Ismaili Dictionary & Encyclopedia

A'AM AL-FILEncyclopedia Topic

The phrase in the first verse of the 105th Koranic chapter, Sura al-Fil, from which al-fil (elephant) provides the term by which the sura is known. The verse directly addressed to the Prophet: "Have you not seen how your Lord has dealt with the People of the Elephant (ashab al-fil)?" The short sura of five verses describes an expedition in which one of the mounts was an elephant, which was miraculously annihilated by God, Who sent flocks of birds against the invading host. The ashab al-fil were Abyssinians, the leader was Abraha, the Christian viceroy of the king of Abyssinia at Yamen; the target was Mecca and Kaba, the name of the elephant was Mahmud, its driver (sa'is) was Unays, the guide of the expedition was Abu Righal, the elephant stopped at al-Mughammas and would not proceed towards Kaba, the route of the elephant (darb al-fil) was charted from Yamen to al-Mughammas. Unable to defend the holy place against the huge army, and failing to dissuade Abraha, who was now encamped some three days' march from Mecca, from his sacrilegious purpose, Abdul Muttalib thus prayed aloud, leaning upon the door of the Kaba: "Defend, O Lord! Thine own House; and suffer not the Cross to triumph over the Kaba!" and then the whole population of Mecca repaired to the hills around the city. Meanwhile a virulent form of small-pox or some other pestilence broke out in Abraha's army, with such a severity that the army retreated in confusion and dismay, many of them, being unable to find their way back, perishing in the valleys, while a part was swept away by flood. In sum, the expedition foiled, and Abraha died a dolorous death and was carried back to Yamen. Abraha's object was to destroy the Kaba, so as to divert the Arab religious enthusiasm to San'a, where he had built a magnificent cathedral for the purpose, as well as Arab trade. This event marked the inception of the Arab pre-Islamic era, known as the "Year of the Elephant" (a'am al-fil), being the year 570 of the Christian era, and coinciding with the year of the Prophet's birth.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral A'AM AL-HAZAN Encyclopedia Topic

It means the year of grief. Soon after the annulment of the social boycott in the tenth year, i.e. 619 A.D. of the mission, the Prophet suffered two severe calamities in the death of his uncle, Abu Talib, which was followed by that of his wife, Khadija. With the death of Khadija, the lamp of the Prophet's house was extinguished. One protected him with the influence that derived from his noble rank, while the other guarded him with her material and wealth. Thus, the Prophet was immersed in deep grief with the death of Abu Talib and Khadija, and that is why, this year is called A'am al-Hazan (the year of grief).

Henceforward, the Meccans made their persecution more severe, as they had now become bolder, evidently because they thought that he had no influential protector behind him. Ibn Ishaq writes that one of their scoundrels (safih) threw dust (turab) on the head of the Prophet. Uqbah b. Muayt threw the entrails of a camel on the neck of the Prophet on the instruction of Abu Jahl when the Prophet was in the state of prostration in Kaba. It is also reported that the Meccans often threw stones in the house of the Prophet. On one occasion a Meccan leaned over his gate and tossed a piece of putrefying offal into his cooking pot. In sum, it was a critical time for the Prophet soon after the death of Abu Talib and Khadija.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral A'AM AL-JA'MA Encyclopedia Topic

In 41/661, Hasan bin Ali bin Abu Talib had relinquished the power in favour of Muawiya after ruling for 6 months and 3 days. Thus, the year of his abdication became known as A'am al-Ja'ma (the year of the community), and prevented a bloody military solution of the conflict.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral A'AMINEncyclopedia Topic

It is a sonorous word intoned by the faithful at the end of the every dua as a confirmation or its corroboration. It means be it so. When one recites the dua, the listeners uttered a'amin (be it so)

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral A'LAMEncyclopedia Topic

The word a'lam (pl. a'lamun) means world or realm. In the technical language of the philosophers and the mystics, it is often connected with various nouns and adjectives to distinguish between the visible and the invisible world. From the point of view of the phenomenal determination, the cosmos is described by Ibn Arabi in several different cosmological and ontological schems, in each of which diverse existential aspects of cosmic quantities are depicted. Ibn Arabi thus divided the cosmos into two main realms: one unseen, and the other sensory. The sufis refer the following main a'lam:

A'lam an-Nasut : (the world of humanity) It is perceived through the physical senses; the material phenomenal world.

A'lam al-Malkut : (the world of sovereigty) It is the world of sovereignty, is invisible, spiritual, angelic world; which is perceived through insight and the spiritual faculties.

A'lam al-Jabrut : (the world of power) It is the celestial world, which is perceived through entering into and partaking of the divine nature. It is also the world of the divine names and qualities.

A'lam al-Lahut : (the world of Godhead) It is the world of the Godhead, not perceived, since now the phenomenal is absorbed into timeless unicity.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral AB-I SHAFAEncyclopedia Topic

"The word ab-i shafa in Persian means healing water, and its synonymous in Arabic is ma'ush- shafa. The word shafa occurs six times in the Koran (9:14, 26:80, 10:57, 16:69, 17:82 and 41:44), which literally means remedy, recovery, healing or convalescence. One of the names of the Koran itself is shafa (healing): "And We revealed the Koran which is a healing (shifaun) and a mercy to the believers" (17:82). The word ma' (pl. miyah or amwah) means water, which occurs over 60 times, river over 50 and the sea over 40 times in the Koran, while fountains, springs, rain, hail, clouds and winds occur less frequently. The ab-i shafa is a sacramental water in the Ismaili tariqah.

The Koran says: "And by means of water, We gave life (hayaya) to everything" (21:30). The Koran employs a well-defined set of verbs, showing how God originates both water and its effects, such as "send down" (25:48), "revival" (25:49), "brought forth" (6:99), "gave to drink" (15:22), "to purify you with" (8:11), etc. Water does not fall itself, nor does the earth revive itself or plants come out by themselves. It is God Who does all these things, bi'l-ma (with or by means of water), and this preposition, bi recurs regularly. So also does min (from) water, emphasising over and over again that this vital element is instrumental in His creation. Besides, the Koran uses the verb akhraja for "bringing forth" people out of their mother's womb (16:78), "bringing forth" plants from the earth (32:27) and "bringing forth" people from the earth at the resurrection (7:75).

Likewise, the same verbal root, hayaya is used in "making every thing living, giving life to earth and He Who gave it life will give life to the dead." It indicates that water is the source of giving life to the dead, and therefore, it became ritually a means to give a new life to one who is blemished with sins and longs for forgiveness or it raises one from low to high. The water not only has the power of purifying people externally, but also becomes, as in other religious traditions, a fitting symbol for the purification of hearts.

The purifying properties of holy water have been ritually attested to ever since the rise of the civilization in the ancient Near East. In Babylonia, according to the tablets of Maklu, water was important in the cult of Enki, the Lord of Eridu. The Babylon divided the universe in three zones, viz. Heaven, Earth and Sea, giving them names of Anu, Enhil and Ea respectively as their gods. They revered the god of water, Ea more than other. At Tammuz festival in Babylon, the image of god of water was washed with pure water. The Egyptian water god was Hapi. The water gods for the Greeks were Triton, Proteus, Glaucus, Nerecus and Nereids. The Roman god water was known as Neptunus. The people of Babylon, Egypt, Greece and the Romans celebrated their festivals and drank holy water in the name of their water gods. The Japanese make pilgrimage to the famous waterfalls of their country and will gaze for hours at the unruffled surface of a temple pond, whose water is reckoned sacred.

