Abū az-Zibriqān ʿAbd ar-Raḥmān ibn ʿAbd al-Hādī Dāmullā al-Kāshgharī an-Nadwī (Arabic: أبو الزبرقان عبد الرحمن بن عبد الهادي داملا الكاشغري الندوي; 15 September 1912 – March 1971), or simply Abdur Rahman Kashgari (Uyghur: ئابدۇرراھمان كاشغەرىي, Bengali: আব্দুর রহমান কাশগরী), was one of the leading scholars of the Arabic language and literature in the Indian subcontinent.[1] Of Uyghur background, Kashgari migrated from East Turkestan to India at an early age, completing his studies in Lucknow where he became an accomplished Islamic scholar, linguist, poet and author.[2] He then migrated to Bengal (present-day Bangladesh), where he eventually became the principal of Dhaka Alia Madrasa. Kashgari was also the first khatib of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, holding this role until his death.[3][4]
Early life and education
Abdur Rahman was born in the village of Tashmiliq in Kashgar, East Turkestan (present-day Xinjiang, China). His father, Abdul Hadi Damolla,[note 1] was a local Uyghurmullah popularly referred to as Beit-Akhunum.[6] As a result of instability in their home region following the 1911 Revolution and the establishment of the Republic of China, his father, elder brother and two sisters were arrested by the new regime and the family property was taken away. His maternal uncle suggested to Abdur Rahman's mother that they join the Muslim refugee groups migrating to the subcontinent with the assistance of a guerrilla force. However, Abdur Rahman's mother hoped for her family to eventually be freed and so she remained in Kashgar though Abdur Rahman was keen on furthering his Islamic studies in India.[7]
Abdur Rahman's initial education began under the local Islamic scholars in Kashgar. After leaving behind his family in Kashgar, eleven-year old Abdur Rahman joined the caravan towards India. They passed through Karakol and the Pamir Mountains, eventually reaching a place called Dukhan in Afghanistan. From there, they reached a place called Barik near Fayzabad, Badakhshan. From there, they reached Chitral via Zebak where they received assistance from Mehtar Amir ul-Mulk, and subsequently went to Dargai. After months of walking on foot, they finally went from Dargai to Amritsar via rail. The adviser there appeared in the services of Maulana Abdullah Minhas, in whose name the Mehtar of Chitral had kindly written a letter of recommendation. According to the Mehtar's instructions, he served Abdul Hye Hasani, principal of the Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama in Lucknow, British India. Finding refuge in the Nadwatul Ulama orphanage in 1922, he became a student at the same institute up-to higher level, gaining a strong grounding in the Islamic sciences such as Hadith studies, tafsir, Arabic literature and other subjects under Abdul Hye Hasani. He graduated from Nadwatul Ulama in 1347 AH (1929 CE). He then went on to study at the University of Lucknow where he received a Fazil-e-Adab degree.[8] Kashgari received a certificate in the seven qira'at from the Madrasa-e-Furqania.[9]
Kashgarhi remained a bachelor for his entire life.[8] He had pet kittens.[7]
Death
Kashgarhi died towards the end of March 1971, in Dacca, East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh). He was buried in Azimpur Graveyard.[7] One of his students, Abu Mahfuz Al-Karim Masumi, wrote a lengthy obituary for the fortnightly Al-Raid in Lucknow.[citation needed]
Notes
^According to Muhammad Qasim Hajim, his father's name was ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-Ḥakīm ibn Bakr.[5]
^ abcal-Kumillai, Muhammad Hifzur Rahman (2018). "الشيخ الفاضل مولانا العلامة اللغوي عبد الرحمن الكاشْغَري، رحمه الله تعالى" [The honourable Shaykh, Mawlana, the Allamah, the linguist, Abd ar-Rahman al-Kashghari, may Allah, the Most High, have mercy on him]. كتاب البدور المضية في تراجم الحنفية (in Arabic). Cairo, Egypt: Dar al-Salih.
