Azamgarh: Renowned scholar Dr. Muhammad Ilyas-ul-Azmi has been honored with the inaugural “Shibli Award” for his outstanding work on Shibliyat, the study of Allama Shibli’s writings. Dr. Zafarul-Islam Khan, Nazim of Darul-Musannefin, presented the award at a ceremony in Darul-Musannefin’s conference hall. The award includes a shawl, a scroll, and a cash prize of fifty thousand rupees.
Dr. Zafarul Islam Khan expressed his joy, saying, “I have chaired and organized many meetings, but no meeting has brought me the joy that I am experiencing today,” and thanked Dr. Ilyas-ul-Azmi for accepting the honor. The meeting was presided over by Dr. Khan and conducted by Maulana Umair-Sadiq Dariyabadi Nadvi, a senior fellow of Darul-Musannefin.
Kaleem Safat Islahi of Darul-Musannefin provided a detailed introduction of Dr. Azmi, highlighting that this is the first time a scholar has received such an honor in Darul-Musannefin’s history. He suggested that Urdu circles across the country should adopt this initiative.
Dr. Fakhr-ul-Islam Azmi praised Dr. Ilyas-ul-Azmi’s work and prayed for his continued contributions, presenting him as a role model for the younger generation.
In his acceptance speech, Dr. Azmi shared his motivation for studying Shibliyat, saying, “I started working on Shibliyat because during my studies I used to read Ghalib and Iqbal, etc., but Shibli was nowhere to be seen.” He expressed his gratitude to the management of Darul-Musannefin and announced that he would donate the award money back to the organization.
Speakers at the event emphasized the importance of Shibli Nomani’s mission in today’s context, noting the community’s need to uphold its identity amidst various challenges.
Shibli Nomani was an Islamic scholar, poet, philosopher, historian, educational thinker, novelist, orator, reformer, and critic of Indian subcontinent orientalists during the British Raj. He is recognized as the founder of Urdu historiography and was fluent in Persian and Arabic. Shibli was associated with the Nadwa and Aligarh movements and founded Darul-Musannefin in Azamgarh.
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