In February, 1906 Maulana Abul kalam wrote in an appeal:
“Nadwatululama has made it the foremost duty to produce
such scholars of Islam as are broadminded, full of patriotic
passion and have the ability to protect arts and learning.
It wants to establish an institution of Arabic learning
to get the academic and ethical status of the nation improved
so that the nation could possess a glorious center with
a perfect combination of religious requirements along with
modern studies. A great obligation was to be fulfilled in
order to complete this task and that it should establish
a magnificent library of Arabic teaching and those people
who are desirous to engage their lives in the service of
religion and Islamic learning, may not be deprived of it.
Nadwatululama gave its attention towards this need and laying
the foundation of a library it has completed its part and
duty. Now it is a bounding duty of the nation to lead this
task towards its perfection. In order to accomplish this
objective, the process of the practical work started from
Shahjahanpur. In the very begining and first of all Molvi
Abdur Rafey, Depty collector, extended a very precious gift
pack of nearly 3000 books to be a foundation stone and the
very first lot for the process of this library. Then Molvi
Abdul Azeem added into this collection by 200 books in the
convention of Patna and Molvi Syed Abdul Gani gifted a pack
of 101 books of literature and history. In addition to that
this stock kept on increasing with a few more occasional
gifts extended by noble personalities.
A great number of more than
150000 books
possessed by library is exposing and denoting the sincerity
of the people who proved to be magnanimous by extending
their helping hand in the form of gift packs of books. The
major part of these books is indebted to the gift, bestowed
by these sympathetic and kind personalities. Some of the
learned and rich people have dedicated even their entire
libraries for Nadwatululama. This is why there are certain
perfect collections existing here among which the collections
of Syed Nawab Ali Hasan Khan, Maulana Hakeem Syed Abdul
Haie Hasani, Nawab Rasheeduddin Alias Achchey Mian, Syed
Abdul Jaleel, Syed Wajid Ali, Maulana Iftikhar Fareedy,
Nawab Syed Najmul Hasan, Nawab Syed Zuhoorul Hasan, Dr.Abdullah
Abbas Nadwi including the collections of valuable books
written by professor Waliulhaque Ansari which consisted
of rare and unparallel hand scripts and printed books, are
now the beauty and craciousness of the library. Also many
valuable books of Allama Shibli’s personal library having
his own signature are the beautiful assets of this library.
There are many who have dedicated their precious collections
to this library. Among them Nisar Ahmad Vakeel Sitapure,
Hamidullah Khan, District Magistrate Gonda, Yousufuzzaman
Farooqui, Munshi Abdul Ahad Kolkata, Maulana Abdul Bari
Nadwi, Hakeem Shakeel Ahmad Shamsi, Maulana Owais Nagrami
Nadwi, Maulana Munawwar Ali Muhaddis Rampuri, Masroor Khan
Dehlawi, Abid Suhail Lucknowi, Doctor Mohammad Iqbal Ansari
Ali Garh, Doctor Syed Luqman Azmi Nadwi, Ishrat Ali Siddiqui
Lucknowi etc. are remarkable and worth praising. These are
the names of those respectable personalities, who managed
to provide this library with such a great and magnificent
asset as added to the importance of the library in every
respect.
Not only now but also 100 years ago, when this library had
a total number of
4000 books only, there
were such precious gems in it as were considered attractive
for the learned Fuzala (scholars), intellectuals and those
who were busy with their research works. In view of the
importance of the said collection,
Maulana Azad
wrote an article in 1906 AC.regarding the valuable
unprinted books and wonderful pieces of writing in which
a few wonderful books were introduced and in the same time
he praised the library in the following passage:
Yaqoob Kandi was a very wise and intelligent Hakeem (Physician)
who was first of all to be awarded the highest title of
philosophy in Islam during the ruling period of the Caliph
Mamoon Al Rasheed. Of course the marvelous and rarely existing
collection of his letters is of a great importance in the
history. It is only the library of Nadwatululama that can
present the said collection. Madinatululoom Arneequi and
Tazkira Hafte Aqleem Ameen Razi are the two hand scripts
of the library which are particularly remarkable and worth
mentioning. It is enough to say regarding the first book
of these two that the Kashfuzzunoon which is the only list
of arts and learning of Muslims, has collected a lot of
information from Arniqui’s this book Madinatululoom. Tazkira
of Razi is one of best biographies of Persian poets. Although
this biography (Tazkira) has not as of this day been printed
like other biographies, yet it is still preserved in this
library.
