Tazkira-e-llahi, written by Imaduddin Al Husaini, poetically called Ilahi, is an unique Persian work of 17 century AD. The work contains information of multitude of writers comprising poets, mystic Sufis, learned Divines, politicians and reputed calligraphers This valuable and voluminous Tazkirah covers historiography mostly of Persian writers: besides some of Indian poets.
Tazkira-e-Ilahi was also known as Khazina e-Ganj-e-Hahi or Ilahi's Treasury
Professor Abdul Haq is an eminent scholar and an authority of Urdu language, literature and culture. He was Professor and Head of Urdu Department in University of Delhi. He served for ten year as President of All India Urdu Teachers Association Prof. Haq is associated with a number of universities and reputed institutions in India as member of academic bodies, advisory committees and committees of courses. He has lectured as Visiting Professor in several universities all over India besides being invited to numerous countries abroad. More than thirty books and over hundred research papers have been contributed by Dr. Abdul Haq for the enrichment of the discipline of Urdu literature. These have been widely acclaimed by scholarly world. Among his important publications, mention may be made of Iqbal ke Ibtaidai Afkar, Asri Lughat, Iqbal aur Iqbaliat, Rahseed Ahmad Siddiqi, Iqbal Shaire Rangeen Nawa, Diwan-e-Hatim.
Professor Haq has received several state and national level honours and awards including Delhi Urdu Academy Award for Research contribution in Urdu. Recently he has been conferred the title of Professor Emeritus by University of Delhi.
Jaunpur has not only been the seat of Sharqi Sultanate but an admirable custodian of literary and cultural heritage also. It was a store house of knowledge. Tazkira e-llahi is the third amazing academic achievement of the soil. The first and foremost was "Almusannaf, which is the rarest and the only existing manuscript of the world, published in volumes from Beirut. The second discovery was Diwan-e-Hafiz, the oldest manuscript written during the life time of the poet. It was published from Tehran, under the patronage of the King of Iran. I feel honoured that the National Mission of Manuscripts, New Delhi has been pleased to publish Tazkira-e-llahi' in two volumes. This is a wonderful gesture of the mission in restoring the priceless text of high academic value.
I submit my heartfelt tribute to my revered elders for restoring the literary heritage in their innovative writings. Anthologies are unique contribution of. historiography of creative cognizance of poets and writers. The luminaries not only started writing Tazkirah but also managed to leave voluminous literature on biography and critical approach for the judgement of poetic art and thoughts. "Tazkira-e-llahi' is an impressing contribution in two volumes. Imaduddin Al Husaini, poetically called Illahi son of Amir Hujjatullah was a Saiyed of Asdabad near Hamdan. He was an eminent literary figure, learned scholar, who flourished in the first half of 17th century. His valuable and voluminous Tazkirah, written in India has mainly Persian Poets and some of Indian poets as well. It is of adequate notice in many of biographical dictionaries of the 17th century and 18th century of repute like Maulana Mashhadi and Mir Ali etc. Ilahi also wrote about Mir Bulbul Baaz Dehlavi, the falconer of Humayun. Its importance is unparalleled and hence it needs a special attention. The work is divided in two volumes. The editor's copy of the manuscripts has two parts, while Berlin Manuscript has been contained in second volume.
My special thanks are due to Prof. Dinesh Singh, Vice-Chancellor. University of Delhi. But for his generous academic support, it would not have been possible for me to publish this manuscript.
I am grateful to Prof. Dipti S. Tripathi, Director, and Dr Sanghamitra Basu, for their enlightened inspiration and co-operation on this project.
Tazkira-e-Ilahi is a 17th Century work by Imaduddin Al Husaini. He was originally from Iran but later in life, he made India his home. He passed away in Kashmir and was buried at Srinagar. This work is an anthology of literatures who wrote poetry as well as those who wrote prose. It provides extensive information on the life and work of creative writers. Tazkira is an important text because it provides authentic information on authors and their work. It is a unique feature of Persian literature where scholars have undertaken to write Tazkira the example of which has not been emulated in most of Indian languages. Especially in Sanskrit there are hardly any works comparable with Tazkira. Authors in Sanskrit literature hardly provide any information about themselves thus very little is known about the person who writes the text. Tazkira-e-Ilahi contains information on more than 500 authors. The number varies from one manuscript to another because it is believed that the manuscript at Berlin contains only 400 entries (it is yet to be verified). Prof. Abdul Haq owns a rare copy of Tazkira-e-Ilahi on the basis of which he has edited this work. It will be published in two volumes. It is hoped that this publication would be helpful to researchers of medieval Persian literature of Iran as well as of India.
This Mission is grateful to Prof. Abdul Haq for having undertaken this massive work. His commitment to bringing to light an important text will surely inspire a generation of scholars in undertaking this sort of work.
M/s Dev Publishers and Distributors deserve our sincere appreciation and thanks for the beautiful facsimile production of the manuscript. The beauty of the manuscript is enhanced by the borders designed round the folios, which almost merge into the original. For sheer aesthetic presentation, I am sure this will be another landmark in Mission's publications.
We would deeply appreciate feedback from scholars which helps both in planning and production. We look forward to bringing to light many more texts in future with the help of dedicated scholars.
Mir Imaddudin Mahmood Ilahi Al-Hussaini Hamadani, received royal patronage and pursued a well-recognized place in his poetic endowment, but despite that he never wrote his biography or wrote details about his personality. All his life he has spent considerable amount of time jotting down people's biographies and their literary achievement, despite this he remained much reluctant and estranged from his own biographical details. He did not even put in records his actual date of birth. Somehow it has been known that during this era noting down facts about themselves was not considered a noble aspiration by the "Shurafa" clan. Ilahi Hamadani himself was the custodian of values and moral aesthetics of his prevalent time. Due to the influence of royal company his temperament and his character was nurtured to refinement. In his demeanor. self-respect and higher regards was a natural phenomenon. About his date of birth there is no evident or categorical statement which can be determined properly. In his anthology at one point it is written clearly that he arrived in, Agra 1021 AH where amidst some of his bosom friends he tasted wine for the very first time, at the age of thirty. Keeping in mind this chronological detail one might as well speculate that he was born in year 994 AH this he has noted down in his anthology in connection with Maulana Agahi's description. This statement justifies his date of birth and reflect ample light on Indian culture and the custom of drinking to a certain extent. This was his foremost folly which did not leave him till last days of his life from which he could not abstain. He spent his life in drinking or in the company of wine. Ilahi wrote his Saqi Nama (Ode to the Tavern Keeper) in which he has depicted a very intoxicating or ambrosiaiac quality of the beloved wine. Some of Ilahi life trajectory is evidently present at instances in this anthology. This throws light in a partial manner on his life and persona. Although real picture of his life is still in-ponderable, still these pastiches are valuable and encouraging for his readers to know his life. All these minuscule signs and appropriations are important footstones to understand Ilahi's art and thought. As with his intoxication one would get to learn a lot about his characteristics and his mannerisms.
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