Birth
I was born on Tuesday night* on the 19th of Shawwal 1296 Hijri at 11.00 pm in the town of Bangarmau in the Unnao District. At birth, I was named Chirage Muhammad (Lamp of Muhammd Sallalahu-alaihi-wasallam): this was the only name my late father had written for me in his commonplace book and no corresponding English date was recorded-it equates to 1879.
In those days my late father was the Head Teacher at The Urdu Middle School and he lived in the town of Bangarmau for many years with his dependants. My middle brother, the late Moulana Sayyed Ahmad Sahib was also born there before me in 1293 Hijri. There was a viscous outbreak of Malaria during the time period I was born and resulted in many deaths. My late mother used to say that it was common occurrence that mothers that gave birth during that time and their new-born did not survive. In the whole town, only she managed to survive along with another mother with children.
My early upbringing took place in Bangarmau and I was quite young when my father left Bangarmau and settled in our ancestral town of Tanda, in the District of Faizabad. He chose to relocate to Tanda and made effort to be transferred there; as it was difficult for him have ownership of land in Bangarmau because of his roots in another area. The higher authorities, however, were evasive towards his request; as the Head Teacher’s monthly wage in Tanda was 20 Rupees and they could not offer him the 30 Rupees that he received monthly in the same post in Bangarmau. The need of the time left him with no choice but to transfer to Tanda, regardless of his reduction of his wages. At the time, I was three years old at the most so I have no memory of our relocation. Thereafter, we remained in Tanda until I was twelve years old and it is where I started my early year’s education.
* According to Islamic tradition the new day begins after sunset, therefore, Tuesday’s night would follow after sunset on Monday.
