Ashraf received his B.A., M.A. and PhD (1965) degrees fromAligarh Muslim University. The title of his doctoraldissertation wasA Critical Edition of Lataife Ashrafi.[1] After serving at a number ofIndian universities (Punjabi University at Patiala, M.S. University of Baroda and theUniversity of Madras), Ashraf retired as head of the department ofArabic, Persian and Urdu at the University ofMadras in 1993. Fluent in seven languages (Pahlavi, Persian, Arabic, Urdu, English, Hindi and Gujarati), he writes in Urdu, Persian and English,[2] has written, edited or compiled over 35 books.[citation needed] Ashraf has focused on upholding and propagating the principles and practices ofSufism.
"The Political and Economic Thoughts of Hadrat Saiyed Ashraf Jahangir",Indo-Iranica, The Quarterly Organ of the Iran Society, Volume 56, March, June, September and December 2003, Numbers 1 to 4. Iran Society, 12 Dr. M. Ishaque Road, Kolkata 700,016.
"Avicenna's Explanation of Destiny",Indo-Iranica, The Quarterly Organ of the Iran Society, Volume-34: Nos: 1 to 4: March- Dec: 1981: IBN SINA NUMBER Iran Society, 12 Dr. M. Ishaque Road, Kolkata 700,016.
"Nationalism in Urdu Poetry"Annals of Oriental Research, University of Madras, Volume 31 (1982), p. 391.
"An Introduction to the Persian Poetry of Iqbal" inAnnals of Oriental Research, University of Madras, Volume 30i (1980), p. 1-14.
"Modern Persian Prose"Annals of Oriental Research, University of Madras, Volume xxviii, part 2 p. 1-8 (1979)
"Sufism" ,Annals of Oriental Research, University of Madras, Volume 32(I) (1984), p. 55-72.
"The contribution of the House of Qutb-e-Vellore to Persian Literature" ,Annals of Oriental Research, University of Madras, pages 1–22, volume xxx part2 (1981)
"A Scholastic Approach To Some Muslim Religious Movements In India During 14th Century A.H.,Annals of Oriental Research, University of Madras, Pages 1–30, Volume xxxi part 1, (1982)
^"The Political and Economic Thoughts of Hadrat Saiyed Ashraf Jahangir" inIndo-Iranica, The Quarterly Organ of the Iran Society, Volume 56, March, June, September and December 2003, Numbers 1 to 4. Iran Society, 12 Dr. M. Ishaque Road, Kolkata 700,016.