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Feedback & Testimonials

Special thanks to the following historians, scholars, academics, researchers, friends and relatives (from India, Pakistan, Australia, Canada, France, Kazakhstan, Oman, Switzerland, UAE, UK and USA etc.) for their online and offline comments & feedback regarding the digital historiography project and website. (The comments have been edited to fit the format of this page).

Dear Ahmer, I’m delighted to see the site up and running. Many congratulations. I hope to make use of it in my own work in future and will share it with my graduate students. Best wishes, Nile 

Dr. Nile Green, Professor & Ibn Khaldun Endowed Chair in World History, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA, February 1st 2019

Congratulations.

Compiling this vast and varied information is indeed a great work that you have done.

I really appreciate and admire your commitment. You are also doing a favour to the coming generations of researches.

Best of Luck ! Your dedication is praiseworthy.

Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, Professor / Former Director, Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna, Bihar, India, January 31st / November 29th 2019 / December 14th 2019 

 

Dear Ahmer, I have looked at your amazing web site for your grandfather.  It is a true labor of love and extremely comprehensive.  You are to be congratulated on it. I think his translation of the Zain Khan work is remarkable and extraordinarily useful.I met your grandfather so many years ago - about 40 - that it's hard to recall things with great clarity. It must have been in 1981-82 when I was working on a project for the Aga Khan  Foundation.  The project was to document the Islamic monuments of Bihar and Bengal with photographs.  I was using Qeyamuddin Ahmed's book on the Islamic Inscriptions of Bihar as my guide and also the work of D.R. Patil, The Antiquarian Remains of Bihar.  The monuments cited were often difficult to find, especially in dense urban settings.  Your grandfather guided me to many of these buildings in Patna.  I think Dick Eaton accompanied us at times.  Your grandfather was extremely helpful and gracious with his time.  What I don't recall is how I met your grandfather.  It's possible that a Jesuit who was living in Patna at the time, a wonderful man, Father Paul Jackson, introduced us.  Father Jackson has published Maneri's letters.    

All best, Catherine Asher

Dear Ahmer, Many thanks for working on this important project - what a boon to scholarship. Best, Cathy

Dr. Catherine Ella Blanshard Asher, Professor of Islamic and Indian Art History, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA, December 10th 2019 & October 10th 2020

Dear Ahmer Raza, I am grateful for your unprecedented bounty by keeping at this Library’s disposal full-length encyclopedic information through the website on Prof. Askari. Thank you very much. Firuz Shahi has gone to press and I hope it may come out by the end of the month.

Regards. 

Shayesta Bedar,

Director, KBOP Library, Patna

Dr. Shayesta Bedar, Director, Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna,  Bihar, India, December 22nd 2019 

Dear Mr. Raza, I would like to say how happy I am that you are retrieving and consolidating your grandfather's important scholarship. I might add that it was a great pleasure knowing your grandfather, who was one of the kindest and most informed scholars I ever met in my own efforts to understand Bengali history. When I knew him, back in the early 1980s, he could be found most every day reading Persian manuscripts in the Khuda Bakhsh Library in Patna. He had probably read every manuscript in the entire collection! I have always regarded him as one of the foremost scholars ever to have studied precolonial Bihar and Bengal.  It was truly a privilege to have known him during my own brief stay in Patna, and to have benefited from his extraordinary generosity in sharing his vast knowledge with me. With kind regards, R.M. Eaton

Dear Ahmer,  Thank you so much for sending me the link to Askari Sahib’s website.  I truly admire the zeal with which you have been curating his extraordinary scholarly output.  It is clearly a labor of love!.  And to think -- you still have some two hundred more articles to include!  Thank you again for sending this my way.

With kind regards,

-Dick

Dr. Richard M. Eaton, ​Professor, Department of History, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA, Sept 5th 2019 / October 22nd 2019 / March 14th 2020           

Dear Ahmer,

I had the pleasure of meeting S. H. Askari in 1979, when I spent nearly a year in India doing research on Sufism and visited many of the most important manuscript collections. Patna was of course on the list, because of the Khudabakhsh Library, and when I visited, the library director B.A. Dar kindly introduced me to Askari sahib, whose work I was familiar with from my time at Aligarh. I recall a wide ranging  conversation that went late into the night, in which his remarkable erudition was displayed in a generous and natural way.  An admirable scholar, no doubt. Thanks very much for your note. About the article, I recall seeing it long ago, and I have requested a soft copy through our inter library loan service. I will send you that copy when I receive it.

Congratulations on establishing the valuable website with all of these remarkable scholarly articles.

Best wishes

Carl Ernst

Dr. Carl W. Ernst, Author of "Refractions of Islam in India" & Kenan Distinguished Professor of Islamic studies, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA, April 23rd and 24th, 2021  

Dear Ahmer Raza sahib

It is a pleasure for me to receiving a letter from the grandson of great historian Prof. S .H. Askari. You are doing an excellent work for future generations of scholars. Best wishes for you and your project. I will try my best to enrich this project. Thanks & regards. Yours.

Dr. Nripendra Kumar Shrivastava, Professor, Dept. of History, Magadh University, Bodhgaya, India, April 30th, 2021

Dear Syed Ahmer Raza Saheb,
I am happy to receive your kind words.  For me it had been very lucky having come in contact with saint scholar Prof. Askari, whom I ever considered an epitome of academic world. I learnt the value of simplicity from him. I also appreciate your detailed work on Prof. Askari. 
I again bow my head to his memory. 

Professor Dr. Bharti S. Kumar, Former Dean & Head of the Department of History, Patna University, India, December 12, 2022

Congratulations on assembling this excellent resource on the life and works of Professor Syed Hasan Askari!  It is a massive project and a work of love.

Best wishes,

David

Dr. David R. Faust, Librarian for South Asia and Middle East, Interim Librarian for East & Southeast Asia, Collections Coordinator for Arts & Humanities and Social Sciences & Professional Programs, Ames Library of South Asia, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA, June 10th 2020

Dear Ahmer

Greetings from NC!

I had the honor of meeting your wondrous grandad when I made several trips to Patna back in the mid-70s. Most of the material that I received from him were articles he published in local journals, especially Current Studies  and  Journal of the Bihar Research Society. I gave lectures at the Khoda Bakhsh Library back in 1975, and they were published as Notes from a Distant Flute (Tehran 1978). I cite several of your grandfather's pathbreaking

essays in that slim volume, and also acknowledge his assistance in the Foreword (p. 12). I do hope these tidbits, shards from a glorious person/scholar/presence who was your grandfather, can be of some value.

With warm regards, and cheers,

Bruce Lawrence

Professor Bruce B. Lawrence, Marcus Family Humanities Professor of Religion Emeritus, Duke University, NC, USA, March 17th 2020

Dear Ahmer Saheb,

Thanks for your e-mail. Only two days ago I received a copy of Askari Saheb transl. of Sīrat-i Firūz Shāhī, from the Khuda Bakhsh library. It will be reviewed in our journal, Studies in People’s History, published by SAGE and I’ll forward a pre-print copy of the review to you.

I first had a darshan of your grandfather in 1958 at Trivandrum when I attended a session of the Indian History Congress held there.

I am sure the translation of Sīrat-i Firūz Shāhī, a difficult text full of information on diverse matters will be of great help to students of medieval Indian cultural history.

Warm good wishes,

Yours sincerely,

Irfan Habib

Dr. Irfan Habib, Author of "The Agrarian System of Mughal India 1556–1707"  & Emeritus Professor Department of History, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, October 7th 2021

Dear Ahmer Raza Saheb,

It's a pleasure for me to respond from a descendant of the great historian. Professor Askari was renowned for his outstanding scholarship as well as his humility, his humanity as well as his very Indian-ness. I had the good fortune to see him only once and all these images of him have stayed in my mind. This was more than a half century ago, probably after a session of the History Congress.

I just remember having had a darshan of a real vidwan personifying the Sanskrit saying vidya dadati vinayam. The image of a most ordinarily dressed elderly gentleman in a crumpled shirt and pajama and two leading historians listening to him with great deference. Unfortunately my encounter with Professor Askari was just a darshan of the great man; he was talking to some of the most eminent historians like Professor R S Sharma and Professor Nurul Hasan and I, a youngster, was looking at them fascinated. I did not even exchange a word with your Nana ji. A pity that I never got another chance to meet him. That is all l remember. 

You are right l have referred to only one work of his in my book, though l have read a great many of his writings and would often cite them while teaching. It's a wonderful project to have all his oeuvre available to readers, both professional and lay.

My best wishes and warm regards

Harbans Mukhia 

Professor Dr. Harbans Mukhia, & Author of "The Mughals of India", Emeritus Professor of Medieval History, Centre for Historical Studies, School of Social SciencesJawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, February 7th-9th, 2021

Hats off to you. My father late Rafique Alam sahib was well acquainted with Professor Askari sahib. As young student I used to hear many interesting incidents of his life from my father and Professor Hasnain sahib who had accompanied him in his search for Persian inscriptions in Bihar. He was a sort of hero among us and inspired us to learn languages to read the sources.

I am so happy to know that Professor Askari has a grand son like you who would take up such a mammoth task.

Wish all powers to your elbow!

Yours sincerely

Ishrat Alam

Dr. Ishrat Alam, Professor, Chairman Centre of Advanced Study in History, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, June 9th, 2020

Dear Mr. Reza,

Thank you for all the great work you are doing!

Sincerely,

Ryan

Dr. C. Ryan Perkins, South Asian Studies Librarian & Islamic Studies Librarian, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA, March 17th 2020

Dear Mr. Raza, This is excellent work you are doing and you should be commended for undertaking such labors.

I'd also be interested to read some more of your grandfather's works as he was a true scholar and well known among Indian historians and intellectuals. 

With best wishes, 

Hayden

Dr. Hayden Bellenoit, Associate Professor of History, US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, USA, December 4th 2019 

Dear Syed Ahmer Raza,
Hello -- it's very nice that you are doing this for your grandfather, though.  I never met him in person, but I'm sure he would be very glad to know of the care and attention his grandson is putting into keeping his legacy alive! thank you very much for your kind note.  I'm afraid that's the one time (Askari, Syed Hasan, ‘Mughal Naval Weakness and Aurangzeb's Attitude Towards the Traders and Pirates on the Western Coast in “Trade, Production, and Incorporation. The Indian Ocean in Flux, 1600–1900”), I have cited him to my knowledge.   

Hi Ahmer, very quick one as I am heading abroad in just a few hours; I don't remember much except that it was a very good article, Ahmer.  I'm on the road at the moment so I don't have it in front of me, but I would not have used it unless it was very good work.  All best wishes for the New Year!  Yours and best wishes, Eric.

Dr. Eric Tagliacozzo, Author of “Trade, Production, and Incorporation. The Indian Ocean in Flux, 1600–1900” & Professor, the Department of History, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA, January 1st/2nd 2020 

Dear Ahmer, Thank you for your fine work with the website honoring your grandfather. As a humble tribute, I can say that generations of scholars internationally, including me, have learned so much from his excellent research and deep insights about key topics and issues in Indian history.   (Alas, I never had the honor of meeting him). All the best, Michael.

Dr. Michael Fisher, Author of "A Short History of the Mughal Empire" & Danforth Professor of History, Emeritus, Oberlin College, MA, USA, December 11th-13th 2019

Dear Mr. Raza, Certainly, one can say that Syed Hasan Askari was an extraordinary scholar who brought to light many sources for the history of Muslim communities in India that are indispensable to our knowledge today. I wish you the best of luck with your project and thank you for having brought it to my attention.

