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Aḥmad Ibn Muḥammad Al-Shirwānī Al-Yamānī

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Aḥmad Ibn Muḥammad Al-Shirwānī Al-Yamānī Aḥmad Ibn Muḥammad al-Shirwānī al-Yamānī (1200-1256AH/1785-1840) His Contribution to Oriental Studies in British India A Doctoral thesis in fulfillment of the requirements for a degree of Doctor Philosophy The Faculty of Philosophy Erfurt University Presented by Ahmed Saleh Al-Mesri Yemen Erfurt, May 2015 Supervisors: Prof. Dr. Jamal Malik (Erfurt University) Prof. Dr. Christine Schirrmacher ( Bonn University) May 2015 Urn:nbn:de:gbv:201600141 Abstract The field of Yemeni-Indo intellectual relations is a rich field of studies, particularly the period after which Islam reached the sub-continent of India. Yemen became one of the bridges to Islamic knowledge and Arabic language for Indians. A number of Yemeni intellectuals played an important role in spreading Islam and the Arabic language in India during the various stages of this time period. This study offers Aḥmad b. Muḥammad al-Shirwānī as a case of Yemeni contributions in India during the 19th century. He had arguably the largest and longest- lasting impact on the teaching of the Arabic language, and the spread of its literature within the Colonial Islamic educational institutions. The significance of this work is that it is the first academic study, at least in Yemen, to focus on al-Shirwānī’s life, his social network in both Yemen and India, and his role in cultivating and reviving the Arabic language and literature, both at the Oriental educational centers and at the Royal courts of the Muslim Principalities in India during the 19th century. This study presents al-Shirwānī as one of non-Ḥaḍramī Yemeni intellectuals who had a role in improving and developing the Yemeni-Indo intellectual relations during the 19thcentury, as most of the studies in this field have focused on the Ḥaḍramī scholars. Moreover, it highlights the role of Tihāmah, another regional center, as a theater of intellectual activities and interactions between Yemen and India at that time. This study concludes that factors such as the sea transportation, the British Colonial and Tihāmah’s educational environment were factors that supported the flourishing of Yemeni scholarship in India. In addition, it reveals that the Yemeni’s contribution to the field of printing and publishing in India dates back to early 19th century. In addition, this study focuses on the British Colonial Administration in India, and their interest in integrating the Arabic language within its educational policy, i.e., teaching their civil servants the oriental languages. Furthermore, it found out that the Yemenis’ role in reviving and spreading the Arabic language was not only supported by Indian Muslim rulers, but it was also under the patronage of the Colonial British East India Company. It was under their patronage that Muslims schools were built, funded and managed. They hired Aḥmad al-Shirwānī, the first native Arab, as an Arabic teacher, in Fort William College, in Calcutta, to raise the standard of their curriculum development and their teaching. He was the first Arab to serve the Orientalism movement in India, which, at the time, was passing through its flourishing time. Al-Shirwānī was the first i Yemeni to contribute to the processes of printing and publishing in India during the 19th century. His name was recorded as the first editor of two important Arabic literature books: ‘Alf Layla wa Layla’ (A Thousand Nights and a Night, the prominent collection of fairytales and other stories of global renown). ‘Al-Qāmūs al-Muḥīṭ’ (Ocean Dictionary, one of the best lexicons of the Arabic language), and ‘Rasāʾil al-Ḥaīwā n’ (Treatise of Animals) the eighth treaty of the popular Arabic literature works ‘Rasāʾil Ikhwān al-Ṣafā wa Khillān al-Wafā’ (Treatises of the Brethren of Purity and the Loyal Friends’). He became the node of a network that spread across Yemen and India, throughout his family, friends, disciples, and acquaintances. Indeed, his publications were the channels of knowledge that connected the intellectuals and scholars in the two regions, especially his book entitle ‘Nafḥat al-Yemen’ (The Breeze of Yemen) which still used as text-book in some Islamic schools in India until the present time. In his own right, Al-Shirwānī was representative of Yemeni literature to 19th Century India. ii Acknowledgements First of all, I thank Allāh for finishing this stage in my high graduate studies, in spite of all the difficult situations I have passed through. