MUQADDAMA-E-SIRAJUL ABSAR

The Translator feels it necessary, before going to the text of the book, to provide with short sketches of those who are involved in it: They are: 1. Allamatul Asr Hzt.Syed Yaqoob Bazmi, (Rh) author of "Muqaddanma-e-Sirajul Absar" in Urdu 2. Aalim Billah Hzt. Abdul Malik Sujawandi (Rh), author of "Sirajul Absar" in Arabic 3. Shaikh Ali Muttaqi, author of "Al Rudd" in Arabic 4. Abu Rija Zaman Khan Shahjahanpuri, Author of "Hadia-e-Mahdavi" in Urdu. Hz. Abdul Malik Sajawandi (Rh), Author of "Sirajul Absar", a befitting Rebuttal to the "Al Rudd" of Shaik Ali Muttaqi. Aalim Billah's father, Younus Sujawandi, was from Sajawand, a hilly village in Khurasan near Kabul. After migrating to India his descendants settled down in Gujarat. The king of Gujrat had high regard for Hz. Abdul Malik Sajawand (Rh) for his high caliber and proficiency in Arabic language. The King welcomed him and granted a village Budhasan as his jagir. Hz. Malik accepted the Mahdavia faith at the hands of Hz. Bandagi Miyan Shah Dilawar (Rz), the fifth Khalifa of Imamana Mahdi Alaihis Salaam in the year 919AH. Hzt.Shah Dilawar (Rz) had established his Dairah at Radhanpur, in Khandes. At his demise there were 1400 Fuqaras, (seekers of Allah) in his Dairah who were divided into two groups of 700 each. One group was attached to Hz. Abdul Kareem Noori (Rh) and the other was with Hz. Abdul Malik Sajawandi (Rh). He left Shah Dilawer's Dairah along with 700 Seekers and established his own dairah in his jagir, Budhasan village of Gujarat. He engaged himself in propagation of the Faith and had several meetings with the non-Mahdavi scholars of Gujrat and explained them the fundamentals of our Faith in a very laudable and convincing manner. He had also written several books. A few of them are: 1. "Siraj-ul-Absaar" (Arabic) an answer to "Risala Al Rudd" of Shaik Ali Muttaqi and against the Fatwah of Ibn Hajr Makki which was given by him against Mahdavis. 2. "Khasayes-e-Imam Mahdi" - This booklet was written to show the status of Imam Mahdi (As) among the Ummah which is above the Khalifas of the Prophet (Slm) and equal to him. 3. "Fazilat-e-Imam Mahdi Alal Shekhayn" (Arabic) - This booklet is also on the same topic as that of "Khasayes". It was not published so far. 4. "Sab'abul Islam Min Al-Sahabatal Ikram" (Arabic) This topic is "the reason for accepting the Prophet (Slm) by his companions was his sublime "Characters" but not the "miracles." 5. "Sirajul Millat" (Arabic) - its second name is "Minhaj-ut-Taqveem." 6. "Minhaj-ut-Taqveem" (Arabic) (Reply to the questions by Shaik Mubarak Nagori on the Mahdiat of the Imam-e-Huda (As). 7. "Makateeb" (letters) (in Persian - On different topics of the Faith to different persons). 8. "Khutba-e-Nikah" (The marriage sermon) (in Persian) (This sermon is commonly used for marriages in the community even today. This khutbah includes a unique condition which is very helpful to the Bride. It gives the authority to woman to go free from her husband in case of non fulfillment of the conditions prescribed in khutbah. It is generally felt that woman should also have right to divorce her husband. This right is given to Muslim women long back. There are some more books written by Hz. Bandagi Mian Abdul Malik Aalim Billah (Rh), but such books are not available now. The book "Sirajul Absar" was originally written in Arabic language in reply to Shaik Ali Muttaqi, on his "Risala Al Rudd". This book was written on the advice of Hz. Bandagi Miyan Syed Shahabuddin Shahabul Haq, the eldest son of Hz. Bandagi Miyan Syed Khundmir Siddiq-e-Vilayat. It was written somewhere in between 964AH and 972AH. This book is much popular in the Mahdavia community, hence in every period it was translated or its topics were explained in books like "Sharah"(Clarification). Some of such books are mentioned hereunder: - 1. "Sharah" - written by Miyan Syed Husain who is the author of the book of "Naqliat", titled as "Tazkiratul Saleheen". 2. "Zia ul Quloob" - Sharah by Hafiz Mohammed Qasim Bin Shaik Abdul Lateef Farooqi. He accepted Mahdavia Faith only after reading this venerable book. It is a bulky work covering almost 1133 pages in the script. 3. "Hashiah Ziaul Quloob" - It contains the footnotes on the book "Zia ul Quloob". Hz. Syed Fazalullah (d 1160AH) has given 86-footnotes on "Ziaul Quloob." 4. "Sharah" by Hz. Malik Sharfuddin the grandfather of the author of Khatim-e-Sulemani. 5. "Suboot-ul-Mahdi" By Miyan Hz Syed Ibrahim alias Badey Miyan. He passed away in 1297 H. at Pindiyal near Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. It is the first Urdu translation of "Sirajul Absar." 6. "Misbah ul Anwaar" - It is the translation of "Sirajul Absar" in Persian language by the well-known scholar of the community, Hz. Syed Isa alias Aalim Miyan. He has written several booklets in reply to "Hadia-e-Mahdavia" of Zaman Khan Shahjahanpuri. He is also the author of several books on the Faith. The book "Misbahul Anwaar" was published from Madras. (At that period Books on Mahdavi Faith were prohibited to be published in Nizam's Dominion) "Hashia Misbahul Anwaar" In the margin of "Misbahul Anwaar" Urdu translation of "Sirajul Absar" also has been provided. 8. Urdu translation of "Sirajul Absar": This translation was done by Hz. Syed Ashraf Ali alias Achcha Miyan Palanpuri. 9. "Sharah-Ahadith-o-Ayat" which were used in "Sirajul-Absar" by Hz. Syed Nusrat (Rh), author of "Kohlul Jawahar". 10. "Siraj-ul-Absar Mai Muqadamah-wa-Tarjumah" by Hz. Moulana Syed Mustafa Tashreefullahi (Rh). It was published in 1365 A.H. along with Arabic text and Urdu translation. The book contains a bulky foreword in Urdu which covers all topics relating to the Faith and also covers answers of objections against Mahdavia Faith. The second Edition was published in 1382 H. under the title "Muqqadama-e-Siraj-ul-Absar." In this edition the text and its Urdu translation were omitted, but the answers to all objections against our Faith from any opponent were given in detail. It covers (1020) pages. Its third Edition was published in the year 1410 A.H. i.e. 1990AD by Br. Syed Mahmood Tashrifullahi, which contains (1036) pages. The additions were inserted by Muhaqiq-e-Mahdavia, Hzt. Syed Yaqoob Bazmi (Rh), the eldest son of the Author, in the original "Muqadamah" in the second and the third editions. It has become an exhaustive, comprehensive and an encyclopedic type "Reference Book" of Mahdavia Faith, furnishing history, biographies of eminent personalities and also provides befitting replies to the unholy objections and allegations against our Faith.