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06. Verse 23rd ( Muhammad Hanif’ki Tasanif )

“He was the 6th Pir. God invested him extraordinary prowess. He took revenge of the religion. He killed the infidels and tyrants and became a gazi. He led a piety life in the world and became an immortal till the Judgment Day. He killed forty thousand infidels and removed infidelity in the world. He himself conquered and raised a rule over the world. This very person (Muhammad Hanif or Ibn al-Hanafia) came in the world. His mother was Bibi Hanifa, the wife of Hazrat Ali and (he) Muhammad Hanif was from their family. He killed the infidels everywhere and became a devout gazi. Many people submitted, known as the believers of the Satpanth.”

a) Ibn al-Hanifa is shown as the 6th Pir, which is historically incorrect. It does not mention, which Imam had consigned him the office of the Pir? He was neither given the Piratan nor worked for the religious cause. The so called Piratan of Ibn al-Hanafia nowhere is mentioned even in the authorized literature of the ginans.

b) It indicates that Ibn al-Hanafia took “revenge of religion” from the infidels and tyrants. Who were the infidels and tyrants? Apparently, it refers to the Kuffans and the Umayyads. It claims that he had taken revenge from forty thousand infidels and removed infidelity in the world. Between the event of Kerbala in 61/680 and his death in 81/700, there was a period of twenty years, in which he executed not a single person. The removal of infidelity in the world is therefore curious and moreso is his immortality till the Judgment Day, which is illogical and irrational story. Such folklore cannot adulterate the face of history in the light of accessible sources.

For illustration, when an Arab leader Tarmah bin Adi found Imam Hussain in the plight at Kerbala, who was going home after pilgrimage came to the Imam and said, “O’ son of the Prophet! The Kuffans have proved faithless and disloyal. Come with me and I will take you to my tribe beyond those mountains. We have defended ourselves against the old tyrants of Hira Ghassan kingdoms and now will defend you.” Imam Hussain declined his offer. Keeping it in mind, it ensues that an Arab chief had offered to help Imam Hussain, but Ibn al-Hanafia did not come in Kerbala to help Imam Hussain. How it can be believed that he had come in Kufa after Kerbala event to take revenge from the Kuffans and took field against the Umayyads? He had been in Mecca before and after the tragic event of Kerbala, and never visited Kufa or Damascus. There is also no historical evidence that he had ever met Imam Zayn al-Abidin in Medina after the event of Kerbala.

c) It also claims that he alone made conquest and established his sovereignty in the world. Firstly, there is no indication of his fantastic military operations. He was not even the hakim or governor of any village, town or city in Arab, therefore, the question of his becoming the ruler of the world does not arise.

d) The phrase, “Many people submitted, known as the believers of the Satpanth” refers to the followers of a petty sect, known as the Kaysania, which existed after the death of Ibn al-Hanafia. It is also noticeable that the composer misrepresented the followers of the Kaysania sect as the believers of the Satpanth!


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