The land of Sindh ought to be deservedly proud of producing a multitude of the most celebrated and revered personalities, who reached the pinnacle of glory and fame in their respective fields. Maulana Syed Taj Mahmood Amroti, a religious scholar, freedom fighter, poet, social reformer and politician was one of them.
Maulana Taj Mahmood was born in 1857 at Abdul Qadir Shah Alias Bhoral Shah’s house in Deewani village near Piryalo and Gharhee Moree in Khairpur district. Later on, his father had migrated to Amrote Sharif village in Sukkur district. The village is now in Garhi Yasin tehsil of Shikarpur district.
He received his preliminary religious education from his father, who was a great and renowned religious scholar of his time. As Maulana Taj Mahmood was profoundly influenced by his father’s character, personality and knowledge, he learned much in the way of worldly education and wisdom from him, which helped him to sharpen his wit and enhance his intelligence.
Maulana Taj Mahmood learned the Persian and Arabic languages from Maulana Abdul Qadir Panhwari at Pir Jo Goth Madaressa (the village of Pir Pagaro) in Khairpur. He gained knowledge of Tafsir-ul-Quran, education of Ahadith, spiritualism and other profound Islamic teachings from his spiritual leader Hafiz Muhammad Siddique at Bharchundi village in tehsil Dahrki of Ghotki district. After his father died, his mentor Hafiz Muhammad Siddique advised him to return to Amrote Sharif and to shoulder responsibilities of his house and lead a huge number of followers.
Acting upon his teacher’s instructions, he moved to his village and established a Madrassah (Seminary) to impart Islamic education and spiritual teachings. Within a short period of time, the Madrassah became the center of religious learning, which created a large number of religious scholars, Islamic jurists and Quran memorizers (Hufaaz).
The legendary Ubaidullah Sindhi, a well-known religious scholar, author of a number of books, anti-colonial leader and social activist, taught in this madrassah for seven years under the mentorship of Taj Mahmood Amroti. Subsequently, the madrassah became very prominent across a newly independent Pakistan.
Taj Mahmood had built a small mosque in Mandho Ji Wandh village situated at a walking distance from the madrassah.
In 1923, to provide Balochistan with irrigation water from Indus River, the British government had decided to construct Kheer Thar canal (a water canal). The canal was designed to start from Sukkur Barrage and proceed to some areas of Balochistan bordering with Sindh via Garhi Yasin Tehsil. The mosque and many villages were in the way of the canal. The government had destroyed all the villages and wanted to bulldoze the mosque. Taj Mahmood strongly resisted the destruction of the mosque. He had written a number of letters to the collector, engineering department and some other officers to advise them to modify the course of the canal or solve the issue with a positive approach.
The British government had become angry with the spiritual leader for his resistant behaviour and had ordered to make all arrangements to demolish the mosque. According to local legend, machinery would stop functioning completely whenever it was used to raze the mosque. Later on, perforce, the British officers had to concede to the Maulana after they realized that all their efforts were in vain. The officers held negotiations with the Maulana and a mutually agreed solution was found with the technical assistance sought from the engineering department. It was concluded that the mosque would remain in the middle of the canal. To approach the mosque, a 30-feet-longand 3-feet-wide bridge on seven pillars was constructed.
For all his remaining life, Maulana Amroti continued practices such as prayers, meditation, contemplation and segregation in it. Now, it is called “Water Mosque” which stands tall in the center of the canal. At any time, 10 people can offer prayer in it at a time. This nearly century-old historic site is frequented by an enormous number of indigenous and foreign tourists every year.
Maulana Amroti was the first person who translated Holy Quran into the Sindhi language. He explained every word of Quran in detail with a simple and pithy structure of sentences. Besides, he had written many books of poetry. His famous poetry book is titled Yousaf Zulekha. In his poetry, he acrimoniously criticized narrow minded people and those who were keen interested in worldly luxuries.
According to his brother’s grandson, Syed Abdul Rahman, Maulana Amroti was not only busy in religious practices but he had carried out many social activities. He had made efforts to create awareness among people and to bring reforms in the society. He had established a printing press named “Mahmood-Ul-Mutabieeu” in his village, where, editions of Holy Quran with Sindhi translation made by him were published. Besides, a monthly magazine Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen was published regularly. After he died, one of his disciples Muhammad Saleh Alias Aajiz had started to publish a weekly newspaper weekly Taj but he could not continue publishing it after a few years.