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to my University in Yemen, Dhamar University, for the support given, to this research, through its excellent facilities and for granting me the opportunity to pursue my graduate studies in Germany with financial support. I am using this occasion to express my gratitude to everyone who supported me throughout the course of this Ph.D. project. In particular, I would like to express my deep gratitude and appreciation for the encouragement, valued advice, time and guidance given to me by Professor Jamal Malik, the major supervisor of this work. Furthermore, I am thankful to Professor Christine Schirrmacher, who agreed to be the Co-supervisor for this research. Heartfelt thanks to Mr. Jamal al-Qadri, who advised me regarding the selection of this topic and offered his munificent assistance. I would also like to thank my friend Dr.Qammr Shaban al-Nadavi, who rendered valuable assistance in translating some Urdu texts, and was a guiding light and companion during my trip in India. A special acknowledgement is due to the young researcher, Ms Shereen Mohd Idris Bin S Ali, who assisted me in the editorial phases of the research, and for her valuable observations, insight and advice. It should also be mentioned that she also assisted in the translation of the quotations and poems. I am deeply grateful for her generous spirit, literary taste, pleasant companionship and academic rigor. Thanks are also due to all my senior colleagues in the Islamic Studies Department at Erfurt University, for their friendship and their assistance during my graduate studies. I would particularly like to thank Dr. Saeed Zarrabi-Zadeh, Mr. Syed Furrukh Zad Ali Shah, Dr. Isabella Scheiderer, Dr. Heyder Shadi, Mr. Christover Omolo, Mr. Mustafa Frindo, and Mr. Abdulmaged A. Alhemiary for their helpful friendly advice during the project. Thanks and appreciations are due to Mrs. Ines Scheidt, the secretary of the Islamic studies department for her help and assistance. iii My deepest gratitude is to my parents, brothers, and sisters, for their support and encouragement throughout my academic career. Last but not least, the mightiest acknowledgement would not do justice to my wife, for all her love, patience, and sacrifice, and for her commitment and dedication to the upbringing of our children, her management of our household and how she ceaselessly created a conducive environment for me to focus on my work. I dedicate my research to both my homeland, Yemen, during these difficult political situations, and to my wife and my children, Adham, Eman, Arwa and Elaaf, who represent the future of my homeland. My wife and children suffered from my prolonged absence and have waited patiently for me to finish this work. They are looking forward to my returning and our reunion at home, Yemen. I pray this work will benefit them and our homeland and would all be worth the patience, effort and the pain our separation. iv Note on Transliteration, dates and the reference standard In reference to transliteration Arabic, Persian and Urdu words: I have used the system of the International Journal of Middle East Study (IJMES). I sought to provide a faithful and regular transliteration of all words which have not received a popular Anglicised form. To accurately reflect how it was originally written regarding cities’ names, the popular cities, such as ‘Sanaa, Aden, Mecca Delhi, Haderabad and Lucknow’ were written in the conventional form, whereas, less known regions and cities have been written in the transliterated form, such as Tihāmah, Ḥaḍramaūt, al-Ḥudaydah and Zabīd. All dates belong to the Gregorian calendar. Where two dates have been given, the first date indicates the Muslim calendar (Hijri calendar “AH”), while the second refers to the Gregorian calendar. Finally the Chicago Manual style would used as standard of the notes and bibliographies. v Contents 1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1. The story of the topic ................................................................................................. 1 1.2. The significance of the study ..................................................................................... 3 1.3. Methodology and Collection of data.......................................................................... 6 1.4. Literature Review....................................................................................................... 8 1.5. Related studies ......................................................................................................... 12 1.5.1. Islamishe Bildungsnetwerke .............................................................................. 13 1.5.2. Ishamāt ʿUlamāʾ Ḥaḍramaūt .............................................................................. 13 1.5.3. Al-Hijirāt al-Ḥaḍramīyyah al-Ḥadīthah ............................................................. 14 1.5.4. The Hadhrami Traders, Scholars, and Statesmen in the Indian Ocean .............. 15 1.6. Structure and Chapters of work ..............................................................................
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