Best regards,

Prof. Blain Auer, Études de l'Islam en Asie du Sud, Section de langues et civilisations slaves et d'Asie du Sud, Faculté des lettres, Université de Lausanne, Switzerland, January 17th, 2020 

Dear Mr. Raza, I wish you all the best with your good work on this. It is good to honour your grandfather’s work in this manner.

Best wishes,

Thomas de Bruijn

 

Dr. Thomas de Bruijn, Author of “Ruby in the Dust: Poetry and History in Padmāvat by the South Asian Sufi Poet Muḥammad Jāyasī” & Policy Advisor at The Accreditation Organisation of the Netherlands and Flanders (NVAO), Hague, Netherlands, March 22nd, 2021

Dear Mr. Raza, I used your grandfather's excellent translation of
T-i-B. I also used the following piece: “Documents Relating to an Old
Family of Sufi Saints in Bihar,” Procs. Ind. Hist. Rec. Com. 26
(1949). Unfortunately, I never met him as he had passed away some years before my entry into graduate school. That said, I commend you for your
efforts. Your grandfather was part of an extraordinary generation of
scholars who were fluent in English, Urdu, Persian and any number of
other languages as well as fastidious scholars. Thanks to their
efforts and generosity, entire archives were opened up to subsequent
generations of scholars (including myself). Best of luck with all your endeavors.
 

ASA Ahmer, Amazing what all has been accomplished. The site is so easy to use and all the links are clean. Many congratulations from UC Berkeley.

 

Best,

Munis

Munis D. Faruqui, Associate Professor, Director of the Institute for South Asia Studies, Sarah Kailath Chair of Indian Studies, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA, December 13th 2019 & October 9th 2020.

Dear Ahmer, Now I regret not to have known so much to put in my biography! I have written an article in French on your grandfather's works, in "du monde musulm Dictionnaire biographique des savants et grandes figures du monde musulan périphérique du XIXème siècle à nos jours". in January 1998. I am going to send you after scanning it. It’s a dictionary of the biographies of great scholars on Islam in countries where Islam is not the main religion. Of course, it’s in French, but it will give you an idea of the work I have done to make the work of Professor Askari known in France. Most of his works I have donated to the CEIAS library in Paris, the best library on India in France.

Sincerely yours,

Catherine SS

Dr. Catherine Servan-Schreiber, Professor, École des hautes études en sciences sociales (School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences), EHESS, Paris, France, December 3rd-5th 2019

Dear Ahmer Raza sahab, That is very exciting news that you are working on a biography of Syed Hasan Askari. This will be an important contribution to the historiography on Urdu and Indo-Muslim history writing! I am thrilled to learn about it. Please let me know if I can be of any other assistance. I'm excited to learn about this project!

Please keep me posted about the progress of your interesting research- I'm so thrilled to be in contact with you and I will certainly let you know when I next pass through southern California. It would be a pleasure to meet you in person.

Profesor Andrew Amstutz, Professor of History (India and Pakistan, Islam, Buddhism), Little Rock, Arkansas, USA, January 5th 2020 & January 26th 2020

Professor Hasan Askari ‘s  articles on extremely complex medieval Indo-Persian texts including Taj-ul-Maasir and Ijaz-i-Khusrawi are his inimitable contribution towards the history of the Delhi Sultanate.  His works on the literary and social history of medieval India have helped me greatly in my research.

Dr. Fouzia Farooq Ahmed, Author of "Muslim Rule in Medieval India: Power and Religion in the Delhi Sultanate" & Assistant Professor, Department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, May 18th 2020

Dear Raza Sahib, Nice to connect with you. Hope the History Learners will benefit from your presence. Excited to know that you are trying to keep alive the legacy of a very tall historian. Do share your inputs and thoughts.

I am a fan of your grand father’s voluminous and important works. My father and he were in contact with each other.

Nadeem 

Professor Dr. Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi, Chairman & Coordinator Centre of Advanced Study in History, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India, April 24th 2019 

Dear Ahmer Raza, Thanks for informing me about your project, and sending me the links to your website about your grandfather. It's a very large project, and I congratulate you on your zeal and devotion to his memory. As for improvements, I have no special advice. I too am constantly catching typos and fixing small mistakes in my own website. But the process always makes me appreciate how much easier that is to do with a website, compared to how it is with a book! Really we're very lucky to have the internet available for our projects.

Yours with congratulations and good wishes,

Fran Pritchett

Professor Dr. Frances Pritchett, Professor Emerita of Modern Indic Languages, Department of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies, Columbia University, New York, USA, January 25th 2020

Dear Mr. Raza,

I am delighted to hear from you and this project commemorating the life and work of Prof. S.H. Askari. He was only someone I had heard of from my teachers, especially Professor Mohammad Amin (St. Stephen’s College Delhi and father of Professor Shahid Amin, of Delhi University). I did not know much more about him, certainly not enough to comment on his prodigious scholarship. The citation you have from my book is the only one I have at this time.

My main interest in Bihar was concerning the borderlands north of Champaran and Gorakhpur and some additional interest in the Bettiah Raj, a little kingdom in Champaran. By the time I began to research on the Anglo-Gorkha war (1994), Prof. Askari had passed on. I came close to his world of scholarship and living when I came to Patna in 1998 and there met Prof. Qeyamuddin Ahmad. Qeyam Saheb was a great inspiration to me and it was his assistance that helped me make a breakthrough in my project. He possessed photos of old British revenue maps that gave me the first glimpse of the old territorial divisions of Mughal Bihar. I believe that Askari Saheb and Qeyam Saheb belonged to a generation of dedicated scholars, teachers, and mentors who produced a rich inheritance of scholarship mixed with generous doses of friendship extended freely to all. Your project is a timely reminder about a generation of scholars whose lives straddled the transition from colonization to independence and whose contributions to South Asian history needs to be commemorated.

I hope this account is of some use to you. I wish you well in your project and it looks like you have already received a number of commendations about you grandfather’s work as a scholar, teacher, friend, and human being.

With every good wish for the success of your project.

Bernardo Michael

Dear Ahmer,

I have scanned some of the materials you have curated here and they constitute a valuable collection of Dr. Askari’s works and contributions to South Asian history. This, indeed, is a labor of love and congratulations on setting this up.

I am sure scholars and readers will find this a treasure trove of rich materials.

With every good wish as you continue this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Bernardo

Dr. Bernardo Michael, Professor of South Asian, World History, Historiography, Ethnographic History, Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, PA, USA, December 9th 2019 & October 10th 2020 

Ahmer, Congratulations on setting up the web site. Well done! 

Dr. Kamran Asdar Ali, Professor of Anthropology, Middle East Studies and Asian Studies and the Director of the South Asia Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA & Dean of  Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences (MGSHSS), Lahore University of Management and Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan, February 4th 2019

Great, Excellent.You have the blessings of your grandfather. I will share this with my friends and colleagues. It's very nice. You're doing great work. 

Very hard work is highly commendable. Thank you for update.

Dr. Syed Ejaz Hussain, Professor & Head, Department of History, Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India, November 28th 2019 & January 31st 2020 & October 10th, 2020

Kamal ka kam kiya hai Ahmer miyan.  I really appreciate your devotion to resurrect the obscure writings of your grandfather. It would be a nice idea to bring all these contributions in a book form. I have read / referred to Prof Askari's works only as per my research requirement. But this comprise only a small tip of his vast reservoir.

Dr. Sanjay Garg, Director of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, at Nur-Sultan (Astana), Kazakhstan, January 19th 2019 / December 15th 2019

I never had the privilege of meeting your grandfather, but everything I knew about him suggested that he was a first-class gentleman and scholar.

I attach here the substantial bibliography (some 200 or more Word pages) of the much-expanded second edition of Historical Dictionary of Sufism (see the link below to 2015 Book). It might be of use to you at some point, and includes a couple of your grandfather's other pieces. You'll see the list of abbreviations and the topical outline of the bibliog, search Askari and there he is, in several of the topic categories.

All the best in your work,

Peace, JRenard

Dr. John Renard, Professor of Theological Studies College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, USA, November 13th 2019

Dear Raza, I would be delighted to help. I have ordered a PDF of the article through my institutional Interlibrary Loan service and will be in touch as soon as it arrives. 

With best wishes,

Barry Flood

Finbarr Barry Flood, Director, Silsila: Center for Material Histories, 4 Washington Square North, New York, USA
William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor of the Humanities, Institute of Fine Arts and Department of Art History, New York University, November 22nd 2019

Dear Sir, Thanks for getting in touch. The citation (Askari, S. H., “Dabistan-i-Mazahib and Diwan-i-Mubad, 1977“ in  “A storm of songs: India and the idea of the Bhakti movement) reveals my debt to your grandfather's work.

Professor John Stratton Hawley, Author of "A storm of songs: India and the idea of the Bhakti movement" & Claire Tow Professor of Religion, Barnard College, Columbia University, NY, USA, December 27th 2019

Dear Syed Ahmer Raza,

I went through my material, and yes, the only reference I found in my texts is to "The Mausoleum of a Saint of the Madari Order of Sufis at Hilsa, Bihar."

As you might have noticed, I did my research on the Madariyya Sufi brotherhood and its founder Shah Madar, who died in the 15th century. The Sufi brotherhood is rather difficult to study as, on the one hand, there are not many authentic and contemporary sources and on the other hand, there is a myriad of legends that make it difficult to establish historical facts. Therefore, I was extremely thankful for this article, as it is the only source that proves Jamal al-Din, an important khalifa of Shah Madar to actually have been a historical figure. I'm sure, if your grandfather wouldn't have made the effort of studying the inscriptions at the shrine, they would have been lost.

There are other articles I find insightful. Your grandfather focused on a time and region that is often neglected in historical research, that is Bihar and Bengal during the 15th and 16th centuries. Furthermore, I think it was Richard Eaton, who pointed out that because of Syed Hasan Askari historians started to consider the letters and malfuzat of Sufis as important historical sources as they contain a lot of relevant information on religious, social as well as political aspects. I completely agree and I'm quite sure that I will refer in my future articles on further articles of your grandfather, such as his discussions of maktubat and malfuzat as historical sources, or " New light on Rajah Ganesh and Sultan Ibrahim Sharqi of Jaunpur from contemporary correspondence of two Muslim Saints". In this regard, the website you created is extremely helpful for scholars as Syed Hasan Askari's discussion of sources often is a good starting point for one's own research.

With best wishes for you and your project,

Ute

Dr. Ute Falasch, Research Fellow at the Center for Religious Studies at Central European University in Budapest, Hungary (Based in Berlin, Germany), April 8th 2020

Dear Ahmer,

Thank you for your email, and your kind words. I was delighted to hear from you, since I have read and learned a great deal from the writings of Dr. Askari - he was truly a rare scholar. I also wanted to write a short note of congratulation on your really excellent website on Dr. Askari. The website is a great resource, and I hope it will be possible to add all of Dr. Askari’s essays on it. In some of his early essays Dr. Askari sometimes mentioned manuscripts in his possession: I have often wondered whether these were donated to local research institutions in Patna, or whether they remain in your family’s possession: if so, it would be wonderful to also have them available online. Also, it would be really wonderful to read an extended biography of Dr. Askari - his youth, how he decided to become a historian, his political views etc. I do hope you will write it if you haven’t done so already. In this light, I will only mention an anecdote related to me by an archivist at Khuda Bakhsh library. He admiringly described your grandfather to me as arriving by foot every day in the library in the morning, and working uninterruptedly until closing time: always humbly dressed and never distracted from his work. A figure worthy of emulation for all of us!

