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Bar-e-Sagheer Main Musalman Muashare Ka Almia /بریصغیر میں مسلمان معاشرے کا المیہ
Another masterpiece of historical analysis
110 pages, Hardcover
First published February 2, 2012
2 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
About the author
Mubarak Ali
244 books79 followersDr. Mubarak Ali (Urdu: مبارک علی) is an eminent historian, activist and scholar of Pakistan.[1]
Ali was born in Tonk, British India in April 1941. He wrote in one of his books (Dar Dar Thokar Khaaey) that he made up his birthdate because his parents did not know it accurately.
Ali obtained an M.A. in History from Sindh University, Jamshoro in 1963. In 1972, he went first to London and then to Germany for higher studies and attained a PhD (on the Mughal Period of India) at Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany in 1976. Later he became head of the History department at the University of Sindh. He was the director of the Goethe Institute in Lahore until 1996. He is also the editor of the quarterly journal Taarikh ("History"). He has been widely interviewed by electronic and print media in India, Pakistan, and the Middle East.
In 1999, while speaking at a seminar in Mumbai organized by the NGO Khoj, Ali referred to fundamentalism's effects on historical scholarship in his country. He described how after 1965, ancient history stopped being taught in Pakistan, barring a mention of the Indus Valley Civilization. The official line is that anything outside of the syllabus "is not part of our history". He further stated that official historiography in Pakistan is committed to the two-nation theory. Questioning it can lead to imprisonment for ten years under the Pakistan Ideology Act of 1991.[2]
Speaking at the “National Seminar on Rani Kot”, he called for reading and writing history from a different angle, in which invaders should not be acclaimed as “great”. He said that archaeological sites do have their own significance and referred to the discovery of Mohenjo-daro, reflecting a great civilization of the region which played a dominant role in the independence movement of the subcontinent, because until its discovery, people of this part of the world were not considered literate or civilised.[3]
He has written a number of books and articles on Indo-Pak history, and has been widely acclaimed as an anti-establishment thinker and historian. He stated in an interview that “No authentic history has yet been written about Pakistan and its independence. There is a lot of confusion among the so-called pro-Establishment historians and educationists. Whatever has been written so far is distortion of history and entirely unbalanced.”[4]
Dr Mubarak Ali has called for the rewriting of the subcontinent’s history and correction of what he called “historical aberrations”, so that the hatred and misunderstanding prevailing between the people of India and Pakistan could come to an end. He said textbooks in the two countries had been systematically distorted and that the time had come to reverse the trend.[5]
Ali has said that “any system based on oppression, coercion and authoritarianism [is] the first problem in the way of writing history”. Pakistan’s history has been dictated, he said, by politics and the personal ideologies of autocratic rulers. He also reiterated his call for "history to be analysed and rewritten from the perspective of the masses instead of the viewpoint of rulers".[6]
In 2005 Ali claimed that police were harassing him and investigating him to "verify his learning", and that he was considering leaving Pakistan forever.[1] Four First Information Reports were lodged against him in Lahore.[1]
In 2007, three of his books were launched: Qadeem Hindustan ("Ancient India"), Ahd-i-Wusta ka Hindustan ("India of the Middle Ages") and Bartanvi Hindustan ("British India"), published jointly by the NGO ActionAid and the Fiction House. These books were geared towards young readers. Speaking at the launch, Ali also stated that the Pakistani curricula did not contain any citation about Ashoka the Great, whose reign witnessed peace and religious harmony. According to Ali, "it was the British who destroyed the harmony and sowed the seeds of hatred among Hindus and Muslims as the Mughals' policy of religious harmony continued t
Ali was born in Tonk, British India in April 1941. He wrote in one of his books (Dar Dar Thokar Khaaey) that he made up his birthdate because his parents did not know it accurately.
