Makkah masjid on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan

Muslims praying by the historic Charminar after filling the Makkah Masjid, congregations of more than two hundred thousand pray on special occasions there.

Shopping scene at the old city near Charminar prior to the Muslim festival of Eid.

The Muslim culture of Hyderabad refers to the culture associated with Muslims of Hyderabad State, India. With its origins in the Muslim Deccan sultanates, the culture became defined in the latter half of the reign of the Asif Jahi dynasty in Hyderabad. The culture exists today in Hyderabad and among the Hyderabadi Muslim diaspora around the world, in particular, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, the Arab Gulf states, USA, and the United Kingdom. Image File history File links Jummat-ul-wida. ... Image File history File links Jummat-ul-wida. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (475x644, 66 KB) Summary Muslims praying by the Charminar after filling the Makkah Masjid, congregations of more than two hundred thousand pray on special occasions there. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (475x644, 66 KB) Summary Muslims praying by the Charminar after filling the Makkah Masjid, congregations of more than two hundred thousand pray on special occasions there. ... Charminar is a monument located in the City of Hyderabad which is the capital city of the State of Andhra Pradesh in South India. ... Mecca Masjid - Late 19th Century Mecca Masjid - Now Mecca Masjid, Hyderabad, India is one of the oldest and the biggest masjids in India. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Chand_raat. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Chand_raat. ... A Muslim is a believer in or follower of Islam. ... Flag of the State of Hyderabad. ... The Deccan sultanates were five Muslim-ruled kingdoms–-Bijapur, Golconda, Ahmednagar, Bidar, and Berar of south-central India. ... The Nizams Coat of Arms Nizam-ul-Mulk was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad state from 1724 to 1949. ... Hyderabad or Haydarābād (Telugu: హైదరాబాదు Urdu: حیدر آباد ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. ... The Gulf states are a group of six Arab countries that border the Persian Gulf. ...

History

The Deccan plateau acted as a bulwark sheltering South India from the invasions and political turmoil that affected North India. This allowed the Muslim-ruled state of Hyderabad to develop a distinctive culture during the Qutb Shahi dynasty and later the Asaf Jahi dynasty of the Nizams. Deccan Plateau Deccan tableland The Deccan Plateau (Hindi: डेकन,दक्शिण ), is an elevated area making up the whole of the southern India tableland and extenting over eight states. ... The Qutb Shahi dynasty (whose members were also called the Qutub Shahis) was the ruling family of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India. ... The Nizams Coat of Arms Nizam-ul-Mulk was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad state from 1724 to 1949. ...

The Nizam was the Muslim ruler of the vast princely Hyderabad State. While the state's major population was Hindu, the capital city of Hyderabad was primarily Urdu-speaking Muslim until the Independence of India and subsequent rise to dominance of Telugu-speaking people of Andhra. The state's economy was agrarian, and Hyderabad was primarily a government and administrative hub, run mostly (but far from exclusively) by Muslims. The aristocracy, jagirdars (wealthy landowners), and even minor government officials could afford to hire servants, usually also Muslims, in a social order similar to the class system of Victorian England. The Nizam allied himself with the British early on, with ensuing political stability. The Muslim upper and middle classes were free to concentrate on a care-free and leisurely lifestyle involving clothes, jewelry, food, music, literary arts, and other indulgences, little of which trickled down to the servant class, known as naukar (a word originally used for the Mughal Emperor Babur's closest feudal retainers). The Nizams Coat of Arms Nizam-ul-Mulk was the title of the ruler of Hyderabad state from 1724 to 1949. ... This article discusses the adherents of Hinduism. ... Hyderabad or Haydarābād (Telugu: హైదరాబాదు Urdu: حیدر آباد ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. ... The Indian independence movement was a series of steps taken in the Indian subcontinent for independence from British colonial rule, beginning with the Rebellion of 1857. ... Andhra Pradesh (ఆంధర దేశం), a state in South India, lies between 12°41 and 22°N latitude and 77° and 84°40E longitude . ... A Jagir is a small territory granted by a ruler to an army chieftain (called a sardar in Marathi language) in recognition of his military service. ... Zāhir ud-DÄ«n Mohammad, commonly known as Bābur (February 14, 1483 – December 26, 1530) (Chaghatay/Persian: ‎ , Hindi: ज़हिर उद-दीन मुहम्मद; also spelled ), was a Muslim Emperor from Central Asia who founded the Mughal dynasty of India. ...

