Sulaiman Nadvi

{{Short description|Deobandi Islamic scholar (1884 – 1953) }} {{EngvarB|date=May 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2017}} {{Infobox religious biography | religion = Islam | honorific_prefix = Syed | name = Sulaiman Nadwi | image = 1920 Autochrome Portrait of Young Sulaiman Nadvi.jpg | caption = Autochrome portrait by Auguste Léon, 1920 | birth_name = Syed Sulaiman Nadvi | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1884|11|22}} | birth_place = Desna, Bengal Presidency, British India<br/>{{small|(present day Bihar, India)}} | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1953|11|22|1884|11|22}} | death_place = Karachi, Federal Capital Territory, Pakistan | children = | notable_works = Khutbat-e-Madras, Sirat-un-Nabi, Arb-o-Hind Ke Talluqat, Naqoosh-e-Sulaimani | main_interests = History, Seerah, Urdu Literature | disciple_of = Ashraf Ali Thanwi | students = Moinuddin Ahmad Nadwi | founder = Darul Musannifeen (Shibli Academy), Azamgarh }} {{Deobandi}} '''Sulaiman Nadvi''' (22 November 1884 – 22 November 1953) was a British Indian, and then Pakistani, Islamic scholar, historian and a writer, who co-authored ''Sirat-un-Nabi'' and wrote ''Khutbat-e-Madras''.<ref name=OpenLibrary/>

He was a member of the founding committee of Jamia Millia Islamia University.<ref>{{Cite web|date=|title=History of Jamia Millia Islamia|url=http://www.jmi.nic.in/HistoryofJamia.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630204759/http://www.jmi.nic.in/HistoryofJamia.htm|archive-date=2007-06-30|access-date=2021-04-24|website=Jamia Millia Islamia}}</ref> He was also the founding editor of ''Ma'arif.''

== Early life and education == Sulaiman Nadvi was born on 22 November 1884 in Desna, a village of Nalanda District, Bihar, India (then in the Patna District, in the Bengal Presidency of British India). His father, Hakeem Sayyed Abul Hasan was a Sufi.<ref name=OpenLibrary/>

Sulaiman Nadvi was influenced by Shibli Nomani at Lucknow. In 1906, he graduated from Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama.<ref name=OpenLibrary/> In 1908, Nadvi was appointed as an instructor of Modern Arabic and Theology at Nadva. Sulaiman Nadvi was one of the favorite pupils of Maulana Shibli Nomani, along with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad; Nadvi became one of the biographers of the Prophet of Islam and a historian during his own lifetime. Allama Iqbal, too was a great admirer of his erudition and used to refer to him as Ustad ul Kul ("Teacher of all"), and is said to have approached him on religious matters.<ref name=paknet>{{Cite web |url=https://paknetmag.blogspot.com/search/label/Stamps%20of%20Pakistan%20Year%27s%201992|title=Pioneers of Freedom Series 14 August 1992 - Profile of Syed Sulaiman Nadvi (scroll down to read title 'Pioneers of Freedom)|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190824175441/http://paknetmag.blogspot.com/search/label/Stamps%20of%20Pakistan%20Year%27s%201992 |url-status=dead|archive-date=24 August 2019|access-date=19 February 2024}}</ref>

Later in life, he formed a close spiritual relation with Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanwi, and became his disciple.

Aligarh Muslim University conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctorate of Literature (DLitt) in 1941.<ref name=OpenLibrary/>

== Contribution to Islamic literature == In 1933, he published one of his major works, ''Khayyam''. The nucleus of this book was an article on the noted Persian scholar and poet Omar Khayyam.<ref>Syed Sulaiman aur Tibb Unani by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, ''Mutallae Sulaimani'', edited by Prof. Masoodur Rahman Khan Nadvi and Dr. Mohd. Hassan Khan, Darul Uloom, Tajul Masajid, Bhopal 1986, p. 285-293.</ref><ref>A book titled, Syed Sulaiman Aur Tibb Unani by Hakim Syed Zillur Rahman, ''Akhbar-ul-Tibb'', Karachi, Pakistan, Nov. 1987, p. 9-12.</ref><ref name="OpenLibrary">Profile and books by Sulaiman Nadvi on '''Archived Open Library''' (California State Library) website. Retrieved 19 February 2024.</ref>

Sulaiman Nadvi, along with others who favored Hindu-Muslim unity in British India, suggested that the term "Urdu" be abandoned in favour of "Hindustani" because the former conjured up the image of a military conquest and war whereas the latter had no such symbolic baggage.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/505163|title= Myths about Urdu |date=26 November 2009|access-date=19 February 2024 |newspaper=Dawn newspaper|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213063712/https://www.dawn.com/news/505163|url-status=dead |archive-date=13 December 2023}}</ref>

Sulaiman Nadvi founded Darul Musannifeen (Academy of Authors), also known as the Shibli Academy, at Azamgarh. The first book published there was ''Ard-ul-Quran'' (2 volumes).<ref name=OpenLibrary/>

== Later life and death == In June 1950, Nadvi moved to Pakistan and settled in Karachi.<ref name=OpenLibrary/> He was appointed Chairman of Taleemat-e-Islami Board to advise on Islamic aspects of Pakistan's Constitution. He died on 22 November 1953 in Karachi at the age of 69.<ref name=khanqah>[https://khanqahashrafiya.blogspot.com/search/label/Allama%20Hazrat%20Saiyid%20Sulaiman%20Nadvi%20r.a Profile and graveside monument of Sulaiman Nadvi in Karachi, Pakistan]. Retrieved 9 October 2019.</ref><ref name=OpenLibrary/>