There has been the propaganda of scientific Trajim (Translated
books) of Akbar’s reign for a very long time, but there
is nothing except the story described by Abul Fazal that
of course little appealing to us.. There are certain books
in the library of Nadwatululama which can strengthen our
existing knowledge up to a great extent. Many Sanskrit
books have been translated during the reign of not only
Akber but also during the reign of Shahjahan. Among them
there is a very good book written on music. This book
is available in this library for those who wish to make
use of it. This book mentions about many experts of music
art. Among Hujjatul Islam Ghazzali’s works, Jawahirul
Qura’n is an exemplary book. Although this book has been
published, yet due to being incomplete, it can not quench
our thirst of learning and knowledge. However we have
a hand script of Jawahirul Qura’n in this library which
is very clear, correct and complete as well. There is
a copy of another book (Dictionary) too in this library
which bears seal prints of various Mughal kings and a
seal of Alamgeer Aurangzeb which can be clearly read.”
This article on this library was written by Maulana
Abul Kalam Azad at the time when the number of
books was limited up to 4000 books only. Later on this
stock kept on increasing and the more days passed the
more number of the best and valuable books shot up in
the list of this library day by day till it became a treasure
of innumerable books.
Most of the books of the library are in Arabic language.
However there are many books available in Urdu,
English, Turki, Chinese, French, Pashtu, Gujrati, Marathi,
Tamil, Sindhi and Malyalam as well.
Two sections of the library: Printed books, Unprinted
Books.
As regards to the arts, the stock of History
in Arabic and the literature in Persian is remarkable
according to its number. There are 5000 books
of Arabic, Persian and Urdu here which are unprinted.
Of which many have been published. A few have
very recently been published. However there are many copies
which are still to be printed.
One peculiarity of the library is that it is the center
of classic arts and learning where on one hand countless,
precious, rare, peculiar and uncommon books and scripts
(for reference) are found here, on the other hand a great
number of new printed Arabic books also exist here. The
biggest reason of the new term invented by the eastern
scholars in the division between classic and modern language
& style is that due to the lack of resources the opportunities
to utilize or study the modern works and books of many
of our intellectuals published in Arabic remain unattained.
In this situation these books have the value of being
a mile stone for all. The unprinted books of Urdu language
are already very few and most of them are in old script
and there are some which are still to be published or
they are rather considered original script.
The complete deewan of Muntazir, the virtuous student
of Mushafi, is an unprinted glorious piece of this library
and it is the single copy in the whole lot, other copy
of which could not be yet traced in any library. In the
same way there is only one copy of Hindi biography of
Mushafi which has corrections or changes by Mushafi himself.
Hence its authenticity and perfection can be verified
and believed. In addition to that, the precious, valuable
and exemplary scripts like Deewane Brahman, Deewan Saba,
Deewan Mushafi, Shahnama Urdu, Deewan Shaida and the exemplary
hand scripts of biographies as well as dictionaries exist
here. Besides the above mentioned books, the distinguished
copies of unprinted scripts like Mahar Jahan Taab and
Tazkira Meer Hasan are adorning the library of Nadwatululama.
There is one of the best graphic copies of Firdousi Shahnama
in which the colour made of precious stone was used for
painting. Similarly a very distinguished graphic copy
of Ajaibul Makhlooqat also is the decoration part of the
library.
It is better to have a little description about some
books in the following passages which would be a brief
introduction for the library and exposition for its importance
as well. A rare hand scripted copy of the famous commentary
of Allama Nooruddin Basari, the eminent Islamic scholar
of great Madrasa Al Mustansariya of seventh century Hijri
with the name of Muntahaluloom Fi Tafseere Kitabillahil
Hayyil Qayyum” is available in the library. Allama Noorudddin
Basari is a very famous hambaliyan Islamic Scholar of
7th century Hijri. Imam Zainuddin Ibne Rajab Hambali has
mentioned him in Tabaqatul Hanabila while Imam Jalaluddin
Suyooti has mentioned him in the Tabaqatul Mufassireen.
This copy of Muntahaluloom consists of the commentary
from the Sura Nisa to Sura A’raf. This copy has been written
4 years before the demise of the author. The disciple
of the author Abdullah Al Marie has read this copy from
the author himself. This copy is an unparalleled pattern
of old calligraphy and elegant writing. A review of this
copy has also been done by the author (Unprinted script
copy 680 H).
Another important book is
“Al Burhan Fi Mutashabihatil Qura’n”.
This is the composition of Burhanuddin Abul Qasim Mahmood
Bin Hamza Kirmani.
Kirmani is an Islamic scholar of 6th century Hijri. The
Arabic Deewan of Hazrat Shah waliullah Dehlavi also exists
in the library. The fascinating and attractive Takhmeesat
of Shah Abdul Aziz and Shah Rafiuddeen on a few world
reputed odes of Shah Sahib are also a part of this deewan
(collection). However the second copy of this deewan does
not seem to have yet been available in any place. In addition
to that a few very important unprinted books of the library
are as follows:
01. Al Muhakamat (777 H)
02. Ejaz Khusravi (735 H)
03. Sharah Miftahul Uloom (802 H)
04. Sharah Maqasid (840 H)
05. Sharah Tawaley (842 H)
06. Sihah Jauhari (896 H)
07. AL Ieza’h (782 H)
08. Zohdatul Usool, composed by Sheikh Bahauddin Amili.
It is a selected collection of the particular memory book
of the author.
