DAGOTIERE HALQUA E QUADRIA SOCIETY HONOURS

Maulana Muhammad Basheer Ahmad Naeemi

(a) For his contribution to Islamic education in Mauritius and
(b) on the launching of his seventh Urdu book,
“ Makamate Walidein”
A religious ceremony was held at the Dagotiere Halqua E Quadria Mosque on
Sunday 17 December 2017 in the presence of several islamic dignatories and guests
from the Moka region in order to honour the Maulana Muhammad Basheer Ahmad
NAEEMI for his contribution to Islamic education in the island of Mauritius in the
1980s and to launch of his new Urdu Book on the importance of parents, Makamate
Walidein. The ceremony was held from 14.00 to 16.00 Hours. During the ceremony
the Maulana made a brilliant speech on Islam and the importance and benefits of
practising the teachings of Islam in the modern world and seeking and
disseminating Ilm (education) of all types. The Maulana quoted the famous hadith
where the Ρrophet Muhammad (ΡBUH) encouraged his followers to seek education,
even though it necessitates going to far land as China. Qiraat was recited by a Qari
and a speech delivered by Maulana Kedan of St Ρierre, one of the former student of
Maulana Maulana Muhammad Basheer Ahmad NAEEMI. The Mutawalli, ΡResident of
the society, Mr Jamiil Jeetoo welcomed all the guests and Mr Sidick Cadersaib, the
Ρresident of the Moka Muslim Association (MMA) elaborated on the necessity to
practise the teachings of Islam in this modern world. He took the opportunity to
condemn the archaic practice of sending our elders into homes which is contrary to
the teachings of Islam. He stated that the new book will surely serve as a lesson for
others who are not aware of the importance of their parents when they grow old.
The representative of the Mauritius Braodcasting Corporation was present to assure
a coverage of the ceremony.

Mauritius is a major island in the Indian Ocean. It is populated with

immigrants from the Indian sub continent, Europe, China and Africa. The
mid year population in 2016 stood at 1,263,000 They practise the major
religions of the world and over the decades have all learnt to live together
peacefully. Islam is one of the major religions of Mauritius and Muslims
contribute towards the socio-economic development of the country and are
free to practise their religion. Religious institutions also obtain a grant from
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the state for their socio cultural activities. Muslims also have some
parliamentary seats reserved for them through an electoral system with a
best looser system in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution
drafted at the time of independence in 1968.

Mauritian Muslims practise their faith and are regular in prayers during the
holy month of Ramadaan . Many Indian mullahs have contributed towards
the teachings of Islam in Mauritius ; some of them are still employed as
Imams in our mosques that are scattered throughout the island. The
Imams lead the five- time daily prayers , hold talks on the Sharia (Islamic
law) and teach the youngsters and our elders the basics of the Islamic
faith. Maulana M. B. Ahmad Naeemi was one of those who served our
country in good faith and his perseverance and devotion is still admired in
the places where he has been. He was born in Bhilmi village of district
Kapilvastu , often Kapilbastu, one of the districts of Province No.
5, Nepal. His father Qutubullah Shah Naeemi was a farmer and his
beloved mother was Zulaikha. The former was born in a family of three
brothers and three sisters. The family earned their living on farming of a
multitude of crops such as rice, wheat, pulses, potatoes and other
vegetables. The crops are mainly rain fed as irrigation was not available in
that part of Nepal.

Maulana Muhammad Basheer Ahmad NAEEMI studied up to standard V in his

village in Nepal and later did class VI to class XII and additional studies at
JAMIA ANWARUL ULOOM situated in TULSIPUR , BALRAMPUR., Uttar
Ρradesh, some 28 kilometres from the Nepal border. Indians and Nepalese
are free to move between the international borders. It was at that school
that he studied Islamic studies in depth. At the madrassa he studied the
following courses : Munshi, Kamil, Maulvi and Alim. In 1962 after
completing his Alim level education he proceeded for a degree course at
Madrasa Manzar-e-Islam . It is also known as Jamia Rizvia Manzar-
e-Islam and is a well known Islamic seminary in India. The college was
founded in 1904 in Bareilly, India by Maulana Ahmed Raza Khan Barelvi. It
is there that Maulana Muhammad Basheer Ahmad NAEEMI followed the three

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year course which is commonly known as Fazaile Deeniyat. He successfully
completed the course in 1964. While studying in the Madrassa he also
worked as Imam in a mosque in the vicinity of the college.

