About the Department

HISTORY

The University of Madras has as early as 1911 instituted an Oriental Faculty for the study of classical languages like Arabic, Persian and Sanskrit which were then being taught in Oriental Colleges. The faculty perhaps comprised some eminent scholars of these languages who formed something like the present Board of studies, for the purpose of framing the syllabus and designing the pattern of Examinations. Later in 1927, the University developed this faculty by instituting a separate unit in the form Oriental Research Institute with the purpose of bringing out from obscurity the outstanding works in Arabic, Persian, Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Sanskrit. Arabic, Persian and Urdu languages were put under the Islamic Section and for the first time two staff members, namely, Dr. Syed Mohamed Hussain Nainar and Mohamed Munawar Khan Gowher were appointed as Senior and Junior Lecturers respectively in this section.

Again in 1930, the Oriental Research Institute was reorganized with a view to give a wider horizon to the research work. Different Departments were created and the Department of Arabic, Persian and Urdu thus came into existence. One more post of Junior Lecturer was created bringing the total number of posts to three. The two Junior Lecturers then were Mr. Mohd. Hussain Mahvi and Mr. Abu Hashim Syed U’sha.

Thus the Department which got the name “Department of Arabic, Persian & Urdu” in 1930 with a staff strength of One Senior Lecturer and two Junior Lecturers has now developed into a powerful unit with two professors, three Readers and two Lecturers.

Dr. Md. Hussain Nainar was a person of High caliber. He focused his attention on the Arabic and Persian works which could prove to be of good sources of the South Indian History. So, he brought out in English five volumes on the “Sources of the History of Nawabs of Carnatic’. His other works, which brought him repute, can be put as follows:

  1. Arab Geographers’ Knowledge of South India.
  2. English translation of Tuhfatul Mujahideen
  3. Seydakkadi Nandi Nadagam

Most of his works were based on the monographs and manuscripts available in Arabic and Persian.

Prof. Mohammad Munavar Gowhar who also joined the Department in 1927 along with Dr. Nainar had to retire after three years. During this short tenure he produced two volumes on the biographical sketches of the Persian and Urdu Poets of South India in the name of “Sukhanwarane-Buland Fikr”.

Prof. Mohammad Husain Mahvi served the Department from 1930 to 1949. During this tenure he was able to edit critically as many as 24 manuscripts; of these the following were published by the University:

  1. Diwan-e-Bedar
  2. Waqiat-e-Azfari
  3. Kulliyat-e-Abjadi – parts, I, II, III & IV (Which included Anwarnama and Mawaddat Nama etc.)

Prof. Abu Hushim Syed U’sha’s following works (which he critically edited) brought good fame to him as well as to the Department:

  1. Futuhus Salatin – the authentic history of India in Persian verse from the times of Mahmood of Ghazni down to Mohamed –Bin-Tughlaq-by Isami.
  2. Diwan Auhadi
  3. Diwan-e-Ubayd Zakani
  4. Fatah Nama-e-Mahmad Shahi
  5. Kanz-Al-Fawaid
  6. Timur Nama
  7. Tarikh-e-Shahjahan
  8. Selection from Jamiul Hikayat, Parts I, II and III
  9. Padsha Nama by Iradat Khan
  10. Waqai-I-Mohammad Shah Padshah
  11. Shigarf Nama
  12. Tarikh-Khan-Jahani (Most of these works were published by the University).

Prof. Mohammad Yousuf Kokan who was appointed in the place of Janab Mohammad Hussain Mahvi, carried on the research work and produced the following eminent books;

  1. Kulliyat-e-Abjadi Vol. IV-Jointly with Mohammad Hussain Mahvi.
  2. Baqr Agah
  3. Mathnavi-e-Nau Bahar-e-Ishq by Nami
  4. Masnawi-e-Baharistan Ishq by Nami
  5. Aslul-Usool by Fakhri-a work on Sufism.
  6. Sabhat by Fakhri- a work on Sufism
  7. Imam Ibn-e- Taymiah
  8. Khanwada-I-Qazi Badrud Dowlah
  9. Arabic and Persian in Carnatic
  10. Translation of Tirukkural in Arabic 
  11. Shawakilul Hur Fi Sharh-e-Hayakilul-Nur
  12. Muqamat-e-Baqir Agah
  13. A Lamun-Nasr Wash sher Fil Asr al Hadith – Vols I, II & III
  14. Tareekhul Moghool
  15. Mukhtasar Tarikh Hind and Na Ma’ loom Insaan –

Professor Kokan also visited Saudi Arabia, Iran, Samarkhand, Bukhara, Tashkant and Moscow on invitation from these countries. He retired in 1977. 