The Christians sign the Cross with the holy water on their foreheads or chests. The Jews and the Christians also take their supplies of holy water from the Jordan River. Traditiona Roman Catholics sometimes provide small fonts for holy water at the doors of bedrooms. For the Hindus, the water of life finds embodiment in the Ganges which, from its source in the Himalays, irrigates the largest plains of India. Its water is held to be pure. The Mazdeans of Iran call Zaothra to their holy water. In the modern Europe there are still sacred waters, mention should be made of Lough Derg in Donegal, the most northerly country in Ireland. In this lough is an island on which are number of Christian shrines dating from the Middle Ages and also a cave. It is called St. Patrick's Purgatory. The pilgrims are brought to the island by boat. They then walk on it fasting and bare-footed, and carry out some spiritual exercises during a stay of three days. The pilgrims make their way to a large rock that rises out of the water at a little distance from the shore of the island, and look over the sacred water of the lake and drink it.

There are numerous sacred springs and ponds in Islamic world, notably the zamzam well in Mecca. The word zamzan or zamazim means abundant of water. Some suggests that it means to drink with little gulps. Abdullah bin Abbas narrates that they called the zamzan as subha meaning one which fills stomach. The Prophet also called it khayur ma'in (excellent water). The sacred well is located at the perimeter of the sacred complex of Mecca. It is situated to the east of the Kaba alongside the wall where the Black Stone (al-hajar al-aswad) is enshrined, a little further from the centre than the station of Abraham (makam Ibrahim). Most pilgrims carry some zamzam water home in special flasks, some also dip their future shrouds into the well. There is a canal, called Nahr-i Alaqama in the Euphrates at Karbala, whose water is used for the healing purpose in the Shi'ites. Besides, the sacred water of a well inside the house of Ali bin Abu Talib existing in Kufa is also reckoned healing. In addition, Annemarie Schimmel writes in Islam in the Indian Subcontinent (Lahore, 2003, p. 121) that, "The next month, Safar, is usually considered (by the Shi'ites) to be unlucky. For the Shi'a the chihilum, the forty days' mourning, ends on the tenth of Safar; in some regions no important works was undertaken during the terah tezi, the first thirteen days, because the Prophet had fallen ill in those days. Therefore many people, for instance in Punjabi villages, would spend much in charity. The last Wednesday in Safar (akhri charshamba) is devoted to rejoicing because the Prophet felt better on that day, and some people used to write seven salam with saffron or rosewater on a leaf, wash it off and drink the water as a panacea."

In Sufi orders the tradition of holy water is performed mostly after the admission of the new aspirant in their folds. According to Trimingham in The Sufi Orders in Islam (London, 1971, p. 186), "After a prayer of consecration the Shaikh gives him (the new candidate) to drink from a cup of water (pure or sweetened) or oil, and concludes the ceremony."
"Marwan b. Abi Sa'id b. al-Mu'alla relates that he made a search for the wells, whose water the Prophet drank and which were blessed, and into which saliva was dropped to consecrate it. (Tabaqat, 2:598). The following were the famous wells (bir, pl. bi'ar or abar) whose water was to be used as shafa (healing):- Bir Buda'ah (the well of Buda'ah), Bir Malik b. al-Nazr b. Damdan, also called Bir Abi Anas, Bir Jasim, Bir Buyut al-Suqya, Bir Ghars at Quba, Bir al-Abirah, also named al-Yasirah and Bir Rumah at al-Aqiq.

Ubayyi bin Abbas relates that the Prophet once came to the well of Buda'ah and performed ablutions in a bucket and poured it into the well. On another, he washed his mouth and threw saliva into a bucket and drank from its water. When there was an ailing person, he prescribed: "Bath him with the water of Buda'ah." The patient was thus bathed and he recovered as if he was loosened from a rope (Tabaqat, 2:600). There are many traditions, indicating that the Prophet had healed many persons through the agency of sanctified water, vide Bukhari (76:28), Abu Daud (3:463), Muslim (39:78-84) and Tirmizi (26:25).

Some of the Companions vied and sometimes even quarrelled with one another in order to get the water left by the Prophet after performing his ablution, and considered it a privilege to drink it or to apply it to their bodies (Bukhari, 1:32-33). Some of them preserved carefully what was touched by the Prophet and used it as a cure for diseases (Tabaqat, 8:234). In al-Muslim, it has been related that, "The domestic servants and slaves of Medina often approached the Prophet on cold mornings with some water, and asked him to dip his hand in to sanctify it; the Prophet did not turn their request down, whatever the weather." It is narrated that during the event ot Hudaibia, Urwah bin Masud Thaqafi reported to the Meccans, "I had been in the courts of Caesar, Khusaro and Negus, but nowhere did I witness such faith and devotion. When their Prophet was speaking, there was a pin drop silence. No person had a fixed gaze at him. When he was having ablutions, the people took the used water for healing purpose." (Bukhari, 2:179).

There are many instances that the clothes of the Prophet were used as shafa. Suhail b. Sa'd relates that a woman brought a woven mantle (shamlah), requesting the Prophet that she had woven it and have brought, so that he might wear it. The Prophet accepted and blessed her. The Prophet came out wearing it as a waist wrapper. A certain man saw the Prophet and humbly requested for that mantle. The Prophet gave it to him. The people told him that he had not done well. The man replied that he had not begged it for wearing it but it was begged for his shroud. Suhail said that it was his shroud when he died (Tabaqat, 2:538). Abdullah narrates that Asma had a cloak of toga of Kisra's pure silk. She said: It is the cloak of the Prophet, who used to wear it. It came into the possession of A'isha after Prophet's death. When she died, I took it. When there is a sick man, we wash it for him. (Ibid. 2:539). The Prophet usually took rest after noon in the house of Umm-i Salim, the mother of Anas bin Malik. Once the Prophet drank water from her skin-bag. She cut down the portion which touched the mouth of the Prophet and kept it as a baraka and shafa. (Sirat-i Sahabiat, p. 123).

The shafa (healing) for intellect (aql), soul (ruh) and body (jism) have been mentioned in the Koran: "And when I am sick, then He restores me to health" (26:80), and it refers to the shafa of aql; "And We revealed the Koran which is a healing and a mercy to the believers" (17:82), it refers to the shafa of soul; and "There comes forth from within it (honey) a beverage of many colours, in which there is healing for men" (16:69). It refers to the shafa of body. In Ismaili tariqah, ab-i shafa is a ceremony for the healing of aql, ruh and jism. It is filled in a big jug (ibriq in the Koran, 56:18), which is supplied by small cups (suwa in the Koran, 12:72). Both the jug and small cups are placed on a low wooden plank in the Jamatkhana.

Once Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah said, "One who is believer, he always drinks ab-i shafa, means he drinks of a cup of noor for ever" (Poona, 20.1.1912). This indicates that the believers drink the holy water not only in this material world, but continue to drink spiritual nectar in hereafter. The Koran says: "Surely, the pious shall drink of a cup whose mixture (mizaj) is camphor"(76:5), "And they will be given to drink there of a cup mixed with ginger" (76:18), "A spring from (the waters) whereof drink those nearest to God" (83:28), and "Their Lord will give to them to drink a pure drink" (76:21).

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABADEncyclopedia Topic

The word is derived from the verbal root ta'abbada means what remains for a long time or eternity. The word abad occurs thrice in the Koran, means post-eternity, ever-lastingness or that which has no end.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral Abadhu / AbdhuEncyclopedia Topic

Ascetic, hermit, Sadhu, dervish

Various Sources aBaJNoun

1 milliard - Mille million: 1 000 000 000. abaj = 100 karor.

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #911general ABBASIDSEncyclopedia Topic

Abbas, the uncle of the Prophet had a son, Abdullah, who never tried to establish his own caliphate. Abdullah and his son, Ali bin Abdullah resided in Humayma. It was the latter's son, Muhammad bin Ali to have taken the charge of Kaysaniya sect from the dying Abu Hashim. Thus, the house of Abbas inherited the party and organization of Abu Hashim along with his claims. Muhammad bin Ali led the Kaysaniya sect, and propagated in the name of Ahl al-Bayt, declaring that the caliph should be from Alid descent and the Umayyads had no right to rule. It was mere an ostensible slogan to procure wide supports of the Alids and nourish future political ambition. Muhammad bin Ali died before translating his objective and handed over his claims to his son, Ibrahim. He began to dispatch emissaries, starting with Khorasan, where the bulk of the Kaysaniya faction resided.

