The book ” Moulana Noor ud Din Qari, Zindagi ti Karnama “(Life and Achievements of Moulana of Moulana Noor ud Din Qari) authored by Farooq Shaheen in Kashmiri language comprises of six main chapters. The book has 144 pages and is published by the ” Alhayat Printographers Centre Srinagar “. Farooq Shaheen is from Langate Handwara of frontier district Kupwara. He is a well known writer and poet of valley. He has recieved Sahitya Akademi Award for one of his authored book. In it’s first composition ” Preface ” Farooq Shaheen writes ” 20th century was the beginning of new era for the whole world because of the tremendous advancement of science and technology. Man himself has become machine like creature because he grew up in machine era”. In 20th century, Kashmir has given birth to a number of religious scholars whose sweet fragrance was felt both in valley as well as outside the country. Among these scholars and intellectuals was the one Noor ud Din Qari. Moulana Noor ud Din Qari has gifted Kashmiri language and literature with his ever best compositions. But no research has still been done on his great work. That is why Mr Farooq Shaheen has tried to write about this great literary figure of Kashmiri language and literature who has rejuvenated Kashmiri language and literature with his blood. Farooq Shaheen is highly inbedted to his dearest teacher Dr Majrooh Rashid without his guidance it wouldn’t have been possible to compile this book. Moulana’s son Molvi Mohd Shafi Qari has also guided Farooq Shaheen in providing the detailed life history of Noor ud Din Qari after returning from US. Moulana Noor ud Din Qari’s birth has taken place at Wazapur mohalla of Mehrajgunj Srinagar. His father’s name was Molvi Sadr ud Din and his mother was named as Hajra Begum. Molvi Sadr ud Din was also a great scholar of his time and was regarded a prominent figure in entire valley. Mirwaiz Hamdani, Mirwaiz Gh Mohidin, Molvi Hassan Shah, Hussain Shah Wafayi are among the popular disciples of Molvi Sadr ud Din. While making a research on the life and Achievements of Moulana Noor ud Din Qari, Farooq Shaheen has found a Persian poem written by a well known poet Noor ud Din Ahmad. As per the poem we come to know that Moulana Qari has left this mortal world in the year 1341 at the age of 38. Farooq Shaheen has penned this poem in this book in it’s actual form.
Moulana Noor ud Din Qari has obtained the degrees of Molvi Fazil and Molvi Aalim from Punjab university Lahore. Moulana Noor ud Din Qari was married to Ameera Begum from Wangam Bandipora. She was a teacher but acting upon the advice of her better half, she left the teaching job mid way.Moulana Noor ud Din Qari has served at H/S Baghi Dillawar Khan Srinagar as an Arabic teacher. Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah former CM of J&K also has served as a teacher in that school. It is because of that Moulana Noor ud Din Qari had deep relations with Sheikh Sahib. Moulana Noor ud Din Qari had friendship with Maharaja Hari Singh also.The pleasing beauty of this book is that Farooq Shaheen has penned the historical episode of the birth of Dr Karan singh the son of Maharaja Hari Singh. Farooq writes ” Moulana Noor ud Din Qari has composed some poetic verses to give a happy message to Maharaja Hari Singh “. In lieu of the poetic verses Maharaja Hari Singh fetched him a note of Rs 500.
” Mubarak ho Mubarak ho Maharaja bahadur ko,
Khuda ne aaj bakhshah hai duri shahwaraak isko ”
For Hari Singhs well being and prosperous life Moulana Noor ud Din Qari has composed —
” Maharaja Bahadur Khurum wa Shaad,
Chui Qari mangaan ya rub su aabaad”.
Moulana Noor ud Din Qari had been arrested in 1931. About his arrest Moulana Qari has written a note in the form of a book. The first and last pages of the book are lost due to which Farooq Shaheen hasn’t mentioned the name of that book in his compiled piece. In this book which Farooq has got from Moulana’s son Molvi Mohd Shafi, there are written notes of other detainees also who were arrested along with Noor ud Din Qari and sent to central jail Srinagar. Moulana’s article in Urdu in it’s original form is contained in this book. The chapters of this book about Noor ud Din Qari are Preface, Life sketch , As a prose writer, As a translator, As a poet etc.This book is not less than a special gift for those having literary taste and for those enquiring the valley’s past rich cultural and religious legacy. The book has been compiled by taking utmost care about the quality of paper used. So in order to get acquainted about the religious, intellectual and literary figures of valley, we need to study the books like the one Farooq Shaheen has authored.
(The book reviewer is a teacher at Govt Secondary School Anderwan Ganderbal. Views are his own) [email protected]