Best wishes,

Abhishek

Abhishek Kaicker, Assistant Professor, Department of History, UC Berkeley, CA, USA, April 14th 2020

Salam Ahmer Sahib,

Thank you for writing to me. I'm glad that you are working to disseminate the works of your illustrious grandfather, whose contribution to medieval Indian studies are tremendous. My maternal grandfather, Prof. Said Ahmad Akbarabadi taught at Muslim University,  Aligarh, where he served as Dean, Faculty of Theology. My father, Prof. Muhammad Aslam served the Dept of history, Univ of the Punjab, Lahore for over 35 years. He also worked on medieval India. My grandfather/Nana and father knew your grandfather. My father also cited the works of Prof Askari. I appreciate your efforts, and will surely share whatever I got hold of. 

Warm regards,

Prof. Dr. Tanvir Anjum, Tenured Professor & Chairperson, Department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, March 25th 2020 

Dear Ahmer, I am honoured to receive your message. I have read some of the works of Prof. Askari and have great regard for him. Regards, Faraz

Prof. Dr. Faraz Anjum, Associate Professor, Department of History & Pakistan Studies, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan, April 1st 2020 

Thank you Mr. Ahmer Raza

I'm happy to communicate with you as Grandson of Great historian and good to listen about my book. Thanks.

Dear Sir,
I visited the above mentioned site and find the web quite informative.
I got some new and important articles of Prof. S.H. Askari sb. I would
like to visit the web time to time.
Thanks a lot
Dr. Tahir Hussain Ansari

Dr. Tahir Hussain Ansari, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Assam University, Diphu Campus, Diphu, Karbi Anglong, Assam, India, November 21st 2019. March 24th 2020.

I never met Professor Askari Saheb, but have read parts of his large corpus of writings, especially while doing my PhD from JNU, New Delhi, 2000. The thesis was published as Sufism, Culture and Politics: Afghans and Islam in Medieval North India, Oxford University Press, 2007. Some of Professor Askari's works have been cited in my book and listed in the bibliography.

Dr. Raziuddin Aquil , Associate Professor, Department of History, University of Delhi, India, November 30th 2019

Dear Sir! 

Thank you so much for writing, it’s really encouraging to hear from you, with such a deep concern.... 

I’m also honored to cite such a great scholar, Dr Askari in my humble piece of writing.

Best, 

Adeela  

Professor Dr. Adeela Ghazanfar, Author of “Sufi Literature as a Source of Social History: A Case Study of 14th Century Text, Siyar Al-Awliyā”, NUST, Islamabad, Pakistan, March 24th 2020.

Dear Syed Ahmer Raza sahib, 
Syed Hasan Askari Sahib 's contributions in enriching historical comprehension are tremendous. Your efforts in exploring his valuable scholarship is commendable and a project of this nature definitely requires support. Let me look carefully and I will do my best to let you know. I will also visit your websites after a short while.  I thank you again,  with my best wishes, 
Tahera 

Dr. Tahera Aftab, PhD, Professor of History/Founding Director Women's Studies, UoK, Pakistan (retd.)., Ed. Pakistan Journal of Women’s Studies, Pakistan, June 12th, 2022

I am Dr. Sampa Ghosh, Assistant Professor of History, Haripal College, West Bengal, India. I am working on Sports History of South Asia. When I was a graduate student, I had read the chapter Sufism in India, then we had reading at a glance of your grandfather's work. Now I refer my students of your grandfather's work on Sufism. Wow.. I loved to know about Prof Syed Askari Historiography Project. I will follow it.. Thank you so much…..

Dr. Sampa Ghosh, Assistant Professor of History, Haripal College, West Bengal, India, December 30th 2022

Dear Ahmer (if I may)

Thank you for the mail and I have fond memories of Askari saheb. I first met him when my father took me to his Sultan Ganj house in my young student days. Askari saheb treated me with affection and encouraged me to read history. My second meeting was longish. He was admitted to Gandhi Eye Hospital in Aligarh for surgery and I visited him there. Soon after I left for England and I could not meet him. He was always talked about by his colleagues and students and had a legendary reputation for simplicity, rigorous research and lucidity. Needless to say I read most of his research and found it to be quite useful.

I will be happy to be of any help in bringing his works to a wider audience and keeping his memory alive.

all good wishes

Najaf

Dr. Najaf Haider, Professor of Medieval and Early Modern History, Centre for Historical Studies. Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, December 12th 2022

 

Renowned historian Syed Hasan Askari (1901–1990), a scholar of medieval India and Sufism, was considered a walking encyclopedia of Persian documents and Persian manuscripts related to medieval India. Along with serious and research writing, he also did excellent work on the provincial history of Bihar. I am reading Askari sahab's writings particularly essays. They are simply illuminating. 

To know in detail about Syed Hasan Askari's historiography, works and life-journey of Syed Hasan Askari, visit the best website focused on his overall work:
https://www.professorsyedhasanaskari.com.

Dr. Shubhneet Kaushik, Assistant Professor, Department of History, Satish Chandra College, (affiliated to Jananayak Chandrashekhar University), Ballia, UP, India, December 9th, 2022, & January 6th 2023

Dear Ahmer,

 

Happy new Year! Thank you very much for your kind email. Congratulations on creating this online archive, it is very useful.

I never met your grandfather, unfortunately, but his chapter on Indo-Persian music is a pioneer piece on the subject. I simply cited that chapter in my article in 2006 among other earlier works on the subject. His work is now more meaningful to me after I started the Indo-Persian music project at UCLA. I’d love to have digital copies of his work on music, including the one that I have cited, thank you very much.

Thanks again, wish you good luck!

 

Best wishes,

Mohsen

 

Dr. Mohsen Mohammadi, Ph.D. ,Director of Indo-Persian Music, Department of Ethnomusicology, Assistant Director, Center for India and South Asia (CISA), UCLA, Los Angeles, USA, January 17th, 2023 

Hello, I am interested in Prof. Askari's research on Raja Ramnarain.. Hello! Thank you so much for your message! I apologize for the late reply. I did receive the list of references and found them very helpful. Professor Askari's series of articles in the Indian Historical Quarterly are very helpful to my work and I am benefitting from them now. I am working on a paper on the aftermath of the campaign of Plassey. Your website is excellent. I'm always interested in correspondence with anyone studying the Bengal Subah during the eighteenth century. Very best regards,. 
Dear Ahmer, Thank you so very much for this; the listing of citations that you gave was quite helpful. I do see some articles by Prof. Askari beyond those about which I already knew, and some are indeed quite relevant. I very much appreciate your help. I am a scholar of the Seven Years' War as a global conflict, and am especially interested in the Bengal campaign of 1756-57. Having worked on this subject before, I believe that Raja Ramnarain's actions and capabilities are one of the "missing links" in the understanding of that war of Anglo-American scholars. Indian scholars, however, like Prof. Askari have done important work on him and Anglo-American scholars really need to integrate his scholarship into the American scholarship on the Seven Years War, which remains unfortunately too myopic. I am hoping to help rectify that, and access to Askari's work from the mid-twentieth century is critical. Thank you again so very much for what you do! Very best regards, Mark
Dr. Mark Danley, PhD, Co-editor of
, “The Seven Years' War, Global Views”, NY, USA, January 15th, 2023 
 

I don't know who has initiated the work in this regard - this website in the name of Askari sahab. My heartfelt thanks to him or them.  I adored him so much. My poem 'Itihasvid' (in Bengali) collected in a book in 1984, was about him. I take this opportunity to show my respects to him, again.  
Much later I knew, that for Medieval Bihar, hi
s works are the only reference point for historians all over the world.

Bidyut Kumar Pal, Patna, Bihar, India, Saturday, April 6th 2019

I am a Bengali poet. Remain engaged in literary and journalistic writings in three languages, Bengali, Hindi and English. Have some books published. Presently Editor of Behar Herald, an old weekly English tabloid. Earlier I was an employee of one public sector bank. When working as a clerk in the Patna University branch of Allahabad Bank, as duty-rotation, I could get the chance of serving him. Whenever he came to the bank I was awed. Such a great man in front of me, across the counter? I do not remember but in some of my articles I might have used his name also to expose the prevailing scenario of intellectual corruption and dishonesty. He is the only authority on medieval Bihar. It was only on his reference used by Bedar sahab of Khuda Bakhsh Library, I became interested to translate 'Dildar ke dohe' in Bengali.

Bidyut Kumar Pal, Editor of Behar Herald, Patna, Bihar, India, Monday, January 30th 2023


Sir, as committed, I translated the poem as per my ability. It was written 45 years ago, hence there are so many weaknesses and fascinations with ideology in the poem. However, here it is. Since word file can't be sent through Messenger, I uploaded the poem in blog. Here is the link:
https://bidyutpal.blogspot.com/2023/01/the-historian.html

Bidyut Kumar Pal, Editor of Behar Herald, Patna, Bihar, India, Monday, February 1st 2023

 

 

 

Great efforts. Congratulations. The website looks great. 

Dr. Syed Asghar Mehdi, Author of "Rural Communities Himalayan Tourism" and Associate Professor, Department of Tourism, Mewar University, Rajasthan,  India, January 31st 2019

Life History of a Historian. Ahmer - gargantuan task! You’ve made your own mark too.  Wonderful job and great achievement. So happy to see the results of your perseverance over the last few years. Ahmer, youngest son of Sanjeeda Baji/Abid Bhai who has done a monumental work in last three years in preserving Professor Askari's (my Phupha) historical work for the modern cyber world with no territorial boundaries. Ahmer's work shows his love and dedication for his family and its intellectual heritage. Great effort and three cheers for Ahmer. 

Ahmer, This is a splendid effort and a true compliment that will record his (Professor Askari's) name and work for generations to benefit from. Bravo. 

Ahmer, Great stuff. All of us, young & old, would (now) know more about Professor Askari's academic accomplishments. Professor Askari's achievements are common assets and we are very proud of him. Most of the people would be very pleased to know the website, his work and lifetime achievements. 

Ahmer, great stuff and very well deserved compliments from professors/researchers on your 3 years of hardwork in compiling Phupha's work. Well done 

Syed Zawar Haider, February 1st 2019, November 28th 2019, December 14th 2019

Zaiba Haider, Karachi, Sind,  Pakistan, February 1st, 2019

Zaiba N Zawar Haider, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan, February 6th 2019 & November 28th 2019

 

Found it easy to read and search. All the details of libraries having his (Professor Askari's) work was impressive and useful. 

Comprehensive picture of his work and achievements. I went through the website again on laptop to read with special focus ..... if anything is missed, but find it detailed and methodically documented.

The learned and concerned Scholars/ Professors are full of praise for the remarkable consolidation of your Nana’s work. Definitely requires great deal of perseverance. Self- motivated research is even more difficult . Shows your passion and diligence you inherited from your nana. I know it requires a different mindset to research on totally different topic. You must have put lot if effort and time. I know ..... you are driven by passion and sharing that.

You also have good interpersonal skills otherwise its difficult to retrieve so much sitting in other end of world.

Nudrat Sheikh, Islamabad, Pakistan, February 4th 2019 / August 16th, 2019, December 14th, 2019

Dear Ahmer, I am so happy to see your work on Askari Nana.

Yours is the first attempt to collect Nana's history on this medium.

Surely we will now be able to read his works, otherwise he was getting lost.

Heartiest Congratulations.

Shakeel Hussain, Islamabad, Pakistan, November 28th 2019

What a great effort by Ahmer, truly amazing. I had always heard that Phuppa was a renowned Historian and and an eminent scholar who had won many Presidential and National awards but  reading thru the reviews of distinguished international scholars, I realized that he was a extraordinary scholar, of an international repute, a pride for not only his immediate family but for the whole family, community and his province Bihar.
Mrs Salma Jawed, Lahore, Pakistan, November 28th 2019

Indeed high quality commendable work Ahmar. You and Phupa (Prof. Askari) have made us proud of your contribution.