Besides being a well known and recognized religious scholar, Taj Muhammad Amroti was a shrewd politician. For his religious services, spiritual powers and active participation in anti-imperialist movements, he had become popular in Pakistan, Iran, England, Afghanistan and some Arab countries. He played a leading role in the Reshmi Roomal Tehreek (Silk Handkerchief Movement), Khilafat Movement and Non-Cooperation Movement. Presiding over a session of the Khilafat conference in Jacobabad, he had got the resolution of the Hijrat Tehrik passed. He helped the Ottomans in Turkey financially and had sent volunteer troops from amongst his followers, called “Junood-e-Rabbani” (the forces of Allah) to fight against the anti-Ottoman forces. Besides, the Maulana had also struggled for the separation of Sindh from Bombay presidency.
According to local legend, for his vital role in Reshmi Roomal Movement, Taj Mahmood was arrested and was incarcerated at the house of the Commissioner of Karachi. While he was in captivity, the wife of the commissioner had suddenly felt severe pain in her eyes and lost her sight. Karachi’s expert doctors treated her but they neither could ease her pain nor recover her lost eye-sight. The spiritual man gave her kohl, which he always used to put in his eyes, and advised her to put it in her eyes. Within no time, she felt relief from the pain and could see everything.
Legend also has it that Shah Nawaz Bhutto was his ardent disciple. One day, he had brought his month-old baby named Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of PPP and former president and prime minister of Pakistan, to his spiritual guide. The baby was unable to open up his eyes. He kissed the baby and prayed to God for his health. Within a moment, the baby opened his eyes.
Being impressed by his piety, character and his social and religious services, hundreds of people had embraced Islam. A register was prepared in which names and other particulars of new Muslims were recorded. The register was available in his madrassah until the late 1990’s. Even today, the cycle of embracing Islam at his shrine is continued.
It is said that someone had treacherously poisoned him. Due to its harmful effects he grew weak and eventually breathed his last on the 5th of November, 1929, in his village, where he was buried next to his madrassah.
Maulana Taj Mahmood was born in 1857 at Abdul Qadir Shah Alias Bhoral Shah’s house in Deewani village near Piryalo and Gharhee Moree in Khairpur district. Later on, his father had migrated to Amrote Sharif village in Sukkur district. The village is now in Garhi Yasin tehsil of Shikarpur district.
He received his preliminary religious education from his father, who was a great and renowned religious scholar of his time. As Maulana Taj Mahmood was profoundly influenced by his father’s character, personality and knowledge, he learned much in the way of worldly education and wisdom from him, which helped him to sharpen his wit and enhance his intelligence.
The officers held negotiations with the Maulana and a mutually agreed solution was found with the technical assistance sought from the engineering department. It was concluded that the mosque would remain in the middle of the canal
Maulana Taj Mahmood learned the Persian and Arabic languages from Maulana Abdul Qadir Panhwari at Pir Jo Goth Madaressa (the village of Pir Pagaro) in Khairpur. He gained knowledge of Tafsir-ul-Quran, education of Ahadith, spiritualism and other profound Islamic teachings from his spiritual leader Hafiz Muhammad Siddique at Bharchundi village in tehsil Dahrki of Ghotki district. After his father died, his mentor Hafiz Muhammad Siddique advised him to return to Amrote Sharif and to shoulder responsibilities of his house and lead a huge number of followers.
Acting upon his teacher’s instructions, he moved to his village and established a Madrassah (Seminary) to impart Islamic education and spiritual teachings. Within a short period of time, the Madrassah became the center of religious learning, which created a large number of religious scholars, Islamic jurists and Quran memorizers (Hufaaz).
The legendary Ubaidullah Sindhi, a well-known religious scholar, author of a number of books, anti-colonial leader and social activist, taught in this madrassah for seven years under the mentorship of Taj Mahmood Amroti. Subsequently, the madrassah became very prominent across a newly independent Pakistan.
Taj Mahmood had built a small mosque in Mandho Ji Wandh village situated at a walking distance from the madrassah.
