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Brief History of the Shia Ismaili Imams by Mumtaz Ali Tajdin Sadik Ali

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SHIA ISMAILI IMAMS

BY MUMTAZ ALI TAJDDIN SADIK ALI

MUHAMMAD, HOLY PROPHET (571-632 A.D.)

Ismael, the son of Abraham had a son, Kaidar whose progeny spread over the Arabian province of
Hijaz. Adnan, to whom the Prophet traced his descent, was also a scion of Ismael in about the
fortieth generations. Further down, in the ninth descent from Adnan, there followed Nadar bin
Kinana. Another descent in the genealogical scale and then comes in the ninth place, one, Qassi
by name.

History of Pirs

Pir Hasan Kabirdin was the youngest of the 5 sons of Pir Sadardin. He was born on Wednesday 22nd of the month of Shaan 742 A.H. in the state of Bhavalpur in the city of Ucch Sharif in present day Pakistan. The names of his other siblings were Sayyed Zaherdin, Sayyed Salahudin, Pir Tajudin and Sayyed Jamaludin.

Hasan Pir

During the time of our 44th Holy Imam Shah Abul Hasanali, Sayyed "Hasan Pir" was appointed by the Imam's Talika to propogate the Ismaili faith in Gujerat. Even though Hasan Pir was not appointed as Pir by the Imam, he was granted the blessings of the Imam to spread the Ismaili Dawat in India in the Gujerat area. Hasan Pir moved the Ismailis from Gujerat to Junagadh's Pipariya town. These Ismailis projected the appearance of momins and they had accepted Imam Abul Hasanali as the Hazar Imam upon the guidance of Hasan Pir.

Our 44th Pir Bibi Sarkar Maryam Khatun Mata Salamat

Our 44th Holy Pir Bibi Sarkar Mata Salamat was born in Mahellat in Iran in 1157 A.H. She was the daughter of Pir Mirza Muhammad Baqir who was the maternal uncle of Imam Khalilullah Ali (the 2nd). Pir Bibi Sarkar married Imam Khalilullah Ali and became the mother of the next Imam Aga Hassanali Shah (Aga Khan !). Pir Bibi Sarkar (also known by her name of Maryam Khatoon) was sent by Imam Hassanali Shah to Jherruck accompanied by Mirza Abul Kassim in 1825.

Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah challenges King Wilhelm II of Prussia

in 1911 (A.H. 1323) the German Crown Prince King Wilhelm visited India and proudly said to our 48th Imam Aga Sultan Muhammad Shah during a billiards game that German forces would fight against the British forces and that what would you and the Indian rulers do to stop it? Mowlana Sultan Muhammad Shah immediately replied with confidence that "We will fight against the German forces and our armies will invade Germany" Hearing this, King Wilhelm was stunned and fell silent. (Noorum Mubeen)

Golden Jubilee of Mowlana Sultan Muhammad 1936-01-19

The Golden Jubilee celebrations of our 48th Holy Imam Shah Sultan Muhammad Shah were brought forward by two days to Sunday 19th January 1936 instead of 21st January as planned before due to the news of the ill-health of King George of England. The weighing ceremony was held at Hasanabad complex in Bombay named after our 46th Imam Aga Hasan Ali Shah. An estimated 40,000 people attended this golden weighing ceremony

Pir Abul Hasan Shah

Our 48th Pir Abul Hasan Shah passed away at the age of only six months. He was the son of our 47th Pir Khalillulah (known also as Pir Shahbudin Shah). The year was 1885 and that year witnessed also the wafat of our 47th Imam Ali Shah Datar and the passing away of his sons Pir Shahbudin Shah and Nurshah.

