Shaikh Abdul Gaffar Sullia
Shaikh Abdul Gaffar Sullia (Kannada: ಶೈಖ್ ಅಬ್ದುಲ್ ಗಫ್ಫರ್) (February 2, 1922 – January 16, 1998), was an Indian Sunni Muslim scholar from Karnataka. He had undertaken numerous activities for the welfare of Muslims and was one of the first to translate the Quran into Kannada Language which took him around twelve years to complete. He has also written several books and conducted many public lectures.
Shaikh Abdul Gaffar Sullia | |
|---|---|
 Shaikh Abdul Gaffar at his study desk | |
| Title | Abdul Gaffar Saheb |
| Personal | |
| Born | February 2, 1922 Mangalore, India |
| Died | January 16, 1998 (aged 75) India |
| Religion | Islam |
| Ethnicity | Indian |
| Era | Modern Era |
| Region | India |
| Creed | Quran and Hadith - Hanafi |
| Main interest(s) | Translation, Tafseer |
| Muslim leader | |
Influenced by
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Life
Shaikh Abdul Gaffar was born in the city of Mangalore, Karnataka in the month of Jumada al-Thani 1340 A.H(Gregorian year 1922) to a family with renowned interest pertaining to religious study and development. His father Shaikh Burhaan Saheb was a School teacher and mother Wazir Bi a homemaker. He was hard-working, despite the fact that he had to put in great efforts toward supporting and upbringing his family, he made it his objective to study the Qur'an, Hadith, and Tafseer extensively. At the age of sixty nine, he suffered partial paralysis and moved to his family home in Sullia and lived there till his demise.
Family
Shaikh Abdul Gaffar was the eldest of five children to his parents, with three brothers and a sister. In the year 1945 he married Hameedunnisa, with whom he had two daughters and five sons.
Education
He was intelligent and hence educated himself to great heights of wisdom. Though he never held any acclaimed University degree, his knowledge and presence was scholastically high.
Career
He had assumed a number of posts and responsibilities:
Worked in 36 schools in 32 years of service and also as Imam of several Mosques simultaneously.
- Started working as a School teacher in Kurchipalla (Uppala) which was in South Canara in 1940
- High School Teacher (Udupi)
- Worked in Udupi Board High School
- Head Master of Urdu School (Karkala)
- Govt.Model Higher Primary School Sullia
- Principal of Urdu Higher Primary School and later retired from it.
Major works
Shaikh Abdul Gaffar had undertaken numerous charitable, social and religious activities. He opposed Shirk and Bida'at (Religious Innovations) with extreme austerity, as such practices were prevalent in the town of Udayawara (Udupi Dist.)at the time. He jeopardized his own life by venturing into substantial acts, refuting religious innovations during his tenure as the Imam of Town Mosque in Udyawara. He made great effort in establishing the weekly news paper and named it 'Sanmarga'.
There are a number of books written and translated by Shaikh Abdul Gaffar and the subject matter covered several topics.
- Hajj Guide (written in Kannada) – 1975
- Quran Tafseer[diyya quraan] In Kannada −1978
- Urdu – Kanada Dictionary- 1984
- Parda (Translated to Kannada)
- Khutbaat (Translated to Kannada)
- Analagni (Book Against Dowry)
- Kareneedu Kanda (A Book of Religious Poetry)
- Nanda Deepa (A Book of Religious Poetry) – Printed in 1975
- Pavitra Quran – (Quran Translation in Kannada) reviewed by Moulana Syed Yousuf, Ibrahim Saeed, Mohammad Saadullah
Languages
Shaikh Abdul Gaffar was well versed in Kannada, English, Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Malayalam, Tulu and Byari
Death
On Friday, 16 January 1998, Shaikh Abdul Gaffar Sullia died at the age of 76. The next day, the congregational prayer was followed by his funeral prayer, led by one of his sons after which he was buried.