The relative isolation of Hyderabad until Independence, its distinctive dialect of Urdu and the strong web of interconnecting family relationships that characterizes Hyderabadi Muslims sometimes leads to charges of parochialism from other Indian Muslim communities, but it also ensures a Hyderabadi Muslim identity endures among the Indian diaspora.

Language and literature

One of the most identifiable markers of Hyderabadi Muslim culture is the local dialect of Urdu. It is distinct by its mixture of vocabulary from Marathi and Telugu, as well is some vocabulary from Arabic, Persian and Turkish that are not found in the standard dialect of Urdu. In terms of pronunciation, the easiest way to recognize a Hyderabadi Muslim is their pronunciation of letter "qāf" (ﻕ) as "kh" (ﺥ).The most distinctive aspect about the city of Hyderabad is the fact that the local Hindu population also speaks Hyderabadi Urdu as their native language unlike their counterparts in the rest of the state regions of Andhra Pradesh(Andhra and Rayalseema) who speak Telugu. Hyderabadi Urdu is a dialect of Urdu spoken in Hyderabad, India. ... Marathi is one of the widely spoken languages of India, and has a long literary history. ... Telugu (తెలుగు) is a Dravidian language primarily spoken in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, where it is the official language. ... Arabic can mean: From or related to Arabia From or related to the Arabs The Arabic language; see also Arabic grammar The Arabic alphabet, used for expressing the languages of Arabic, Persian, Malay ( Jawi), Kurdish, Panjabi, Pashto, Sindhi and Urdu, among others. ... Persian (Local names: فارسی Fârsi or پارسی Pârsi)* is an Indo-European language spoken in Iran, Afghanistan and Tajikistan as well as by minorities in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, India, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Southern Russia, neighboring countries, and elsewhere. ...

Certain words are very typical of Hyderabadis:

Nakko (instead of Nahi in Traditional Urdu) =No

Hau (instead of Han in Traditional Urdu) =Yes

Kaiku (instead of Kyun in Traditional Urdu) =Why

Mereku (instead of Mujhe in Traditional Urdu) = For me

Tereku (instead of Tujhe in Traditional Urdu) =For you

Mye (instead of Mai in Traditional Urdu) =Me

These are some examples of liaisons that are peculiar only to Hyderabadi Urdu:

Jatiyun (Jaati Hoon)= I'm going (female)

Aatiyun (Aati Hoon)= I'm coming (female)

Kartiyun (Karti Hoon)= I'm doing (female)

Bolinge (Bolangay)= They will sa

Karlinge (Karlangay)= We will do it

Jainge (Jayangay)= We will go

Aainge (Aayangay)= We will come

Thairinge (Theheraingay)= We will stay

Hyderabadi Urdu is very reflective of the relaxed attitude of the Hyderabadi citizens which allowed the coinage of words, much like ebonics. Ebonics is a term coined, originally intended and sometimes used for the language of all people of African ancestry, or for that of Black north American and west African people, emphasizing the African roots of the former; since 1996 it has been largely used to refer to African American Vernacular...

Cuisine

Some famous Hyderabadi dishes that are served at weddings are: Hyderabadi Biryani, Haleem, Khubani ka Mitha, Gil-e-Firdaus, Dabal ka Mitha, Luqmi, Dum ka qimah, Muthhi Key Kebabs, Mirchi ka Salan and Baghare Baigan. lucknowi biryani is original ircanation of all biryanis, biryani is indian food authentic indian recipe based indian rice called basmati found only in indian subcontinent. ... Haleem is a soup-like Indian and Pakistani dish, brought to India from Persia. ... This Hyderabad delicacy is essentially a syrupy preparation of dates, and is often served with vanilla ice cream. ... A triangular Samosa A samosa is a common snack in South Asia. ...

Other popular food items are: Chakna, Tamate ka Kut, Khatti Dal, Dalcha, Shirmal, Rawghani Roti, Nihari, Pasande, Pathar Ka Ghosht, Dum Ka Murgh,Khagina, Katchi Biryani, Khichri and Qabuli. Chakna (or chaakna) is a spicy stew made out of goat tripe and other animal parts. ... Nihari is a Pakistani stew made from beef or lamb and curry. ... Khichri is an Indian and Pakistani dish consisting of rice, lentils, black peppers and spices. ...