In the meantime, the newly acclaimed Umayyad caliph Marwan sought to strike at the centre of the whole movement by arresting Ibrahim. He is said to have strangled him as Yaqubi writes, by having his head put into a bag of lime until he died. But Ibrahim had two brothers, Abul Abbas and Abu Jafar Mansur, both of whom escaped to Khorasan. And very soon these two brothers returned, supported by Abu Muslim's victorious troops, to lead the insurgents in their final struggle in the West. Their way had been prepared for them in Kufa by propaganda that had been carried on for more than twelve years.

Meanwhile, things took a reverse turn for the Abbasid family. The army commanded by Abul Abbas and Abu Jafar Mansur, had come from Khorasan to Kufa, where they found the city decorated in black, the accepted colour of the Abbasids, and the people who crowded to the mosque also wore black clothes and black turbans with black banners planted in hands. Abu Salama led the prayers, after which he announced that Abu Muslim had now made it possible for the world of Islam to shake itself free from the Umayyads, and declared that it was to this end that he called upon them to recognize Abul Abbas, the brother of the murdered Ibrahim, as their rightful Imam and Caliph. Abul Abbas mounted the pulpit and made his inaugural speech, in which he named himself as as-Saffah (blood-shedder) and "identified the glory of God with his own interest and those of his house. He named the Abbasids as the Ahl al-Bayt from whom uncleanliness was removed, and denied that the Alids were more worthy of the caliphate" (Tabari, 3:29). His speech was followed by a speech from his uncle, Daud bin Ali, who also emphasized that the rights of the Abbasids were legally inherited and there were but two legal caliphs in Islam: Ali bin Abu Talib and Abbas as-Saffah. He added that the caliphate would remain in the hands of the Abbasids until they passed it over to Isa bin Marium. (Tabari, 3:31; Yaqubi, 2:350 and Masudi, 3:256). The excited crowd expressed their approval and gave their allegiance to Abul Abbas as the first caliph of the Abbasid caliphate in 132/750. In sum, there were 37 caliphs in Abbasid dynasty from Abul Abbas (d. 136/754) to al-Mustasim (d. 656/1258).

Marwan, the Umayyad caliph was at that time advancing towards Kufa with a huge army. He encountered the army from Khorasan at a point on the greater Zab river, and the battle of Zab lasted for two days. It was closely contested struggle, and the day was turned when Marwan's horse ran away without its rider. He managed to escape, but was eventually discovered and killed. So fell the last of the Umayyads in 132/750.

After Alamut operations, Halagu marched on Baghdad and reached on January 18, 1258. On January 30, the Mongols opened a heavy bombardment. On the morning of Wednesday, February 13, 1258, the Mongols entered Baghdad. The citizens were mercilessly massacred, and the city was plundered and then set on fire. Thus, Baghdad, the proud capital of the Abbasids, was razed to dust, groaning under the pagan heels of the Mongols. Diyarbakri (d. 982/1574) writes in Tarikh-i Khamis that, "The massacre continued in Baghdad for 34 days during which 1,80,000 persons were put to the sword. For four days, the blood ran freely in the streets and the water of Tigris was dyed red for miles." The savage massacres can be further judged from the example quoted by Steven Runciman in A History of the Crusades (London, 1954, p. 303) that, "One Mongol found in a side-street forty new born babies, whose mothers were died. As an act of mercy, he slaughtered them, knowing that they could not survive with no one to suckle them." The victorious army pursued and attacked at full gallop. The 37th Abbasid caliph al-Mustasim (640-656/1242-1258) was destined to be the last caliph, and was beaten to death on Halagu's orders, and according to another version, trampled on by horses. Abul Faraj writes in Tarikh Mukhtasar al-Duwal (pp. 445-6) that, "The Abbasid caliph al-Mutasim was devoted to entertainment and pleasure, passionately addicted to playing with birds, and dominated by women. He was a man of poor judgment, irresolute, and neglectful of what is needful for the conduct of government. When he was told what he ought to do in the matter of the Tatars, either to propitiate them, enter into their obedience and take steps to gain their goodwill, or else to muster his armies and encounter them on the borders of Khorasan before they could prevail and conquer Iraq, he used to say, ‘Baghdad is enough for me, and they will not begrudge me if I renounce all the other countries to them. Nor will they attack me when I am in it, for it is my house and my residence.’ Such baseless fancies and the like prevented him from taking proper action, and so he was stricken by calamities which he had never imagined.”

In sum, Prof. Masudul Hasan writes in History of Islam (Lahore, 1987, 2:192) that, “The gravest fault of the Abbasid caliphs was that they suffered the state to be fragmented thereby weakening the power structure and exposing the state to foreign attack. Thus our value-judgment is that the Abbasid caliphs were themselves responsible for their fall.” According to Vladimir Minorsky in Iran: Opposition, Martyrdom and Revolt (Chicago, 1955, p. 192), “Ata Malik Juvaini sheds tears over the misfortunes of the Muslims, and at the same time attributes to his infidel masters the role of those of whom God said: ‘They are My troops through whom I take My vengeance upon the rebels.’”

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABDUL MUOMIN, 19è PIRName

500AH-550AH (Pir in 540AH) Born in Sabzwar, son of Pir Kaliquddin, named by Imam Mohtadi. Fathered 4 sons, passed away in Morocco. King Tommarat was his disciple.

500AH-550AH (Pir en 540 AH) Né à Sabzwar, fils de Pir Khaliquddin, nommé par l'Imam Mohtadi. Eut 4 fils, mourut au Maroc. Le Roi Tommarat fut son disciple

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #152general ABDUL MUTTALIBName

Imam before Abu Talib. Son of Hashim and grandfather of The Prophet and of Hazrat Ali*. Fathered 5 sons: Al-Abbas*, Abu Lahab*, Hamza*, Abdallah*, Abu Talib*.

L'Imam précédant Abu Talib. Fils de Hashim* et grand père du Prophète et de H. Ali*. Eut 5 fils: Al-Abbas*, Abou Lahab*, Hamza*, Abdallah*, Abou Talib*.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #153general ABDULLAH B. MAYMUN AL-QADDAH Name

Son and successor of Maymun al-Qaddah* who was responsible for the establishment of the Dais in Askar Mukaram.

Fils et successeur de Maymun al-Qaddah* qui fut nommé responsable de la formation des Dais à Askar Mukaram.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #312general ABDULLAH B. MAYMUN AL-QADDAH Name

After the death of his father, he was declared Chief Dai by Imam Ismail. He was succeeded by Sayd al-Khayr, brother of Imam Raziyiddin Abdullah.

Après la mort de son père, il fut nommé Dai en chef par l'Imam Ismail. Fut succédé par Sayd al-Khayr, frère de Imam Raziyiddin Abdullah.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #334general ABDULLAH IBN ABDUL MUTTALIBName

Father of Prophet Mohamed. Died before the birth of his son.

Père du Prophète Mohamed. Mourut avant la naissance de son fils.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #154general ABDULLAH SABBAHName

Teacher of Imam Baqir. According to the Ummul Kitab, he openly declared the divinity ofImam and was executed.