However, his son Salman Nadvi asserts that they didn't move to Pakistan with the intention of migration. Right after they reached Pakistan, Sulaiman Nadvi's health deteriorated and he tried unsuccessfully to get his permit extended from the Indian embassy, which caused grief and pain.<ref name="azad">{{Cite book|title=Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad: Ek Tajziyati Mutala|trans-title=Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad: An analytical study|chapter=A discussion with Professor Salman Nadwi regarding Mawlana Abul Kalam Azad|author=Mufti Ata-ur-Rahman Qasmi|pages=468–480|publisher=Mawlana Azad Academy|location=New Delhi}}</ref>

==Commemorative postage stamp== Pakistan Post Office issued a commemorative postage stamp to honor his services in its 'Pioneers of Freedom' Series on 14 August 1992.<ref name=paknet/><ref>[https://1.bp.blogspot.com/_SJrIiNNNtWI/SozaPYx1UKI/AAAAAAAAA7U/4oX26b6kHHU/s1600-h/1992-7.JPG Enlarged Image of Commemorative Postage Stamp - Pioneers of Freedom Series - 1992]</ref>

==Literary work== Nadvi's works include: *''Ahl-us-Sunnah-wal-Jamā‘ah''<ref name=khanqah/> *''The Arab Navigation'', lectures delivered in Bombay during March 1931. *''Khayyam'', about the contributions of Omar Khayyam, published in 1933, {{oclc|295035038}}.<ref name=OpenLibrary/> *''Khutbat-e-Madras''<ref name=OpenLibrary/> *''Rahmat-e-Aalam''<ref name=OpenLibrary/><ref name=khanqah/> *''Seerat-e-Aisha''<ref name=OpenLibrary/> *''Sirat-un-Nabi'' (Life of the Prophet) by Shibli Nomani, the teacher of Sulaiman Nadvi. Shibli started writing this book, which was later finished by Sulaiman Nadvi after Shibli's death in 1914.<ref name=OpenLibrary/> *''Rahmat-e-Aalam''<ref>{{Cite thesis |last=Khan |first=Mohammad Talib |url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/364770 |title=Contribution of Aligarh Muslim University to Seerah Literature |publisher=Department of Sunni Theology, Aligarh Muslim University |year=2018 |location=India |type=PhD |hdl=10603/364770 |language=ur |access-date=2023-10-26 |archive-date=2023-10-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026175529/https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/handle/10603/364770 |url-status=dead |pages=448–449}}</ref> * Tarikh ardul Quran <ref>{{Cite book |last=Adrawi |first=Asir |author-link=Nizamuddin Asir Adrawi |url=https://archive.org/download/Maktaba-Maulana-Nizamuddin-Aseer-Adravi-Sahib/Dabistan-i-Deoband-Ki-Ilmi-Khidmaat.pdf |title=Dabistan-i Deoband ki Ilmi Khidmaat |publisher=Darulmuaallifeen |year=1995 |location=Deoband, UP, India |language=ur |oclc=47964786 |pages=53–55}}</ref> * ''Risala Ahlus Sunnat wal Jamaat''

==References== {{Reflist}} === More=== *[https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8443/jspui/handle/10603/346360 Contribution of Syed Sulaiman Nadvi to Ismail studies] *{{Cite thesis |last=Ali |first=Mohsin |url=https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4dw2f7k1 |title=Modern Islamic Historiography: A Global Perspective from South Asia |publisher=University of California |degree=PhD |year=2022 |location=USA |pages=294–364 |language=en}} *[https://www.proquest.com/docview/2368067140 BOOK REVIEWS - Sayyid Sulaiman Nadvi, Tarikh-i arz al-Qur'an] *[https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/bulletin-of-the-school-of-oriental-and-african-studies/article/abs/sulaiman-nadvi-the-arab-navigation-translated-by-slabahuddin-abdur-rahman-vii-153-pp-lahore-sh-muhammad-ashraf-1966-rs-12/A35E55379D07E2E7F0735181DF839679 Sulaimān Nadvī The Arab navigation] *[http://www.iqbalcyberlibrary.net/en/Iqbal-aur-Syed-Suleman-Nadvi.html Iqbal aur Syed Suleman Nadvi] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330180817/http://iqbalcyberlibrary.net/en/Iqbal-aur-Syed-Suleman-Nadvi.html |date=30 March 2023 }} *[https://iqan.com.pk/index.php/iqan/article/view/97 Literary Services of Syed Suleman Al-Nadvi in Seerah al-Nabawiyah] == External links== *[https://archive.org/details/Maktaba-Allama-Syed-Sulaiman-Nadvi-ra/Aain-al-Isabah-Fi-Ma-Istadrakatho-Aisha-Ala-al-Sahaba/ Books of Nadvi at Internet archive] * {{Commons-inline}}

{{Authority control}} {{Hanafi scholars}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Nadvi, Sulaiman}} Category:1884 births Category:1953 deaths Category:20th-century Muslim scholars of Islam Category:Scholars from Bihar Category:Writers from Lucknow Category:People from Azamgarh Category:20th-century Indian historians Category:Pakistani people of Bihari descent Category:20th-century Urdu-language writers Category:Writers from British India Category:Writers from Karachi Category:Writers from Patna Category:Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama Category:Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama alumni Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges Category:Deobandis Category:Disciples of Ashraf Ali Thanwi Category:Members of the Majlis-e-Shura of Darul Uloom Deoband Category:Founders of Jamia Millia Islamia