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Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini (10 September 1945 – 6 November 2024) was an Indian Sufi scholar, educational philanthropist, and Sajjada Nashin of the Dargah of Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gesudaraz in Gulbarga, Karnataka. He was known for his efforts to promote Sufism, education, and social welfare, making significant contributions to spiritual and educational services in South India.

Early life and education

Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini was born on 10 September 1945 in a Sufi family in Hyderabad. He traced his lineage back to Khwaja Banda Nawaz Gesudaraz, a revered 14th-century saint of the Chishti order.

He received his early education at the Grammar School in Hyderabad and graduated from Osmania University, Hyderabad, in 1965. In 1967, he earned a master's degree in Arabic from the same university.

He pursued higher studies at McGill University in Canada, where he completed his Master's in Islamic Studies and Sufism in 1975. Later, he received a Ph.D. in Sufism from Belford University in the United States.

In 2008, Gulbarga University awarded him an honorary doctorate for his remarkable contributions.

Career

Hussaini played a key role in establishing the Khaja Bandanawaz Institute of Medical Sciences (KBNIMS) in Gulbarga in 2000.

After the passing of his father, Syed Shah Mohammed Hussaini, in 2007, he assumed the role of Sajjada Nashin (custodian) of the dargah of Khaja Banda Nawaz Gesudaraz, continuing the legacy of religious, social, and educational services.

From 3 June 2023 until his death, he served as the vice-president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board.

After becoming the successor to his father on 3 April 2007, he made significant changes at the organizational, administrative, and functional levels of the Khwaja Education Society and expanded the existing institutions. He established Khaja Bandanawaz University in August 2018.

Awards and honours

Hussaini received several awards and honors in recognition of his contributions to education and Sufism. He was widely respected for his deep, scholarly understanding of Sufism and his administrative skills. In 2017, he was awarded the prestigious Karnataka Rajyotsava Award for excellence in education by the government of Karnataka, further highlighting his contributions to the field.

On 10 December 2018, Hussaini was conferred the Mohsin-e-Millat Award by the Sir Syed Awareness Forum in recognition of his educational services.

In February 2019, the Indian postal service honored him with a commemorative stamp for his services.

Literary works

Hussaini was a writer and poet with works focusing on Sufism and Islamic teachings. His notable publications include Sayyid Muhammad al-Husayni-i Gisudaraz (721/1321–825/1422): On Sufism and a Naʽat collection titled Wa Rafa'na Laka Dhikrak, and Bund Samā. His contributions to Sufi literature and Islamic scholarship are widely acknowledged.

Death and legacy

Hussaini died on 6 November 2024, at the age of 79. His Namaz-e-Janaza (funeral prayer) was held the following day at Masjid Burj, followed by his burial beside his father's grave within the dargah premises. The final rites were performed by his sons, Syed Muhammad Ali Hussaini and Syed Mustafa Hussaini, in accordance with Islamic customs.

Thousands of mourners from Karnataka and neighboring states gathered to pay their last respects. Dignitaries, including AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, state ministers, and various officials, attended the service, and the State Reserve Police honored him with a gun salute. Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar and other political leaders also expressed condolences on his death.

Hussaini was survived by two sons and three daughters. His eldest son, Syed Shah Ali Hussaini, succeeded him as Sajjada Nashin. The institutions he founded, including Khwaja Banda Nawaz University, continue to promote educational and social development in South India, preserving his vision of spiritual and academic enrichment.

