KARACHI: Speakers recalled and lauded the contribution of the state of Hyderabad Deccan to the rich cultural traditions of Muslims of the subcontinent in particular and the world in a general at a seminar organised by the Bahadur Yaar Jang Academy on Saturday evening.

Retired Justice Prof Dr Ghous Mohammad presided over the event. He said Mir Osman Ali Khan of the Mumlikat-i-Hyderabad (who ruled from 1911 to 1948) played a pivotal role in the progress of Muslims that cannot be appreciated enough. He was not an ordinary person. At the time, Hyderabad was a rich state and the people of the state benefited from all that richness. The culture and traditions there were so opulent (language, sartorial sense etc) that it was difficult to differentiate between Muslims and non-Muslims.

Justice Ghous said the Pakistanis of South India’s Mumlikat-i-Hyderabad were the basis and living proof of the Two-Nation Theory. Many great personalities of the world got attracted to Deccan, which was why historically the place was the custodian of Islamic civilisation and the centre of wisdom and knowledge. The assistance that the government and people of Hyderabad provided to the freedom movement of Pakistan was acknowledged not only by the founder of the nation Mohammad Ali Jinnah but also by Allama Iqbal. The formation of Jamia Osmania and the fondness for poets and writers too was a testimony to the ruler of Hyderabad’s affection for the pursuit of wisdom. Justice sahib stressed that our love of Deccan demanded that we remembered all its high ideals and qualities.

Earlier, president of the academy, Professor Mir Hamid Ali said Hyderabad was the biggest state of (pre-partition) India. It had its own currency, postal system, an airline and broadcasting link. During the World War II, the British sought help from the Nizam of Hyderabad, which he provided in a big way. The British had promised the Nizam that Hyderabad would be an independent state, but the colonial power betrayed the state and did not keep its promise. As a result, India unjustly held Hyderabad as well as Kashmir where Muslims were in majority.

Prof Mir said that the Hyderabad state also provided the Aligarh University with considerable assistance. At the time of partition, the Nizam of Hyderabad gave aid worth Rs20 crore to Pakistan, which bearing that time period in mind was a huge sum.

Journalist Zafar Mohiuddin said Hyderabad was the centre of Muslim civilisation. He gave a historical perspective of things mentioning names such as that of Quli Qutub Shah. He informed the audience that Hyderabad’s size was bigger than 110 countries of the world, and in those days there were 6,000 schools and madressahs in the state.

Prof Dr Mohammad Ali Qadri said Hyderabad was not the name of a state, but was the name of an ideology. India (post-partition) could not eradicate the rich culture of Hyderabad.

Ghalib Irfan paid tribute to the state in verse. The first two lines of his nazm were:

Beetey huay din yaad aaey hain, phir chaand gagan per chamka hai

Phir arz-i-Deccan ki yaad aai, phir dil reh reh ker dharka hai

[I remember the days gone by, the moon has appeared in the firmament

I feel my heart pounding, as I recall the state of Deccan.]

Prof Khwaja Qutbuddin conducted the seminar.

Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2018