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ROOTS
Information & Inspiration - AKBANI family in perspective Date: Tuesday, September 29, 1998 6:02 PM
From: Shahzad Akbani, Information Services Consultant, UNISYS Pakistan.
Shahzad; RehanHello. Sorry for replying a little late. I am a Akbani from Karachi. My connection is from Kutch but neither me nor my father have been there. I am a Computer Engineer, 23 years old, working as an Information Services Consultant in UNISYS Pakistan. My fathers name is M.Nasim Akbani s/o Usman Moosa Akbani. I don't know any of the above mentioned Akbani's. Reply back and tell your connection with Akbani.
Date : 5 Nov. 1998
From : Salim AkbanyEven though some of us spell Akbany Vs Akbani but I do know that we all have common roots . I come from Kutch directly. My family (brothers and sisters) still live in Bhuj, Kutch. My father was Haji Yusuf Mohammed Akbany who passed away few years ago. My father had complete knowledge of 7 generations . Unfortunately we have not documented well. we may have some information back in kutch. Few years ago somebody from Mysore or Cochin related to Haji Ibrahim Sulaiman Sait visited and talked to my father regarding family tree. Let me look at the family tree and I will add the families from Kutch, Karachi and Bombay that I know. Also there is Kutchi Memon Jamat Of North America in New York. They may also have more e-mail addresses of Kutchi Memons.
Thank You and good luck with your project .
Keep in touch.
Salim
Date : 02 Feb. 1999
From : A Qayyum AkbaniOur family Akbani belongs to Bombay, I was born at calcutta on 18th November 1948. My Father Yousuf Mohammed Akbani was nicked named Joshi Bhai in India died 17th December 1975 my mother was daughter of Noor Mohammed also named Amna also died on 24th Oct. 1991. I have no elder or younger brother but 5 sisters all married and grown up. My activities you must have observed on my web site and meantime working for joint venture , hope to travel to Italy by mid Feb. 99 and come for Umra and shall meet you personally.
I once again thank you for sending my Islamic page to several Akbanis I am very really greatful. pls. do not feel hesitant for any service in Pakistan remain with best wishes.
My best regards to you and your family. Khuda Hafiz
Date : 08 Apr 1999
From : Rafiq AkbanyThanks for your e-mail sent to my son-Majid's address for which I'm replying.
It is interesting to note the similarities of our surnames.
Presently we are settled in Indonesia (Jakarta) since last 4 generations, my grandfather first came to Indonesia in 1919 from Palitana( Near Bhavnagar in kathiawar), so this signifies we are Halai Memons. My father started the modern way of spelling the surname with a "y" which we are now continuing.
There are no Memon Jamats in Indonesia as only a few Memons came over here. My brother is married to a Kutchi-Memon from Bombay.
It also interests me to note the "AKBANY" surname label in one of the flats I was visiting in Karachi - and happen to ask my relatives and they said they are Kutchi Memons - so it seems that this surname is shared by both Halai and Kutchi Memons equally - but for sure its exclusively a Memon surname. Going thru Memons directory published in 1972 I also saw one by the name of Maher Akbani - but don't know him either, perhaps you would be knowing.
My grandmother used to say that this surname signifies Ad (fire) and Pan (water) as one of the characteristics of Akbanis- I won't know whether she was just joking or there is some truth in it? Perhaps you can give us a lead on the origins of this surname.
Pls keep in touch - its great to know of an AKBANI - Khudahafiz -
Date: 11 Aug., 2000
From: Mahomed Jussab AkbanieI asked my grandmother about our history. She said although their are not a lot of memons in Lalpur (near Mandvi, Bhuj), but that is were I am from my grandfather, Jussab Hussein Bagmamand. I am not sure if my great grandfather had and brother or sister to answer your question (about the family links with other Akbani's)!
Date: Wed, 23 Aug 2000 Salim AkbanyIt is interesting to note from Rafiqbhai's e-mail about Aag and Pani characteristic of Akbani/ys. My late parents used to say same thing about how quickly we Akbanys cool down from the instantaneous big ball of fire relating to our family name. Anyway, just to help you little bit about the origin of Akbani/ys. My father had a written document of our eight generations leading to the great-great grandfather by the name of "Aakab". Since we memons (I believe both kutchi and halai) were converts from Hindu Lohanas he was called "Aakab" from the muslim name of "Yaqub". With the big sindhi influence in that area "ani" was attached to his name may be out of respect or just sindhi way of calling. According to my father his sons inherited Akbani as their "nukh" or family name. These Akbanis/memons started spreading to Kathiawar (originally Halar) which is a neighboring region to Kutch. Memons who stayed back in Kutch later were called Kutchi memons and who went to Halar were called Halai Memons. It seems like Akbani/y family name was established much before this happened. Whether its 'I' or 'Y' is just how everybody spelled same family name. Even in our immediate family we have both. Since memons were entrepreneurial community they spread very fast throughout the world and thus makes it very difficult (not impossible) to find missing links for Akbanis. It is still not found to be a very common family name. Jazak-allah for brother Taher's efforts.
Salim Akbany
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