Instituteur de l'Imam Baqir. D'après l'Ummul Kitab, aurait déclaré la divinité de l'Imam et aurait été exécuté.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #343general ABDUS SALAM (880-899/1475-1493), 33RD IMAMEncyclopedia Topic

"Mahmud Shah, surnamed Abdus Salam or Salam Shah, whose exact date of birth is not known. But the evidence is in favour of his having been born in 859/1456 in Shahr-i Babak, where he mostly passed his early life. He is also called Shah Salamullah. He ascended to the office of Imamate at the age of 21 years. It is related that he was a pragmatic scholar and had gleaned historical informations from his father and the elders of the community, notably the period stretching from the reduction of Alamut to his time.

It seems that Imam Mustansir billah II and his successor, Imam Abdus Salam had strictly advised the Ismailis in Iran, Central Asia and India not to refer or divulge the name of the Imam of the time in presence of the ignorant and adopt taqiya. For instance, it is mentioned in Pandiyat-i Jawanmardi (p. 56) that: "O, truly-faithful believers, Mawlana Shah Mustansir bi'l-lah says: do not mention myself and the name of your Imam, Shah Abdu's-Salam Shah, in the presence of the ignorant and unbelieving people who have an innate hatred of the Prophetship and Imamate. You must, however, appeal to him in your heart and with your tongues. Conceal my whereabouts (sirr'i ma'ra) from the irreligious people of today (ghayr din'i zamana), so that you may for this attain the perfect reward and a righteous life. God the Bountiful will be pleased by you, the people of sincere faith, and your hearts will be enlightened, shinning, and full of joy."

The Ismailis used to visit Kahek, where they were hosted and such facility was also created in Shahr-i Babak. It is said that the Indian Ismailis were granted the titles of Varas and Rai. Some Sufi sounding khanaqahs (cloisters) had been also built in Shahr-i Babak. The Indian and Syrian pilgrims were lodged in different taverns, where they were looked after by some Ismaili guards, who also escorted them during their departure. Some escorts also joined the pilgrims to track them over the safe route.

In Iran, the descendants of Taymur have founded their own petty rules. The Ottoman empire in Turkey became powerful, and sultan Suleman, the Magnificent had captured Istanbul in 1453, making a door open into Europe. The Mamluk kingdom in Egypt was impaired due to internal wars.

It has been heretofore referred that the tradition of the pir for the Indian community had been suspended in the time of Imam Mustansir billah after the death of Pir Tajuddin in 873/1467. The Indian tradition relates that a certain Nizamuddin Kapur, known as Kamadia Kapur or Kapura Lohana, whose tomb is near the Bhambari village, about eleven miles from Tando Muhammad Khan; had visited Iran with an Indian deputation, and humbly urged Imam Abdus Salam to send next hujjat, or pir in India. He insisted that the whole Indian community should not be punished for the misconduct of one jamat of Sind. The Imam is reported to have said: "I cannot revoke the decision of my father." Kamadia Kapur and his team lodged in Shahr-i Babak for some months and craved devotionally to win the heart of the Imam. One day, Imam summoned him at his residence and said: "My father has suspended the tradition of pir for India, which will not be revoked in my period. I, however, appoint a samit (silent) pir instead." The Imam thus gave him a book, namely Pandiyat-i Jawanmardi with an instruction to obey its advices as if a natiq (speaking) pir. The tradition further relates that the Imam had taken a word from Kamadia Kapur that the name of the jamat, who misbehaved with Pir Tajuddin in Sind, would not be divulged in other Ismaili jamats, so as to retain the unity of the Indian communities.

Imam Abdus Salam also wrote Panj Sukhan-i Hazarat-i Shah Abdus Salam, the instructive advices for the believers in 30 pages. It is another small collection of the advices followed most probably by the compilation of Pandiyat-i Jawanmardi, otherwise it would have been most possibly incorporated in it.

It is known that a group of Momin-Shahis adhered Raziuddin, the father of Shah Tahir Hussain Dakkani (d. 956/1549) as their Imam in Badakhshan. Imam Abdus Salam sent his three farmans, instructing the erring group to revert to the fold of the legitimate line. These farmans are found in a Maj'mua in Kirman, bearing the signature of the Imam with a date of 895/1490.

Syed Suhrab Wali Badakhshani flourished in this period. He was hailed from Herat and passed his life in Badakhshan and Kabul as a local missionary. In his writing, he writes the date 856/1452 which suggests that he lived in the time of Imam Muhammad bin Islam Shah (d. 868/1463), Imam Mustansir billah (d. 880/1475) and Imam Abdus Salam (d. 899/1493). It appears from his Nur-nama that he was most possibly influenced with the teachings of the da'is of Pir Shams in Badakhshan to some extent. He however, continued to preach the teachings of Nasir Khusaro. He was followed by Syed Umar Yamghani, whose descendants and followers continued Ismaili mission around Badakhshan, and operated as far as Hunza, Gilgit, Chitral and Ghazar.

After Taymur's death, for some time neither his son Shah Rukh in the east, nor the Ottomans in the west were able to extend their influences in western Iran, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Mesopotamia. Here the Turkomans were the strongest tribe until the rise of the Safavids in 905/1500. These Turkomans had founded their dynasties, known as Kara-Koyunlu (780-874/1378-1469) and Ak-Koyunlu (780-908/1378-1502). The death of Uzun Hasan (872-883/1467-1478), the founder of Ak-Koyunlu dynasty in Azerbaijan had gladdened the wandering Turkomans, and they imagined that Azerbaijan, Iran and Fars were their ancestral kingdom. Aba Bakr Beg Begtash, the son of sultan Abu Sa'id commanded the Turkomans and Chaghatays with a hope to find a new kingdom. So by way of Sistan and Bam, they marched on Kirman in 883/1478. Fazalullah bin Ruzbihan Khunji (925/1520) compiled his Tarikh-i Alam-Ara'yi Amini in 896/1490 (abridged translation made by V. Minorsky, entitled Persia in A.D. 1478-1490, London, 1957, p. 43) that, "The amir-zada Ali Jahan (son of Jahangir) was a respected ruler of Kirman and Sirjan, but he was frightened by this multitude (of the Turkomans and Chaghatays) and, without fighting and in utter terror, retreated to Shahr-i Babak. So the whole of Kirman and Sirjan fell into the hands of the Chaghatays and Turkomans. Under the guise of na'l-baha (an arbitrary levy imposed as a compensation for the horse-shoes which have become worn out) and homage, they looted rich and poor."

On hearing this, Abul Muzaffar Yaqub Khan (883-896/1478-1490), the son of Uzun Hasan sent against the aggressors a numerous army under the command of Sufi Khalil Beg. They were reinforced by Baysunqur Beg. The Chaghatays and Turkomans sent their families and baggages into the stronghold of Sirjan, while they themselves took their stand in Kirman, determining to put up a strong fight. The forces of Sufi Khalil Beg first went to the stronghold of Sirjan and captured it in the first inroad, and their enemies fled to Jurjan and Tabaristan. Having razed to the ground the strongholds of Sirjan and Kirman, the Ak-Koyunlu commander returned to Azerbaijan.

We do not have any detail of the Imam and the Ismailis in the contemporary sources, but it ensues from sparsely traditions that Imam Abdus Salam had most possibly evacuated Shahr-i Babak in early period of 883/1478 with the Ismailis before the roaring march of the Chaghatays and Turkomans, and after their suppression, he returned to Shahr-i Babak.

Imam Abdus Salam died in 899/1493 in Shahr-i Babak, and with his death the Imamate devolved upon his son, Gharib Mirza.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral AbhangEncyclopedia Topic

Unbreakable, integral, eternal, immortal

Various Sources AbhevEncyclopedia Topic

Unconcerned, careless, oblivious

Various Sources Abhi abhiEncyclopedia Topic

Very deep, all around, separately, near

Various Sources AbhimanEncyclopedia Topic

Pride, vanity

Various Sources AbhiyagatEncyclopedia Topic

Guest, saint, representative

Various Sources AbhiyasEncyclopedia Topic

Contemplation, study, education, experience

Various Sources ABHOUSHanRNoun

Vetements de luxe

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #925general AbhushanEncyclopedia Topic

Ornaments, adornments, jewelry

Various Sources ABJADEncyclopedia Topic

The word abjad means chronogram, which is a mode of reckoning numbers by means of the Arabic letters of the alphabets, counting alif for one; bay for two; jim for three, etc. It may be noted that in English, only seven letters have of this chronogram, viz. C for 100, D for 500, I for 1, L for 50, M for 1000, V for 5 and X for 10.