References

1. "Sharnbaswappa Appa condoles Sajjada Nasheen's death". The Hindu. 7 November 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
2. "Fair representation sought for NK in Wakf Board". The Hindu. 8 November 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
3. ^ Khan, Mīr Kamaluddin Ali (10 April 2021). "Muhsin-e-Millat Dr. Syed Shah Gesudaraz Khusro Hussaini". The Siasat Daily (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 7 November 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
4. ^ Owaisi, Burhanuddin, ed. (7 November 2024). "Hazrat Syed Shah Gesudaraz Hussaini Khusro Pasha Ka Saniha-e-Irtehal". Etemaad Daily (in Urdu). Vol. 21, no. 308. p. 10. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
5. "A Tragic Loss: Hazrat Maulana Dr. Syed Shah Gesodaraz Khusro Hussaini Passes Away". The Munsif Daily. 7 November 2024. Archived from the original on 7 November 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
6. ^ "Sajjada Nasheen of Hazrath Khaja Bande Nawaz Dargah Dr Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini passes away". The Hindu. 7 November 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
7. ^ "Dr. Hussaini founder chancellor of Khaja Bandanawaz University conferred with Mohsin-e-Millat Award". Muslim Mirror. 10 December 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
8. "Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani elected fifth president of All India Muslim Personal Law Board". ANI News. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
9. "Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani elected fifth president of All India Muslim Personal Law Board". ThePrint. 4 June 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
10. "گلبرگہ: حضرت خسرو حسینی، مولانا خالد سیف اللّٰہ رحمانی کو تہنیت پیش کی گئی" [Gulbarga: Congratulations were offered to Hazrat Khusro Hussaini and Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani.]. ETV Urdu (in Urdu). 18 March 2024. Archived from the original on 7 November 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
11. "The Chancellor". KBN University. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
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13. "Frozen Ribbons opens its first store in Dubai". Saudi Gazette. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
14. "KBNCE lauds Dr. Hussaini on receiving Rajyotsava Award". Saudigazette. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
15. "Dr. Khusro Hussaini". The Academic Insights. 21 September 2023. Archived from the original on 7 November 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
16. "حضرت خسرو حسینی کے نام اور تصویر کے ساتھ خصوصی ڈاک ٹکٹ" [Special stamp with name and image of Hazrat Khusro Hussaini]. The Siasat Daily (in Urdu). 9 February 2019. Archived from the original on 16 August 2023. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
17. "Office Bearers". aimplb.org. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
18. Hussaini, Syed Shah Khusro (1983). "Sayyid muhammad al-husayni-i gisudiraz (721/1321-825/1422): on sufism / Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini". Universitas Indonesia Library. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
19. Avery, Kenneth S. (2004). Psychology of Early Sufi Samāʻ: Listening and Altered States. Psychology Press. p. 229. ISBN 978-0-415-31106-9.
20. Ghani, Kashshaf (29 December 2023). "Far from Delhi: Sama in the Deccan". Sufi Rituals and Practices: Experiences from South Asia, 1200-1450. Oxford University Press. pp. 117–166. doi:10.1093/oso/9780192889225.003.0004. ISBN 978-0-19-288922-5. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
21. Kumar, K.N. Shanth, ed. (7 November 2024). "ಕಲಬುರಗಿ: ಸೂಫಿ ಸಂತ ಸೈಯದ್ ಶಹಾ ಖುಸ್ರೊ ಹುಸೇನಿ ನಿಧನ" [Kalaburagi: Sufi saint Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini passes away]. Prajavani (in Kannada). Retrieved 6 November 2024.
22. "Renowned Indian scholar, philanthropist Dr. Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini dies aged 80". Arab News. 7 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.
23. "Sajjada Nasheen of Hazrat Khwaja Bande Nawaz Dargah laid to rest with state honours". The Hindu. 7 November 2024. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
24. "حضرت مولانا ڈاکٹر سید شاہ گیسودراز خسرو حسینی صاحب سجادہ نشین روضۂِ بزرگ گلبرگہ شریف کا سانحہ ارتحال" [The tragic passing of Hazrat Maulana Dr. Syed Shah Gesudaraz Khusro Hussaini, the Sajjada Nasheen of the revered shrine of Gulbarga Sharif.]. Urdu Leaks (in Urdu). 7 November 2024. Archived from the original on 7 November 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
25. "गुलबर्गा दरगाह के हेड, जनाजे में उमड़ी सैकड़ों की भीड़, जानें कौन थे हैदराबाद के मौलाना सैयद शाह खुसरो हुसैनी" [Head of Gulbarga Dargah, Maulana Syed Shah Khusro Hussaini, Passes Away; Hundreds Gather for Funeral]. Navbharat Times (in Hindi). 8 November 2024. Archived from the original on 8 November 2024. Retrieved 8 November 2024.

• 1945 births
• 2024 deaths
• Indian Sufi religious leaders
• 21st-century Indian educational theorists
• Indian Sufi saints
• 20th-century Indian Muslims
• University and college founders
• People from Kalaburagi