Dr.Syed Safiullah joined the Department as Lecturer in 1976. He carried out research on regional Urdu literature focusing on Urdu journalism in Tamil Nadu and History and Evolution of Urdu Prose writings of Tamil Nadu. Besides, he has brought out an anthology of eminent Urdu poets of the past with biographical notes entitled Mata-e-Raftagan and a collection of Urdu short stories of the representative Urdu short story writers of Tamil Nadu.

He has prepared several textbooks for school and college courses. As a chairperson, High Level syllabus committee for Urdu of the Govt. of Tamilnadu, he framed the new syllabus up to Higher secondary courses. He is on the Editorial Board, Encyclopedia of World Literatures prepared and published by the Govt. of Kerala. He compiled and edited the important prefaces of Moulana Baquir Agha. He also took up the project of compiling Urdu-Tamil and Tamil-Urdu Dictionary without any financial assistance, which he could not complete.

Dr. P. Nisar Ahmed who joined the Department in 1976 has proved himself in a short span of his service a very vital personality by visiting Saudi Arabia and Australia taking part in the World Conferences there. He has to his credit the following works:

  1. Uloom-ul Quran-al-Kareem (English)
  2. Kitabul Iqtira of Allama Jalaluddin Siyuti (Ed)
  3. Al Fikr-ul-Arabi al-Hadith Fi-Al-Qarnil Ishreen (Arabic)
  4. Sharh-u-Miat-e-Aamilin (translated into English)
  5. Durusul Quran (Urdu)
  6. Tafseer Suratur Rum (English)
  7. Al-Jameel Tamil-Arabic Dictionary
  8. Edward William Lane – An eminent Arabic Scholar
  9. Ijazul Quran (Ed)
  10. Tafseer Surath ul Kahaf
  11. Auraq (Collection of Urdu Essays on various aspects)
  12. Tafseer Surathu Yaseen
  13. Iqbal ka Fikr-o-Fun
  14. Arabi Adab ki Tareekh
  15. Qiratu Tamil Nadu
  16. Duroosul-Lughatil Arabia
  17. Tafseer and Hadeeth Literature

He was a chairperson, High-level Committee for Arabic to frame new syllabus from Std. VI to Std. XII. He has prepared textbooks in Arabic to High and Higher secondary classes in the capacity as Chairman. He was a member of the Tamilnadu state Govt. Urdu Academy, Chennai. He has produced 25 Ph.D. scholars and 100 M.Phil. scholars in Arabic.

After the retirement of Prof. Kokan, Dr. Najmul Hoda took over as Head of the Department in 1977

Dr. Hoda has the following books to his credit.

  1. Fan-e Tanqueed Aur Tanqueedi Mazamin
  2. Mathnawi Ka Fun Aur Urdu Mathnawiyan
  3. Kirdar Aur Kirdar Nigari
  4. Masail Wa Mabahis
  5. Qurbi Ki Shairi

Dr. Syed Waheed Ashraf joined the Department along with Dr. Najmul Hoda and when Dr. Hoda left the Department in 1988, Dr. Ashraf became the Head. As soon as he took charge of the Department he started searching for ways and means to develop the Department on one hand and to strengthen it on the other. He organized a Seminar on All India basis to discuss the problems of teaching Urdu and Research. Luckily the year 1990 happened to be the Diamond Jubilee year for this Department, He therefore tried to put this chance to its best by creating some endowments to mark the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. The Murthuzuviya Educational and Cultural Foundation, Chennai, came forth to co-sponsor the Jubilee Celebrations and the All India U.G.C Seminar on 4th, 5th and 6th of March 1990.

The following three endowments of Rs. 50,000 each were instituted on this occasion:

  1. Moulana Dr.Abdul Huq Endowment scholarship for Ph.D. scholars of the Department.
  2. Moulana Abdul Wahab Bukhari Endowment Scholarship for M.Phil scholars of the Department.
  3. D.Ahmed Ali Parpia Endowment Scholarship for M.A. Students of the Department.

A man of high standard as he is known, he has contributed much on the subject of Persian literature and Sufism by writing and editing the following works:

  1. Hayath-e-Syed Ashraf Jahangir Samanani
  2. Muqaddama-I-Lataif-e-Ashrafi
  3. Tasawwuf

He has also contributed to the Urdu Literature with his following critical and poetic works.

  1. Diwan-e-Fida
  2. Afsar Maudoodi
  3. Rubai, Vols. I, II & III

Dr. Syed Sajjad Husain was inducted to the Department in 1984 as a lecturer in Urdu. He has published the following books:

  1. Qazi Badrud Dowlah
  2. Aasar wa Afkar
  3. Khushboo key dagh (ed)
  4. History of Malayalam Literature (in Urdu)

The last book was published by Sahitya Academy, New Delhi.

