Syed Sulaiman Nadvi
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Allama Sayyed Sulaiman Nadvi (Urdu: سید سلیمان ندوی) (November 22, 1884 - November 22, 1953) was an eminent Pakistani historian, biographer, literateur and scholar of Islam. He is the author of monumental works, Sirat-un-Nabi (Life of Holy Prophet) and Khutbat-e-Madras.
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[edit] Early life and education
Sulaiman Nadvi was born on November 22, 1884 in Desna village of Patna, British India. His father, Hakeem Sayyed Abdul Hasan was a pious Sufi who died in the odour of sanctity.
For his early education he sat at the feet of Khalifa Anwar Ali of Desna and Maulvi Maqsood Ali of Ookhdi. Later he received his education from his elder brother, Hakeem Sayyed Abu Habeeb. For further education he went to his father who was a physician at Islampur near Patna. In 1899 he went to Phulwari Sharif (Bihar) where at the famous Khanqah-e-Mojeebia he sat at the feet of Maulana Mohiuddin, a pious and learned saint. Here he had lessons also from a great scholar, Shah Sulaiman Phulwari. From there he went to Darbhanga where he studied for a few months at Madrasa-e-Imdadia. There was an honourable mention of his name in the then famous Urdu newspaper, Al-Punch of Patna.
In 1901, he was admitted into world renowned school of Islamic learning, Dar-ul-Uloom Nadva at Lucknow. He studied for seven years at Nadva. Young Sulaiman's first article, Waqt (Time) was published in the monthly Urdu Journal Makhzan edited by Sir Sheikh Abdul Qadir. In 1905, Maulana Shibli came to Lucknow as Secretary of Nadva. Sulaiman came under the influence of Shibli whose literary heir he was destined to be. There was another student at Nadva at this time who came from Calcutta. He was none but Abul Kalam Azad. Both Sulaiman and Azad were favourite pupils of Maulana Shibli Nomani. Soon Sulaiman was chosen to carry on Maulana Shibli's work. In 1906, he graduated from the Nadva. Shibli appointed Sayyed Sulaiman sub-editor of journal, An-Nadwa. In 1908, Sulaiman Nadvi was appointed a instructor of Modern Arabic and Dogmatic Theology at Dar-ul-Uloom Nadva.
Aligarh Muslim University conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctorate of Literature (DLitt) in 1940.
[edit] Contribution to Islamic literature
[edit] Sirat-un-Nabi
In 1910, Shibli Nomani had begun the monumental task of writing Sirat-un-Nabi (biography of Prophet Muhammad in Urdu). Sulaiman Nadvi became Shibli's literary assistant in the writing of Sirat. But Maulana Shibli Nomani could not complete the Sirat in his life. After death of his mentor on November 18, 1914, Sulaiman Nadvi left the job of Professor in Deccan College, Puna and came over to Azamgarh. Sulaiman edited and published the two volumes of Sirat-un-Nabi penned by Shibli and himself wrote and published third, forth, fifth and sixth volume of this Magnum Opus. The work started through the munificence of late Nawab Sulatan Jehan Begum of Bhopal and later through the aid of Nizam of Hyderabad. It is the grandest biography of the Holy Prophet (pbuh) ever attempted in any language of the world.
[edit] Khutbat-e-Madras
In October-November 1925, Sulaiman Nadvi delivered a series of eight lectures on the Life of the Holy Prophet at Madras. These lectures which are a masterpiece of erudition later published as Khutbat-e-Madras.
[edit] Rahmat-e-Aalam
In 1940, he published Rahmat-e-Aalam, a book written for children on the life of Prophet Muhammad.
[edit] Khayyam
In 1933, he brought out his monumental work, Khayyam. The nucleus of this book was an article on noted persian scholar and poet Omar Khayyam. This book has earned its meed of praise from scholars all over the world.
[edit] Foundation of Academy of Authors
His mentor, Maulana Shibli Nomani had made plans for Dar-ul-Mosannefeen (Academy of Authors) but could not implement this scheme. After his death, Sulaiman Nadvi founded Dar-ul-Mosannefeen at Azamgarh. The first book published was Ard-ul-Quran (2 volumes).
[edit] Political life
[edit] Khilafat Deputation
[edit] Non-Cooperative Movement
[edit] Indo-Arab relations
[edit] Migration to Pakistan
After partition of India, Sayyaed Sulaiman Nadvi migrated to Pakistan in June 1950 and settled in Karachi. He was appointed Chairman of Taleemat-e-Islami Board to advise the Islamic aspects of Pakistan's constitution. In January 1951, he visited Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet. In 1952, the Fuad Awwal University of Egypt made him a Fellow of the University. The government of Iraq invited him to attend the thousandth anniversary of the death of great philosopher-physician Abu Ali Sina. He was nominated member of the Karachi University Senate by the Chancellor.
[edit] Death
Death took him away on November 22, 1953 in Karachi. He was 69.
