Asaf Ali Asghar Fyzee Explained

Asaf Ali Asghar Fyzee
Birth Date:10 April 1899
Birth Place:Matheran, Bombay Presidency, British India
Death Place:Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Office:Ambassador of India to Egypt
Term:1949-1952
Predecessor:Syud Hossain
Successor:K. M. Panikkar
Nationality:Indian
Blank1:Notable Works
Awards:Padma Bhushan (1962)
Relatives:Tyabji family
Module:
Embed:yes
Club1:Muslims
Year1:1928-1930
Hidedeliveries:true
Columns:1
Column1:FC
Matches1:2
Runs1:17
Bat Avg1:8.50
100S/50S1:-/-
Top Score1:8*
Catches/Stumpings1:1/-

Asaf Ali Asghar Fyzee (10 April 1899 – 23 October 1981) was an Indian educator, jurist, author, diplomat, and Islamic scholar who is considered one of leading pioneers of modern Ismaili studies. He also served as India's second ambassador to Egypt from 1949 to 1952, and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu and Kashmir from 1957 to 1960.[1]

His best-known literary work is Outlines of Muhammadan law, which states that "in order to understand Islamic law, one has to be familiar with historic and cultural background of the law".[2] [3] He was honoured with the Padma Bhushan award by the President of India in 1962, India's third highest civilian award.[4] In his writings, Fyzee advocates the need to incorporate modern reforms in Islamic law without compromising on the "essential spirit of Islam".[5] Fyzee was the grandson of Budruddin Tyabji and a member of the notable Tyabji family.

Early life

Fyzee was born on 10 April 1899 to the Tyabji family of Sulaymani Ismaili Bohra in the Matheran town of Maharashtra. In his early years Fyzee was heir apparent to Nawab Sidi Sir Ahmad Khan Sidi Ibrahim Khan III the Nawab of Janjira state, as his marriage to Nazli Begum had failed to produce an heir. The selection of Fyzee was discouraged and Sir Ahmed Khan ultimately remarried. During his time at Janjira, Fyzee was taught Sanskrit, Persian, Urdu, and Arabic along with shooting and swordsmanship. Fyzee took his initial education in Mumbai and completed his LL.B degree at Government Law College, Mumbai.[6] In 1922 he went to England and studied at St John's College, Cambridge. At Cambridge he also studied Arabic and Persian under eminent orientalist Reynold A. Nicholson.

He competed in a few First-class cricket matches between 1928 and 1930.[7] [8]

Career

In 1925, at the age of 26, he became a barrister-at-law and started his career as an advocate in the Bombay High Court from 1926 to 1938.[9]

From 1938 to 1947, Fyzee was Principal and Perry Professor of Jurisprudence in Government Law College, Mumbai. After the partition of India, he remained in that country and served as the second Indian ambassador to Egypt from 1949 to 1952.[10] In 1952 he was appointed as a member of the Union Public Service Commission, New Delhi. He also held the position of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu and Kashmir from 1957 to 1960.[1] [9]

Writings

Apart from his academic and government duties, Fyzee made significant contributions to the modern scholarship of Ismaili studies. He wrote several books based on Islam, which promoted the idea of modernizing Islam.[1]

Following are some of books written by Fyzee.[11] [12] [13]

Honours and recognition

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Farhad Daftary. Fifty Years in the East: The Memoirs of Wladimir Ivanow. 30 November 2014. I.B.Tauris. 978-1-78453-152-2. 91–.
  2. Web site: Fyzee, Asaf Ali Asghar – Oxford Islamic Studies Online . https://web.archive.org/web/20151005135441/http://www.oxfordislamicstudies.com/article/opr/t125/e690?_hi=0&_pos=8 . dead . 5 October 2015 . Oxfordislamicstudies.com . 2008-05-06 . 2015-10-04.
  3. Web site: Edited by John L. Esposito . Fyzee, Asaf Ali Asghar : The Oxford Dictionary of Islam – oi . Oxfordindex.oup.com . 2015-10-04.
  4. Book: Asaf Ali Asghar Fyzee. Cases in the Muhammadan Law of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. 2005. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-565450-9.
  5. Web site: A Modern Approach to Islam: Asaf A. A. Fyzee – Oxford University Press . Ukcatalogue.oup.com . 2007-12-20 . 2015-10-04.
  6. Web site: Alumni Government Law College. glcmumbai.com. 2018-03-16.
  7. Web site: Asaf Fyzee | India Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials. ESPN Cricinfo. 2015-10-04.
  8. Web site: Archived copy . 4 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160117003720/http://photodivision.gov.in/IntroPhotodetails.asp?thisPage=1445 . 17 January 2016 . dead .
  9. 4056205. Professor Asaf A. A. Fyzee (1899-1981). Daftary. Farhad. Arabica. 1984. 31. 3. 327–330. 10.1163/157005884X00228.
  10. Web site: List of former Ambassadors . Embassy of India . Cairo, Egypt.
  11. Web site: National library . National library . 2015-10-04.
  12. Web site: Fyzee, Asaf A. A. (Asaf Ali Asghar) (1899–) – People and organisations – Trove . Trove.nla.gov.au . 2015-10-04.
  13. Web site: The pillars of Islam / . Worldcat.org . 2015-10-04.
  14. Book: Outlines of Muhammadan law (Book, 1974) . [WorldCat.org] . 2015-05-28 . 1987252.
  15. Book: Asaf Ali Asghar Fyzee. Outlines of Muhammadan law. 1974. Oxford University Press. 978-0-19-560375-0.
  16. Book: Abdulkader Tayob. Religion in Modern Islamic Discourse. 2009. Hurst Publishers. 978-1-85065-953-2. 134–.
  17. Web site: Famous Johnians StJohns . 2022-07-15 . www.joh.cam.ac.uk.