He was selected twice to the Tamil Nadu State Government Urdu Academy. He was the Chairman to the Urdu Text Book committee constituted under Tamil Nadu Text Book Corporation to prepare textbooks from VI to XII standards. In the capacity as Chairman, Board of Studies in Urdu, University of Madras, he initiated the move to introduce B.A. (Urdu) in regular stream, in OUS and M.A. (Urdu) in regular stream in the Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras. He contributed a lot for the preparation of Study Material for the said courses. He has produced 25 Ph.D and 25 M.Phil. graduates.

Dr. K. Habeeb Ahmed joined the Department in November 2000 as a lecturer in Urdu. He has published a book entitled “Deputy Nazeer Ahmed ke Novelon Mein Mazhabi Kirdar”. He has published a number of Articles in leading literary Journals and Newspapers. He has participated in National and International Seminars, Workshops, conferences and presented papers. He is the member of the syllabus committee constituted to frame the VIII std. textbook under NCERT, New Delhi. He is one of the Authors in VIII, IX, X, XI, and XII std. Urdu text book prepared by the Tamil Nadu Text Book Corporation and translated “Social Science” for VIII std. from English to Urdu for Tamil Nadu text book corporation, Chennai. Prepared study material for B.A (Urdu) and M.A.(Urdu) under Institute of Distance Education, University of Madras. There are two Research Projects under his name, one is the U.G.C. sponsored Major Research Projects entitled “Urdu and Persian inscriptions of Tamilnadu, A literary and historical study”, the other one is a Minor Research Project entitled “The Morphological influence of Urdu on Tamil”. He has produced 25 M. Phil and 10 Ph.D scholars in Urdu.

Dr. A. Jahir Husain joined the Department in February 2008 as Assistant Professor in Arabic. He has published 24 books. He has produced 12 Ph.D scholars and 50 M.Phil scholars in Arabic till date.

Important works of Dr. Jahir Husain as follows:

  1. Arabic translation of Thirukkural
  2. Arabic translation of Avvaiyar’s Aathichoodi
  3. Arabic translation of Bharati’s poems
  4. Arabic translation Erode Tamilanban’s poems
  5. ‘Kirukki’ Tamil translation of Arabic short stories of Ihsan Abdel Qudous
  6. ‘Uppu’ Tamil translation of Arabic poems of Dr. Shihab Ganem
  7. ‘Nizar Qabbani Kavithaikal’ Tamil translation of Nizar Qabbani’s poems
  8. ‘Kavalaipadathe’ Tamil translation of ‘Don’t be sad’ by Dr. Aid Al Qarni
  9. ‘Kavithaiyai Nambathe’ Tamil translation of Mahmoud Darwish’ poems

His notable achievements as follows:

  • Dr. Jahir Husain has presented Thirukkural in Arabic in the Four-Day Arabic Poets conference, organized by Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts, Dammam in 2015. This is the first of its kind in the history of Indian literature.
  • Presented Thirukkural in Arabic in Seven countries i.e. Saudi Arabic, Sharjah, Dubai, Oman, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore.
  • Made a world record by reciting Thirukkural in Tamil and Arabic for continuous 5 hours and 30 minutes in the event “Mozhikalellam Thirukkural” Organized by International Institute for Tamil Studies, Chennai and Dept. of Arabic, University of Madras at Marina campus in 2019.
  • The Hon. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has released Thirukkural Arabic Music CD prepared by Dr. A. Jahir Husain in 2021. 
  • He has visited many foreign countries like Saudi Arabia, Oman, UAE, Kuwait, Singapore, Malaysia for academic programmes.

He has made 3 music video albums as follows:

  1. Avvaiyar’s Aathichoodi music video album in Tamil and Arabic.
  2. Tamizhthai Vazhthu music video
  3. Qaseeda Muhammadiyya

He has received many international and national awards for his contribution to Arabic and Tamil language and literature like: 

    1. Tamil Nadu Govt. Best Translator Award
    2. Kuraloli Chudar” Award from Periyar Library, Kuwait
    3. Kural Selvan Award from Muscut Tamil Sangam, Muscut 
    4. Seerappuranam Parisil” Award from Chennai Kamban Kazakam
    5. Social Service Award from Tamil Nadu Social welfare Association, Dammam, Saudi Arabia in 2015
    6. Best Translation award 2007 from Islamiya Ilakkiya Kazhaham, Chennai

    Dr. Amanulla .M.B joined the Department in 2014 as Assistant Professor in Urdu. He has produced 4 Ph.D, and 22 M.Phil scholars in Urdu till date. He has published the following books:

    1. Urdu translation of Thirukkural
    2. Ganjeena-e-Hikmath
    3. Urdu Zuban Par Ilaqayi Asrat
    4. Tamil Nadu Ke Mumtaz Arabi Madaris Aur Unki Adabi Kahakshan

    The Hon. Prime Minister of India has released the Urdu translation of Thirukkural translated by Dr. Amanulla .M.B in 2023.

