Thursday 24 March 2016

Azadar Founder of Salman Book Center -Hyderabad


Shaukat Raza Shaukat @ Salman Book Center-Hyderabad(India)

Dr.Mazhar Naqvi
Several book stores have played a significant role in preservation and promotion of Imami literature in India. By publishing Karbala literature on regular basis, these stores have not only inculcated the habit of reading religious books but also encouraged scholars to get their works published. Hyderabad- based Salman Book Center figures prominently in this context. Established in 1988, it has become a landmark and a must on the itinerary of NRIs visiting Hyderabad. The center offers not only religious books but also Cassettes, DVDs and CDs of majalis held not only in India but also in Pakistan, UAE, USA, Canada and England. For over a decade, the centre has been bringing out a multi-colored calendar Titled ‘Salman Calendar’, containing  the  details of good & bad dates of the Islamic months, Birth and martyrdom dates of fourteen infallibles.
The center was started by Janab Aijaz Saheb. He started from selling religious Banners, Stickers, and headbands with ensigns of Panjatan-e-Pak and the martyrs of Karbala. It was followed by the sale of books on Karbala. Initial books mostly contained elegiac poetry on Karbala martyrs. Over the years, the quantum of religious printed matter has increased and center now offers   Holy Quran, Nahjul Balagha and variety of other books on Imami faith. Its website also contains literature on Ashurkhanas of Hyderabad with their brief history. Janab Aijaz was a great lover of Ahle-Bait-e-Athar. He commanded respect not only from Imamis but from other communities as well. He was a versatile artist and has to his credit many paintings and works of calligraphy. Aijaz Sahib produced  very attractive and artistic names of Ahle-Bait.

Janab Aijaz Sahib-Founder of the Center

He was capable of engraving “Bismillah Ir Rahman Ir Raheem & Nasru Minallahi Wa Fat’hun Qareeb” on a grain of rice. He presented one such rice to Dr. Zakir Hussain, the former President of India, during his visit to Hyderabad.
He opened Salman Book Center opposite to Ibadat Khana-e-Hussaini about 27 years ago. He  kept different artistic ‘Tughras’ and many people acquired them  for display in their homes as a mark of obeisance towards Masoomeen. Aijaz Sahib was a great fan of Allama Rasheed Turabi .He had large collection of his majalis in the form of cassettes and printed material. The blogger had the opportunity to visit the center in 2004.He found it to be a small shop but serving the Imamis coming from all over the world to procure religious Books, Cassettes, CDs, & Tughras. The fame of the center could be gauged from the fact that almost all leading Ulemas and Zakreen-Ahle-Bait of Indian sub-continent has not only visited but also appreciated its efforts to promote Karbala literature and Marasim-e-Azadari. They include personalities like  Allama Irfan Haider Abdi, Allama Talib Jauhari, Professor Abdul Hakeem, Maulana Sadiq Hasan and Maulana Shaukat Raza from Pakistan and their Indian counterparts.

During visit of the blogger, proprietor of the center attributed the success of the endeavor to the devotion and dedication of Aijaz Sahib to Masoomeen and said “  Salman book centre has  flourished and  become a household name for Imami  community with the blessings of the holy prophet and his progeny”.(References available on request-Photo Courtesy Google Images)

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