It is said that the words of this chronogram, viz. Abjad, Hawwaz, Hutti, Kaliman, Saghaz, Qarshat, Sakhiz and Azzigh were the names of the eight sons of the inventor of Arabic characters, Muramier bin Murra. The lexicon Qamus writes that the first six are the names of the celebrated kings of Madain and the Arabs added the last two.

The names of an arithmetical arrangement of the Arabic alphabets, the letters of which have different powers from one to one thousand. The following is a list of the letter with the power of each in number:-

Alif = 1 yeh = 10 kaf = 100

bay = 2 kaf = 20 r'e = 200

jim = 3 lam = 30 shin = 300

dal = 4 mim = 40 te = 400

hay = 5 nun = 50 sa'y = 500

waw = 6 sin = 60 kh'y = 600

z = 7 ain = 70 zaal = 700

ha'i = 8 fay = 80 zwad = 800

to'i = 9 swad = 90 zo'i = 900

ga'in = 1000

Thus, the Arabs used to give each letter of the Arabic alphabet a numerical value as above. The 28 characters are divided into three successive series of nine each as under:-

from alif to to'i, the units (1 to 9)

from yeh to swad, the ten (10 to 90)

from kaf to zo'i, the hundred (100 to 900), and

ga'in is the equivalent of 1000.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral AblaEncyclopedia Topic

Weak, frail

Various Sources AblutionEncyclopedia Topic

[ see WUZU ]

Encyclopedia of Ismailism AbolaEncyclopedia Topic

To quit talking, not to be in speaking terms

Various Sources ABORTION [ see ISQAT ]Encyclopedia TopicEncyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABOU TALIBName

(M. 619AD). Son of Abdul Mutalib and father of Jafar and Hazrat Ali.

(M. 619AD). Fils de Abdul Mutalib et père de Jafar et H. Ali qui recut son Imamat.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #401general ABSTINENCE[ see TAQWA ]Encyclopedia TopicEncyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABU ABDULLAH AS-SHIIEncyclopedia Topic

"Abu Abdullah al-Shi'i was hailed from Kufa. He espoused Ismailism by the hand of da'i Firuz. Imam Radi Abdullah sent him to Ibn Hawshab in Yamen for further training in esoteric doctrines as well as affairs of the state, where he stayed for a year. Ibn Hawshab then sent him towards Maghrib.

Abu Abdullah set out from Yamen in 279/892. He arrived in Mecca during pilgrimage, where he contacted the Katama pilgrims of Maghrib and exhorted them the merits of Ahl al-Bayt. The pilgrims were pleased to know that Abu Abdullah was heading towards Egypt, which was on their route to the Maghrib. After a short stay in Egypt, he reached Maghrib in the Katama homeland on 14th Rabi I, 280/June 3, 893. He established his base in Ikjan near Satif, a mountain stronghold, where he spent seven years in propagating the cause of Ahl al-Bayt among the Berber tribes. Very soon the tribesmen in the vicinity began to trek to Ikjan.

The news of his popularity began to filter through to the Aghlabid ruler, Ibrahim bin Ahmad, who wrote to his governor of Meila to subdue him, but of no avail. Feeling full confident of his strength, Abu Abdullah began to wave of conquests. In 289/901, Ibrahim bin Ahmad dispatched a large army under his grandson, who made success to some extent. A number of Katama leaders, wary of Aghlabid inroads into their country, sought to banish Abu Abdullah and in the ensuing battle, he gained upper hand. Ibrahim bin Ahmad died in 291/903 and was succeeded by his son, Ziadatullah. Abu Abdullah captured Tahirt and his followers built living quarters around it.

After consolidating his position in the Katama country, Abu Abdullah advanced to Meila, which surrendered after a brief resistance. He then marched on Satif. With the conquest of this city, Abu Abdullah openly declared the purpose of his mission that: - "I am propagating for God, the Almighty, the Exalted, for His Book and for Imam al-Mahdi from the progeny of the Apostle of God." Ziadatullah sent a large force to curb Abu Abdullah's power. The two armies met at Billizma. This new encounter resulted in two more cities, Billizma and Tubna, falling into the hands of Abu Abdullah.

Abu Abdullah was confident that the framework of the state was clearly emerging with good result. He, therefore, deputed some prominent leaders of Katama tribe led by his brother, Abul Abbas in Salamia, and sent an invitation to Imam al-Mahdi for Maghrib to take over the reign of government.

Abu Abdullah conquered whole Maghrib within 16 years in 296/909 and routed the Aghlabid rule of 112 years. Six days later he entered the Aghlabid capital, Raqada which was about six miles south of Kairwan on 1st Rajab, 296/March 26, 909 and relieved Abul Abbas in Tripoli. He started the Fatimid khutba and the Shi'ite formula was used in the call to prayer. After setting a new fabric of administration, Abu Abdullah made preparations to march to Sijilmasa, where he reached after an arduous journey. The situation was rather tricky, since Imam al-Mahdi was imprisoned and his wrong move might have endangered the life of the Imam. Thus, he sent a peace mission to the governor, asking to release Imam al-Mahdi. The governor killed the messenger; therefore, Abu Abdullah had no choice but to engage in warfare. In a brief encounter, the governor fled and his army dispersed. Abu Abdullah then triumphantly entered Sijilmasa and liberated Imam and his son.

Abu Abdullah saw his Imam for the first time. There was immense rejoicing amongst the troops while beholding the Imam. The followers crowded around the horses of Imam and his son, al-Qaim and Abu Abdullah walked in front. Abu Abdullah dismounted, and said to the people: "This is the Lord, mine and thine, and your Wali al-Amr, your Imam-i Zaman and your Mahdi, on whose behalf I preached you. God has fulfilled His promise about him, and assisted his supporters and troops. He is your Ulul Amr."

Imam al-Mahdi embarked for Raqada via Ikjan along with Abu Abdullah. Imam al-Mahdi arrived in Raqada on 20th Rabi II, 297/January 6, 910 and laid the foundation of the Fatimid Caliphate. All the notables, both Arabs and non-Arabs without exception and many other people came out to receive him. He took oath of allegiance from them. He assumed power and ordered his name mentioned in the khutba and inscribed on coins. He began to develop the barren land of Maghrib.

During the first few months of his rule, Imam al-Mahdi began to consolidate all powers and made drastic changes. Abul Abbas, the brother of Abu Abdullah did not like the whole power in the hands of the Imam. He also began to instigate his brother, Abu Abdullah and eventually convinced him to some extent to confront Imam al-Mahdi.

Once Abu Abdullah dared to suggest the Imam to sit aside with all honours, while he would run the affairs of his state for him in a way that was suitable to the people, for he had known the people for a long time. This gesture warned the Imam of the change that had taken place in Abu Abdullah's character. When Abu Abdullah wavered in his absolute loyalty, the Imam did not waste much time in eliminating him. The Imam had his spies planted where both brothers met, and ultimately, both of them were killed on 15th Jamada II, 298/February 18, 911. Imam al-Mahdi offered the funeral service of Abu Abdullah to glorify his glowing services and said: "Abu Abdullah was caught in delusion. The real traitor was Abul Abbas."

