LUTUFULLAH’S CIRCUMCISION DATE OF SULAIMAN SHIKOH SON OF DARA SHIKOH – CIRCUMCISION AT EIGHTEEN YEARS SPEAK OF AMBIVALENCE TO MUSLIM PRACTICE OF CIRCUMCISION AT AN EARLY DATE UNDER FAMILY DISPLAY OF “JASHAN SUNTAN”

LUTUFULLAH’S  CIRCUMCISION DATE OF SULAIMAN SHIKOH SON OF DARA SHIKOH – CIRCUMCISION AT EIGHTEEN YEARS SPEAK OF AMBIVALENCE TO MUSLIM PRACTICE OF CIRCUMCISION AT AN EARLY DATE UNDER FAMILY DISPLAY OF “JASHAN SUNTAN”

Sulaiman Shikoh

The ritual of male circumcision was considered a festival of great importance in the Muslim tradition. The earlier it was done, the better it was considered. It was becoming a Muslim. There were simple circumcisions and there were concepts of “Wadian Suntan”. In these festivals most of the family used go sit in a circle, and a barber surgeon was called, who would circumcise the child. A tray of sand was put underneath to stop the bleeding. Nothing medical about it. I once witnessed such a festival in a havelli in Mochi Darwaza Lahore, where we the children were allowed to watch from above the designated hall, through the big opening in the roof. The young boy knew nothing and was led astray with a meaningless assertion, “Look at the bird on the roof”. And the surgery done, with application of alum on the cut part of the genitals. Music and dance came in. Later on a huge dinner was on the anvil, and everybody rejoiced with the idea, that the child had become a Muslim with this operation. This takes us to pages of history.

Lutufullahs verse on Sulaimans circumcision

Sulaiman Shikoh was active with his father Dara Shikoh in the fight between the two brothers. He was hiding in Srinagar, but betrayed by the Rajah’s son, he was bought back. Imprisoned at Gwalior fort, he showed great courage, and same was appreciated by Aurangzeb himself. Not much is known as to the happenings, but it seems that he was put to death in the prison itself. With his valour he lasted many months in prison. But ended in the ‘Traitors graveyard’ in Gwalior fort. It is not traceable at present in the list of inscriptions of the graveyard of Gwalior Fort. In appreciation of his courage, Aurangzeb Alamgeer allowed the marriage of his daughter Salima Banu to his own son, Muhammed Akbar. The love of Salima with Akbar is so well known. 

Circumcision at Mughal court

Lutufullah Ahmad Muhandis who was very close to Prnce Dara Shikoh attended the circumcision practice of Sulaiman Shikoh. He gives the date of the same as 1064 AH, that is 1653 ZAD. This means the Prince had his circumcision done at 18 years of age for he was born in 1635 AD. This is all a record in the Diwan of Muhandis, which exists both in manuscript form (Chughtai Museum has a number of copies, in original and in copies), and printed copies, and has a number of other dates too. A direct record.

This circumcision practice in Lahore as elsewhere becomes more and more complex. As foreskins were considered signs of manhood, foreskins were collected from the dead bodies of enemies. And not only that, they were also replaced with figurines of same. We find these figurines in Israel, but we find them in Lahore too. The ones in Israel are depicted as uncircumcised, while the ones in Lahore are circumcised in imagery.

The Torah speaks of the continued policy of cutting the foreskins of dead enemies and keeping it as a relic, along with necessitated figurines of same. In relation to the biblical story of David and Goliath, as elucidated by the Quran too, in terms of Hazrat Daud and strong man Jaloot. In fact, Kind David is reputed to have presented 200 foreskins to Herod for the hand of his daughter as told to us by bible:

“David took his men with him and went out and killed two hundred Philistines and brought back their foreskins. They counted out the full number to the king so that David might become the king’s son-in-law. Then Saul gave him his daughter Michal in marriage.”

“The Old Testament is awfully big on foreskins (e.g. Genesis 34 and 1 Samuel 18:27). In particular, the Israelites are fond of collecting the foreskins of their enemies, usually after they have been slain, but occasionally beforehand.”