Many Hyderabadi dishes are very sour. As a result, Hyderabadis are sometimes jokingly called khatte ("sour" in Urdu). (اردو), historically spelled Ordu, is an Indo-Aryan language of the Indo-Iranian branch, belonging to Indo-European family of languages. ...

Clothing and jewelry

Khara Dupatta

A Khara Dupatta and hyderabadi jewelry worn by a bride from Hyderabad

The Khara Dupatta (standing veil) is an outfit composed of a kurta (tunic), chooridaar (ruched pair of pants), and 6 yard dupatta (veil) and is traditionally worn by Hyderabad brides. Sometimes the kurta is sleeveless and worn over a koti resembling a choli. The bride also wears a matching ghoonghat (veil) over her head. The accompanying jewellery is: Image File history File links Download high resolution version (793x1181, 232 KB)This is my wedding picture taken from my camera. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (793x1181, 232 KB)This is my wedding picture taken from my camera. ... A Khara Dupatta and hyderabadi jewelry worn by a bride from Hyderabad The Khara dupatta (standing veil) is an outfit composed of a kurta (tunic), chooridaar (ruched pair of pants), and 6 yard dupatta (veil) and is traditionally worn by Hyderabad brides. ... A modern rendition of choli worn with saree A choli is a midriff-baring blouse worn in India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and other countries where the sari is worn. ...

Tika (a medallion of uncut diamonds worn on the forehead and suspended by a string of pearls)

Jhoomar (a fan shaped ornament worn on the side of the head)

Nath (a nose ring with a large ruby bead flanked by two pearls)

Chintaak (a choker studded with uncut diamonds and precious stones)

Karan phool (earrings that match the Chintaak and consist of a flower motif covering the ear lobe and a bell shaped ornament that is suspended from the flower. The weight of precious stones and gold in the Karan phool is held up by sahare or supports made of strands of pearls that are fastened into the wearers hair.)

Satlada (neck ornament of seven strands of pearls set with emeralds, diamonds and rubies)

Ranihaar (neck ornament of pearls with a wide pendant)

Jugni (neck ornament of several strands of pearls with a central pendant)

Goat (Shellac bangles studded with rhinestones and worn with gold colored glass bangles called sonabai)

Payal (ankle bracelets)

Gintiyan (toe rings)

Sherwani

An old-fashioned Hyderabadi gentleman wearing an everyday sherwani and tarbush (Fez hat)

The Sherwani is the traditional men's garb of Hyderabad. It is a coat-like tunic with a tight-fitting collar (fastened with hooks), close-fitting in the upper torso and flaring somewhat in its lower half. It usually has six or seven buttons, often removable ones made from gold sovereigns for special occasions. The material is usually silk or wool. A groom may use gold brocade for his wedding sherwani, but otherwise good taste dictates understated colors, albeit with rich and textured fabrics. The sherwani is usually worn over a silk or cotton kurta (long shirt) and pyjamas (baggy pants with a drawstring at the waist). Image File history File linksMetadata Sherwani. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Sherwani. ... An old-fashioned Hyderabadi gentleman wearing an everyday sherwani and tarbush (Fez hat) A sherwani is a long coat-like garment worn by men, very similar to an achkan. ... The fez, also spelled fes, is a particular style of hat that originated from the city of Fez in Morocco. ... An old-fashioned Hyderabadi gentleman wearing an everyday sherwani and tarbush (Fez hat) A sherwani is a long coat-like garment worn by men, very similar to an achkan. ...

The sherwani is closely associated with Hyderabad, although it has spread since to the rest of India and to Pakistan. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru adapted its design and turned it into his trademark Nehru Jacket, further popularizing the garment. Jawaharlal Nehru (Hindi: , IPA: ) (November 14, 1889 – May 27, 1964) was a senior political leader of the Indian National Congress, was a pivotal figure during the Indian independence movement and served as the first Prime Minister of the Republic of India. ... The Nehru jacket is an article of clothing that originates in India and became popular in the West in the 1960s. ...

