This is the primer that introduces Arabic alphabets to, usually, the kids. In Indian Punjab there is the city of Ludhiana. Maulvi Noor Muhammed Ludhianwi (RA) had prepared it, before AH1350. The world of Urdu books is like a constantly changing galaxy in which books appear and disappear fast. Muhi-us-Sunnah Hazrat Abrar-ul-Haq Sahab (RA) saw a copy of it and liked the approach. He republished it, after some significant contributions, in AH1412 and with some more additions in AH1422. It is the popular Arabic primer in the circles having any connection with Muhi-us-Sunnah (RA).
As alluded to above this is used by grown up people too. A muhaddis once spent seventeen days in Hardoi, UP, India to learn the Shiny Primer. Muhaddis, a hadees teacher, is usually a senior teacher in a madarasa.
Why so much of fuss about a primer?
Lord Almighty asks us in His Holy Qura'n to recite it with style (tarteel). The directive is towards propriety, rather than embellishment. So the Lovers of Allah Almighty have been trying to recite the Holy Qura'n with style, with tarteel ever since its revelation. Egyptian people have perfected the style to a rather high level. In fact they will put the recitation on loud speaker at the road crossings and drivers will take their cars to a side jut to listen and enjoy the recitation, even those who are not Muslims by faith.
Shah Hardoi (RH) focussed, among other things, on proper recitation of the Holy Qura'n. Today, by the Grace of Allah Almighty only, the recitation standard in India is set by Hardoi. Earlier it was unthinkable. So much so that Abdullah Yusuf Ali (RA) while writing his preface to his, by now extremely popular, translation of the Holy Qura'n in English language says that it is not possible for us to pronounce the Arabic alphabet!
Popularity of this primer has reached the Arab land too. Hazrat Hakim Syed Afsar Basha (DB) was browsing at a book stall outside the Holy Kaba. He saw there a Primer, the Shiny (Qaida tun Noor). He bought it and showed it to Shah Hardoi (NM). What a joy it is to recite the Word of Lord Almighty as He wants us to. What a joy it is to recite the Word of Lord Almighty as it was recited by our beloved Prophet, may Peace and Blessings of Lord be upon him.
