Syed Azhar Shah Qaiser

Azhar Shah Qaiser (1920–1985) was an Indian Islamic scholar, journalist and writer. He wrote articles and books in Urdu. He was the elder son of the Indian hadith scholar, Anwar Shah Kashmiri. During his career, he served as the editor of Monthly Darul Uloom, the monthly journal of Darul Uloom Deoband.

Birth and education Azhar Shah Qaiser was born in December 1920 at Deoband. His father Anwar Shah Kashmiri was a hadith scholar.

Qaiser enrolled in the Darul Uloom Deoband. When his father resigned from the Darul Uloom Deoband in 1927, and moved to Jamia Islamia Talimuddin, Dabhel, Qaiser went with him to Dabhel and continued his studies there. Qaiser was about 12 years old when his father Anwar Shah Kashmiri died in 1933. Facing consequences, Qaiser was not able to complete his studies. A condolence ceremony was organised at Jama Masjid in Deoband and the welcome address was prepared by 12-year-old Qaiser. Qaiser presented a copy of this address to Zafar Ali Khan and it was also read aloud in the congregation. Zafar Ali Khan liked this laudatory address so much that he published it on the front page of his Zamindar. Thus began Qaiser's literary life.

In November 1940, Qaiser released Bi-monthly al-Anwar from Deoband. The journal focused on the life and works of Anwar Shah Kashmiri. Before 1940, in 1939 he worked for Zamindar honorary. Besides Sadaqat Saharanpur and al-Anwar, Deoband, Qaiser took the editorial responsibilities of Haadi, Deoband, first edition of which appeared in May 1949. He wrote short stories and tales like Tuta Huwa A'ina (Broken Mirror), Inqelab, Sharabi Shayar and Azaadi. He was buried next to the grave of his father Anwar Shah Kashmiri in Mazar-e-Anwari, Deoband. He has written a concise biography of his father and his uncle Anzar Shah Kashmiri in his book Do Gohar Aabdaar. He has also written Syed Muhammad Azhar Shah Qaiser Ek Adeeb, Ek Sahafi ("Syed Muhammad Azhar Shah Qaiser: A writer and Journalist") about his father.