Religion

Hyderabad has both Sunni and Shi'ah Muslims, The majority of them being Sunni.The Sunni Muslims mostly follow the Hanafi school of Islamic Jurisprudence, although there are a few who follow the Shafi'i school of thought and mainly reside in areas close to Barkas, the former Military Barracks of the Nizam, an area where the residents are mainly of a Yemeni descent (especially from Hadhramawt). Sunni Islam (Arabic سنّة) is the largest denomination of Islam. ... // The Hanafi (Arabic حنفي) school is the oldest of the four schools of thought (Madhhabs) or jurisprudence (Fiqh) within Sunni Islam. ... The Šāfiˤī madhab (Arabic: شافعي) is one of the four schools of fiqh, or religious law, within Sunni Islam. ... Hadhramaut, (also Hadramawt) now part of Yemen, is the coastal region of the south Arabian peninsula on the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, extending eastwards from Yemen to the Dhofar region of Oman. ...

The Qutb Shahi dynasty of Golconda that founded Hyderabad was Shia. There is still a strong Shia Muslim community in Hyderabad, especially in the "Old City" (area of Hyderabad south of the river Musi). Many of them claim their roots to Iran and Persia. After Lucknow, Hyderabad is one of the most prominent Shia Muslim strongholds in the Indian Subcontinent.
The Shia Hyderabadis gather in Ashurkhanas (congregation halls) during the months of Muharram and Safar, to mourn the martyrdom of Imam Husain. The Ashurkhana houses ornate silver Alams (copies of the standards carried by Imam Hussain to the battle of Karbala) that are placed on a stand and covered with a cloth and flowers. A majlis or mourning ritual typically comprises a salaam (introductory poem), marsiya, hadis (sermon), and nauha. During the course of a nauha, the alams may be removed from their respective stands and carried by little children in an orderly manner around the ashurkhana so that the elderly may get their tawaf (touch) of the alam. They are then covered with a white cloth and symbolically laid to rest. The majlis ends with a Ziyarat-i Warisa (intercessory prayer for the deceased). The Qutb Shahi dynasty (whose members were also called the Qutub Shahis) was the ruling family of the kingdom of Golconda in southern India. ... Golconda is a ruined city and fortress 11 km west of the city of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh state, India. ... Shiʻa Islam (Arabic شيعى follower; English has traditionally used Shiite) makes up the second largest sect of believers in Islam, constituting about 30%–35% of all Muslim. ... A Hussainia is a congregation hall for Shia ritual ceremonies, especially those associated with the Festival of Muharram. ... Muharram (Arabic: محرم ) is the first month of the Islamic calendar. ... Safar (صفر) is the second month in the Islamic calendar. ... Husayn ibn Ali ibn Abu Talib (c. ... Shrine of Karbala Karbala (Arabic: ‎; BGN: Karbalā’; also spelled Kerbala, Kerbela, Karbila) is a city in Iraq, located about 100 km southwest of Baghdad at 32. ... Marsiya is a form of Urdu poetry consisting of six lines per passagem organized according to the rhyming scheme Veronica Travers. ... Nauha is an Urdu dirge that is usually much shorter than a marsiya and is usually accompanied by matam (beating ones chest in grief). ...

A notable aspect of the mourning ritual is self beating or ma'tam done during the Nauhas (elegies and lamentations) to visually express sorrow for the death of Imam Husain who was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. It ranges from a silent rhythmic touch to the chest in keeping with the chant of the nauha to flagellating oneself with steel chains and swords.
Nauha is an Urdu dirge that is usually much shorter than a marsiya and is usually accompanied by matam (beating ones chest in grief). ...

Religious knowledge and its propagation flourished under the Nizam with institutions like the world famous Jamia Nizamia (Jami'ah Nizamiyyah) of Hyderabad. The Grand Mosque of Hyderabad, the Makkah Masjid gathers congregations of two hundred thousand and more on special occasions of Eid prayers and especially of Jumu'at-al Wida' ( the last Friday of Ramadan ) Jamia Nizamia, Estd. ... The fourth pillar of Islam which is fasting is practiced during the month of Ramadan. ...

External links

• Hyderabad on the net
• Exlpore Hyderabad
• The Siasat urdu newspaper published from Hyderabad
• English version of the Siasat newspaper
• The Munsif Urdu Daily published from Hyderabad
• The Etemaad Urdu newspaper also published from Hyderabad
• Online forum: Dakhni-Mahfil - The Old World Hyderabad
• Audio clips of humorous Urdu poetry in Hyderabadi dialect, by Ahmad Sharif Pagal Adilabadi
• Website for Shia Congregation of mourning called as Majlis
• Article on some aspects of life in erstwhile Hyderabad state
• Account of a Hyderabadi Wedding ceremony
• Hyderabad Muslims online