Journal

The Kabikaj Foundation

Category: Scholars

  • Riasat Ali Taaj

  • Sameena Begum

  • Mughni Tabassum

  • Muhammad Ali Asar

  • Askari Safdar

  • Syedah Jafar

  • David John Matthews

  • Zoë Woodbury High

  • Zore, Mohiduddin Quadri

    Syed Mohiuddin Qadri Zore was a writer, scholar, poet, literary critic, historian, and social reformer from Hyderabad Deccan, India. He is celebrated for his profound contributions to Urdu language and literature. Born in Hyderabad, India, he received his early education at Dar ul Uloom Baldah (Hyderabad City) and later earned his M.A. in Linguistics from Osmania University.

    Zore’s academic journey took him to London on a fellowship from the Nizam of Hyderabad, where he completed his Ph.D. in Linguistic Sciences at the University of London. He furthered his studies in Paris, focusing on phonetics, before returning to India. His scholarly career included serving as Principal of Chaderghat Government Degree College, heading the Urdu department at Osmania University, and later becoming Dean of the Faculty at Jammu and Kashmir University.

    محی الدین قادری زور
    (1905 – 1962)

    Throughout his life, Zore authored 61 books, ranging from poetry to scholarly criticism and linguistic analysis. Notable works include “Hindustani Lisaniat” (1932), shedding light on the evolution of Indo-European languages, and “Hindustani Phonetics,” a significant contribution to linguistics. His literary pursuits also encompassed historical and cultural studies such as “Tilism-e-Khayaal”, “Sayr-e-Golconda” and “Golconda ke Heeray,” exploring the rich heritage of the Deccan region.

    Some of his works are listed below:

    • Hindustani Lisaniat (1932) – A seminal work on the evolution of Indo-European languages.
    • Hindustani Phonetics – A significant contribution to phonetics in English.
    • Tillsm-e-Khayaal – Collection of essays.
    • Sayr-e-Golconda – Historical study of Golconda.
    • Golconda ke Heeray – Another work on Golconda’s history.
    • Kulliyate Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah (1940) – Collection of poetry by Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah.
    • Hayat-e-Mir Muhammad Momin (1941) – Biography of Mir Muhammad Momin.
    • Dastane-adab Hyderabad (1951) – Stories of Hyderabad’s literature.
    • Tazkira makhtutat Urdu Vols. II and III (1951 and 1957) – Compilation of Urdu manuscripts.
    • Talib-o-mohni (1957) – Literary work.
    • Maani sukhan (1958) – Collection of essays.
    • Rooh-e-tanqueed, Vols. I and II (1927) – Critical works on Western principles of criticism.
    • Urdu Shehpaare – A literary work.
    • Urdu ke asaleeb-e-bayan – Work on Urdu grammar.
    • Rooh-e-Ghalib (1939) – Critical study on Mirza Ghalib’s poetry.
    • Sarguzasht-e-Garcin de Tassy – Historical work.

    Dr. Zore’s e-books can be read on Rekhta: https://www.rekhta.org/authors/syed-muhiuddin-qadri-zor/ebooks?ref=web

    Zore’s enduring legacy includes founding the Idare Adabiyaat e Urdu (known as ‘Aiwan-e-Urdu’), an institution dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Urdu literature, and initiating the Urdu magazine “Sabras.” His efforts played a pivotal role in promoting Urdu as a language of cultural and scholarly significance, influencing generations of scholars and enthusiasts worldwide.

    Zore married Tahniath Unnisa begum, herself a noted Urdu poetess, and they had nine children. He passed away in 1962 in Srinagar, Kashmir, leaving behind a legacy that continues to shape Urdu literature and linguistic studies. His ancestral home, Tahniath Manzil, still stands in Hyderabad, adjacent to the Idara-e-Adabiyat-e-Urdu, a testament to his enduring influence and dedication to Urdu scholarship.

  • Naseeruddin Hashmi

    Naseeruddin Hashmi was a writer, researcher and scholar of Dakhniyat (Deccan Studies) from Hyderabad, Dakan. “Dakan meiN Urdu (دکن میں اردو)” is the most famous work of his.

    Naseeruddin Muhammad Abdul Bari was born in the respected Hashmi family of Hyderabad on 15th March 1895. He pursued his education in the Dar-ul-Uloom Hyderabad and graduated as a Munshi and Maulvi Aalim from the same institution. He was also a Munshi Fazil from Madras University.