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABU ALI SINAEncyclopedia Topic

"Abu Ali ibn Sina, Ibn Sina or Avicenna, known in the West as Prince of Physicians, was born in 370/980 in the village of Afshana near Bukhara. He was an encyclopeadist, philosopher, physiologist, physician, mathematician, astronomer, logician and poet. He gained the titles of Shaikh al-Ra'is (leader among the wise men) and Hujjat al-Haq (proof of God), displayed a remarkable aptitude for learning from an early age. His father Abdullah hailed from Balkh and was in the service of the Samanid court. During the rule of Nuh bin Mansur (366-387/976-997), Abdullah was posted to Bukhara as a revenue collector. Ibn Sina can be described a very gifted child prodigy and learnt the Koran at the age of 10 years, and also mastered the logic and mathematics. Next he embarked upon the fields of physics, metaphysics and medicine, and at the age of 16 years he was well steeped in all the sciences of his days.

At about this time, through out Iran, particularly in the vicinity of Bukhara and the eastern regions, the Ismaili mission and proselytism were at their height. Abdullah and his sons also embraced Ismailism and their residence had become the rendezvous of the Ismaili mission. Ibn Sina learnt logic and mathematics from his teacher an-Natili, mysticism from Ismail al-Sufi and medicine from Isa bin Yahya, but it cannot be ascertained who had taught him philosophy. Dr. Abdul Muid Khan, however, writes in Some Aspects of the Arabian Writings of the Philosopher Ibn Sina (cf. Islamic Culture, Deccan, vol. xxv, Oct., 1951, pp. 28-9) that, "His teachers in philosophy are not known to us. His contact with the preachers of Ismaili doctrine then in full swing in Persia, seemed to have attracted the study of philosophy. When one reads his epistles on metaphysics, he appears no more than a Muslim scholastic with tendencies of Ismailites." Ibn Sina himself also writes in his autobiography that, "My father was one of those who had responded to the Egyptian propagandists (the Fatimids); he, and my brother too, had listened to what they had to say about the Spirit and the Intellect, after the fashion in which they preached and understand the matter. They would therefore discuss these things together, while I listened and comprehended all that they said."

At the age of 17 years, Ibn Sina was invited to treat the Samanid ruler, Nuh bin Mansur, who was lying seriously ill and the court physicians had given up all hope. Ibn Sina was able to cure him. On his recovery, Nuh bin Mansur wished to reward him, but the young physician only desired permission to use his library. Thus he obtained the privilege of access to the royal library.

In 332/943, a widespread massacres of the Ismailis was conducted in the time of Nuh I bin Nasr II (331-343/943-954), impelling the Ismailis to exercise taqiya. Hence, Ibn Sina also had to take the mantle under constraint and did not divulge his faith. Since his father and brother were publicly known as the adherents of the Ismailism, therefore, he felt nothing wrong to show them as the Ismailis in his autobiography, but exercised precaution for himself. He however had to face many troubles. Dr. T.J. Boer writes in The History of Philosophy in Islam (London, 1961, p. 148) that, "From the very first, of course, he had many enemies, and they were more noisy in their demonstration than his friends. Poets cursed him: theologians either chimed in with him, or tried to refute him."

His achievements would have been shrouded into mist had he divulged his inclination towards Ismailism. A.J. Arberry writes that, "Even during his lifetime, Avicenna was suspected of infidelity to Islam; after his death accusations of heresy, free thought and atheism were repeatedly levelled against him." (op. cit., p. 6) According to Avicenna Commemoration Volume (Calcutta, 1956, p. 8), Ibn Sina was tolerant and liberal in his religious pursuit. Even in his own time, the people questioned Ibn Sina's faith and considered him a heretic. He condemned such an imputation in a well-known Persian quatrain:-

Kufar chun mani ghazaf wa asman nabud, Mohakam tar az iman man iman nabud.

Dar dahr chun man yaki wa aw ham kafar, pas dar hama dahr yak musalman nabud.

"It is not so easy and trifling to call me a heretic. No belief in religion is firmer than mine own. I am the unique person in the whole world. And if I am a heretic, then there is not a single Muslim anywhere in the world."

Soon after the collapse of the Samanid rule in 389/1001, Ibn Sina left Bukhara for Gorganj, where he frequented the society of the Ismaili thinkers, and cultivated friendship with the scholars. In those days, Mehmud of Ghazna was spreading his conquests and was eager to add Ibn Sina to the galaxy of talented and learning. He wrote to the ruler of Khawarazm, demanding the intellectuals to be sent to his court. Ibn Sina preferred to throw in his lot with the Iranian princes rather than risk the capricious patronage of the fanatical ruler.

His first refuge was Gorganj in northern Khawarazm, which was in the principality of Qabus bin Washmgir (366-371/976-981), the Zayrid prince of Tabaristan. He also went to Ray in 405/1014 when Iran was dominated by the Buawahid dynasty. Ibn Sina spent some time at the court of Fakhr ad-Dawla (387-420/997-1029) in Ray and then set out for Hamadan to meet another member of this dynasty, called Shams ad-Dawla (d. 412/1022). Ibn Sina also treated him and became so great favourite at the court that he was promoted to the rank of vizir, a position he efficiently administered for several years until the ruler's death in 412/1022.

His fortune took a reverse turn and upon his refusal to continue to work as a vizir, he was consigned to prison. He however managed to escape by taking advantage of a siege of Hamdan and then incognito in the mantle of a darwish. During his wandering, he proceeded to Ispahan, where he came to the attention of the ruler, Ala ad-Dawla. When Ala ad-Dawla was defeated in a battle by the troops of Ghazna in 425/1034, the books of Ibn Sina were also carried off by them and were placed in one of the libraries of Ghazna, until they were destroyed by fire. Ibn Sina enjoyed a long period of respite and peace in Ispahan, which lasted for 15 years.

Ibn Sina died in 428/1037 of colic of which he had been a specialist and was buried at Hamdan. With the brief span of 58 years, Ibn Sina was able to produce an astounding number of works, relating to logic, medicine, physics, mathematics, astronomy, theology, psychology, ethics, politics, mysticism etc. He was a man of enormous energy and some of his works were actually dictated on horseback while accompanying the ruler in the battles. His great efficiency in writing can be judged from the fact that he composed his one book in a single night.

His influence in the West started penetrating palpably since the time of Albert the Great, the famous saint of St. Thoman Aquinas. Domenico Gundisalvi (d. 545/1150) had written De Anima, which is richly a wholesale transportation of Ibn Sina's doctrines. M. Gilson writes in this context that, "The De Anima attributed to Gundisalvi marks the point of insertion of Avicennaism into the Christian tradition." (cf. The Legacy of Islam ed. J. Schacht, London, 1974, p. 382). Similar is the case with the medieval philosophers and scientists, Rober Grosseteste and Roger Bacon. Duns Scotus and Count Zabarella, the late medieval commentators of Aristotle, also bear testimony to Ibn Sina's enduring influence. Dr. S. van den Bergh in his Averroes Tahafat al-Tahafut (London, 1954) traced the influence of the ideas of Ibn Sina down to the modern times. In sum, the influences of Avicennism got stronger in the West than Augustiniasm.

It is generally believed that Ibn Sina was the author of no less than 238 works. Of his works the best-known masterpiece is first al-Qanun fi't-Tibb, the epitome of Islamic medicine, compiled in about a million words. Sir W. Osler regards it as "medical Bible for a longer period than any other book," vide Evolution of Modern Medicine (Yale University Press, 1921, p. 98). William Harvey puts him in the same category as Aristotle and Cicero. It was translated into Latin by an Italian Gernard of Cremona (1114-1187) at Toledo. Its Arabic text was published in Rome in 1593. This comprehensive treatise continued to be a textbook of Medicine in the Universities of St. Louis and Montpellier, until 1657. It appears that for well over 600 years no medical book ever written had been studied so thoroughly over such a long period. At Montpellier, a great centre of medical studies, the treatise of Ibn Sina included in the official syllabus set in 1340 for medical degrees. At the Universities of Leipzig and Tubingen as early as 1481, the medical curriculum included the al-Qanun fi't-Tibb. Ferriar in his textbook of medicine quoted Hippocrates 140 times, ar-Razi and Galen 1000 times while he quoted Ibn Sina 3000 times. The course of studies at the University of Vienna in 1592 and the University of Frankfurt-on-Oder were mainly based on the al-Qanun fi't-Tibb. Thus, Ibn Sina held his own at Montpellier and Louvain down to 1657.