09. Ashiatullam’at (It has been in the library of Mohammad
Shah)
10. Wafaul wafa (It has been in the library of Amjad Ali
Shah).
11. Safarnama Nasir Khusroo. (1006H)
12. AL Mu’Jamussagheer Littibrani.
13. Kitaburrooh, an unprinted copy composed by Ummeed
yamani.
Many books of Mohammad Bin Ismaeel Al Ameer are the scripts
written by him in his own hand writing and no other copy
of this script apparently exists any where. Also there
is a big stock of books composed by the Islamic scholars
of Yaman in this library. There are some unprinted books
too which have the signature of Allama shaukani on them.
These are some and very important unprinted books which
have been mentioned here mere on the basis of presenting
a few models. The correct estimation of this valuable
stock can be done only when its complete list is in the
hand.
This library was earlier established in the old
office of Nadwatululama at Golaganj
Lucknow. Later on in the year 1908 on proposal
of Maulana Syed Suleiman Nadwi, it was
shifted to the glorious Abbasiya Hall of Nadwatululama.
Although this hall was so large, yet it proved too short
to fulfill its requirement. Feeling this, a foundation
stone of five story building was laid for the library
by sheikh Ahmad Bin Abdul Azeez Ale Mubarak (Chief Justice.UAE)
in 1975 under the patronage of Hazrat Maulana Syed Abul
Hasan Ali Hasani Nadwi. The library has been working on
its two floors since 21th Fabruary 1984.
The shifting of the books was carried out under the supervision
and patronage of the then Nazir (Manager) of the Library
Hazrat Maulana Syed Mohammad Murtaza Naqvi Bastavi and
the library was rearranged with the modern technique.
We can never forget the great personality of
Hazrat Maulana Syed Mohammad Murtaza Naqvi Bastavi
who is considered a foundation brick for the library of
Nadwatululama. He left no stone unturned to decorate and
lead the library from nothing to everything. Every thing
from the tiniest to the highest is testifying and denoting
that he was a true gardener for the library who loved
it not less than his life. He served the library for years
and always adopted every possible attempt and tried his
best to lead the library to its highest place. It was
an unbelievable fact that Allah had bestowed him a very
good interest and fondness of everything and he was also
a symbol of successive hard work and struggle. This is
why he was always in one passion only and that was how
to furnish his library with valuable and rarely existed
books. He was a man of extreme courage and determination
if he determined to do anything, never left without completing
it. He was very close to Hazrat Maulana Abul Hasan Ali
Hasani Nadwi. He tried to utilize this closeness too.
In short his administration was extremely very glorious
period for the library of Nadwatululama. So the history
of the library would be incomplete without mentioning
him. The greatest quality of him was that he never considered
himself an employee of the library. In fact he dedicated
himself not only for the library but also for Nadwatululama
completely. Thus he served the library round the clock.
He tried every way possible to collect books for the library
and made up the mind of other people to do so. In many
occasions he used to get angry even with his friends but
no harm for the library he could bear. He felt very sad
if any book was carelessly treated and used to rebuke
the one who did so. Piousness, honesty, integrity, trustworthiness
and fear of Allah were the qualities that awarded him
the title of “Al Sadiqul Ameen“for the library. Thus no
pen can do without mentioning him while describing the
library or the Nadwatululama.
Alhamdulillah the number of hand scripts and modern books
is continuously increasing. Earlier an old method of cataloguing
was prevalent in the library and it was completely outdated.
It is being felt from a long time that the library is
in need to be rearranged and that it should be equipped
with the modern facilities. So the new and fresh set up
of the library was prepared and demonstrating a good taste
and deep interest of modernization, the library has been
computerized covering all the inclusion of the library
after a hard and laborious work of many years. It will
help all the research works in every respect and any one
can easily assess any desired information about the books
or the inclusion of the library. The system has been computerized
in such a way that complete information regarding all
the books of Arabic, English, Persian, Hindi and Urdu
etc (Author’s name, publication year, enrolling number,
index etc.) can be displayed on the screen of the computer
any time when required. This is really a big work which
is not less than an adventure and has probably the first
work of its kinds and status been attended in the library
of any Islamic Institution considered as important as
that of the Darululoom Nadwatululama.
In the same way a page wise micro film of the unprinted
book has also been made to be screened. A CD copy of the
desired book is being provided to those who are busy with
the research works in order to facilitate them fulfill
their task. The library is also available on the net.
Those who are interested in books can directly have an
easy contact on the same.