But making figurines of the genitals is a brand new concept, discovered in Israel as well as in Lahore. And the foreskins collected as relics. A related practice is the keeping of the ‘Chand’, after the birth of a child. That is portion of the child’s  first hair which were cut, and the umbilical cord with it. History has strange turns and twists in it. 

FROM USTAD AHMAD MIMAR TO MIAN KAREEM BAKSH MIMAR – MOVEMENT FROM EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN TO MAI HIRAN LAHORI

FROM USTAD AHMAD MIMAR TO MIAN KAREEM BAKSH MIMAR – MOVEMENT FROM EMPEROR SHAH JAHAN TO MAI HIRAN LAHORI

Masjid Mai Hiran Rang Mahal Chowk

In 1632 a most ambitious project of a mausoleum was commissioned by Emperor Shah Jahan and the project was given to his Chief Architect Ustad Ahmad Mimar Lahori. The project was created with no financial considerations in mind. After 1900, there was a Mashki in Lahore, living in the vicinity of Gumti Bazaar. By Mashki we means a water carrier, and water was as scarcity in this city all the time. These water carriers were in great demand. The most famous Mashki of Lahore was Gulu Mashki, attached to the wife of Maharajah Ranjit Singh.  But an even more famous Mashki was Saqa, who saved the life of Emperor Humayoun, and was made Emperor of Hindustan for a day, at his own request. But let us get back to our Lahori Mashki. Toiling with water mashks all his life, the fellow died a natural death. This man had a very loving wife, who wanted his name to be remembered forever. There was a saving of Rs 500 in their house. Probably the house itself got converted. And as permission was required to construct a mosque, Mr Tapp, the Municipal administrator gave same willingly to her. Now was required a person who could execute the project in Rs 500. The lady sent for not only an able but reputedly a very honest man, Mian Kareem Baksh Mimar. This fellow promised to have the mosque made from start to finish within the 500 rupees. That included the design on paper, the passing from the municipality, bricks and mortar and everything. Start of the project started with the sacrifice of a lamb in the foundations of the mosque, which was the usual practice at that time.

Initially the mosque was hidden from sight, but I got interested in its story and we went to see it in 1977. At that time constructions in front of it had fallen and it was clearly visible in the chowk of Rang Mahal, Lahore. Well no barriers could hold my enthusiasm for a mosque built by my own grandfather. And I climbed and scaled every portion of it. Majeed Bhatti, the photographer was with me and he photographed many of these episodes of mine. I evoked a great passion in me. For emperors building things was one thing, for a poor woman another thing all to gather. Her love and her soul were in the mosque and so was the work of my grandfather. Such stories have to be told. Emperors get their stories written all the time. No one to write the story of compassion of poor people. I write it down with dignity and respect. But it is to be noted that the mosque has individuality, and architectural balance, which was the hall mark of Islamic architecture. Today all these aesthetics are gone with the new wave of totally illiterate Maulvis capturing the mosques.  If given free reign, they would destroy all our traditional mosques and replace them with horrendous structures of concrete and steel. The grace of Allah saved the Badshahi mosque from such a venture, when the Nawab Begum of Bhopal took control over its reconstruction. Allah bless the souls of the various Begums of Bhopal doing good for people.

TURNING POINTS IN ISLAMIC HISTORY SULTAN MUHAMMED AL-FATEH – THE YEAR 2020 HERALDING ANOTHER ICONIC STEP FOR MUSLIM UMMA

TURNING POINTS IN ISLAMIC HISTORY SULTAN MUHAMMED AL-FATEH – THE YEAR 2020 HERALDING ANOTHER ICONIC STEP FOR MUSLIM UMMA

Sultan Muhammed

The parable is true. Let the hibernating bears sleep, otherwise havoc can be created. The English coined the same as “Let the sleeping dog lie”. Our past heroes have said, “Musulmano ko lalkara no karo, yeh na ho apke tabai na lay ayan”. That is, “Do not provoke the Muslims, they may bring your destruction”. The rallying point is the Quran and the shout which brings Muslims together is the simple words, “Allah o Akbar”. It opens the hearts of the Muslims to unbridled comradeship with Al-Mighty Allah. A state where life and death has no meaning, implementing the Laws of Allah the focal point. If the world is full of Muslim stooges, do not think that even a stooge cannot be awakened. It requires icons, like Hazrat Umar, Salahuddin Ayubi. Tariq bin Zayed, Sultan Muhammed Fateh, Aurangzeb Alamgeer, Tipu Sultan, and Field Marshal Ayub Khan. The present Military leadership is no exception. It has seen pangs of victories of Islam in the past. The end is rise of Islamic civilization in the future. The euphoria has already begun.