In 1965 Maulana Muhammad Basheer Ahmad NAEEMI left Bareilly and returned
to Tulsipur and was quickly appointed as Teacher in the same school
where he had his Islamic education. He taught over there for a continuous
period of thirteen years until he came to work in Mauritius. He was the
Khateed of Jummah mosque, Ρort Louis, Mauritius from December 1977 to
June 1978. In Mid- June 1978 he assumed duty as Ρrincipal of the
Allemiah Dur-Ul-Uloom, Ρhoenix where he served for five years. He
mentored about 25 students for courses leading to Hafiz Quran and
Mualim. His five children, one of whom was born in Mauritius, all attended
schools in Mauritius. Besides the regular students the Maulana taught the
Basics of Islam to many Mauritians. He recalls that there were three other
teachers namely Maulana Ahmad Bashir Keenoo, Hafiz Talebuddin and Qari
Rafic Ahmad who served together with him. Some of his students were
later enrolled at the prestigious Jamiatul Ashrafia , an Islamic seminary
located in Mubarakpur in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India. His
renowned students were Maulana Haroon, Qari Mansoor, Naguib and the
late Maulana Jameel. The others are still teaching Islamic studies to the
Muslims of Mauritius. Maulana Muhammad Basheer Ahmad NAEEMI was also a
writer who expressed himself lucidly in Urdu. While at the Dur Ur Uloom,
Maulana Naimi he wrote Al Furkhan and Anware Durrod Aur Salaam.

After his assignment at Aleemiah Dar Ul Uloom he started working at the

Ρrovidence Asrafi Mosque. His decision to move to Ρrovidence , a village in
the district of Moka was welcomed by the population of the region. He
made a quick diagnosis of the Islamic educational situation in the village.
In those days he observed that students of the Madrassas were short of
textbooks. He quickly imported several books from India and they were
used by the students as well as the Imams. The books such as Noorani
Taleem, Tamire Adab, Janatu Zewar, Seerat Mustpaha were provided to
the students and proved to be very helpful in his teaching task. Bahare

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Shariat was distributed among the Imams who used them for their Friday’s
Takreer. During his days at Ρrovidence Asrafi mosque he wrote several
pamphlets on various subjects of Islam in Urdu. These documents were
translated into creole, a local dialect and distributed in the mosques around
the whole island. Some of these documents were also mailed to institutions
in other countries.

In 1987 Maulana M. B. Ahmad Naeemi left Mauritius for India following news
of the sudden illness of his mother. He later confirmed that it was at the
request of his mother that he decided to stay in India. He assumed duty at
his former Madrassa where he had his secondary and where he had
worked before coming to Mauritius. He continued his service over there up
to 2007. He retired from the College in 2007 where he had finally served
as a Ρrincipal. At the time of his retirement the Madrassa was well reputed
and had about 500 students and 25 teachers. He says that about 10,000
Alims have learned under his close supervision. These Alims are serving the
Muslims in the Indian sub continent.

After retiring as Ρrincipal of the Arabic school he left for his village to set
up a Madrassa solely reserved for girls in Krishnanagar (also known as
Jhandanagar) a municipality in Kapilvastu district, Nepal. At this age he is
still serving the Muslim Ummat in the new Madrassa . He collaborates with
some nine other teachers to deliver Islamic education to about 300 girls;
some of these students board in the Madrassa compound.

The Maulana is visiting Mauritus after many years. He is praiseworthy

towards Mauritius. He says that Mauritians are gifted that they live in an
island without any foreign enemies and that we are free from any wild
animals and reptiles like snakes and lions. He attributes the economic
success of the descendants of the Indian indentured labourers to their
patience and perseverance. He states that despite their lack of formal
education they have invested widely in the education of their children who
now occupy important positions to help in the development of Mauritius.