Naqi Mustafa, Karachi, Pakistan, November 28th 2019

 

Oh, such a nice compilation even after his (Professor Syed Hasan Askari's) death on 28th, November, 1990, Bravo.

Bravo Ahmar! Your research in a field much different from your own, can be specially categorized as a genius effort. Keep it up. 

Syed Najam Askari, Brighton, UK, January 31st 2019 & November 28th 2019

 

Going thru website for past hour, overwhelming ... I mean in an impressive and emotional way! Such vast work done by my Dada Abba (Prof. Askari). And such vast work you (Ahmer) have been putting in.

Dr. Asiya Kabir, New York, USA, March 18th 2020

 

 

Thanks Ahmer. Congrats on successfully completing the website project. It is your extraordinary interest which has given the result and you deserve full admiration. 

Great efforts of you (Ahmer) have made it possible and you really deserve laurels. Jitni bhi tumhari taareef ki jae kam hogi kyonke Prof. Askari ko tumhare efforts ne unke death ke taqriban 30 years baad bhi jaise zindagi dedi hai, mashaallah,well done.

Wonderful. Your devoted work has been duly rewarded. Congratulations. Message contents are great tributes to Professor Askari who looked so simple and down to earth but was a real great soul and without your efforts by creating his dedicated website, who would have known him for his works as the only reference point in medieval India all over the world.

I find myself short of words in praise of you for the interest and dedication you have in nana abba's works.Everyday there are new additions which are being made available to the researchers of present generation in nana abbas field and your contribution towards this is commendable.

Great and continuous efforts have been made by you as a result of which nana abba's research works are made easily available internationaly for reseachers of present time. We are always short of words to give credit for your endevours. Please do keep up and complete the project to your entire satisfaction.

Mumtaz Amir, Patna, India, January 31st 2019 / April 1st 2019 / April 2nd 2019 / April 6th 2019 / December 15th 2019 / February 25th 2020

Very well articulated website. 

Aamir Ishaq, Irvine, California, USA, January 31st 2019

Ahmer, Best Wishes. Your efforts in designing the web site has started bearing fruits. Many more professors will acknowledge your hard work and get benefited with his (Professor Askari's) work. For us it is always a matter of pride. Our blessings are always with you. 

ماشااللہ،احمر کی محنت کی جتنا تعریف کی جائے کم ہے.

It appears a heart felt message. Thanks Ahmar. You have really done great. Made Professor Askari alive in our heart.

Really a commendable job Ahmar.You deserve a heartiest congratulation from us.

Dr. Imtiaz Amir, Patna, Bihar, India, January 31st 2019 / February 12th 2019 / April 6th 2019 / December 14th 2019

Great work done (on the website). 

Great work done by you Ahmar in compiling such huge and important data/information related to (Professors Askari's) work !!!

Great reviews by such renowned scholars! Congrats Ahmer for such a great work! Correct and what a marvelous work done! Hope you pursue this field academically also since you have a interest and a knack of it!

Javed Mohsin, Delhi, India, January 31st 2019 / February 12th 2019 / December 14th 2019

Impressive and well deserved. Thanks. 

Dr. Izhar Mustafa, Rochester, New York, USA, January 31st 2019

Good reading. He (Professor Askari) really was a great man. 

Jameel Hussain, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan, January 31st 2019

Great job! 

Mohsin Ali, Delhi, India, January 31st 2019

Wow!! What an amazing work, so proud of you. Thanks for sharing. It is good to see your dedication. Ahmer’s research is really commendable. Hats off for you Ahmerfor your good work & dedication ,your Nana must be very happy up there too. RIP Askari Nana 

Firdaus Mustafa, Rochester, New York, USA, January 31st 2019 & November 28th 2019

Awesome effort. Thanks. 

Syed Nasir Raza, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, January 31st 2019

"Great work!" 

Dr. Syed Mansur Raza, Geneva, Switzerland, January 31st 2019

Looks great. Thanks for doing this. 

Ashar Ali, Toronto, Canada, January 31st 2019

Thanks Ahmer. Tumhari wajah se (Professor Askari) ke bare me bahot kuch janne ka mauqa mila. 

Rumana, New Delhi, India, January 31st 2019

Great! 

Rubab Amir, Bhagalpur, India, January 31st 2019

"Really great work done (on the website) by Ahmer single handedly.

Syed Muhammad Ali, Patna, Bihar, India, January 31st 2019

It (website) looks great! A few of my friends are history buffs and I had sent them to the Facebook page before. I can redirect them to the website now! 

Ashar Javed, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, January 31st 2019

Good job. Really put in a lot of effort. 

Dr. Sakina Fatma Raza, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA, February 1st 2019

This is amazing, Ahmer. Thanks for sharing. You have done a massive project, so inspiring. 

Atia Naqvi, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan, February 1st 2019 &  November 28th, 2019

Good efforts on the website.

Ahmed Saeed, Perth, Australia, February 3rd 2019

I did look (at) this website over and it is amazing what he (Professor Askari) has done. Well, great job (on website). That is really really awesome. 

Fatima Kazmi, Queen Creek, Arizona, USA, February 4th 2019

Love the website! Thank you for putting this all together. Commendable effort! 

Sharmeen Fatma, Los Angeles, California, USA, February 5th 2019

Good job!

Riffat Masood, Tehran, Iran, February 6th 2019

Great brother. Proud of you.

Mukesh Meghwar, Kapri Mori, Sind, Pakistan, February 6th 2019

Great work. Congratulations!

Tehmina Janjua, Islamabad, Pakistan, Wednesday, February 6th 2019

Checked the website, Ahmer. You have done a wonderful job highlighting the contributions (of Professor Askari). His work is truly admirable. Thanks for bringing it to us. You have done an amazing job putting Phuppa's extraordinary accomplishments together. He was an amazing man. I wish I could have spent some time with him.

Wali Haider, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, February 6th 2019 & Novmeber 28th, 2019

Ahmer, great work by you. Following the footsteps of the Great Professor Askari. Keep up the good work.

Pervez Hasnain, Toronto, Canada, February 6th 2019

Great work Ahmer, it is really commendable for you to compile such data.

Dr. Asghar Naqvi, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan, February 6th 2019

Congratulations on completing such an important project to capture his (Professor Askari's) life and his achievements.

Dr. Mukhtar Haider, New Jersey, USA, February 6th 2019

"This is great."

Tarique Jamal, Patna, Bihar, India, February 7th 2019

"WOW! - So proud of him (Professor' Askari's) work !!!"

Guriya Syeda Shakeel, Islamabad, Pakistan, February 12th 2019

You (Ahmer) did a great job.

Abis Amir, Delhi, India, February 14th 2019

Tumhari (Ahmer) mehnat rang la rahi hai thank you Ahmer.

Razia Fatima Haider, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan, February 18th 2019

Sir, I want to read all the books by Prof Askari.

Ahmer Rizvi, India, March 26th 2019

Hi Sir/Madam, Good Evening, I am looking for a copy of Sirat e Firoz shahi in English. Kind of you. I am trying to do some research on Oiniwar dynasty of Mithila, which had a branch in Champaran. The book Sirat e Firozsahi seems to have some information around that . Mr Askari has been pioneer of some of fundamental research in Bihar history and have got very astonishing papers on Oiniwars (one I read been quoted to have related to Shiva Singh and his sons ...very rare information).

Suyasham Kumar, India, 

Even after nearly three decades of his death and no promotional efforts from any of his kith & kin, friends etc, Prof. Askari being remembered for his dedication.......Ahmar you also really deserve to be thanked for your efforts!!!!! BRAVO

Syed Najam Askari, Brighton, UK, April 2nd 2019

Thanks to you Ahmar.  Professor Askari ka qabile fakhar nam ham hir se sunne lage hain.

Razia Fatima Haider, Karachi, Sind, Pakistan, April 6th 2019

The feedback/inquiries below were first received through the Website and then got compiled after the support email follow ups.  


Dear Ahmer sahib, Assalam U Alaikum
Can u please provide me the following article: Political significance of the movement of Syed Ahmad Barelvi  by Professor Syed Hasan Askari, Published in Proceedings Volume, Indian Historical Records Commission, Vol. xxxi, 1955. I have read the reference of this article in the book “The Wahabi movement in India”. I’m from Karachi (Pakistan), these days I’m working to correct a bibliography (Ulema Ahle Hadith hind aur in ki tasneefi khidmaat علمائے اہل حدیث ہند اور ان کی تصنیفیخدمات).This bibliography was printed from Banaras (India), it contains more than 4000 books. My work on this bibliography is under the final process. It’s pleasure to correspond with peoples like you.May Allah bless Syed Askari and grant him paradise and showers his blessings and prosperity on your efforts. I’m thankful to you, May Allah rewards u with goodness.
السلام علیکم
محترم امید ہے آپ بخیر و عافیت سے ہوں گے۔
راقم کو تحریک سید احمد شہید سے بہت لگاؤ ہے۔ اس حوالے بنیادی مآخذ اور بڑے دانشوروں (مثل سید حسنعسکری وغیرہ) کے خیالات اس بابت جاننے اور ان سے استفادہ کرنے کی کوشش میں رہتا ہوں۔ جناب سیدحسن عسکری صاحب کے مضمون کا حوالہ جناب قیام الدین احمد کی کتاب میں پڑھا تھا، جس دن حوالہپڑھنے میں آیا تھا اسی دن سے اس مضمون کی تلاش میں تھا لیکن تقدیر میں یہی تھا کہ آپ تک پہنچ جاؤں۔
میرے علم میں اس تحریک سے متعلق عسکری صاحب کا یہ واحد مضمون ہے۔ اگر آپ کے علم میں مزید کچھہو تو آگاہ فرمایے گا۔
آپ کا شکریہ ادا کرنے کے لیے الفاظ نھیں، آپ کے خصوصی تعاون سے مجھے بیٹھے بیٹھے یہ مضمون ملگیا۔
شکریہ
Source: Shujauddin, Multiple Emails/Website Chat
, Karachi, Pakistan, December 11th, 2022



(From Prof. Dr. Razi Naqvi, Norway)
Janab Ahmar Saheb
My affiliation: Norwegian University of Science and Technology. I am an internationally recognized physicist, but I am also interested in other scholarly topics. Have a look at the first page of the attachment to get some impression of my non-professional output. Please be so kind as to send me a copy of the "New Light on Raja Ganesh ..." article.
Many thanks for your prompt response. I had noticed that your copy came from Professor Eaton, whose works I have been studying recently.  I will familiarize myself with the contents of the sites to which you have directed me, and you will hear from me in due course.
Best regards
Prof. Dr. Razi Naqvi
Department of Physics, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Realfagbygget, D3-190, Gløshaugen, Høgskoleringen 5, Trondheim, Norway, 
Source: Prof. Dr. Razi Naqvi, Multiple Emails/Website Chat
, Norway, June 29th, 2022.