The prediction morons are always there to confuse things. Refuse to see things as they are. Just totally fatalistic idiots. When it comes to actual fight, Muslims do not run away. They face the music. The love of Allah and his Prophet (PBUH) inflames them all the more.  Do not ignite the button with foolish under estimates of us. We fight to the end, for we believe in the next world. Not born again as lower beings, but as warriors of our faith. Allah has mercy on us!

YOU HAVE HEARD POLITICAL CHANGES ARE PLANNED IN LONDON – DO YOU KNOW CULTURAL CHANGES ARE ALSO LONDON PLANNED! – ART DEVOID OF ISLAM AND PAKISTAN, CONFESSED MR G.M. BUTCHER

YOU HAVE HEARD POLITICAL CHANGES ARE PLANNED IN LONDON – DO YOU KNOW CULTURAL CHANGES ARE ALSO LONDON PLANNED! – ART DEVOID OF ISLAM AND PAKISTAN, CONFESSED MR G.M. BUTCHER

1955 Three painters Murree American Center

The allergy to Islam and Islamic Civilization of the Western world is well understood. But definite interference sometimes forgotten. It took Quaid-e-Azam his life to make Pakistan. And lobbies were ready to undermine the Ideology of the country. Schools and Universities were created before Pakistan to undermine such concepts, but this became more latent after Pakistan came into being. The Ideology of Pakistan was a threat word to outside lobbies. 

The famous Keeper at the British Museum, Basil Gray, was our guest here in 1977, and at a period post retirement, in a jovial mood to spill the beans. Of all the lobbies, he talked of British Intelligence. He said he was sent to India in 1946 to disappear the art treasures and he was successful at most places. The only person be could not seduce in his official venture was Chughtai artist, who refused to part with his art treasures. He was amused that Chughtai artist survived the ideological crisis generated by the same sources.

Professor-Lester-F-Pross changing syllabus

The very first onslaught against our Islamic character was the term of 5000 years of Pakistan civilization. Is that what the Quaid-e-Azam was fighting for? 5000 years. 1400 years of Islam generated phobia in these bigoted scholars who rewrote our history. And that did not end then. A modern lady scholar bemoaned my statement that the National spirit was in the blood of Chughtai Sahib. She said that is what we are trying to remove all the time. By giving scholarship to those who would toe their lines, they generate a new idiom of art in Pakistan. And that is what they did in 1958, by devising a Pakistan Arts Group, which would toe their lines. Read this in the language of the person, who started it all. In their own words:

Five Pakistani artists, at present in London, who have formed the “Pakistan Group”, held their first composite exhibition at the Woodstock Gallery, London (November 10-22). It was formally opened by the British High Commissioner in UK, Mr M. Ikramullah.The following critical appreciation of the work of these painters is from a student of Indo-Pakistani painting at the Oxford University, Mr. G. M. Butcher, who is at present doing a thesis on the same subject. He observed “Although it is reasonable to think of the various idioms of the modern movement in painting as having an international character, it is also the case that artists frequently do come together along national lines for group undertakings. The rather sudden emergence of the Pakistan Group in London is a case in point. And even though individually the five members of the Group might perfectly well fit in elsewhere, many visitors to the present exhibition, will be curious to try to discover whatever it is that gives the Pakistan Group, as a Group, its special identity. “As it happens, these five painters are among the dozen or so in all of Pakistan, who are leading the way in an attempt to make painting an integral reflection of the real life of their country today. They are interested neither to take part in the self-conscious revival of traditional forms, nor to copy, as such, the methods and the problems of European painting, old or new. But, equally, as they are on the edge of the de facto frontiers of their particular cultural situation, there are no rules for them to follow. Each step forward implies a dozen steps wasted. And, as the present exhibition is the first of its kind ever to have been organized in Europe, we may well be witness to some of those wasted steps; but we are also certain to find tendencies towards the future of painting, not only in Pakistan, but throughout the newly emerging countries of Islam from Morocco to Indonesia. “Now it is a curious thing, that when questioned, not one of these five painters seemed conscious of anything particularly reflective in his work of either Islam or of Pakistan. This is partly attributable, of course, to the ‘evolve’ background of these particular artists as individuals. All of them have been exposed to the very Western modes of thought which dominated the schools and universities of British India, and all of them have lived for varying periods in London itself. Nevertheless, to myself as an interested outsider, there seem certain definite characteristics which these painters hold in common, and which are in some way interpretable in terms of the many incursions of Islam into Greater India.