Wafat of our 47th Imam Aqa Ali Shah

Our 47th Holy Imam Aqa Ali Shah Datar passed away after an Imamat of just 4 years in 1885 in Pune on Monday August 17th at 5:30 PM at His bungalow. His body was brought to Bombay by a special train and it remained at Hasanabad for 64 days before being finally sent to Kerbala, Iraq for its final resting place

Imam Aqa Alishah Datar

Our 47th Holy Imam Aqa Ali Shah was first married first to a Princess from an Iraqi Royal family whose name was Maryam Sultan. She bore two sons who were Pir Shahbudin and Nurshah. Pir Shahbudin was our 47th Pir and mentioned in our Old Dua as Pir Khalillulah. Imam Aqa Ali Shah's second wife was from a high ranking Shirazi family whom he married in Bombay. She had no children before passing away soon after.

Family of Aqa Hassanali Shah Aga Khan 1

Our 46th Holy Imam Hassanali Shah had 10 children - 4 sons named Imam Aqa Alyshah, Jangishah, Jalalshah and Akbarshah. His 6 daughters were named Bibi Saheba, Bibi Homa, Bibi Gawhar, Bibi Tajmah, Bibi Maleka and Bibi Shujaa

Our 46th Holy Imam Aqa Shah Hassan Ali Shah

Our 46th Holy Imam Aqa Hassan Ali Shah Muhammad Hussein Al-Husseni, also known as "Mahellati" was born in A.H. 1219 in Mahellat in Iran. Also known as Aga Khan I, he ascended to the Masnad of Imamat in 1233 A.H. He was the Hakim of Kerman and the ruler of Mahellat.. In 1818 he was bestowed with the hereditary title of Aga Khan by the Shah of Persia - Fath Ali Shah. Aga Hassan Ali was on the throne of Imamat for 61 years and was the 3rd Imam to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee as Imam.. Imam Aqa Hassan Ali's Wafat occurred on April 12, 1881 at 9:45 PM

Our 46th Holy Imam Aqa Shah Hassan Ali Shah

Our 46th Imam Aqa Hassan Ali Shah - also known as Muhammad Husayn al-Husayni Mahelatti - was born in A.H. 1219 in Mahelat in Iran. He was the first Imam to use the title of Aga Khan which was given to him by the Qajar King Fateh Ali Shah. It is recorded in history that Imam Hassan Ali Shah was only ten years old at the time. Shah Fateh Ali Shah also gave his daughter in marriage to the Imam and named him as the ruler of Kerman. Imam Hassan Ali was also the third Imam in history to celebrate Diamond Jubilee on the throne of Imamat. Imam Hassan Ali Shah reigned on the Masnad of Imamat from A.H.

Our 46th Holy Imam Hazrat Mowlana Imam Aqa Shah Hassan Ali Shah

Our 46th Imam Aqa Shah Hassan Ali Shah "Mahelatti" was born in Mahelat, Iran in 1219 A.H. He ascended to the Masnad of Imamat in 1233 A.H. and adopted the title of Aga Khan and was also known as Hussein al-Husseni. He ruled in the district of Kerman, Iran as Hakim. In 1237 A.H. or 1826 A.D. a certain person Habib Ibrahim formed a group which opposed the giving of Dasond to the Holy Imam. Imam Hasan Ali Shah sent his mother Pir Bibi Sarkar Mata Salamat Maryam Khatoon to Bombay with Mirza Abul Kassim.

Our 45th Holy Imam Hazrat Mowlana Imam Khalilullah Ali II

Mowlana Khalilullah Ali II was born in Kerman in Iran in 1153 A.H. At the age of two, he went with his father Imam Abul Hassanali to reside in 'Mahellat'. In 1157 A.H. his uncle Hazrat Pir Mirza Muhammad Baqir - our 43rd Holy Pir - had a daughter named Pir Bibi Sarkar Mata Salamat. She became later our 44th Holy Pir and the mother of our 46th Holy Imam Aga Hassanali Shah. Imam Khalilullah ascended to the Masnad of Imamat in 1194 A.H. and reigned until 1233 A.H.