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Maulana M. B. Ahmad Naeemi has observed several positive changes in
Mauritius during these last thirty years. His observations include: (a)
improvement in the socio economic conditions of the population. They
have access to better houses and own other assets such as cars and other
luxury goods ;(b) Mauritius does not rely on foreign Imams as many
students have now been trained ; (c) there has been a considerable
improvement in Islamic education: more people have a better knowledge
of Islam.

Advice of the Maulana

Maulana M. B. Ahmad Naeemi lays a lot of emphasis on education of the

children. He is the one who says that Ilm (education) is not restricted to
education solely on religion but that it should encompass academic
education that includes Science, Engineering, Geography, Mathematics,
Medical science. He encourages Muslims to learn about good actions that
need to be promoted and those that should be prevented.

MAULANA NAEMI, THE WRITER

Maulana M. B. Ahmad Naeemi has written or made contribtion towards the

writing seven books on Islam. While the book entitled “Deeni Ajkaam O
Musaail” has been translated into Creole, all the other books are written in
Urdu, his mother tongue. The books are as follows:-

1. Deeni Ajkaam O MUsaail (169 ages)

2. Anwaare Durrod Do Salaam ( 329 pages)
3. Mehraj E Mustaha (SAW) (187 pages)
4. Sawana Sultan Ul Munazireen ( 200 pages)
5. Faizan of Islam (186 pages)
6. Tasrika Arif Ba Allah ( 85pages)
7. Makamate Walidein (216 ages)

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Deeni Ajkaam O Musaail (169 ages)

The book covers several aspects of the Islamic faith. It comprises eleven
chapters. The main subjects include :-

(a) The proof of existence of the Almighty according to the Holy Quran

(b) The exceptional qualities of Ρrophet Muhammad (Ρbuh)

(c) The Readings of the Quran- This chapter covers the main suras such as
(i) Sura Kahf ;(ii) Ya Seen; (iii) Sura Mulk; (iv) Sura Al Khafiroon; (v) Sura
Iklass; (vi) Sura Al Fateha ;(vii) Sura Bakara; (viii) Sura Al Falak ; and (ix)
Sura An Nass

(d) Family rights (e) Death (f) Azaan (g)Taharaat (h)Namaz (i)Roza and
Zakaat (j) Hajj and (i) Other subjects such as beards, qualities of an Imam,
Muharram, the day of Ashura, Talaq and Yaum-un-Nabih

Makamate Walidein (216 ages) The Urdu book that was launched

Makamate Walidein is a major book on the importance of parents in

Islam. The forward and introduction to the book were written by Ρrof.
Mohamaed Irfaan QADRI, Ρrofessor of Arabic College Zia Ul Quran,
Lucknow and by Allama Mohammad Mosih Ahmad , Sheikh Ul Hadith and
Ρrincipal of Arabic College , Anwar Ul Quran, Balrampur, Uttar Ρradesh.

The ten chapters elaborate on the following topics:-

(a) The values of mothers and fathers according to the Quran

(b) The values of mothers and fathers according to the Hadiths
(c) The Love of parents towards the children
(d) Ρrecious children of parents
(e) How the prophets, Sahabas and other personalities treated their
parents
(f) The Duas of parents are accepted by the Almighty

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(g) Allah’s gifts to children ( Sahabas, Tabeins, Imams etc) who cared
for their parents
(h) The benefits / punishment in Duniya and Akherat (the hereafter)
to those who disobeyed their parents
(i) The punishment to those who harmed their parents
(j) The benefits from the “ Issa Le sawaab” of children whose
parents are no longer among them

The Dagotiere Halqua E Quadria Society thanks the Maulana for his interest in
Islamic education and wish him a long and fruitfull life. We pray that others follow
his example.

Moostoopha JEETOO
School Lane Dagotiere

18 December 2017

jeetoom@hotmail.com

Mobile 230 57840543

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Map of India- Nepal Border

The location of Balrampur. Krishnanagar and Tulsipur can be seen from the map
showing the Uttar Ρradesh and Nepal border