Hello Sir, 
Myself Harshit Mudgal I did my Studies from Jamia Millia Islamia University, New Delhi. These days I am writing a research article on Patronage and Naukri enjoyed by Non-Muslims under Later Mughal ( Highlighting tolerance and Syncretism in 18th century). For this I need Photocopy of following works of late Prof S H Askari Sahib -
1. Iqbalnama (translation) Janki Prakashan. 
2. Fort William India house correspondence 1787-91) 
3. Any book on biography of Prof. S Askari. 
Sir Plz accept by request 
Thanks a lot Sir. Being a Historian I understand importance of the sources. Soon I will share link of my draft to you before getting it published so that it can be checked by you. Thanks a lot again Sir, 
Yours Truly and Always obedient,
Harshit Mudgal 
Source: Harshit Mudgal, Multiple Emails/Website Chat, New Delhi, India, July 17th, 2022

 


Hello Sir, 
Hello sir, I am a History enthusiast I have been indebted to the works and translations of great scholar, Syed Hasan Askari. It is my humble request that a translation prepared in book by Syed Hasan Askari 'Iqbalnama by an Anonymous Contemporary Writer' be made available to users on internet for the common benefit of scholars and students. I personally need "Iqbalnama by an Anonymous Contemporary Writer' for my research in early later Mughal period. Please make it available urgently, Thanks
Thanks for response. My name is Ahwal Singh I am from Punjab, India i am currently studying in twelfth grade, my research is quite personal and simple "The Sikh rebellion through Mughal eyes" its objective is to analyse structure of command, nature and goals of first large scale Sikh rebellion (1709-1715) led by Banda Singh Bahadur as observed by Persian writers including Akhbar-navis or Waqia-navis in Mughal service/patronised. Since I am not good in Persian at all I been collecting digital copy (PDF) of Punjabi and English translation of primary Persian sources of Later Mughal period by expert Historians such as Syed Hasan Askari who's translation carries much credibility and accuracy. I know it is bit weird that I am just a student not of that big level and not from a well-known education institution. But I hope you will understand me, sorry for any inconvenience. Thanks for replying I am very grateful for that and will wait for your reply sir.
Hello Sir, thank you very much for the document. I am sincerely grateful for your friendly response and interest, I am currently living in Beas in Punjab. My future plans for now are uncertain, I will keep you updated on my project and also keep following your amazing, dedicated project to Sir Syed Hasan Askari.
Source: Ahwal Singh, Multiple Emails/Website Chat
, India, May 12th, 2022


Good morning sir. 
I am currently a post graduate student in Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. I have a short assignment based on Tajul Maasir and Tabqat i Nasiri a history of the Delhi Sultanate. If you can please provide it to me it would be a great help. Thank you so much sir. Very kind of you. 
Thank you. 

Source: Ramsha Fatima, Multiple Emails/Website Chat, India, May 12, 2022
 

HI
My name is Anjana. I am a blogger and history enthusiast. I would like to get the pdf of copies of Prof. Askari's Research Articles. Can I get the dropbox link as mentioned in the website...
Regards
Anjana
Source: Anjana, Website Chat
, India, April 21st, 2021
 


Hello! i am a postdoctoral researcher in history at McGill University. I am making an inquiry on behalf of a friend of mine who is researching on Sufism. Do you have a soft copy of Prof. Syed Hasan Askari's article ''Hazrat Abdul Quddus Gangohi'' published in the Patna University Journal (1957)? Kind regards, Archisman Chaudhuri
Dear Raza,
Thank you so much for your help, and for such a wonderful gesture. I will share this essay with my friend who requested it. May God bless you and keep you healthy in these difficult times! Once more, thank you very much.
Kind regards,
Archisman
Source: Archisman Chaudhuri, Multiple Emails/Chat, Canada, December 14th, 2020


Hello, thank you for this interesting website. I am interested in Professor Askari's publications on Raja Ramnarain.  I am interested in Prof. Askari's research on Raja Ramnarain.

Hello! Thank you so much for your message! I apologize for the late reply. I did receive the list of references and found them very helpful. Professor Askari's series of articles in the Indian Historical Quarterly are very helpful to my work and I am benefitting from them now. I am working on a paper on the aftermath of the campaign of Plassey.
Your website is excellent. I'm always interested in correspondence with anyone studying the Bengal Subah during the eighteenth century.
Very best regards,
Mark
Source: Mark Danley, Multiple Emails/Website Chat, NY, USA, Jan 6th, 2023


Dear Sir,
Introducing myself: Sagar Srivastava, a researcher working under Roy Kapur Films, Mumbai. I'm working on a video project based on the life and times of Raja Birbal, one of Mughal Emperor Akbar's Navratnas. While doing the preliminary research, I came across your website, a historiography on the late Professor Syed Hasan Askari, compiled and thoroughly researched. The reason why I am reaching out to you is because Prof. Askari had written Foreword to the book 'Life and Times of Raja Birbal', by Parmeshwar Prasad Sinha (1980), and hence it would be of immense help if you could give us some valuable information in this direction. We are also looking to connect to other historians who have studied immensely on Raja Birbal, as this part of Mughal history is less-explored. We would love to get on a phone call with you to discuss this further, as my team would like to engage with your expertise in the subject we are dealing with. The following are the phone numbers of mine and the creative team:
Akshat Bhuta: xxxxxxxxxx
Sagar Srivastava:  xxxxxxxxxx
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Regards,
Sagar Srivastava
Hello sir, 
Thank you very much for sharing this information. I shall look into it and will get back to you in case I need to ask any questions. 

Regards,
Sagar
Source: Sagar Srivastava, Multiple Emails, India, August 21st, 2021

 

Sir, I want to read all the book by Prof askari. If you have in pdf format please mail me.

Source: Ahmer Rizvi, Website Chat, September 16th, 2023

Hi, Please I'm requesting a soft copy of Zain Khan's Tabaqat-i Baburi.

Source: Enas Ali, Website Chat October 4th, 2023

 

Salaam. Is the Nuskha (Khulasat-ul-Ansab) - (Urdu) available?

Many thanks for your prompt reply. I went through the article in the link you shared and it is very helpful.

Jazaka'Allah,

Zubair Khalid.

Source: Zubair Khalid, Website Chat, September 16th, 2023

 

I don't know who has initiated the work in this regard - this website in the name of Askarisahab. My heartfelt thanks to him or them. The years were 1975 onwards. I remember his walking slowly towards home, coming out from Khuda Baksh Library at around 1 or 2 PM. While he slowly crossed the railings of University Library campus, I used to look at him from other side of the road. He would be holding some books with the right arm, while the torn brown package of some book would be clung by his left armpit, through which a sheaf of grass or other outgrowths peeped - those used to be for his cow, we were said. And then numerous humorous stories about him! I adored him so much. My poem 'Itihasvid' (in Bengali) collected in a book in 1984, was about him. I take this opportunity to show my respects to him, again. Much later I knew, that for Medieval Bihar, his works are the only reference point for historians all over the world.

Source: Bidyut Kumar Pal, Website Chat, April 6th, 2019

*******************************************

Comments from family members of Prof. Askari after reviewing the texts from website based chat and emails.

Really amazing that based on his nana abba's works on so divergent historical chapters that so many present historical researchers (both young and experienced) are seeking advice of Ahmer beta, who himself has an engineering background, and going to show their draft papers before being sent for publishing. Not only amazing but a great lesson for all of us and that the Almighty has the desired gene in his grandson to collect his laborious research works. They are so useful to present researchers. Masha Allah. Good bless Ahmer beta.

Source: Najam Askari, India, January 12th 2023

*******************************************

 

Our engineer beta ab profesor ban gao. Ketna maza aya etne student dekh kar.  Allah lambe umar de. Aameen. Aur khoya khazana upar kro. Ameen.

Source: Aquila Fatma, India, January 12th 2023

*******************************************

Great ! Amazing! So diverse people looking at his works! It is really amazing!

Source: Javed Mohsin, India, January 12th 2023

*******************************************

Professor Syed Hasan Askari Memorial Lecture (Web Based), on November 27th, 2022

 

Sir, your lecture was quite useful. We all enjoyed it a lot. Thanks a lot, Sir.

Dr. Suman Kumar, Director BSA, India

 

 

That was an extremely informative presentation, dear Ahmer. All the best for the continued great work, carrying the legacy of the Great Master and helping the historical research worldwide.

Dr. Sanjay Garg, India

 

 

I am thankful to you for letting us know about the programme. It was a good experience.

Prof. Dr. Ishrat Alam, India

 

 

Good to see you there. Regret missing.

Thanks. They had asked me, at the last moment, to join as a guest. But I had to seek apology. I am now in the other meeting hall.

Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, India

 

 

Congratulations!!!

Prof. Dr. Nripendra Kr. Shrivastava, India

 

 

Congratulations!

Prof. Dr. Tahir Ansari, India

 

Sir it was an excellent presentation. Full of information. Thanks for bringing all of works of Prof. Askari sb. 's at a single platform.I am grateful to you for making part of this great project.

Prof. Dr. Nazer Aziz Anjum, India
 

 

Excellent one

I was connected sir. I'm in being fortune as I was the part of this great exercise. Many many thanks.

Dr. Debraj Chakraborty, India

 

 

Thank you so much Raza sir for sharing the program's link. The program was so enlightening and enriching to me, enjoyed it thoroughly. And also thankful for your acknowledgement! 

Nagwant Singh, India

 

Wow great.May you excel more and most 

Motia Khan, Pakistan

 

 

Thanks Ahmar

Tumne itna mehnat karke aaj itne dinon baad phir Nana abba ka naam roshan kia ab Nana abba ke saath tum par bhi humlogon ko bahut fakhr hai Allah tumlogon ko heyat sehat ke saath achcha rakhe, aameen.

Seemi Afroze, India

 

 

Humne ar tumhare Ayaz Bhai ne tumhari sari mehnat ko dekha. Nana jo ek gumnam shaksiat hogaye the tumne kitne achche se unki ek ek cheez ko sbke samne rakha. tareef h tumhari. wah. allah tumhe hr tarah ki kamyabi de. ameen 

Taranum Fatma, India

 

Salaam Ahmer,  I enjoyed listening to Dr. Bharti Kumar Sahiba. Dr. Ejaz Hussain Sahib’s words on your efforts and achievements were spot on. Congratulations on introducing this fellowship programme. 

Nudrat Sheikh, Pakistan 


 

Ahmar masha allah, sub log ke taref karne sai tumhare dil khush ho gya, nate ho to aisa. ejaz ne to imam husain ke mesal tumhare leye de. eske allawa tumhare speech bhe logon ko pasand aye.  allah tumko aur himat jazba paida kre ameen.

Aquila Mohsin, India

 

This absolutely amazing and thanks for all your great efforts to bring so many hidden work of dada abba in front of the world . We all are proud of you Ahmar and we all pray for you to give strength and health to continue your extraordinary work in this area . Thanks again for remembering me also ..Allah tumhe aur taraqqi de yehi humari dua hai.

Amber Askari, India

 

Masha Allah. Appreciate your effort which is incredible.

Akbar Askari, India

 

MashaAllah, Highly appreciable. Keep on shining Ahmar bhai

Samina Mohsin, India

 

 

We are proud that the webinar is going on Nana Abba's works every year and you are always part of the webinar.

I am really sorry that I could not become part of it because of a meeting yesterday at the same time.

Hope the same has concluded nicely.

Would really had loved to listen you...

Anyways, if possible the video clips may be sent if available.

Nawaz Amir, India

 

  

Great Ahmar...Immense pride for you and the entire family member.

Your contribution is remarkable indeed.

You have brought Nana abba from past to present.

I recite sura e fatiha every Thursday.Your way of esal e sawab is also remarkable

Great effort...

Rabab Amir, India

 

 

Ahmar Beta hamne zoom par dekha aur suna hai MashaAllah

Tanweer Askari, India

 

 

Great honour to you & entire family. Thanks & Regards

Rumi Askari, India 

 

 

Excellent

Jaffer Askari, India 

 

 

Pahle connect nahi hua,dobara awaaz nahi ayee,jab Ejaz speech de rahe the.Jab connect hua to aakhri speaker mile.Afsos rah gaya.

