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In this YouTube video, noted Pakistani scholar, Allama Zamir Akhtar Naqvi claims (in Urdu) that Napoleon wrote a letter or poem in honour of the historical figure [Imam Hussain] (a.s)(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Husayn_ibn_Ali), during a war between the French and the English.

This claim is explained in English on this Facebook page:

On the eve of the war with the British, Napoleon wrote an elegy to Imam Hussain (a.s.) seeking his help which is beautifully translated into Urdu by Allama Zameer Akhtar Naqvi

This is used as evidence that Napoleon embraced Islam, and based his laws upon it.

A comment on that video claims

it can be easily googled and more over it is preserved till now in the great french museum

The Facebook page provides the following references:

Vide, Bonaparte et l'Islam by Cherfils from the Bibliotheque National De France, we find on pages 105 - 125; Vide, David Pidcock to The Sunday Telegraph, contrasting the French hysteric phobia of late with Napoleon Bonaparte's admiration for Islam; Vide, Lincoln: Money Martyred; Omni Publications 1935); Vide, Translations of French Poem by Allama Zameer Akhtar Naqvi

I cannot find any evidence. Is this true?

I have made a detailed translation of that Urdu poem, apparently translated from French by Allama Zameer Akhtar Naqvi, into English and is is over here

agha rehan abbas
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  • i will prepare a pdf file of the speech given by pakistaani scholar in english and then i will add it to the question now, it was a spiritual letter written by napoleon to imam hussain (a.s) asking imam hussain (a.s) to help him in that crucifying situation – agha rehan abbas Sep 10 '14 at 07:50
  • @agharehanabbas: I have made a fairly big change to the question, to improve the English, to provide some more context to people (like me) unfamiliar with the subject. I would appreciate it if you could check that I haven't misrepresented your question. – Oddthinking Sep 10 '14 at 08:07
  • @Oddthinking thanks a lot for that edit, my english is not that good as i am not a frequent english speaker, i would like to edit the question by only adding [(a.s)] acronym of alaihis salaam which means salutations be upon him, as it is added wherever his name comes. – agha rehan abbas Sep 10 '14 at 08:47
  • @IlyaMelamed brother i have made a detailed translation of that poem or elegy and its here on my google drive https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5sD2PI0YoRveG9FZ3p0VUhES2s/edit?usp=sharing , in short the poem is about asking spiritual help from him – agha rehan abbas Sep 10 '14 at 08:56
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    The referenced book does exist in the library; I found [the following reference](http://catalogue.bnf.fr/servlet/biblio?idNoeud=1&ID=31938795&SN1=0&SN2=0&host=catalogue) by searching http://catalogue.bnf.fr/ > Type : texte imprimé, monographie Auteur(s) : Cherfils, Christian (1858-1956) Titre(s) : Bonaparte et l'Islam d'après les documents français et arabes, par Christian Cherfils. Préface du chérif Abd el-Hakim [Texte imprimé] Publication : Paris, A. Pedone, 1914. In-8°, 303 p., fac-similés > Autre(s) auteur(s) : Abd El-Hakim. Préfacier Sujet(s) : Bonaparte. Islam > Notice n° : FRBNF31938795 – ChrisW Sep 10 '14 at 10:05
  • @ChrisW brother i have googled the book and found it online, it is not digitalised, it is a printed book – agha rehan abbas Sep 10 '14 at 14:32
  • You might get better answers on History.SE, or Islam.SE, where people may be more familiar with the subjects in question. – Nate Eldredge Sep 10 '14 at 17:16
  • @NateEldredge i got that book on google books, but i am unable to download it, will you help me, follow this URL to get redirected to the book http://books.google.co.in/books?id=h1EKMwEACAAJ&dq=bonaparte+et+l%27islam+d%27apr%C3%A8s+les+documents+fran%C3%A7ais+et+arabes&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Y4sQVN_LPMSouwTMo4CgDw&ved=0CDwQ6AEwBQ – agha rehan abbas Sep 10 '14 at 17:42
  • I don't know where to download it either. There may not be any digital version. – Nate Eldredge Sep 10 '14 at 17:44
  • @NateEldredge but it is clearly mentioned below the book that it was digitalised on 15th june 2005 have a look over here https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5sD2PI0YoRvbUZ4Tl9YdURjaVk/edit?usp=sharing – agha rehan abbas Sep 10 '14 at 17:52
  • @georgechalhoub, i've got the name of book, but i can't get the book itself as you can see in the above present comments. – agha rehan abbas Sep 12 '14 at 15:09

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