Ali obtained an M.A. in History from Sindh University, Jamshoro in 1963. In 1972, he went first to London and then to Germany for higher studies and attained a PhD (on the Mughal Period of India) at Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany in 1976. Later he became head of the History department at the University of Sindh. He was the director of the Goethe Institute in Lahore until 1996. He is also the editor of the quarterly journal Taarikh ("History"). He has been widely interviewed by electronic and print media in India, Pakistan, and the Middle East.
In 1999, while speaking at a seminar in Mumbai organized by the NGO Khoj, Ali referred to fundamentalism's effects on historical scholarship in his country. He described how after 1965, ancient history stopped being taught in Pakistan, barring a mention of the Indus Valley Civilization. The official line is that anything outside of the syllabus "is not part of our history". He further stated that official historiography in Pakistan is committed to the two-nation theory. Questioning it can lead to imprisonment for ten years under the Pakistan Ideology Act of 1991.[2]
Speaking at the “National Seminar on Rani Kot”, he called for reading and writing history from a different angle, in which invaders should not be acclaimed as “great”. He said that archaeological sites do have their own significance and referred to the discovery of Mohenjo-daro, reflecting a great civilization of the region which played a dominant role in the independence movement of the subcontinent, because until its discovery, people of this part of the world were not considered literate or civilised.[3]
He has written a number of books and articles on Indo-Pak history, and has been widely acclaimed as an anti-establishment thinker and historian. He stated in an interview that “No authentic history has yet been written about Pakistan and its independence. There is a lot of confusion among the so-called pro-Establishment historians and educationists. Whatever has been written so far is distortion of history and entirely unbalanced.”[4]
Dr Mubarak Ali has called for the rewriting of the subcontinent’s history and correction of what he called “historical aberrations”, so that the hatred and misunderstanding prevailing between the people of India and Pakistan could come to an end. He said textbooks in the two countries had been systematically distorted and that the time had come to reverse the trend.[5]
Ali has said that “any system based on oppression, coercion and authoritarianism [is] the first problem in the way of writing history”. Pakistan’s history has been dictated, he said, by politics and the personal ideologies of autocratic rulers. He also reiterated his call for "history to be analysed and rewritten from the perspective of the masses instead of the viewpoint of rulers".[6]
In 2005 Ali claimed that police were harassing him and investigating him to "verify his learning", and that he was considering leaving Pakistan forever.[1] Four First Information Reports were lodged against him in Lahore.[1]
In 2007, three of his books were launched: Qadeem Hindustan ("Ancient India"), Ahd-i-Wusta ka Hindustan ("India of the Middle Ages") and Bartanvi Hindustan ("British India"), published jointly by the NGO ActionAid and the Fiction House. These books were geared towards young readers. Speaking at the launch, Ali also stated that the Pakistani curricula did not contain any citation about Ashoka the Great, whose reign witnessed peace and religious harmony. According to Ali, "it was the British who destroyed the harmony and sowed the seeds of hatred among Hindus and Muslims as the Mughals' policy of religious harmony continued t
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
April 7, 2015
شا ولی الھا کی وصیت
"ھم لوگ اجنبی ھیں کیو نکھ ھمارے آباو اجداد سرزمیں ھند میں بطور اجنبی کے آے تھے اور ھمارے لئے عربی نسب اور عربی زبانوں دونوں باعث فخر ھیں۰"
برسغیر میں مسلمان دور کا چرچا کس نے اور کیون کر کیا؟
کیا برسغیر میں مسلمانوں کا قبضہ تھا یا مسلمان خاندانوں کا؟
اور کیا واقعی انگریذون نے اقدار مسلمانوں سے لوٹا تھا؟
اگر انگریز تاجر بن کر ھندوستاں ایا تھا تو کیا مسلمان موچی بن کے آیا تھا؟