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A WAVE OF PAKISTANI PAINTERS WHO JUMPED ON TO THE BAND WAGON OF THE WEST FOR REASONS – CAN SUCH IMITATION EVER PRODUCE GREAT ART? | Chughtai’s Art Blog

Shakir Ali Shemza. In Giza Egypt various mummies of Pharaohs are studied every day. Newer and newer research is done. But the mummies are dead. Their art keeps interest in them alive.

Read for yourself how the outside lobbies work. This is not our sentences, these are sentences from outside. Crushing our Ideology their aim of life!

A QURANIC SCHOLAR OF KOCHA CHABUK SAWARAN – ABDULLAH CHAKRALAVI AND CHUGHTAI BROTHERS

A QURANIC SCHOLAR OF KOCHA CHABUK SAWARAN – ABDULLAH CHAKRALAVI AND CHUGHTAI BROTHERS

Original Chinay wali masjid

Not much is written about Kocha Chabuk Sawaran, and even more little is known, or even written. But   very important people belonged to this area and left their mark on the intellectual history of this region and beyond. This is not the time to list all those people, and we will try to do a list of them eventually. At this moment we will talk about a revolutionary Quranic Scholar of the area, who was Imam of the Chinay wali  Masjid for eight years. 

Maulana in the hujra unknown artist

The strangest part is that this person migrated to Lahore from the village of Chakrala near Mian walli, and captured the intellectual spirit of Lahore. He was not a very healthy man, and the Chughtai brothers recall, that most of the time, he used to be lying on his  charpai in the mosque, teaching students the Quran and its values, and answering their mundane questions all the time. As this mosque was frequented by Mian Kareem Baksh Mimar all the time, he put his sons in the mosque, first, leaving the other centers aside. So both Abdur Rahman Chughtai and Abdullah Chaghatai received their initial Quranic education from this remarkable man. Not many patronized him,  but there was a shoe maker, with a factory nearby in the mosque (still there after ages), who found solace in the thinking of this scholar. His name was Muhammed Chittu Patoli and he not only funded the publication of his many books, a journal issued fortnightly, and even offered his own house in Bazaar Sirianwala for the Quranic education. A request was made to convert his house into a mosque but Mr Tapp, the Municipal administrator came on a horse, and there was a vast crowd of other sects who did not want this to happen. Permission for converting the house into a mosque was refused. But this did not stop the tenacity of Abdullah Chakralavi nor his follower Muhammed Chittu, and they continued their mission. 

Baba-Hiyadatullah-and-Mulla-Ghaus of Chabuk Sawaran

Books published hundred years ago or more, are not considered worthy of publication again. But the subject of Abdullah Chakralavi was “Quran”, so a kind hearted group published, Syed Research Academy has published two of his major books. The research undertaken by Ali Usman Qasimi of LUMS is an issue that his monumental book is out of print and not printed again. So people are catching up with the works of this man and his sincerity cannot be doubted. The issue remains, is the Quran final authority or the Hadees (which are plenty) can overturn the Quran. Even erase its portions as ‘mansooq’. One cannot even imagine this kind of situation but a cabal insists on casting doubts about Quranic decisions as a conspiracy against Islam itself.