In 1923, to provide Balochistan with irrigation water from Indus River, the British government had decided to construct Kheer Thar canal (a water canal). The canal was designed to start from Sukkur Barrage and proceed to some areas of Balochistan bordering with Sindh via Garhi Yasin Tehsil. The mosque and many villages were in the way of the canal. The government had destroyed all the villages and wanted to bulldoze the mosque. Taj Mahmood strongly resisted the destruction of the mosque. He had written a number of letters to the collector, engineering department and some other officers to advise them to modify the course of the canal or solve the issue with a positive approach.
The British government had become angry with the spiritual leader for his resistant behaviour and had ordered to make all arrangements to demolish the mosque. According to local legend, machinery would stop functioning completely whenever it was used to raze the mosque. Later on, perforce, the British officers had to concede to the Maulana after they realized that all their efforts were in vain. The officers held negotiations with the Maulana and a mutually agreed solution was found with the technical assistance sought from the engineering department. It was concluded that the mosque would remain in the middle of the canal. To approach the mosque, a 30-feet-longand 3-feet-wide bridge on seven pillars was constructed.
For all his remaining life, Maulana Amroti continued practices such as prayers, meditation, contemplation and segregation in it. Now, it is called “Water Mosque” which stands tall in the center of the canal. At any time, 10 people can offer prayer in it at a time. This nearly century-old historic site is frequented by an enormous number of indigenous and foreign tourists every year.
Maulana Amroti was the first person who translated Holy Quran into the Sindhi language. He explained every word of Quran in detail with a simple and pithy structure of sentences. Besides, he had written many books of poetry. His famous poetry book is titled Yousaf Zulekha. In his poetry, he acrimoniously criticized narrow minded people and those who were keen interested in worldly luxuries.
According to his brother’s grandson, Syed Abdul Rahman, Maulana Amroti was not only busy in religious practices but he had carried out many social activities. He had made efforts to create awareness among people and to bring reforms in the society. He had established a printing press named “Mahmood-Ul-Mutabieeu” in his village, where, editions of Holy Quran with Sindhi translation made by him were published. Besides, a monthly magazine Ikhwan-ul-Muslimeen was published regularly. After he died, one of his disciples Muhammad Saleh Alias Aajiz had started to publish a weekly newspaper weekly Taj but he could not continue publishing it after a few years.
Besides being a well known and recognized religious scholar, Taj Muhammad Amroti was a shrewd politician. For his religious services, spiritual powers and active participation in anti-imperialist movements, he had become popular in Pakistan, Iran, England, Afghanistan and some Arab countries. He played a leading role in the Reshmi Roomal Tehreek (Silk Handkerchief Movement), Khilafat Movement and Non-Cooperation Movement. Presiding over a session of the Khilafat conference in Jacobabad, he had got the resolution of the Hijrat Tehrik passed. He helped the Ottomans in Turkey financially and had sent volunteer troops from amongst his followers, called “Junood-e-Rabbani” (the forces of Allah) to fight against the anti-Ottoman forces. Besides, the Maulana had also struggled for the separation of Sindh from Bombay presidency.
According to local legend, for his vital role in Reshmi Roomal Movement, Taj Mahmood was arrested and was incarcerated at the house of the Commissioner of Karachi. While he was in captivity, the wife of the commissioner had suddenly felt severe pain in her eyes and lost her sight. Karachi’s expert doctors treated her but they neither could ease her pain nor recover her lost eye-sight. The spiritual man gave her kohl, which he always used to put in his eyes, and advised her to put it in her eyes. Within no time, she felt relief from the pain and could see everything.
Legend also has it that Shah Nawaz Bhutto was his ardent disciple. One day, he had brought his month-old baby named Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the founder of PPP and former president and prime minister of Pakistan, to his spiritual guide. The baby was unable to open up his eyes. He kissed the baby and prayed to God for his health. Within a moment, the baby opened his eyes.
Being impressed by his piety, character and his social and religious services, hundreds of people had embraced Islam. A register was prepared in which names and other particulars of new Muslims were recorded. The register was available in his madrassah until the late 1990’s. Even today, the cycle of embracing Islam at his shrine is continued.
It is said that someone had treacherously poisoned him. Due to its harmful effects he grew weak and eventually breathed his last on the 5th of November, 1929, in his village, where he was buried next to his madrassah.