ac.uk/news/nobel-peace-prize-winner-to-advoca....
Muhammad Ali fought Ernie Shavers at Madison Square Garden on September 29, 1977 defending his title. Ali took a unanimous decision although in the second round, Shavers hurt Ali badly with an overhand right. For more visit www.boxingmemories.com/
We know him as an actor who depicted the common man in the lead roles in Pakistan Cinema. He played with emotions and played it well. Gifted with a typical voice aptly fitting in with the playback of Mehdi Hassan on those melodious songs of his era. Who can forget the phrase "Judge Sahab!!!" that has been characteristic with people mimicking Muhammad Ali. Over 250 movies to his credit and 10 Nigar Awards, Muhammad Ali rests in the courtyard of Mian Mir Shrine at Lahore.
Death eventually parted the most celebrated couple in the history of Pakistan Cinema Muhammad Ali and Zeba. RIP Sir....