The second is his monumental encyclopaedia, Kitab al-Shifa. It marks the high point of Peripatetic philosophy in Islam and contains important chapters on logic and mathematical and natural sciences. It was translated into Latin during 6th/12th century under the title of Sufficientia. It contains a logic of which only twelve folios out of one hundred and sixty-nine, have been translated; physics including the natural sciences, psychology, cosmology and finally metaphysics. In 1951, the Egyptian government and the Arab League set up a committee in Cairo to edit Kitab al-Shifa. Some parts of it have already been published.

Ibn Sina also wrote a treatise on Remedies for the Heart, and a certain number of poems about medicine. His pharmacopoeia comprised about 760 drugs. He is said to have guessed the existence of bacteria in the spread of epidemic as early as the 5th century. Dr. Amini Asad Khairullah writes in al-Tibb al-Arabi (pp. 147-157) that, "His diagnosis of the symptom of pneumonia and pleurisy and kidney stones was supposed to have been so perfect that nothing new could be added by the modern science. The application of the ice-bag to the head of the sick was also said to have been his invention."

Ibn Sina’s influence in Europe even in comparatively recent times can be judged from the fact that during the two years (1899 and 1900), four doctoral dissertations were submitted to the University of Berlin by J. Cueva, Paul Uspensky, Elias Michailowsky and Th. Bernikov. The portrait of Ibn Sina, which even today adorns the main hall of the Medical School at the University of Paris, bears an eloquent testimony to the reverence in which the great Galen of Iran is held by modern Europe.

During the commemoration of the silver jubilee of the Present Imam of the Ismailis in 1983, a gift of a Chair at the Aga Khan University was offered by the President of the National Council for Pakistan, Vizir Ashiqali on behalf of the Ismailis of Pakistan. The Imam graciously accepted the gift on behalf of the Aga Khan University and said, "I want to express to my jamat of Pakistan, my deepest gratitude for the nazrana of a Chair at the Aga Khan University. And I would like you to know that this nazrana gives me the very greatest happiness. You know that I am proud of our history, I am proud of the great philosophers, of the great scientists, the great thinkers that have marked our history like lights in the night. And I would like that this Chair should be named after one of those great philosophers or scientists, so that his memory may be kept alive in an academic institution of higher learning today. I would therefore recommend to the Board of Trustees a name of a great man in our history, in our tariqah and I hope that when that Chair is named, the professor that holds that Chair will always do honour to the name the Chair bears and to the students that must be educated for the future” (Karachi: November 13, 1985).

At length, the Imam named this Chair of Professorship of Medicine after the great Ismaili philosopher, physician and scientist, Abu Ali Ibn Sina in November, 1988. In addition, during his visit to Pakistan, the Imam said to his followers that, "I would like to take this occasion also to say how happy and grateful I am for the endowment which you and the jamat of Pakistan has offered for the Ibn Sina Professorship at the Aga Khan University. This is a wonderful gesture on behalf of the jamat of Pakistan to support and to sustain this young new important institution in the jamat" (Karachi, March 21, 1989)

Dr. O. Cameron Gruner writes in A Treatise on the Canons of Medicine of Avicenna (London, 1930, p. 2) that, "The place for Avicenna in modern thought is gained when it is agreed that he shall be viewed as one who entered this world, entrusted with a mission independently to express for that age, by mean of those various tools which he then found in it, the wisdom which is unchanging and impersonal." The Islamic world indeed needs dedicated scientists of Ibn Sina’s ilk.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABU BAKREncyclopedia Topic

Abu Bakr, the son of Abu Qahafa was born in the Qoraish family. When he was born he was taken to the Kaba, dedicated to the gods, and named Abdul Kaba. In his early age, he liked to play with the young camels, which earned him the surname of Abu Bakr, i.e., the father of the foal of the camel. He did not receive any formal education. At the age of 18 years, he adopted the profession of a cloth merchant, which was his family business, and came to be recognized as one of the richest merchants of Mecca. He was first among the elders to accept Islam in Mecca. Many slaves including Bilal who were persecuted and tortured by their masters were purchased and set free by Abu Bakr. He accompanied the Prophet at the time of migration.

Immediately after the death of the Prophet, the Ansars and Muhajirin elected him as the first caliph at Saqifa Banu Sa'd at the age of 60 years. He was confronted with many challenges at the most crucial and critical moment. Disunity among the Muslims, rising of the false prophets and refusal to pay zakat by some tribes had threatened the existence of the young Islamic state. He took field against them. In 632 A.D., the Muslim army inflicted defeat on the tribes, who finally agreed to pay zakat. Without any delay, Abu Bakr launched a campaign against the false prophets, such as Aswad Ansi, Tulayha, Musailma and Sajjah. He collected the troops at Medina and divided them into eleven battalions. So war was waged against them, and within a year, the control of Islam was re-established throughout the peninsula. Abu Bakr also launched successful campaigns against Bahrain, Oman, Mahrah, Yamen, Hazarmaut, eastern Iraq, Mazar, Hira, western Iraq, Syria and Basra. He died in Medina in 13/634 at the age of 63 years. His rule of caliphate lasted for 2 years, 3 months and 10 days.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABU DARR (ABUZAR)Name

7th Century. Famous for his piety, one of the first companions of Imam Ali.

7e. S. Célèbre par sa piété, un des premiers compagnons de l'Imam Ali.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #196general ABU HATIM AR-RAZIEncyclopedia Topic

"Abu Hatim ar-Razi was born near Ray around 260/874. He was the hujjat of Ray, and conducted the mission with great efficiency and promptness. He studied Ismaili doctrines, also Arabic poetry, and the religious science of Islam, comparative religion and indeed the natural and mathematical sciences. He succeeded to bring the ruler of Ray, Ahmad bin Ali (307-311/92O-924) to the Ismaili fold, who was formerly aggressive to the Ismailis. Abu Hatim also deputed his subordinate da'is in Tabaristan, Ispahan, Azerbaijan and Jurjan; resulting a large conversion, including Mardav ad-Daylami, the governor of Tabaristan; Yousuf bin Abi'l Saj, the governor of Azerbaijan, and Asfar bin Shroya. Abu Hatim was a great philosopher, orator and writer. W. Ivanow writes in A Creed of the Fatimids (Bombay, 1936, p. 5) that, "Abu Hatim ar-Razi surely was one of the most erudite authors that Ismailism, and generally, Islam has ever produced." Seyyed Hossein Nasr writes in the introduction of A'lam al-Nubuwwah (ed. by Salah al-Sawy, Tehran, 1977, p. 1) that, "He is one of the most outstanding theologians and philosophers of Islam and a major figure in that galaxy of exceptional thinkers, such as Hamid al-Din Kirmani, Nasir-i Khusraw and Qadi Numan, who produced the Ismaili philosophy of the Fatimid period."

The most acclaimed of his works is Kitab az-Zina designed as an encyclopaedia of Islamic terminologies with a large store of useful informations. Idris Imaduddin (d. 872/1468) writes in the 5th volume of Uyun'l-Akhbar that it was greatly admired by Imam al-Qaim when it was presented to him, and he gave it to his son, al-Mansur in a gift, commanding to keep it secret.

