KARACHI: A book titled Makhdoom Muhammad Hashim Thattvi – Brief Life History, Struggle and Achievements written by Dr Syed Areeb Uddin (a descendant of the scholar) was launched at the National Museum of Pakistan on Thursday.

Former prime minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani was the chief guest at the launch. He was supposed to be in Karachi on the occasion but due to ‘unavoidable circumstances’ had to leave the city. So, he spoke via telephone from Multan. He said since he couldn’t be there, he requested his nephew, the Sajjada Nasheen of Uch Sharif, Syed Sohail Hassan Gillani to represent him. Congratulating the author, he said he came to know through the book about a saint. He then gave a detailed account of his own ancestry having strong links with the spiritual people of the region and their way of dealing with the high and mighty. After developing an argument on that he said in his family the Gaddi Nashin never took part in politics and the practice was going on since Aurangzeb came to Multan.

Mr Gillani said he appreciated Dr Areeb for writing the book because he had written about his ancestors. He said when he (Gillani) was in jail during Gen Musharraf’s rule in the country, he wrote a book, Chah-i-Yousuf Se Sada. He explained that the line was taken from a verse by Altaf Hussain Hali and clarified that the ‘chah’ in it wasn’t an Urdu word; rather it was a Persian word that meant a well. He said his was the book on the Gillanis of Multan. He said it took him five years to write it. He apologised to the audience that he couldn’t physically be at the venue and instead had to talk to them via telephone like Altaf Hussain (of MQM).

Mehtab Akbar Rashdi said the author was a humble, young and energetic soul. She said he presented the book to her, and she was pleasantly surprised to know that he took time out of his medical practice to research on his great grandfather. She said the name Hashim Thattivi was so big that to pen a book on him needed ‘a lot’. She said the 18th century scholar through his books tried to understand the true spirit of religion. She said she also appreciated the author’s effort because nowadays people had stopped reading books.

Pir Sohail Hassan Gillani said the meaning of Sufism was to be selfless. He said it was to do with an individual’s personal experience with God.

Syed Mazhar Jamil said Makhdoom Muhammad Hashim Thattvi was an important 18th century scholar. He said the author had written about him in a nice manner (khush asloobi se). He said it was our foremost duty to remember those individuals from history from whom we could learn. He, however, said a few things which he thought needed to be revisited. He said, for example, the author had mentioned 400 books to Mr Thattvi’s credit, whereas the number given by a couple of other writers, including Pir Hassamuddin Rashdi, was less. He also pointed out that one needed to look into the scholar’s raasikh (firm) thoughts on religion.

Dr Syed Areeb Uddin said he started working on the life and work of the scholar in 2010 and it was in 2015 that he felt he was ‘good to go’.

Former vice chancellor of Sindh University Mazharul Haq Siddiqui presided over the event. He said Mr Thattvi wrote in simple Sindhi because he wanted to convey his message to the people. He said Areeb too wrote in simple English, which meant his message would reach a larger readership.

Prof M. Saleem Memon, director of Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai Chair, delivered the welcome address.

Published in Dawn, September 30th, 2016