انگریزوں کا ڈٹ کرمقابلا کس نے کیا؟ قابض مسلمان حاقمون نے یا مقامی ھندوستانی قوموں نے؟
یھ کیا وجعھ ھے کے آجکل کے پاکستانی حکمران طبقا، پاکستانیوں سے زاعدا، امریکا اور سعودی عرب کا خادم ھے؟
رعیت اپنی وفاداری کیوں فوری تبدیل کر لیتے تھے؟
ھندوستاں میں رعیت کی مسلمان ھونے کی اصل وجوحات کیا تھیں؟
ھندوستاں میں مسلمان معاشرے(مقامی اور نوواردُ مسلمانوں) کی اندرونی طبقاتی کشمکش کیا تھی؟
کیا تاریخ میں کبھی بھی ھندوستانی معاشرے میں مساوات کی لحر رھی ھے؟
آجکل کے پاکستانی رجحانات کی کیا وجوحات ھیں؟
انگریز نے اپنی تحزیب کو حکومت کرنے کا کیسے جواز بنایا؟
نا صرف مسلمان معاشرھ بلکھ ھندوستانی اسلام بھی انگریزی معاشرے اور مذھب سے کھیں پیچھے رھ گیا تھا۰
پاکستان میں جمہوریت کیوں مقبول نھیں ھوی؟
June 30, 2024
Dr. Mubarak Ali's book seems to explore a critical and thought-provoking topic. It appears to delve into the historical and political dynamics of how religion has been utilized as a tool for colonization, exploitation, and cultural domination.
By examining how religious narratives have been employed to justify violence, displacement, and cultural erasure, Dr. Ali's work likely offers valuable insights into the complex and often fraught relationships between religion, power, and identity.
Some possible themes and ideas that I explored in the book:
1. Religious imperialism and its impact on indigenous cultures.
2. The role of colonialism in shaping religious narratives and practices.
3. How religious beliefs have been used to justify violence and oppression.
4. The intersection of religion, politics, and power dynamics.
5. The importance of critically examining historical and contemporary narratives around religion and colonization.
Dr. Mubarak Ali's work likely offers a nuanced and thought-provoking analysis of these complex issues, encouraging readers to think critically about the ways in which religion has been used as a tool for both liberation and oppression throughout history.
By examining how religious narratives have been employed to justify violence, displacement, and cultural erasure, Dr. Ali's work likely offers valuable insights into the complex and often fraught relationships between religion, power, and identity.
Some possible themes and ideas that I explored in the book:
1. Religious imperialism and its impact on indigenous cultures.
2. The role of colonialism in shaping religious narratives and practices.
3. How religious beliefs have been used to justify violence and oppression.
4. The intersection of religion, politics, and power dynamics.
5. The importance of critically examining historical and contemporary narratives around religion and colonization.
Dr. Mubarak Ali's work likely offers a nuanced and thought-provoking analysis of these complex issues, encouraging readers to think critically about the ways in which religion has been used as a tool for both liberation and oppression throughout history.
April 11, 2024
Dr. Mubarak Ali is a great historian. His book is also a great work. He discussed the "الميه" of Muslims of the subcontinent. He said that the Muslims of the subcontinent have not learned any lesson from history.
October 9, 2016
In his attempt to discuss the issues with the Muslims/ Islamic society within the subcontinent, Dr. Mubarak Ali brings forward a number of interesting points. One of them, which acts as the framework to the problem, is the way Muslims have felt detatched from the land where they had lived for ages. He also explains how there has always been a preference for Muslims coming from 'outside', hence the domination of Persian, Turk and Arab Muslims. He also brings to the light the caste system within the Muslims, and how Muslims who had converted from Hinduism, faced discrimination and were kept away from administration. Along with these matters, Dr. Mubarak Ali also talks about the role of Sufism in the region, and also what happened when the British took over the country. The book is a must-read, and is a good starting point for those willing to understand the issues that have plagued the Muslims in this region, and how they themselves have contributed directly to the mess.
May 10, 2017
portrait of muslim mindset
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews