Maulana Abu Zafar Siddiqui, Maunavi was my maternal grandfather. He was not graduated from any so-called Islamic Seminary but he was a Maulana in true sense. Maulana is an Arabic word, which means in English “Our lord, our benefactor, our guardian, our mentor, our leader, our guide etc”. Maulana Abu Zafar Siddiqui was a pious man belonging to the landed gentry in Mauna, a Muslim dominated village in Runni Saidpur Block of Sitamarhi District, Bihar. It is situated about 3 km to the west on NH77. His grandfather known as “Dost Ali” was renowned in the area for his glories as a Zamindar.
The first memoir of my maternal grandfather, Maulana Abu Zafar Siddiqui Maunavi I have from the childhood is his visit on foot umbrella on head from Mauna Sharif to Tehai Madaripur to meet his only daughter Amina Khatoon, whom he had married in his own matrimonial family. It would be a hilarious occasions for us the children ‘Nana Aagaye’ (Maternal grandfather arrived). Obviously, the reason for our delight might have been those tasty edibles, he would bring with him. The mode of transport at that time was limited to bullock carts, cycles, walking on foot and insufficient number of busses plying from Muzaffarpur city to some villages beyond Mauna. Therefore, my nana would prefer walking on food to the matrimonial home of his and that of his daughter rather than riding a bicycle or using other modes of transport most of the times.
A man’s destiny is determined by God and then shaped by his environment, atmosphere at parental home and background of maternal family. Late Maulana Abu Zafar Siddiqui was a devoted and pious Muslim, which can be inferred from sending his youngest son Mufti Mohammad Saghir Ahmad Rizvi Noori to a famous Islamic Seminary founded by an Islamic Mystic and renowned Islamic Scholar, Mufti Mohammad Aslam Rizvi, founder of Jamia Qadriya Maqsoodpur Aurai, Muzaffarpur for Islamic studies and when I was 07 years old, he brought me also with him where I started memorizing the Quran under the guidance of Hafiz Mohammad Imran of the village Tharwat.
Whenever we would go to our maternal home Mauna, we would find him sitting in the veranda of his house. As soon as he saw us, he would call someone from inside instructing him to arrange the best of meals possible for their grandsons, daughters and other visitors. At least, pigeons reared by him in abundance would be available in meals alongwith other delicacies. Maulana Abu Zafar Siddiqui would be happy not only on our visit; his entertainments would be available to any guest, who happened to come to his house, a habit praised and encouraged by the Prophet of Islam (PBUH).
My maternal grandfather Maulana Abu Zafar Siddiqui inherited sufficient land from his father to live on. We never saw him going to the field or engaged in any agricultural activities and it was possible only because of his middle son known amongst us by the name of Mr Hadi, who sacrificed his career working as a deputy of his father in all household and agricultural activities with financial inputs provided by other brothers of his, Mufti Mohammad Saghir Ahmad Rizvi and Mohd Rizwan Ahmad.
Nana Jan (Abdu Zafar Siddiqui) always dreamt to establish an Islamic seminary to spread the Islamic and revealed sciences among the masses. Therefore, he established a Madrasa “Gulshane Madina Jamia Nooria” Mauna Walipur, Sitamarhi, which has become now a center of Islami learning and training under the aegis of his son Mufti Saghir Ahmad Rizvi Misbahi, who was blessed to realize the dream of his father and Alhamdu Lillah, this Islamic seminary has become a hope for the students aspiring to memorize the Holy Book of Islam, Quran and learn Islamic sciences. I pray for him the highest place in Paradise!
Hamid Siddiqui
Director: Muslims of India Portal
TAHFIZUL QURAN, TEHAI MADARIPU
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