Library
History & Introduction
The KUTAB KHANA MUHAMMAD ALI MAKHADI (Makhad sharif, Tehsil Jand, District Attock, Punjab, Pakistan) library was established by Hazrat Maulana Muhammad Ali Makhadi in 1780 AD. Maulana was a great religious scholar of his time. He was born in 1750 AD in Batala, District Gurdaspur, India. For the sake of education, he moved to Bahawalpur region of Punjab and finally settled in Makhad Sharif and after completion of his education, started teaching. He organized not only the system of Madrassa but also laid foundation of a Library that afterward became an ancient and unique Islamic historical library of the age. Many great scholars became his students who continued his legacy after his demise. Among these, most prominent were Maulana Shams ud Din Sialvi, Maulana Hafiz Abid Jee Muharvi and Maulana Zain ud Din (RA). After Hazrat Maulana Zain-Ud-Deen (RA) his successors Maulana Ghulam Mahiy-Ud-Deen (RA), Maulana Ahmed-ud-Deen (RA), Maulana Muhammad Fazal-ud-Din Makhadi (RA), and Maulana Fateh ud Deen (RA) remained his system continued and gave specific attention upon the library. These scholars also increased the resources of library and helped the students of related subjects.
This historical library still exists at Makhad Sharif, District Attock, Pakistan. There are more than 24,000 books on different disciplines like Tafsir, Hadith, Fiqah, Tasawuf, Social Sciences, Philosophy, Poetry and History. Among these majority of books are in Arabic and Persian. Along with these a number of books in other popular and different languages as English, Urdu, Hindi and Sindhi etc. There a number of manuscripts in Arabic, Persian and Punjabi could be accessed in the library today.
Library management is working on cataloging of resources to facilitate the regional, national, and foreign researchers. Photocopies, scanned copies, and CD facilities are being provided to the researchers despite having limited resources. The collection of the books is ever increasing with contributions from different individuals and institutions. Library management is also publishing a half yearly magazine on Islamic Studies, History and Tasawuf, “Qandeel-e Suleman”. Maulana Muhammad Ali Makhadi (RA) Library is a great source of learning for researchers engaged in different aspects of research in the field of Islamic Studies and Social Sciences.
The Library Management utmost struggling to collaborate with the national and international libraries and institutions to provide research facilities at regional, national andinternational level by using modern technologies