The wide vast world, once thought to be without an end, is fast shrinking into a small global village. Distances have disappeared. Men and women of various races and hues mingle as never before. Spiritual values have given way to the materialistic and riches-oriented chaos. Skyrocketing prices have compelled women and children to force their paterfamilias to work harder and harder and earn more and more, to quench their thirst generated by the modern evil called consumerism. As the hadith quotes Prophet Muhammad (SLM) as saying that this results in the man ceaselessly over-working to death. As if to offset the modern man's folly, Allah has opened new avenues of earning. Hence man is migrating to places where it is easy to earn more.

Like all others, young men from the Mahdavia community too have joined the gold rush in West Asia, Europe and the Americas, where talent is respected and lavishly paid for.

Once in carefree and affluent circumstances, the Mahdavi young men start looking for their roots. Allah, the Gracious and the Merciful, has not let them go astray in the quagmire of riches, luxury, material comforts and spiritual ruin in the licentious societies in far-away places. They look with disdain at these societies, their customs and behaviour. They recall the lives of their forefathers, who were so chaste, pure, flawless and Allah-fearing. Nostalgically, they want to know more about their past generations, which reached astronomical spiritual heights and dived into the unfathomed depths of the oceans of divinity in search of the pearls of the Ultimate and infinite Truth. Hence, the need for translating the Mahdavia religious literature into English and other languages.

This book, INSAF NAMA, is the first of the three books of the narrations of Imam Syed Muhammad Jaunpuri, Mahdi al-Mau'ood, Amrullah, Muradullah, Khalifathullah, Salwathullahi Alaih, and his august companions. This is like the books of Prophet Muhammad Mustafa Sallallahu Alaihi-wa-Sallam's Traditions. All the rules of Shariat (Islamic Code of Law) and jurisprudence are based on the Prophet's Traditions and Practice in Nubuvat. Similarly, all the tenets of Mahdaviat are based on the Shariat of the Prophet (SLM) and the narrations and practice of Imam Mahdi (AS) in Vilayat. The English translation of this basic book of narrations will, Insha'Allah, prove to be a guiding light for the English-speaking Mahdavis in India and abroad. I need not dilate upon the veracity and the authenticity of this book of the Imam's narrations, as Hazrat Maulana Syed Shahabuddin Tanha has dealt with this subject in detail in his article, used in this book as an Introduction.

Peer-wa-Murshid Hazrat Syed Ziaullah Yadullahi of Channapatna, Karnataka State of India, who has translated INSAF NAMA into English, was a journalist by profession for more than five decades before tark-e-dunya and had worked both in English and Urdu newspapers. He has vast experience of translation in either of the languages. His English and Urdu books on politics and journalism, respectively, have won praise from leading national newspapers and the Urdu Academies of Karnataka and other States in India. His experience has come as a boon for us.

After tark-e-dunya, he has deeply delved into the Mahdavia religious literature and has translated Aqida Sharifa of Hazrat Bandagi Miyan Syed Khundmir (RZ), Al-Qaul Al-Mahmood of Hazrat Syed Ali Yadullahi (RA), Majaalis-e-Khamsa of Bandagi Miyan Hazrat Shaikh Mustafa Gujarati (RA) and Holy Angels of High Heavens of the late Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, besides many Urdu articles by eminent ulema into English. His style and language are simple, clear, direct, effective, to the point and easily intelligible for the readers

Now he comes up with the translation of INSAF NAMA. His earlier translations have won him accolades and I am sure INSAF NAMA too will, Insha 'Allah, be appreciated. I also hope that this voluminous work will be an eye-opener, worth emulation, for the translators of the Mahdavia religious literature in various languages too.

The Mahdavia community should be grateful to Allah Subhanahu-wa-Ta'la, Who enabled Hazrat Syed Ziaullahto complete the task of translating the bulky book with patience and endurance. May Allah, the Beneficent and the Merciful, bless him with Iman and a long and healthy life to enable him to continue his work in this field. Ameen.

Panagudi, Tamil Nadu, January 25, 2001.

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