AL ASHARI SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY

 *Residents of Amroha*

*1) Abbasi*  

In Amroha, from the descendants of only two brothers, there are about 50 households of Abbasids, mostly in Mohalla Maulana, Sarai Kohna, and Mohalla Chilla. The historical details of this family are famously recorded in _Tarikh-e-Asghari_, etc. Instead of writing the details of my own family myself, I consider it more appropriate to quote what a non-family person has written. 

Mr. R. Neville, ICS, Settlement Officer, Moradabad, writes in the District Gazetteer about the Abbasi family of Amroha:

When Amir al-Mu’minin Al-Mu‘tasim Billah, the last Abbasid Caliph, was martyred at the hands of the Mongols, only a few individuals of this family survived. One of them, named Muhammad Ahmad, escaped to Egypt and re-established the caliphate and sultanate there. Another person, Muhammad Yusuf Bada, came to the country of Sindh. Here Sultan Ghiyasuddin Balban, recognizing him as a grandson of Amir al-Mu’minin Harun al-Rashid, accorded him great respect and honor. 

His son Malik Tajuddin Abbasi attained high rank during the reign of Sultan Jalaluddin Firoz Khalji. His son was Malik Muinuddin, whose son Makhdoomzada Sharfuddin Abbasi was honored by Sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq with the titles _Umdat-ul-Mulk_ and _Makhdoomzada_. His son was Shamsuddin, who was among the nobles of Sultan Firoz Shah. 

But in 1398, due to Timur’s invasion, when many noble families of Delhi dispersed from there, he also came to Amroha with his companions and settled here. Among his descendants were many renowned nobles and famous scholars, for example Maulana Ruknuddin during the era of Humayun.

The District Gazetteer made a mistake in this account. Makhdoomzada Shamsuddin Abbasi himself did not settle in Amroha. After Timur, he and others went to Agra and Punjab, where a Sheikh of this family is still present in District Gujarat. After staying in Punjab for some time, his son Maulana Ruknuddin Abbasi came to Amroha with his family. Two families here are descended from him. 

Apart from this family, some other people of Mohalla Maulana also call themselves Abbasi, but despite extensive search, this humble author has not found their lineage records that would shed light on their noble background. The author of _Aina-e-Abbasi_ writes: “A group in Mulaqatabad Chidia call themselves Abbasi. Azmat Ali etc. are among them. They are close to all and all are noble.”

*2) Siddiqi*  

Among them, the largest family resides in Mohalla Qureshi. Their ancestor was Qazi Nizamuddin Siddiqi, who was the spiritual guide of Hazrat Shah Wilayat before his arrival in Amroha. From Qazi Nizamuddin, several families branched out. One family is in Nagina. The second family is in Awadh – the family of Sir Maharaja Sahib Mahmudabad, connected to Tarab Betwa, is from this lineage. The third family resides in Punjab. The fourth family is in Amroha. 

The second old Siddiqi family is that of Sheikh Muinuddin Nagauri, known as “12 Potiyon” [12 heirs]. Only a few people from it remain now. Besides these few families, there is another Siddiqi family of Munafa Poton, which includes the family of Haji Khurshid Ali, resident of Mohalla Sarai Kohna.

*3) Farooqi*  

Among them, the most authentic in lineage is the Qadi Sahi Navaad family, descendants of Hasan Baba Farid Ganj Sagar Quddoosra, residents of Mohalla Sheikh. Another branch is in Mohalla Jhanda Shahid. Some people from them reside in Mohalla Maulana, and one household is also in Mohalla Chilla. Among them are Maulvi Farid Ahmad, Munshi Muhammad Husnain, etc., residents of Mohalla Jhanda Shahid, and Babu Shaukat Husain, etc., of the family residing in Mohalla Maulana.

*4) Usmani*  

In Mohalla Qazi Zadagan, the family of Khalifa Mehdi Ali, and some people in Mohalla Katkoi and Kali Pagdi. Sufi Abdul Razzaq, resident of Mohalla Pachra, also calls himself Usmani.

_Source: Tarikh-e-Amroha – Mahmud Ahmad Abbasi_