Ab you tube par search karenge.

Imtiaz Amir, India  

 

Bahot khoob, Zaroor agar yahan kujhwa mein net raha.I could also listen the programme to a greater extent, it was very good.

Besides sound knowledge of their subject, they showed plenty of love and affection towards Nana. Admirable

S. M. Ali, India 

 

 

Salam and thanks for the information but I couldn't join the virtual presentation due to internet issues. I'm grateful to you for this remarkable accomplishment. You are doing a great job for future researchers by collecting the work written by your Nana and my dada the great historian of India.

Saba Naseem, Pakistan


Great achievement Ahmer good job done and continue your efforts

You are doing a great job. Mashallah.

Dr. Asghar Naqvi, Pakistan

 

All the best Ahmer. 

So proud of your great effort and its results.

Zaiba Haider, Pakistan

 

Thanks for the invitation and do send the recording or synopsis if available or possible. Thanks

Zawar Haider, Pakistan

 

Dear Ahmer,

You are doing a pioneering work in retaining the name of an intellectual in our family. Thank you and very well done. Do share clip of the event.

Prayers  for you and family

Shakeel Hussain, Pakistan

 

 

Great job. I am at Radiological seminar. Will try to get connected.

I was on line for some time intermittently. Heard some very good remarks about nana from Dr. Bharti Kumar. Thanks for informing me.

Jameel Hussain, Pakistan.

  

Congratulations!

Sufia Askari, England

 

 

Great!

Javed Mohsin, India

***********

Professor Syed Hasan Askari (1901-1990), Post Graduate Fellowship Endowment for Research Scholars, Department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan, (November / December, 2022)

Dear Ahmer,
This Fellowship initiative is splendid! What an appropriate way of continuing Askari Sahib’s distinguished legacy into the future! Many congratulations.
Best regards,

Dick
Professor Dr. Richard M. Eaton, Author of "India in the Persianate Age, 1000-1765", Department of History, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

 

 

Dear Ahmer
Thanks for informing me about this new graduate fellowship directed to honoring and enhancing the extraordinary legacy of your Nana Abba.
May this initiative, like all your efforts for Professor S.H. Askari, succeed at every level.
With best wishes, and warm regards,
Professor Bruce
Bruce B Lawrence, Marcus Family Humanities Professor of Religion Emeritus, Duke University, USA

 

 

 

Dear Ahmer,
I’m glad to see your project moving forward, and I think it’s wonderful.
That would allow Prof. Askari’s legacy to be a living one, inspiring new research on topics that were important to him.
Best wishes,
Nile
Prof. Nile Green, UCLA, USA

 

 

Dear Ahmer,

What a fantastic and noble thing to do! I wish all the luck and success to the endowment. Thank you for setting it up. That is to say, the endowment will generally support interpretive work but if there is groundbreaking work of historical research that brings to the fore new data or resources. What a wonderful endeavor.

Regards,

Adnan.

Adnan Malik, Curator and Cataloger for the South Asia Collection, South/Southeast Asia Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA  USA

 

 

Wow, Great achievement, all the credit goes to you, you not only fulfilled your mother's debt but also immortalized Professor Askari Sahab forever. I salute your efforts 

Prof. Dr. Nripendra Kr. Shrivastava, Magadh University, India

 

 

I appreciate your efforts. You are an inspiration for me, as my late father was also a medievalist, who taught at University of the Punjab for 35 years. I have also started a need based scholarship for students in his name.

Prof. Dr. Tanvir Anjum, Department of History, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan

 

 

I am really so thankful to you. It’s a big achievement and a breakthrough in the academic endeavour in the name of a great great scholar.

Prof. Dr. Sunita Sharma, Patna University, India

 

 

Great. Hearty Congratulations!

Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, KBL, Patna, India

 

 

Congratulations. 

Professor Dr. Bharti Kumar,  Former Dean & Head of the Department of History, Patna University, India

 

 

Great initiative.

Prof. Dr. Faraz Anjum, Punjab University, Pakistan

 

 

Excellent, Salute you sir

Dr. Debraj Chakraborty, India

 

 

Qaid e Azam University,Pakistan has started a fellowship in the name of nana abba, in collaboration with Prof Askari Historiography project started by Ahmar Raza. This project has got worldwide recognition, and universities of repute worldwide have sent letters of appreciation and their participation in different forms. Ahmar has done a wonderful job in this regard and deserves appreciation.

Syeda Shakeel Hussain, Islamabad, Pakistan

 

 

Just read the details about the setting up of Prof Askari Endowment Fellowship at Quaid e Azam University, Islamabad. What a magnificent development and all credit goes to you. Incredible feat Ahmer. Congratulations and a job VERY WELL DONE. Heartiest Congratulations to you and all of Phupha Jan’s offsprings. May the generations to come continue to benefit from his works.Awesome!
This is equally historic. All your hard work has borne fruit and a new chapter of research and learning has started in Pakistan. I hope and pray that the institution and its students will value it to the utmost.

Zaiba Zawar, Pakistan

 

 

Congrats. Absolutely amazing work by you Ahmer. It needs a lot of dedication and time. How you are managing all these is unbelievable.

Amber Askari, India

 

You specially deserve to be congratulated for this historiography project. Masha Allah.

Najam Askari, Patna, India

 

 

Wah ahmar, har kuch din par tum to bahut bade bade kaam kar kar rahe ho Nana Abba ke tumhare project se connected. Jitni bhi tumhe credit di jae woh kam hi hogi,dekhen abhi aage tumhe kahan kahan se is silsile me recognition milta hai

Mumtaz Amir, Patna, India

 

 

It is a great news Ahmar,and a matter of pride for the entire family.Only your effort and dedication made it possible. Lots of duas.Allah taufeeqat me aur izafa kare.Amee, Wah,Allah tumhe is mehnat ka ajr ataa kare. Ameen.

Imtiaz Amir, Patna, India

 

Big milestone, everything is happening only because of you

Razia Fatma Haider, Karachi, Pakistan

 

 

Just read the very exciting news abt the fellowship at Quaid-e-Azam university in your nana’s name. That is wonderful news, such a tremendous honor as a result of your efforts. Well done Ahmer bhai.

Farhan Mustafa, Baltimore, MD, USA

 

 

Wonderful job Ahmer he is on this project for some time and got the result of his hard work. Commendable job Mashallah!

Dr. Asghar Naqvi, Karachi, Pakistan

 


Congratulations Ahmer. What a great effort.

Tehmina Janjua, Islamabad, Pakistan

 

Great . Ahmer you deserve for following up on these initiatives

Jameel Hussain, Pakistan

 

Good news!

Nudrat Sheikh, Pakistan

 

Wow

Sheeba Akram, Pakistan

 

Wah mashaallh

Aquila Fatma, India

 

Wow ! great work. appreciate your dedication!

Sufia Askari, UK

 

 

Wah that's great news 

Saba Naseem, Pakistan

 

 

Wah,Allah tumhe is mehnat ka ajr ataa kare.Ameen.

Imtiaz Amir, India

 

 

Great news!

Things are getting institutionalized from where they will sustain itself

Javed Mohsin, India

 

 

Great

Syed Mohammad Ali, India

 

 

Very nice!

Saba Amir, USA

 

 

Good

Nawaz Amir, India

 

 

Congratulations! Well deserved recognition!

Carol L Acedo, Texas, USA

 

 

 

Indeed!

Zehra Fatma Haider, Karachi, Pakistan

 

Well done Ahmar 

Azhar Naqvi, Karachi, Pakistan

 

Ahmer, Zabardast

Zawar Haider, Karachi, Pakistan

 

Good job! Proud of ya!

Sara Naqvi, USA 

 

FB

Sabiha Nasim
Sharmeen Fatma
Fatima Amir
Syed Ejaz Hussain
Sabika Zaidi

***********

Email / WhatsApp Feedback 2021 & 2022

 

Bravo Ahmar.

Kitni aisi publications tumhari mehhnat se limelight mein future researchers ke liye layee ja rahi hain.

Yours untiring efforts in the field is beyond words Ahmar.

You deserve that is beyond expressing in words.

12/19

You can not imagine my inside feelings on getting such news and that too after 31 years of expiry of Abba. He left a light by his untiring researches and we have found in you this latent genius. Najam mamoo

11/28

A perfect example of what Hazrat Ali a.s describes in "Nahjul Blagha" that people desire to meet you during your life time, and should always remember you after departure from this world.

Also a gift from the Almighty in the form of giving a gene in the person of Ahmar, in his (Abba's) second generation who is tirelessly bringing to lights of what Abba had researched in his life time. A natural transfer of my late father's gene in him. Ahmar, though from entirely a different field, had been gifted to all our family in the task which our mind is bound to thank the Almighty.

Ahmar

I read the whole write up including acknowledgments from them towards your achievements. Their approval of your personal interest in collecting all the forgotten articles written by Abba since early 1930s till his last moments of life is not only your appreciation from them but am thinking that how smiling a face lage Abba would be having at this moment. He is no more but his spirit is watching all this and I am watching his spirited face of his past days.

You are now a historical source for many including film personalities who need to consult you to finalize their tasks. Bravo Ahmar

I remember that Abba was telling us that at one stage, his co mentor late Sir Yadunath Sarkar called his two favorite disciple i.e. K.K.Dutta and Abba to learn more in understanding Sanskrit and Persian ( andArabic to some extent) to go and search through original manuscripts/farman etc.

This may be the stage of abba getting such instructions.

Behind Patna museum, exists famous Lady Stephenson hall being used as shadi hall etc.

Kahan kahan se yeh khoj paye Ahmar. It is true that "jahan chah wahan raah" .... Help comes from the Almighty. Bravo.

Your nana abba never got a Ph.D by submitting a thesis but was awarded honourably later by different universities.

You deserve now to be given an honorary doctor saheb title because of bringing the hidden treasures of research papers of late Prof. Askari.

 

Your untiring efforts are beyond our imaginations Ahmar. It is definitely a God gifted one.

May Allah give you more energy and keep you in good health.

 

This web site was sent by to me earlier also. A real continued priceless efforts on your part without doubt.

 

Wah.

Such s comprehensive collection. Bravo

 

Bravo. Lage raho.

Our blessings are with you without any saying.

 

Thnx Ahmar.

I wonder your keen interest in a subject of your late dada (also nana) abba. Your in-depth knowledge of his field of research mainly through journals, and not through printed books, is wonderful. Kash tumhari mulaqat us waqt hoti jab tumhara interest jaag gaya hota aur tum unse seedhe bhi kuch discuss kiye hote. Anyway, it is unbelievable to bring all buried things to our knowledge through your in-depth awareness of those materials.

Great work which is a blessing from the Almighty that such a men intersect has developed

Ahmar your keen interest in this field of your nana abba's research (and by the way your dada abba also) now is at a stage where you should personally visit Khuda baksh Library at Patna. It has s treasure of manuscripts which also became a source material in abba's research activities.

 

Bravo.

You not only deserve a heartiest appreciation and congratulations for enlightening in the past treasures, but heartfelt duayen from all of the family.

 

 

Even after nearly three decades of his death and no promotional efforts from any of his kith & kin, friends etc, Prof. Askari being remembered for hod dedicaion.......

Ahmar you also really deserve to be thanked for your efforts!!!!! BRAVO

 

 

Ahmar! 

I was just going through your two emails which you have sent to me in this regard.  Bravo

 

It is another miracle that an engineering professional could dig so deep and find out and bring before our own family works done by Abba. Even during his life time, abba never tried anybody amongst us to know about his subject of research. God has given us a source in your person who has really concentrated on the subject on which nobody put any efforts till now.

