Ikramul haque | Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Hyderabad, INDIA (original) (raw)
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Papers by Ikramul haque
The Indian Economic and Social History Review, 2024
This article examines the historiographical practices of Abd al-Qadir Badauni, a sixteenth-centur... more This article examines the historiographical practices of Abd al-Qadir Badauni, a sixteenth-century historian and intellectual who served in Akbar’s court. Badauni’s secret Persian chronicle, Muntaḵẖab al-tawārīḵẖ, compiled in three volumes in 1595–96, is regarded as one of the most important sources on the history of Akbar’s reign. The present article, however, is concerned with only the first volume, which narrates the history of the Delhi Sultanate. Unfortunately, the first volume did not receive much attention from scholars, because it was assumed to be offering no significant historical value as it was entirely based on the T̤abaqāt-i Akbarī of Niz̤ām al-Dīn Aḥmad and the Ta’rīḵẖ-i Mubārakshāhī of Yaḥyā Aḥmad Sirhindī. Scholars ignored the fact that Badauni also claimed to have ‘added something of his own’ to his narrative. This article analyses the ways in which Badauni narrated a history of the pre-Mughal …
Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, 2016
The study of political discourse on state and society in medieval India has largely been restrict... more The study of political discourse on state and society in medieval India has largely been restricted to an examination of the views of Ziyauddin Barani, fourteenth century historian and theologian, and Abul Fazl, Akbar’s courtier and Mughal state’s ideologue. 1 Although Abdul Qadir Badauni as a historian of Mughal India has been well recognized by modern scholars, his contribution to the theory of state and governance is yet to be acknowledged and studied. 2 It is certainly difficult to claim that Badauni has laid out any concrete and well defined theory of kingship and state. Nevertheless, the assemblage of the scattered references to principles of politics in the Najat-ur Rashid and the Muntakhab-ut Tawarikh gives us a definite idea about his conception of kingship and politics. The present article attempts to fill that gap by highlighting Badauni’s notion of kingship and state as reflected in his book, Najat-ur Rashid …
Islam in India, Routledge, 2023
This chapter revisits Badauni by investigating his political attitude with specific focus on his ... more This chapter revisits Badauni by investigating his political attitude with specific focus on his ideas on kingship and state as represented in the Najat-ur Rashid. It questions the stereotypical portrayal of Badauni as a religious bigot and mulla in modern scholarly works and argues that his ideas on kingship and politics are in conformity with the larger discourse of what constituted the Muslim political structure in the sixteenth century. In much of the historical writings, produced during the nineteenth century, on Mughal India in general and early period of Mughal state formation under Akbar in particular, Badauni did not receive much attention. He was often regarded as the “corrective” to Abul Fazl’s monumental work, Akbar Nama; the role of his history, Muntakhab-ut Tawarikh was merely to complete and authenticate the “meticulous and authentic” records furnished by the court-historian, Abul Fazl.
The Scroll.in, 2020
Indian Muslims draw inspiration from the characters in ‘Dirilis: Ertugrul’ exemplifying courage, ... more Indian Muslims draw inspiration from the characters in ‘Dirilis: Ertugrul’ exemplifying courage, loyalty and sacrifice in order to fight for their own rights and dignity.
The practice of history writing in the Urdu language began quite late, as Urdu prose itself was o... more The practice of history writing in the Urdu language began quite late, as Urdu prose itself was of a recent growth, which had acquired a refined literary complex in the Fort William College at the turn of the eighteen century. The newly developed Urdu prose inherited the tradition of history writing in Persian. It borrowed heavily from them inasmuch as its form, expression, and approach were also fashioned by the medieval Persian chronicles. Initial Urdu works of Indian history, therefore, are marked largely by adaptations and translations of previous histories in Persian.
Book Reviews by Ikramul haque
This is a review article of Audrey Truschke's book, Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal... more This is a review article of Audrey Truschke's book, Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal Court.
The Indian Economic and Social History Review, 2024
This article examines the historiographical practices of Abd al-Qadir Badauni, a sixteenth-centur... more This article examines the historiographical practices of Abd al-Qadir Badauni, a sixteenth-century historian and intellectual who served in Akbar’s court. Badauni’s secret Persian chronicle, Muntaḵẖab al-tawārīḵẖ, compiled in three volumes in 1595–96, is regarded as one of the most important sources on the history of Akbar’s reign. The present article, however, is concerned with only the first volume, which narrates the history of the Delhi Sultanate. Unfortunately, the first volume did not receive much attention from scholars, because it was assumed to be offering no significant historical value as it was entirely based on the T̤abaqāt-i Akbarī of Niz̤ām al-Dīn Aḥmad and the Ta’rīḵẖ-i Mubārakshāhī of Yaḥyā Aḥmad Sirhindī. Scholars ignored the fact that Badauni also claimed to have ‘added something of his own’ to his narrative. This article analyses the ways in which Badauni narrated a history of the pre-Mughal …
Proceedings of the Indian History Congress, 2016
The study of political discourse on state and society in medieval India has largely been restrict... more The study of political discourse on state and society in medieval India has largely been restricted to an examination of the views of Ziyauddin Barani, fourteenth century historian and theologian, and Abul Fazl, Akbar’s courtier and Mughal state’s ideologue. 1 Although Abdul Qadir Badauni as a historian of Mughal India has been well recognized by modern scholars, his contribution to the theory of state and governance is yet to be acknowledged and studied. 2 It is certainly difficult to claim that Badauni has laid out any concrete and well defined theory of kingship and state. Nevertheless, the assemblage of the scattered references to principles of politics in the Najat-ur Rashid and the Muntakhab-ut Tawarikh gives us a definite idea about his conception of kingship and politics. The present article attempts to fill that gap by highlighting Badauni’s notion of kingship and state as reflected in his book, Najat-ur Rashid …
Islam in India, Routledge, 2023
This chapter revisits Badauni by investigating his political attitude with specific focus on his ... more This chapter revisits Badauni by investigating his political attitude with specific focus on his ideas on kingship and state as represented in the Najat-ur Rashid. It questions the stereotypical portrayal of Badauni as a religious bigot and mulla in modern scholarly works and argues that his ideas on kingship and politics are in conformity with the larger discourse of what constituted the Muslim political structure in the sixteenth century. In much of the historical writings, produced during the nineteenth century, on Mughal India in general and early period of Mughal state formation under Akbar in particular, Badauni did not receive much attention. He was often regarded as the “corrective” to Abul Fazl’s monumental work, Akbar Nama; the role of his history, Muntakhab-ut Tawarikh was merely to complete and authenticate the “meticulous and authentic” records furnished by the court-historian, Abul Fazl.
The Scroll.in, 2020
Indian Muslims draw inspiration from the characters in ‘Dirilis: Ertugrul’ exemplifying courage, ... more Indian Muslims draw inspiration from the characters in ‘Dirilis: Ertugrul’ exemplifying courage, loyalty and sacrifice in order to fight for their own rights and dignity.
The practice of history writing in the Urdu language began quite late, as Urdu prose itself was o... more The practice of history writing in the Urdu language began quite late, as Urdu prose itself was of a recent growth, which had acquired a refined literary complex in the Fort William College at the turn of the eighteen century. The newly developed Urdu prose inherited the tradition of history writing in Persian. It borrowed heavily from them inasmuch as its form, expression, and approach were also fashioned by the medieval Persian chronicles. Initial Urdu works of Indian history, therefore, are marked largely by adaptations and translations of previous histories in Persian.
This is a review article of Audrey Truschke's book, Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal... more This is a review article of Audrey Truschke's book, Culture of Encounters: Sanskrit at the Mughal Court.