Theory and Practices of Chishti Sufi in 19th Century Awadh: Life and Works of Shah Muhammad Mehdi ‘Ata of Salon

H.A.Siddiqi (b 1945), with lincal acquisition of Arabic, Persian & Urdu, was initially trained in the analytical and scientific field of knowledge til the University level In 1965 He joined a scientific organisation in from where he retired as a Gazetted Officer in 2005 and was, therefore, quite at home in his studies in History from the same level till his Doctorate from Delhi, Jaipur & Lucknow University. He has published 93 research papers on Indian History & Culture. He is the author of books on Wazie Ali, 'Rulers and Sources of Awadh', 'Memoirs of Faizabad (Ed), including Histories of Kakori & Bijnor', Deccan & Awadh : Essays & Translation', 'Sufis Classics-I & II; Urdu Sources Translation+Eng. Sources, Central Asia (Trans of Hobib-us-Siyar & Zafarnamah), Sultans and Mughals: New Sources, Iqbal, Nadir Shah, Lahori's Padshaknamah and Naqsh-i-Sulaiman on Rohillas, and the books listed above.

Professor I.H. Ansari (b 1946) studies History (1964-1968) at the University of Allahabad, from where he later obtained DPhil in 1996 for his work on Deoband School. He joined U.P. Higher Education (Group A) Service in 1972, remained Lecturer from 1972-1974 and Head, Deptt, of History from 1974-1997 in various Govt. Degree and Post-graduate Colleges. He was promoted as Principal in 1997, in which capacity he retired from Govt. Degree College, Talbehat (Lalitpur) in 2006. He has numerous published research papers dealing with different aspects of Indian History & Culture and many PhD researchers are working under his supervision and guidance. On Superannuation, he is engaged in scholarly pursuits of translating and editing rare Persian and Urdu sources and the present work is a mute witness thereof.