Grand Murshid of the ‘Arusi-Qadiri' order, religious scholar Shaikh Thaika Shuaib passes away
Kanhangad: Shaikh Thaika Shuaib, Grand Murshid of the ‘Arusi-Qadiri' order and guide passed away on on Tuesday morning at Kanhangad. He was 90.
He comes from a family of Islamic scholars who have taught the Islamic sciences for centuries. He is a descendant of the Caliph Abu Bakr, tracing his lineage through Sadaq Maraikkayar, (a companion of Nagore Shahul Hamid), who was a descendant of Muhammad Khilji.
In May 1994, he became the first Tamil Muslim to receive the National Award for "Outstanding Arabic Scholar". He was mentioned as one of The 500 Most Influential Muslims in the 2013/14, 2014/15, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 lists.
Shuaib's primary research focus was history of Islam and Muslims in the Arwi region (modern day South India and Sri Lanka). His findings were the bedrock for his master's thesis and research doctorate which culminated in the publishing of the 880-page work, "Arabic, Arwi and Persian in Sarandib and Tamil Nadu – A study of the Contributions of Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu to Arabic, Arwi, Persian and Urdu Languages, Literature and Education". The book was released by the presidents of 3 SAARC countries in their respective official residences viz. India, Sri Lanka and Maldives.
The book recorded the history and contributions of Arwi (Tamil-speaking) Muslims to Islamic literature, education, propagation and spirituality through Arabic, Arwi, Persian and Urdu. It shed light on their cultural, political and social activities and achievements in their respective countries and abroad. It also featured a critical commentary of the Mawlid composition of Imam al-‘Arus Sayyid Muhammad b. Ahmad Lebbai entitled, "Minhat al-Sarandīb fī Madh al-Habīb".
He began his educational endeavours under the auspices of his revered father focusing on Arabic and other traditional Islamic sciences. He completed “Moulavi Fazil” specialising in Qur’ānic exegesis and capped it with the “Afzal-ul-Ulema” qualification.
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20 years on, Chhota Rajan acquitted in builder threat case as prosecution fails to prove charge
Mumbai, May 11 (PTI): In a setback for CBI, gangster Chhota Rajan was acquitted by a special court two decades after he was booked for threatening a builder, with the judge noting the prosecution has failed to prove the charge as nothing incriminatory was found during witnesses' testimonies.
The gangster will, however, continue to remain in the Tijar Jail where he is serving a life term for the murder of Mumbai-based crime reporter J Dey.
While acquitting Chhota Rajan on Thursday, special judge AM Patil of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) court noted that the most reliable witness of the prosecution is not certain whether the person who had called him on the phone to threaten the builder was indeed Chhota Rajan.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which investigated the case, stated that real estate developer Nandkumar Harchandani had received multiple threats in the name of Chhota Rajan, asking him to clear the dues he purportedly owed to some businessmen.
The prosecution maintained Harchandani had invited displeasure of the accused (Chhota Rajan) in the matter of payment of money who hatched a plan to teach a lesson to the builder.
Rajan, through his accomplices, had allegedly told Harchandani to stop work at the construction site, it said.
In September 2004, seven unidentified persons entered Harchandani's office and fired at his accountant, but he escaped narrowly.
The court stated that nothing incriminatory against the present accused came on record during the testimonies of two eyewitnesses examined by the prosecution.
"The most reliable witness against the present accused is Irshad Shaikh, who received Rajan's alleged call about the threat. But, during his cross-examination, he admitted that he is not certain whether the person who made the call was 'Chhota Rajan' or somebody else. This is the crucial admission given by this witness, which goes to the very roots of the case," the judge stated.
"In sum and substance, it can be said that the prosecution has failed to prove the guilt of the accused," the court added.
