Hyderabad’s history of support and solidarity with Palestine

Prayers and low-key protests continue in Hyderabad to express solidarity with Palestinians as casualties mount in the conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Against this background, historical evidence underlines the Palestinian Municipality’s unwavering support for Palestine, a commitment that dates back to the days of the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, and the Indo-Arab League. This continued until recent times, when Said Vicardin vigorously championed the cause.

The late Omar Khalidi, a prominent scholar from Hyderabad, pointed out that India’s influence and presence in Palestine dates back to the 13th century. In the 19th century, the seventh Nizam, Mir Osman Ali Khan, played an important role in this relationship. According to research papers, the Nizam provided large sums of money for the restoration of Masjid al-Aqsa and the first qibla (direction of prayer), one of the three holiest sites in the Islamic world. In addition, he also made significant contributions to the creation of the. waqf He collected donations from Muslims in Palestine to help renovate and restore a hospice called Zawiya Hindiyah. Dedicated to the revered Sufi Baba Farid Ganj Shakar, this hospice was a testament to the enduring bond between India and Palestine.

in his paper “Indian Muslims and Palestinian Awqaf”, Khalidi writes that the hospice’s caretaker, Nazir Hasan Ansari, an Indian from Saharanpur, was able to raise funds for the hospice from prominent figures of the time, including Mir Osman Ali Khan. “The main building of the hospice was named Osman Manzil after the Nizam family,” Khalidi wrote.

Important people of Hyderabad also headed there. In one case, Major General Syed Ahmed el Idros, commander of the Hyderabad State Army, who surrendered to Major General JN Chaudhry after Operation Polo, also visited Zawiya. According to Halliday, in his book for visitors, he writes: [the caretaker] Part of Jerusalem was turned into India. ” The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Al-Hajj Amin, visited the state of Hyderabad and met with Bahadur Yar Jung, leader of Ittehadul Muslimeen.

The Indian government also acknowledged the connection with Palestine. For example, a Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) document highlights how Masjid Al Aqsa demonstrates the cultural affinity between India and Palestine. It says, “The Nizam of Hyderabad donated a chandelier to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which adorns the mosque to this day. The Muslims of India donated a large sum of money for the establishment of the Al-Aqsa Mosque University.” ing. Other sources claim that over 7,000 pounds was collected for this purpose, but was repurposed given the turbulent times at the time.

These are the cultural exchanges and solidarity India has with Palestine, but recently several companies have signed agreements with Palestinian organizations to expand cooperation in the technology field. Another MEA document, issued in August 2016, states that at least three Indian companies, Telecommunications Consultants India Limited (a GoI company) and two Hyderabad-based companies, have signed a contract regarding software training and consulting. It says it was affiliated with a company based in Gaza.

Most recently, Syed Vikaruddin, a stalwart of Hyderabad’s Muslim community and editor of one of the city’s oldest newspapers, said: Ranuma-e-Deccancontinues to be seen as an embodiment of Indo-Palestinian solidarity.

“Vicardin sahab He dedicated his life to the Indo-Palestinian cause,” said his longtime colleague Syed Fazil Hussain Parvez. “That was in 1967, right after the war. [Arab-Israeli Six Day] At the end of the war, the Indo-Arab League was established and began a concerted effort on behalf of Palestine, which also involved raising funds and sending money to Palestine. ”

Parvez, a senior Urdu journalist, said Palestine Liberation Organization Chairman Yasser Arafat’s two visits to Hyderabad were at Bikaruddin’s invitation. In 1998, the Grand Mufti of Palestine, Sheikh Ekrama Sabri, laid the foundation stone of Masjid-e-Rahmat-e-Alam, a spacious mosque located near Road No. 10 in the Banjara Hills. The cornerstone remains as evidence of this event.

“The public meeting of the Indo-Arab League was a great success with presidents and prime ministers such as IK Gujral and Indira Gandhi in attendance. sahab“He wanted to establish a Palestinian diplomatic mission in Hyderabad and was awarded the Star of Jerusalem in 2015 for his relentless support for the Palestinian cause,” Parvez recalled.