 

Tumhara is field ka interest khuda dad hi hai. May God bless you and keep you fit and healthy. Aameen

 

A wonderful and unique collection.

 

We can all feel proud of you Ahmar and sometimes feel that you could have met your Nana Abba at a stage when you were getting this internal stamina of research on a topic which is not at all your field. 

Bravo beta. Najam-Lucy

 

 

Really surprised to find your extreme interest in your Nana-Abba's research. May be his soul would be extremely satisfied after knowing this. najamaskari@gmail.com

A memorable collection being forwarded to even Razia baji.

Thanks once again. Your interest in a field quite divergent from your own specialisation is commendable.

Bravo Ahmar! Your research in a field much different from your own, can be specially categorised as a genius effort. Keep it up.

Thanks. Bravo that you have such a keen interest in the field and abba is being remembered through such memorable works.

This is true islam teaching that people want to meet you in lifetime and miss you after death to remember the achievements of his life time work.

Najam Askari, India

An outstanding homage to Nana Abba from you on his death anniversary today on 18th November with details from your histographic project regarding his research works, the awards he got in recognition,and what the scholars round the globe have to say about his splendid works.No doubt your dedicated efforts on your project have made him immortal for Nana Abbas researches.

Tum kahan kahan se khoj nikalte ho Ahmar,shabash!Nana ABBA se related koi presentation tumse miss nahi hota hai,wah

Mumtaz Amir, India

 

shukria babu tum geetai rho allah tum se bda bda kam kra raha hai tum to hamlogon ke Taj ho khush rho ameen

 

Ahmar tumhari kavish ne es khandan ko surkhru kya allah tumko hamesha shadman rakhe ameen

 

Khush rho  jo kam koye na kar saka woh tumne kar dya masha allah

 

Kpjaswal institute me abba ka nam bhi khda hua hai taswir bhi hai jay parkashn me abba.  Ki kitab chapti the es choti umar me kitna  khazana nikal leya  pata hai shazi ke entqal ke bad. Kye bar golakpur. Ki masjid me ga. Krdua karti the ke sanjida bubu koallah ladki. Se nwaz de magr beta ladka tum huai allah. Ko tum se ek gumnam mujavr.  Abba. Ka kam.  Krana tha Abid. Bhya ka bhi dekhte hain feza khrab honai ki wajah se kuch nhi bolte ahmarbabu kàmeab rho ameen

 

Wah ahmar babu masha allah mehnat kabhi rayhan nahi hote

 

Firoz shahi ki khoj per mubarakbad bhut bra  kam hua jiski umed khatam hho gaye the  chipa khazana uper ho gaya allah tumko lambi zindagy dai ameen

 

Tumhare koshish to. Rang laye hai shabash ahmar sada khush rho ameen

 

Wah ahmar kahan kahan sai khoj nikaltai ho masha allah

 

Mubarak ho ahmar dil khush ho gya allah aur tumko agai brhai ameen. Hidden treasure ko khol diya ab es sai zyada aur kya hoga ham logon ke tum umed ho

 

Bhut alla. Kam hua tumhari koshish par slam ahmar khushraho getai raho ameen

 

Zinda bad ahmar

Aquila Mohsin, India

Thanks for sharing the detail information about dada Abba. Excellent work and we all are proud of you ..thanks once again Ahmar ..

 

Amber Askari, India

Baba i feel so humble reading so much about abba .allah gave us a great scholar a very humble and affetionat father . We are so blessed tohave a father of such reputation ..ahmar these are result of your so much effort that today we are reading about abba.

 

Razia Fatima, Pakistan

*****

 

Ahmar babu to kafi nana abba ki baten hamesha yaad dilate rahte hai .mashallah.allah usko har tarah ki khushi de aameen.

 

Seemi Baji 

 

********

 

Dear Ahmer,

What an honour that Indian Govt is recognising your efforts in documenting works of Askari Nana.

We as a family should be grateful to you for your grand contribution.

How is your begum sahiba.

Prayers for you and family

 

Tony bhai

 

*****

 

Our dear Ahmer has been selected for the second time to deliver the “Introductory Lecture” at Phuppa's (Professor Hasan Askari) annual memorial function to be held on December 28th,2021. This is a great honour which has been bestowed upon him due to his untirng and continued efforts in preserving, digital archiving and internationalizing his Nana's work. The invitation letter follows here.

 

Well done Ahmer, keep it up

 

Zawar Mamu

******

 

Wow, that’s excellent and well-deserved honor.

 

Congrats Ahmer bhai.

 

Farhan Mustafa 

 

…….

1/16/2022

 

Excellent.Even we were not aware of nana abba's work.You did an untiring effort to dig it out and preserve. May Allah give you strength and long life.It is a matter of pride for all of us.

اللہ تمہیں صحت اور طول عمر سے نوازے،اور دین و دنیا کی ساری خوشیاں 

 

نصیب کرے۔آمین۔

 

Imtiaz Amir 

 

……

 

 

Nana Abba’s work is being acknowledged about 30 years after his death by renowned historians of the top universities - thanks to Ahmer for taking up this mission ! Exemplary work

 

Javed Mohsin 

Feb 2022

 

*******

 

Ahmar babu needs all the credit and appreciation for his hard work.He brought all the hidden treasure of nana abba in lime light.

 

Imtiaz Amir

Feb 2022

******

 

A very renowned internationally recognized teacher and researcher like Bruce B Lawrence for his "Islamicate Cosmopolitan Sprit" giving personal acknowledgement to our Ahmar, an engineer by profession, but for his efforts in this field of his lage Nana Abba is a proud for all of us family members.

 

Najam Askari

Feb 2022

******

 

Bare khushi aur pride ki baat hai ke aaj jab nana Abba ke intequal ko 42 saal ho chuke hain,aaj ke bhi worldwide well known figures unke field ke hain sabhi se tumne contacts bahal kiya aur aur nana abba ko unke research works ke liye abhi bhi zinda rakha.Aur sabse bari baat ke tumhara ye field bhi nahi hai.congratulations for your never tiring efforts.

 

Mumtaz Amir

Feb 2022

 

…..,,,,,

 

Nov 28, 2020

2020 Prof. Askari Memorial Event Feedback

 

Prof.Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad (Former Director Khuda Bakhsh Library)

Your presentation was superb. Congratulations

I consider a rare honour to be associated with Ahmer's Project. I have fond memories of Prof Askari as a teacher and a guide.  I called him NANA ABBA. I am proud of it.

Ahmer is a unique person  and a source of inspiration for the younger generation in perpetuating the memory of their SALEH ASLAF.

 

 

*******

Seemi baji :

Dear Ahmar babu

Aaj tumne apni lagan aur mehnat se nana abba  ko aalmi saath par medieval and Mughal history ke ek satoon ki tarah dunia se roshnas karaya ,

dil khush ho gaya, 

aaj Nana abba kitna khush huey honge

Tumhari mehnat ko hum sabka salaam

 

Tumhare shamim bhai ne bhi suna ,bahut khush huey.

Bole khandaan me Nana abba ka naam roshan karne wala ek fard hai mashallah

 

Khala ammi ko mera salaam kahna ,aur aise bete ke liey mubarakbaad to zaroori hota hai.

******

 

 

Fahmida Khala Ammi (from Nafis Fatma)

Ahmer beta khush raho ,aaj  Abba ke silsile main batai gai tumhari sari baten suna bahut achcha laga 

tumne bahut mehnat kiya Allah tumhen har tarah se Kamyabi ata kare ,

Sanjeeda ko bhi  bahut bahut mubarak ho 

dil khush ho geya aur bahut si duaon ke sath tumhari khala Ammi.

(Ye message khala Ammi ne likhwaya hai)

*******

 

Mumtaz bhai:

It was a wonderful presentation by you containing very detailed information of the project which may be an asset for the archieves people as well.Well done,Ahmar

******

 

 

Naushad bhai:

We all including mummy listened to your entire speech.It was very nice,you spoke well.We are proud of you.Allah tumko qismat aur hayat ka bara banaye. Ameen.Humlogon ki dua tumhare saath hai.

 

 

*****

Nawaz Bhai

Very nice lecture and well presented the details of the website of Nana Abba. Don't have words for your appreciation. 

During the entire webinar, your efforts were also recognised by all the eminent personalities.

Great !

 

*******

Najam Mamu :

A very remarkable and memorable presentation

 

******

Nawed bhai: 

Excellent Presentation Ahmer.

 

****

Aquila Khala 

Wah ahmar babu  tumhari mehnat rang Layee 

tum kitnai khubsurat ho  

mera bhanga smart nazar aa raha tha  

allah ka shuker hai

Jeo ahmar jeo

 

Ahmar pyarai jeo hazar Baras

 

Ahmar nana abba ki jan 

humlogon ki shan 

allah tumko hmesha khush rakhai

 

*********

 

Razia Khala:

Ahmar ne to sare khandan ka phir se Abba  ke hawale se jila bakhsh de.

 

Ahmar i heard whole programe. After so long you did it. I am so proud of you mere abba ko itne salonbad tumne phir se zinda kar dya . I want recording v badly .i have to hear it agin and again . Jite raho.

 

**********

Ali bhai:

Assalamualaikum,

Tumhari speach suni Nana ke memorial lecture ke dauran, ma shaa Allah kafi kaam kiya hai bahot khoob, aaj ke zamane ke hisab se ab, access to his works is quite comfortable, ye sab tumhaari koshishon ka natija hai.

   

*******

 

Prof.Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad 

Your presentation was superb. Congratulations

I consider a rare honour to be associated with Ahmer's Project. I have fond memories of Prof Askari as a teacher and a guide.  I called him NANA ABBA. I am proud of it.

Ahmer is a unique person  and a source of inspiration for the younger generation in perpetuating the memory of their SALEH ASLAF.

 

 

*********

Rumi Baji:

Baba main ne dada abba ka pura suna  

khaskar tum ko dekha 

tumhari baten suni 

bahot hiachcha laga 

is me tumhari bahot hi mehnat hai. jeete raho khush raho.

 

*****

Javed bhai: 

Ahmer spoke very nicely Mashallah ! 

 

******+

Rabab Amir:

Mashallah,attended the online presentation in memory of nana abba...thx for bringing us on that platform...your work is invaluable ,I  sure Nana abba must be happily watching it Jazakallah Ahmar!!

 

******

Guriya Baji - Maj Gen Shakeel 

Asalamoalikum dearest Ahmer. 

Remembering you and Sanjida mumani  on death anniversary of the PRIDE OF our family. Allah Hasan Askari nana kay darajat jannat main mazeed buland karay.  Aameen 

 

******

Prof. Dr. Ejaz:

Heartiest Congratulations!

 

******

Prof. Dr. Debraj Chakraborty 

Excellent effort.

 

******

 

A very excellent and rich information provided by you in your presentation ..it is so nice and excellent presentation Ahmar ..thanks a lot..your work on dada abba is amazing ..Allah tum ko aur salahyat and khush Rakhe with good health..

 

Amber Naqvi

 

******

 

Salaam ,It was a pleasure to watch your presentation . You did not look sleepy , just that video and audio were not totally synced in so when you closed your eyes to retrieve data from mind while you were talking, the audio lagged behind maybe that was misinterpreted by some as sleepiness. I had finished almost last night. Rest were other speakers whom I saw today . I esp. liked the opening structure how you decided to get involve in this . You have very methodically preserved , categorised, and have made accessible his work for researchers by creating a search engine with key words . All this was explained well at right forum . 

