Sufis of Deccan (A Biographical Study)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Biographies of Sufis of Deccan from 12th to 19th century. It covers a span of six hundred years. Sufi movement in Deccan starts from 12th century. Shaikh Ali Hujveri wrote Kashful Mahjub, third important source on Sufism in India. Large number of Tazkiras of Sufis were written by ulema and mashaikh in Persian and Urdu. This volume covers the biographies of Sufis of Deccan in English language. Scholars and students who are not able to consult Tazkiras of Sufis in Persian and Urdu language, will be able to consult the biographies of the Sufis in English language.

S.M. Azizuddin Husain is a well known medieval historian. He served as, Head Department of History, Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Languages, Hony. Director, Dr. Zakir Husain Archives, Director, Prem Chand Archives and Literary Centre and Coordinator, Jamia Cultural Committee, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. He has also served at Raza Library, Ministry of Culture, Government of India as its Director A.M.U., Aligarh, has honoured him as "Sir Syed Fellow". Indian Council of Historical Research, Ministry of Education, Government of India, has awarded "Senior Academic Fellowship" to him to work on Biographies of Sufis of India. At present he is working as Professor Maulana Azad Chair, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad.

He has penned thirty-one books and has also brought out sixty one publications during his tenure at Raza Library. He has to his credit one hundred eighteen published articles and has presented two hundred thirty articles in National and International seminars.

He has supervised seventeen Ph.D. and ten M.Phil Scholars and has organized twenty National and International Seminars as well.

Sufis came to India during 12th century AD and divided whole India into their vilayats and worked for the promotion of learning and communal harmony. Punjab and Kashmir was the entry point for sufis. They worked upto Kerala. They worked in Kashmir, Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Carnatic, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Malwa, Deccan and Kerala.

Punjab and Kashmir was the entry point of Sufis coming from Central Asia and Iran. But some of the Sufis came to Deccan and Kerala directly. Some of Sufis first stayed in Multan or Delhi and then moved to Deccan. Earlier they settled down in Multan and Lahore.

Sufis worked in various Qasba and cities of Deccan since the 12th century. Among these Sufis were Haji Rumi Bijapuri who came to Bijapur in 1137 AD and called "Aftab-i-Aulia". Saiyad Sultan Mazhar Vali came from Rume to Trichnapalli in 1225 AD, Shah Qalander Hayat from Rume to Deccan in 1260 AD and Sultan Mohd. Babaji came from Rume to Deccan in 1271. Saiyad Hisamuddin Tegh-i- Barehna made Gulbarga as his vilayat in 1281 AD. Mumtaz Currim and George Michell writes, "Tamil speaking Muslims pride themselves as being descendents of people who embraced Islam while Prophet was alive, and as being among the oldest Muslims communities in India. Shahul Hamid was a Qadri sufi. Once a famous post, Nagore is a coastal town in the Thanjawer district of Tamil Nadu".