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Some Famous Shia Ulama of India
Compiled By: Syed Ali Shahbaz
Prominent religious scholar of India, Seyyed Ali Mohammad, known as Taj ul-Ulema
On 4th of the Islamic month of Rabi as-Sani in 1312 AH, prominent Shia religious scholar of India, Seyyed Ali Mohammad, known as Taj ul-Ulema passed away at the age of 52. He was the son of Sultan ul-Ulema, and has left behind numerous compilations, including “Ahsan al-Qessas”, an exegesis of Surah Yousuf of the Holy Qur’an. Another of his books is “Gohar-e Shab Cheragh” in Persian on the virtues of prayers.
Islamic scholar of Northern India, titled “Seyyed ul-Ulema”
On 23rd of the Islamic month of Jamadi al-Awwal in 1307 AH, the Shia Islamic scholar of Northern India, Seyyed Mohammad Ibrahim, titled “Seyyed ul-Ulema” passed away. To him goes the credit of persuading the British occupiers of the city of Lucknow to vacate the grand Asefi Mosque, the Alamgir Mosque and the magnificent Asefi Imambara (Hussainiyya), which they defiled for 27 years from 1857 till 1884, using it as a gunpowder storage house, following their forcing into exile of the last King of Awadh, Wajed Ali Shah. After return of these religious structures to the Shi'ite Muslims Seyyed ul-Ulema revived the congregational prayers at the two mosques and the mourning ceremonies for the Martyr of Karbala, Imam Husain (AS) at the Hussainiyya.
Also, the practice of exclusive congregation of the city's Shi'ite Muslims for the Friday Prayer and the annual Eid Prayers was once again allowed at the Asefi Mosque. Earlier, it was Seyyed Mohammad Ibrahim's famous ancestor, Seyyed Dildar Ali Naqavi, who had led the first exclusive congregation prayers of Shi'ite Muslims in the city of Lucknow on the birthday of Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) in May 1786 followed by the weekly Friday prayers, two weeks later on May 26, 1786.
Ayatollah Seyyed Najm ul-Hassan the founder of Jame’ Nazemiyya of Lucknow
On April 18, 1938, the Jurist, Ayatollah Seyyed Najm ul-Hassan the founder of Jame’ Nazemiyya of Lucknow, the oldest Shi’ite Muslim religious institution of India, passed away at the age of 75 years. Known as Najm ul-Millat or Najm ul-Ulema, he trained several scholars, such as Sibt-e Hasan Naqavi, Farman Ali the translator and interpreter of the holy Qur’an, and Mufti Ja’far Hussain, who later became the leading scholar of Pakistan. He provided services to the followers of the Prophet’s Ahl al-Bayt in Tibet, Burma, Singapore, Shanghai, East Africa and other lands. He wrote several books.
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