All the best with the publishing of his last days work which is in pipeline now. Hope to see you in another presentation when that is launched or comes out . Thanks

 

Nudrat Sheikh

 

*****

 

Dear Ahmer,

 

       Thanks for sending along this you-tube of the project, which I look forward to viewing.   I can only admire the boundless energy you have put into this project.  And I’m sure it’s satisfying to see all that labor finally bear fruit!

 

                             All best wishes,

 

                                                 --Dick

Richard Eaton

Feedback on the Launch of Professor Syed Hasan Askari Biography & Historiography Video, Los Angeles, May 26th, 2024

This video has received several complimentary endorsements from distinguished and eminent academics, scholars, historians, family, relatives and friends globally. 

………

Dear Ahmer, 

Thanks for sharing this link, both the video and the html.

This is an enormous,  long term, exhaustive  - and I suspect
exhausting - project that you have now brought to life with 
skill, patience, and devotion.

I am now in Morocco, not back in the USA till later in June,
but I look forward in the summer months of July and August to
enjoying a few of the sparkling jewels from your beloved nana.

With Maghribi cheers,

Professor Bruce
Bruce B Lawrence

Marcus Family Humanities Professor of Religion Emeritus, Duke University

Latest book: The Qur'an: A Verse Translation, with M.A.R. Habib (Liveright, February 2024) 

………

 

Splendid job, well done —-a fitting tribute to my mentor and your (Ahmer’s) grandfather.  Thanks for sending!

Professor Richard M. Eaton, Department of History, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA

……..

Just saw the clip. Very well done.

Dr. Imtiaz Ahmad, Former Director, Khuda Bakhsh Oriental Public Library, Patna, Bihar, India

………

It is comprehensive and excellent!

Professor Syed Ali Nadeem Rezavi, Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim

University, Aligarh, India

………

Thank you Ahmer sahib. It is a well crafted biographical sketch of our childhood hero.
Wish you success. Historians of Medieval Indian History will remain indebted to you forever!
Affly yours'
Ishrat

Prof. (Dr.) Ishrat Alam
Dept. of History, A.M.U.,
Aligarh

………

Wonderful! Great achievement.

Best wishes,

Muzaffar

Dr. Muzaffar Alam, George V. Bobrinskoy Professor in South Asian Languages and Civilizations (Affiliated Faculty in NELC), The University of Chicago, Illinois, USA

………

Dear Ahmer, Thank you for sharing the video with us. I just watched it. It is a

lovely tribute to your grandfather.

Best wishes,

Munis

Dr. Munis D. Faruqui, Associate Professor, Director of the Institute for South Asia Studies, Sarah Kailath Chair of Indian Studies, University of California Berkeley, California, USA

 

………

 

Very interesting and informative. Thanks.

Dr. Bharti S. Kumar, Professor, Former Dean & Head of the Department of History, Patna University, India

 

………

Dear Ahmer sb.

Great initiative. Thanks for keeping me updated.

Regards and best wishes,

Faraz
Faraz Anjum
Department of History,
University of the Punjab,
Quaid-i-Azam Campus,
Lahore, Pakistan.

………

Great job. Short, sweet, to the point and packed with info.

Mr. Adnan Malik, Curator and Cataloger of South Asian Collections South and Southeast Asia Library, UC Berkeley, California, USA

………

Well documented  story of a legendry personality. Kudos to your effort, sir

Suman Kumar Former Director Bihar State Archives, India

………

Dear Ahmer,

I am delighted and inspired by your great endeavour. I will share it with my students along with historians and researchers of Bangladesh. The young generation will follow your journey so that no scholars from any corner of the globe remain unaddressed. You are a torchbearer of enthusiasts who love to know the life and intellectual journey of great personalities who have been shaping the future world. 

God bless you.

Kind regards,

Zahid

Dr. Mohammad Zahidur Rahman, Professor, History Department, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh

………

Great work, congratulations.

Dr. Nripendra Kumar Shrivastava, Professor, Dept. of History, Magadh University, Bodhgaya, India

………

Congratulations Sir. You are doing great job for the academic community

Dr. Nazer Aziz Anjum, Aligarh Muslim University, India

………

Just wanted to say a huge thank you for hooking me up with that killer documentary on Prof. Hassan Askari! It was seriously informative and inspiring. I'm a huge fan of his work as a historian, so getting to dive into his life and insights was such a treat. Thanks for sharing it with me. Rock on and keep spreading the knowledge!

With Profound Regards, 
Motia Bibi, Lecturer at Shaheed Benazir Bhutto women University Peshawar

………

Impressive!

Nagwant Singh, Delhi University, India

………

A very good video covering the personal & academic life of Phupha (Syed Hasan Askari) has been developed by Ahmer, indeed a very good reference for posterity and our family. This is also available on digital platforms such as FB. So our very best compliments go to Ahmer for his continuing efforts over the years in creating such valuable archives and books references. Well done👏👏

Syed Zawar Haider, Karachi, Pakistan

 

 

………

Ahmer This is such an incredible achievement on your part. You are working on two great projects simultaneously, namely the compilation of Professor Hasan Askari and Abid Bhai’s biographies. Both projects are enormous in their scope and need consistent, long term efforts to achieve the desired goals. In case of your Nana it is gargantuan in its scope due to the sheer volume of the work he did and also because with any Pakistani connection working in India is a feat beyond imagination. However the levels that you have achieved already are in themselves matter of pride for the family not to mention the great accomplishments of the said personalities. Wishing you further success in your goal and may your efforts bear the fruit that you yourself have in mind.

Zaiba Haider, Karachi, Pakistan

………

Very nice and brief slide-based coverage of Prof. Askari.

Mr. Syed S. Hussain, Pakistan

 

………

 

Very good work!

Aamir Ishaq, CA, USA

………

It is very informative. I enjoyed watching it.

Once again, congratulations on continuing the great work  of documenting the accomplishments of Phuppa on different platforms. It was a good idea not to make it long. I am sure it was a challenge. 

Your tireless efforts over the last ten years have given a second life to Phuppa's work, which will last for a long time and make it accessible to countless number of scholars worldwide.

Your creation and management of this project are simply invaluable.

Congratulations. I am proud of you.

S. Wali Haider, GA, USA

………

Thank you for undertaking the projects of keeping our elders alive and also for keeping all of us in the loop.

Atia Naqvi, NY, USA

………

Very nice!

Asher Javed, USA

.........

Great job Ahmer bhai!

Adnan Khan, Pakistan

.........

Zabardast

Syed Qaiser Raza, Pakistan

.........

Very informative video. Good work done Ahmer. Please upload the video on SRHF as there is a lot of information which is not known to many family members.

Syed Mukhtar Haider, USA

.........

Thank you Ahmer ýou really did marvelous job a great research wòŕk Ñana Aba key rooh khush hòe gaya huģe Allah tumkoe hamesha khushrakhay Ameen And yours other project of Abid Raza also great I am also in touched with FACE book.

Syed Ashfaq Raza, Pakistan

.........

Ahmar ne abba ko NYE ZINDAGI DE DE ALLAH  ahmar ko sada ķĥùsĥ rakhe ameen

Aquila Fatima, India

.........

Saw the video right after getting up this morning. One more step by your and simply this your effort to enlighten your nana abba (Almighty has chosen you as a via media for this task,.   What an unbelievable situation that an engineer both by qualification and his normal working field getting special attraction towards his grand father's research field by inducing some gene in this 3rd generation grand son) .
Bravo Ahmar for your untiring achievements.

Syed Najam Askari, India

.........

 

Khala Ammi was shown the video about Nana Abba's biography .She is too happy to see it sends lots of duaen to you for your commendable and untiring continued efforts. The presentation in video is supeb. My sincere duaen to you ae well.

Syed Mumtaz Amir, India

.........

Wah tumhari mehnat to rang la rahi hai

Syed Taranum Fatima, India

.........

These valuable collections are really praiseworthy. Koi to khaDa hua jisne mehnat ki, bahot khoob.

Syed Mumtaz Ali, India

.........

I am sure your imitative of sharing Prof Askari work will inspire generations of historians.

Parag Gopal, India

.........

Many accomplishments! Great historian!

Jennifer Cheong, USA

.........

Heartiest congratulations on this great achievement and milestone. Your efforts over the past so many years have borne fruit. Well done.

Syed Waqar Haider, Pakistan

.........

Well-done!

Syed Jameel Hussain, Pakistan

.........

Jite raho!

Razia Fatima Haider, Pakistan

.........

It looks good.

Syed Javed Mohsin, India

.........

It is a well compiled autobiographical documentary.

Dr. Syed Nawed Mohsin, India

.........

Bohot hi zabardast!!!
Thank you for sharing.

Sharmeen Zaidi, USA

.........

That is huge. Great work, congratulations.

Dr. Syed Izhar Mustafa, USA

.........

Great job in getting it all compiled

F. Zaidi, USA

.........

Excellent!

Dean Dal Ponte, Australia

.........

Admin Notes: Would also like to sincerely thank the individuals in the list below for their kind acknowledgment received online/offline (Cell Text, FB, FB IM, Whatsapp, Email etc). Some of their comments and feedback are also posted in the feedback page. 

  • Aamir Ishaq, USA

  • Abis Amir, India

  • Agha Hussain Akram, Pakistan

  • Ahmed Saeed, Australia

  • Ahsan Ahmad, UAE

  • Aquila Fatma, India

  • Asghar Naqvi, Pakistan

  • Ashar Ali, Canada

  • Ashar Javed, USA

  • Asif N Arzoo, Australia

  • Asiya Mujtaba, USA

  • Asma Saif, USA

  • Atia Naqvi, Pakistan

  • Ayesha Ali - Qayum, Pakistan

  • Azhar Naqvi, Pakistan

  • Bilal Haider, Canada

  • Chammi Mustafa, USA

  • Ehtesham Naqvi, India

  • Fatima Kazmi, USA

  • Fauzia Matloob, Pakistan

  • Guriya Syeda Shakeel, Pakistan 

  • Hina Abidi, USA

  • Huma Fatema, France

  • Imtiaz Ahmad, India

  • Imtiaz Amir, India

  • Izhar Mustafa, USA

  • Jameel Hussain, Pakistan

  • Javed Mohsin, India

  • Kamran Asdar Ali, USA

  • Kashif Bilgrami, Oman

  • Mandeep Kaur Samra, India

  • Mansur Raza, Switzerland

  • Mohammad Sajjad, India

  • Mohsin Ali, India

  • Muhammad Murad, UAE

  • Mukesh Meghwar, Pakistan

  • Mukhtar Haider, USA

  • Mumtaz Amir, India

  • Nasir Raza, USA

  • Nile Green, USA

  • Nudrat Sheikh, Pakistan

  • Pervez Hasnain, Canada

  • Ratnakar Tripathy, India

  • Raza Husain, USA

  • Razi Ahmad, India

  • Razia Fatima Haider, Pakistan

  • Riffat Masood, Iran

  • Rubab Amir, India

  • Rumana Askari, India

  • Sabiha Nasim, Pakistan

  • Sakina Fatma Raza, USA

  • Seemi Afroze, India

  • Sena Fatma, India

  • Shahid Pervez, USA

  • Shariq Shahbazi, USA

  • Sharmeen Fatma, USA

  • Sheeba Akram, Pakistan

  • Syed Asghar Mehdi, India

  • Syed Ejaz Hussain, India

  • Syed Muhammad Ali, India

  • Syed Najam Askari, UK

  • Tarique Jamal, India

  • Tehmina Janjua, Pakistan

  • Wali Haider, USA

  • Wequar Haider, India

  • Zaiba Haider, Pakistan

  • Zaiba N Zawar Haider, Pakistan

  • Zawar Haider, Pakistan

***Compilation in progress

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