Our 44th Holy Imam Abul Hassan Ali

Our 44th Holy Imam Abul Hassan Ali reigned on the Masnad of Imamat from A.H. 1143 to 1194. Imam Abul Hassan Ali took an active part in the governance of Iran at a time when the Safavi dynasty had come to an end and the new ruler Nadir Shah had taken over control. According to "Gulzar-e-Shamsh" Imam Abul Hassan Ali was born in Babak in Iran and was also known as Sayyed Shah Muhammad Hassanshah Hassanbeg. He lived in Kiyab, Iran and from there he arrived in Hindustan with Nadir Shah who also made Imam the ruler of Kerman district in Iran.

Our 43rd Holy Imam Shah Kassim Ali

Our 43rd Holy Imam Kassim Ali ascended to the Masnad of Imamat in A.H. 1106. The Imam maintained very good relations with Iranian government and often participated in various governmental affairs which resulted in peace and prosperity for the Ismailis living in Iran at the time. It is related in 'Gulzar-e-Shamsh' that Imam Kassim Ali was also known as Sayyid Jafferali Shah. He was born in Kahek and lived in Kerman district of Iran. Our Holy Imam also maintained very close relations with the ruling royal Safavi family. Imam Kassim Ali passed away (wafat) in A.H.

Our 42nd Holy Imam Hassan Ali Shah 1st

Our 42nd Holy Imam Hassan Ali Shah the first reigned on the Masnad of Imamat from 1071 to 1106 A.H. He was born in Kahek. During his Imamat, the propogation of the Ismaili faith gained momentum and many converted to Ismailism. Missionaries from Hindustan also worked on this propogation of the Ismaili faith. Our Holy Pirs Mihrab Beg (37) Pir Ali Akbar Beg (38) also carried out their conversion work and gave guidance to Ismaili murids. In Kerman, Imam Hassan Ali Shah was also known as Hazrat Bakir Shah and he spent his last days in Mahellat district of Iran.

Our 41st Holy Imam Mowlana Sayyid Ali

Our 41st Imam Sayyid Ali reigned on the Msnad of Imamat from 1038 to 1071 A.H. At this time the building of relations with the governing bodies of the Iranian nation and the Imamat were getting stronger. Imam's murids at the time were known as Ata-illahis and they joined in the service of the army and police. The Safavi rulers declared Imam Sayyid Ali as Governor (Hakim) in the Kerman district of Iran. As the Hakim of Kerman, Imam Sayyid Ali supported the Iranian rulers through the services offered by Ismaili Ata-Illahis. Imam Sayyid Ali was buried in Kerman upon his wafat in 1071 A.H.

Our 40th Holy Imam Mowlana Nizar II

Our 40th Imam Shah Nizar II was on the Masnad of Imamat for 45 years from 993 A.H to 1038 A.H. Shah Nizar spent his life to a large part in Iran and Ismailis from Hindustan visited Iran for Holy Deedar. Shah Nizar was also known as "Ataullah" and his residence in the vicinity of Kohbandi came to be known as "Kohke Shah Nizar". This place also came to be known as the Darkhana where many Ismailis of Hindustan and Gurjistan came to reside. The wafat of Imam Shah Nizar II was in Kahek where he was buried.

Our 39th Holy Imam Khalil-Ullah 1st

Our 39th Holy Imam Khalil-Ullah the First ascended the Masnad of Imamat in 957 A.H. Many Ismailis from Hindustan travelled to Anjudan in Iran for Imam's Deedar. Imam Khalil-Ullah reigned as Imam for 36 years and it is said in "Gulzar-e-Shamsh" that his final resting place was in Anjudan. During this time the Safavi King Tahemasp was the ruler in Iran. Sayyed Dadu Pir also served the house of the Imam at this time. His ancestors had served the Imams since Imam Islamshah. There was widespread Dawa of Ismailis at this time extending to areas of Hindustan including Punjab


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