Aligarh College aur Shiraz (Safarnam)

[Arshad M Hashmi]

Dear Sir(s)/ Madam(s),

Tasleemaat!

With due respect, it is an honour for me to share this information about my new book "Aligarh College aur Shiraz". 

The book offers the annotated and critically edited edition of a rare and invaluable travelogue written more than a century ago by Syed Jalaluddin Haider, one of the distinguished members of the Shiraz Delegation of the Muhammadan Anglo-Oriental College (A.M.O. College), Aligarh—the institution popularly known as Aligarh College a century ago. Penned during a period of intellectual ferment and cultural reawakening among Indian Muslims, this travelogue is not merely a record of an overseas journey; it is a vital document that captures the academic spirit, diplomatic aspirations, and cultural curiosity that shaped the early decades of the Aligarh Movement. 

Syed Jalaluddin Haider’s narrative stands out for its freshness of detail, elegance of expression, and keen observation. As a member of the Shiraz Wafd, he witnessed and documented encounters that illuminate the educational, literary, and political engagements of Indo-Persian scholars with Iran at the turn of the twentieth century. His account provides rare insights into the social fabric of Shiraz, the intellectual climate of Persian institutions, and the subtle exchanges that took place between the delegation and their Iranian hosts. In preparing this edition, I have introduced the text with historical context, verified references, and supplied annotations that clarify obscure allusions, personal names, locations, and cultural practices. 

The aim has been to preserve the authenticity of the original narrative while making it accessible to contemporary readers and scholars. This edition also brings to light several forgotten aspects of Indo-Iranian intellectual relations and the role of A.M.O. College in fostering such exchanges. It is hoped that this critical presentation of Syed Jalaluddin Haider’s travelogue will serve not only as a resource for researchers of South Asian history, Urdu travel literature, and the Aligarh Movement, but also as a window into a rich chapter of cultural diplomacy that continues to resonate even today.

Thanks, 

                     ارشد مسعود ہاشمی

Arshad Masood Hashmi

Professor (Former Head & Former Director, IQAC,), Department of Urdu, Jai Prakash University, Chapra 841302 India

Chief Editor: URDU STUDIES (eISSN: 2583-8784)
https://ssrn.com/author=4406419

https://urdustudies.in/

https://bih-in.academia.edu/ArshadHashmi

https://www.rekhta.org/authors/arshad-masood-hashmi/ebooks

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