    Dr. Amanulla has received many awards for his service to the development of Urdu and Tamil literature like:

    1. “Award of Honour 2013” by Urdu Academy (Regd.) Tamil Nadu in 2013.
    2. “Academic Achievement Award” by University of Madras in 2013.
    3. “Tamil Sudar Virudu” by Chennai Porunai Ilakkiyak Kalam, Kanchipuram Sree Krishna Arts and Science College and Shanlax International Journal of Tamil Studies, Tamil Nadu in 2019.
    4. “Muththamizh Sudar Virudu” by Tiruchy Rana Hospital, Yazpanam Tamil Aadal Kalai Manram and Thiruvaiyaru Tamil Ayya Kalvikkazakam in 2019.
    5. “Best Researcher Award 2019” by University of Madras in 2019.

    This mention of the publications of the members of the Department is apart from numerous research papers, which the staff contributes to the Research Journals and the Seminars now and then.

    The Department has been engaged in research activities right from the beginning. So far it has produced 9 M.Litt, more than 75 Ph.D. and 250 M.Phil scholars in all the three disciplines. All these scholars without exception are well placed and employed with good jobs. Many of them are working abroad with lucrative jobs.

    LIST OF THE SUCCESSIVE HEADS OF THE DEPARTMENT

    1. Dr. Mohammad Hussain Nainar (1927-1953)
    2.  Prof. Abu Hashim Syed Usha (1953-1963)
    3.  Prof. Mohammad Yousuf Kokan (1963-1977)
    4.  Dr. Najmul Hoda (1977-1988)
    5.  Dr. Syed Waheed Ashraf (1988-1992)
    6.  Dr. P.Nisar Ahmed (1994-2011)
    7.  Dr. Syed Sajjad Husain (2011-2017)
    8.  Dr. K. Habeeb Ahmed (2017-2023)
    9.  Dr. A. Jahir Husain (2023- ) 


    LIST OF FACULTY MEMBERS OF THE DEPARTMENT

    1. Dr. Mohammad Hussain Nainar (1927-1953)
    2. Prof. Mohammad Munawar Gowhar (1927-1930)
    3. Prof. Abu Hashim Syed U’sha (1930-1963)
    4. Prof. Mohammad Husain Mahvi (1930-1949)
    5. Prof. Mohammad Yusuf Kokan (1949-1977)
    6. Prof. Mohammad Anwarul Huq (1958-1968)
    7. Prof. Hyder Ali Khan (1964-1973)
    8. Prof. Nizamuddin Fakhri (1969-1976)
    9. Dr. Syed Safiullah (1976-1998)
    10. Dr. P.Nisar Ahmed (1976-2011)
    11. Dr. Najmul Hoda (1977-1988)
    12. Dr. Syed Waheed Ashraf (1977-1992)
    13. Dr. Syed Sajjad Husain (1984-2017)
    14. Dr. Ihsan Karim Burke (1986-1989)
    15. Dr. Mohammad Mustafa Sharief (1991-1997)
    16. Dr. K. Habeeb Ahmed (2000-2023)
    17. Dr. A. Jahir Hussain (2008- )
    18. Dr. Amanulla .M.B (2014- )

    PROGRAMMES OFFERED:

    1. M.A. ARABIC

    2. M.PHIL. ARABIC

    3. PH.D. ARABIC

    4. CERTIFICATE IN ARABIC

    5. DIPLOMA IN ARABIC

    6. M.A. URDU

    7. M.PHIL. URDU

    8. PH.D. URDU

    9. CERTIFICATE IN URDU

    10. DIPLOMA IN URDU

    ENDOWMENTS:

    a) Endowment Lectures:     i) Othman Abdul Huq Othman Md. Ismail Lectures on Arabic and Islamic Studies.     ii) Daleel Centenary Lectures on Urdu Literature b) Endowment Scholarships:     i) Dr. Abdul Huq Endowment Scholarship for Ph.D. Research Scholars.     ii) Moulana Abdul Wahab Bukhari Scholarship for M.Phil. Research Scholars.     iii) Ahmed Ali Parpia Scholarship for M.A. Students.

    During the past ninety five years, the faculty members, research scholars and students of the Department have successfully brought to light a major portion of the hidden literary treasure of this region. The published works of this department have acclaimed high appreciation from the scholars and institutions of learning across.

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