    After completing his education he joined the department of Central Record Office (دفتر دیوانی و مال) and retired as a registrar in 1950. He travelled throughout India’s different districts and states; and on the stipend provided by the Asafiya Sultanate, he visited Scotland, France, Italy and Britain for his research work. Karachi, Lahore, Busra, Baghdad, Karbala and Najaf Ashraf are the other places he visited.

    نصیر الدین ہاشمی

    موت نے آج یہ کیا سخت ستم توڈا ہے
    کتنی بے کس نظر آتی ہے وطن میں اردو
    ایک دکنی جو اٹھا، سال یہ رحلت کا ملا
    ہاشمی چل بسا، روتی ہے دکن میں اردو
    84 (Dakni) – 1428 (Hashmi chal basa, roti hai dakan meiN Urdu) = 1384 Hijri
    Akbaruddin Siddiqui composed this chronogram on the death of Hashmi.

    Hashmi Sahib’s book “Deccan Mein Urdu” initially published in 1922 gained immense popularity, growing from its original 180 pages to over 1,000 pages by its sixth edition in 1964, released shortly before the author’s demise. This expansion was fuelled by continuous revisions and additions, resulting in numerous reprints and editions by various publishers, both authorised and unauthorised.

    The book became a catalyst for extensive research into Urdu language, focusing on its origins and development across different regions of India. Following its widespread acclaim, a plethora of articles and books emerged discussing Urdu’s birthplace and the contributions of diverse regions to its promotion. “Deccan Mein Urdu” not only proposed theories about Urdu’s origins but also featured biographical sketches of poets and writers who significantly influenced Urdu literature in the Deccan, accompanied by critical evaluations and excerpts of their work.

    While the book initially posited Deccan as Urdu’s birthplace, subsequent editions and scholarly discourse, prompted by works like “Punjab Mein Urdu” and “Hindustani Lisaniyaat” by Dr. Mohiuddin Quadri Zore and others shifted focus to a purely linguistic analysis of Urdu’s roots. This evolution sparked discussions on Urdu’s development in regions such as Punjab, Delhi, Sindh, Bengal, and beyond, exploring the roles of various communities and ethnicities in fostering its growth.

    Hashmi Sahib’s pioneering work thus laid the groundwork for a deeper understanding of Urdu’s linguistic evolution and its cultural significance across India, influencing generations of scholars and researchers in the field.

    A list of his essays was published in the Hashmi-Number January 1965 edition of the Urdu monthly magazine – Sabras. Dr. Afzaluddin Iqbal mentions that his works are more than a thousand, and lists of some of them in the preface of “Dakan meiN Urdu”.
    Some of his works are listed here:

    • Dakan meiN Urdu (first published in 1924, currently 7th or 8th publication is available)
    • Salateen e Dakan ki Hindustaani Shayeri (1932)
    • Hazrat Amjad ki Shayeri (1934)
    • Madras meiN Urdu (1938)
    • Maqaalaat e Hashmi (1939)
    • Dakni Hindu aur Urdu (1956)
    • Europe meiN Dakhni Makhtootaat (1932)
    • Daftar e Diwani ke Urdu Makhtootaat (1935)
    • Kutub-KHaana Salarjung ki Urdu Qalmi KitaaboN ki Wazahati Fehrist (1957)
    • Zikr e Nabi sal Allahu alayhi wa sallam (1934)
    • Tazkirah Dar ul Uloom (1944)
    • Ahd e Aasfi ki Qadeem Taleem (1946)
    • Aaj ka Hyderabad (1953)
    • Jung e Aazadi ki Kahaani (1957)
    • Maulvi Abdul Qadir (1963)
    • Dakni Culture (1963)
    • Khawaateen e Ahd e Usmani (1936)
    • Janaabaan e Niswaan (1938)
    • Khawaateen e Dakan ki Urdu Khidmaat (1940)
    • Hyderabad ki Niswaani Dunya (1944)
    • Tazkirah Hayaat Bakhshi Begum (1952)
    • Najm us Saaqib – Shafa’i Fiqh (1924)
    • Rahbar e Safar e Europe (1930)
    • Film-numa (1940)
    • Maktoobaat e Amjad (1944)
    • Zubedah ke Des meiN (1955)

    Some of the e-books can be read on Rekhta: https://www.rekhta.org/authors/naseer-uddin-hashmi/ebooks?ref=web