Quranic students in Lahore 1903

All solid scholars recall that on the death of the Prophet (PBUH), Hazrat Umar said, “The Prophet (PBUH) as a man is dead, but he has left us the Quran. For us the Quran is enough.” There can be no second thoughts on the subject after this affirmation. We sent a representative to Chakrala near Mian walli, and we found an empty house there, being swept by a maid servant. She told us the family is in Rawalpindi and one person’s name is ‘Yusuf’. If they come across this, it is requested that they contact us so that we can go further on our research efforts. Till then cheers for the heroic step of this Quranic thinker!P.S.Masjid Mulla Ghous is literally next door to Chinay wali masjid and still stands there. If a photograph of Mulla Ghous is there, photograph of Abdullah Chakralavi must be there somewhere open to our research. 

LOVE OF THE MONGOL QUEEN FOR HER THREE SONS – THE ANA SHAH KHATUN OF TABRIZ EAST AZERBAIJAN

LOVE OF THE MONGOL QUEEN FOR HER THREE SONS – THE ANA SHAH KHATUN OF TABRIZ EAST AZERBAIJAN

Imagery of Mongol Khatuns

Ana Khatun is a village in Esperan Rural district, in the Central District of Tabriz County, East Azerbaijan Province, in Iran. It is about 332 miles north west of Teheran, and its entire population is merely 2052, belonging to just 527 families. There can be no doubt that it is name of a Mongol Queen, and literally means a lady who is in position sky high. The air going up to the sky in importance. More probably the village is named after this important lady, who must have founded this place long ago.

Chughtai Museum has in its archives a manuscript of Ana Khatun from Tabriz areawith an introduction in verse and three risalahs written for her three sons, namely Saifuddin Abdul Wahab, Muhammed Qasim and Abdul Salam. She styles herself as Ana Shah Khatun, which clearly shows a Royal status. We know that the Mongols settled in Tabriz and Azarbaijan area and styled themselves as Al-Khanids. More on them later.

A TIME IN IRAQ BEFORE SADDAM AND THE PRESENT ANARCHY – VISIT OF IRAQI PRINCE TO PAKISTAN AND CHUGHTAIS PAINTING.

A TIME IN IRAQ BEFORE SADDAM AND THE PRESENT ANARCHY – VISIT OF IRAQI PRINCE TO PAKISTAN AND CHUGHTAIS PAINTING.

King Faisal of Iraq

Little is known about King Faisal of Iraq and this can be understood:
“Faisal II (Arabic: الملك فيصل الثاني‎ Al-Malik Fayṣal Ath-thānī) (2 May 1935 – 14 July 1958) was the last King of Iraq. He reigned from 4 April 1939 until July 1958, when he was executed during the 14 July Revolution together with numerous members of his family. This regicide marked the end of the thirty-seven-year-old Hashemite monarchy in Iraq, which then became a republic. “

Prince Abdullah regent of Prince Faisal


He was cousin of King Hussain of Jordan, and belonged to the prestigious Hashemite kingdom of Islam. He was always accompanied by his uncle Prince Abdullah, who was his regent. Prince visited Pakistan and was presented with a Chughtais painting. A version of his famous painting “Morning Star”. Most probably the painting destroyed in the regicide against his rule, but one does not know. We have a photograph of the Prince with his uncle Prince Abdullah, and our own famous diplomat Pitras Bokhari receiving him in state. Little known facts are on record with us.

Different version of Morning Star


The tragic end is on record:
 The monarchy’s end was quite similar to the regicide of the Russian Tsarist autocracy in 1917. On July 14, 1958, a coup d’état, orchestrated by officers who called themselves the “Free Officers” (inspired by the Egyptian Free Officers who overthrew the Egyptian Monarchy in 1952), raided the Qasr al-Zuhur (Palace of Roses) and directed the royal family to the courtyard, under the pretense that a helicopter would pick them up. Instead, they were lined up, facing the palace walls, and machine-gunned. Among the dead were Faisal; Abdul Ilah; Princess Nafeesa, Abdul Ilah’s mother; Princess Abadiya, Faisal’s aunt; and Princess Hiyam, Abdul Ilah’s wife. Mob mentality ensued and took over Baghdad; Faisal and Abdul Ilah’s bodies were dragged through the streets and hung outside the Ministry of Defense as evidence that Iraq had been liberated from its Western ties.
And these people were the custodians of Holy places from times immemorial, the famous Hashims of Khana Kaaba. 

King Faisal Iraq and Pitras Bokhari