Abu Hatim left Ray in 311/924 and sided with Asfar bin Shroya (d. 319/931). He acquired many converts in Daylam and Gilan, including Asfar bin Shroya's deputy, Mardawij bin Ziyar (d. 323/935). According to Hamiduddin Kirmani in al-Aqwal al-Dhahabiyya (Tehran, 1977, pp. 2-3), "The famous disputation between Abu Hatim and the physician-philosopher, Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Zakaria ar-Razi (251-313/865-925) took place in Mardawij's presence." The discussion concerning Prophethood is given in his A'lam al-Nubuwwah. He answered the questions of Zakaria ar-Razi that how he necessitated that only one nation would be favoured and given superiority over others. He also argued that his conception regarding the eternity of five principles, namely God, Soul, Matter, Space and Time was absurd. He also discussed logically the questions relating to blind faith, analogy, miracles etc.

Mardawij at first supported Abu Hatim, but started enmity against the Ismailis. Thus Abu Hatim returned to Ray, thence he proceeded to Azerbaijan and took refuge with a local ruler called, Muflih. He died in 322/934 in Daylam, and after him, the Ismailis of Khorasan and Transoxania became disordered, and finally their leadership came to the hands of Abdul Malik al-Kawkabi, who resided in Girdkuh, the future stronghold of the Nizari Ismailis.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABU RAKWA Name

Governor who revolted against the Fatimide Caliphate in 1004. See. Husseyn B. Jawhar.

Gouverneur qui s'était révolté contre le Kalife Fatimide en 1004. V. Husseyn b. Jawhar.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #250general ABU RAKWA Name

Ommayad governor who rebelled against the Fatimid Caliphe al-Hakim in 1004. See Husseyn b. Jawhar.

Gouverneur Ommayade qui s'était révolté contre le Kalife Fatimide al-Hakim en 1004. v. Husseyn b. Jawhar.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #250general ABU SUFIYANIName

(8th Century) Dai sent with al-Hulwani to Maghreb by Imam Jafar as-Sadiq in 145AH/762. Follower of Dai as-Shii. Played a major role in converting the population.

(8e. S.) Dai envoyé avec al-Hulwani au Maghreb par l'Imam Jafar as-Sadiq en 145AH/762. Suivi du Dai as-Shii. Convertirent la population progressivement.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #158general ABU YAQUB AS-SIJISTANIEncyclopedia Topic

"Abu Yaqub Ishaq bin Ahmad as-Sijistani, nicknamed "cotton-seed" (Iranian, panba-dana, Arabic khayshafuj) was born in 271/883 in Bandan, a district in north of Sijistan and was trained in Yamen. He was a great philosopher and scholar and considered to be one of the major Ismaili thinkers whose share in the development of the Ismaili system of thought is considerable. Paul E. Walker writes in Abu Yaqub al-Sijistani: Intellectual Missionary (London, 1996, p. 13) that, "Yet, from the prominence of his books and the profoundly impressive intellectual contribution they (Ismailis) represent, we discover a truly significant mind and voice - one that deserves recognition as an outstanding figure in the Ismaili past and as a major force in Islamic thought in general."

The Abbasids took notice of the rapid conversion of the Ismailis in Khorasan, notably Nasr bin Ahmad, and insinuated Nuh bin Nasr (331-343/943-954), the son of Nasr bin Ahmad; against his father and the Ismailis. Nuh bin Nasr dethroned his father and conducted a barbarous massacre of the Ismailis in 331/942, known in the Ismaili history as al-mainat al-uzama (great calamity) in Khorasan and Transoxania. An-Nasafi and his chief associates were also executed in the wild operations at Bukhara in 332/943. It resulted a setback in Ismaili mission, but was resumed under an-Nasafi's son, Masud, surnamed Dihqan and Abu Yaqub as-Sijistani.

It is generally agreed upon by the scholars that as-Sijistani was not executed with an-Nasafi in 331/942. The mistake however arose from misreading of al-Baghdadi's statement in al-Firaq bayn al-Firaq, stating that both an-Nasafi and as-Sijistani were executed. In the introduction of both Risalat al-Mawazin and Risalat al-Mabda wal Ma'ad, he himself mentions the name of Imam al-Hakim, who acceded to the throne in 386/996. Thus, it implies that he was still alive in 386/996. His death, therefore, could be placed between 386/996 and 393/1003. He had managed to escape the widespread massacre, and continued the mission in Bukhara.

He was executed by Khalaf bin Ahmed (353-393/964-1003), the Saffarid ruler of Khorasan. The period of as-Sijistani saw many prominent Ismaili thinkers, such as Abul Haytham Ahmad bin Hasan al-Jurjani, an Ismaili philosopher-poet from Gurgan, who composed many poems on Ismaili doctrines. His Ismaili disciples were Muhammad bin Surkh al-Nishapuri, Hamiduddin Kirmani, etc.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABU YAQUB ISHAQ B. SULEMANName

(10th Century). Imam Mehdi's private doctor and author of several texts on medicine.

(10e S). Médecin privé de l'Imam Mehdi. Auteur de plusieurs traités sur la médecine.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #159general AbujEncyclopedia Topic

Foolish, stupid

Various Sources Abul HasanEncyclopedia Topic

Hazrat Ali (a.s.)

Various Sources ABUL HASAN ALI (1143-1206/1730-1792), 44TH IMAMEncyclopedia Topic

"Imam Abul Hasan Ali was also known as Syed Shah Muhammad Hasan Shah, Hasan Beg and Abul Hasan Ali Shah. He was born in Shahr-i Babak. The Iranian sources called him, Abul Hasan Kaheki, a name mostly was popular among the inhabitants of Kahek, whom he generously helped for about two times. One of the ways he utilized his wealth was to serve delicious dishes strewn with ample varieties of food to the hungry and needy while he himself would seldom taste it.

Imam Abul Hasan was the governor of Kirman during the Afsharid and Zand periods. It seems almost appropriate to mention that Imam Abul Hasan Ali was the first Ismaili Imam after the fall of Alamut to emerge slowly from obscurity. He was highly learned and a friend of the local Sufis. He had also patronized the local artists. Few chambers of the Imam's residence are reported to have been decorated with the rare collection of the Iranian paintings.

He was a prominent land-owner (Sahib amlak wa raqabat) in Kirman. According to Athar-i Muhammadi (p. 70), "When the Afghans had launched terrible raids in Iran, Imam Abul Hasan Ali had laid the foundation of a strong edifice of the fort in Kiab on the shore of Hibala and Depine, lying between Rugan and Jinjan, where he began to reside after its completion."

Nadir, the last great Asiatic conqueror was born in 1102/1688 in Afshar tribe of Khorasan. He was the son of a certain Imam Quli, and was tending flocks after his father's death. Later, he became a leader of the plundering band. In 1138/1726, the Safavid Shah Tahmasp II learnt his valour, and acquired his help to repel the Gilzay Afghans from Iran. Nadir readily responded the call and came with his troop of 5000 Kurd and Afshar warriors. He was hailed and granted the title of Tahmasp Quli Khan. Nadir took field against the Gilzay Afghans by commanding the Safavid army, and inflicted them a defeat. Shah Tahmasp II rejoiced on Nadir's role, and appointed him a chief commander (qurchi-bashi). In 1144/1732, Nadir deposed Shah Tahmasp II and crowned the latter's son Shah Abbas III. In 1148/1736, Nadir also deposed Shah Abbas III, and assumed the power, and thus he got the declination of the Safavid empire. He established the Afsharid rule in Iran, and fought with the Afghans and dominated Iran like Taymurlame. He also fought with the Turks and captured Iraq and Azerbaijan.

It appears that Imam Abul Hasan Ali had also maintained his best of ties with Nadir, and the seat of his governorship in Kirman coming from the period of the Safavids, remained intact during the Afsharid rule. When Nadir had been in Kirman in 1160/1747, according to Athar-i Muhammadi (p. 73), "Imam invited him at his residence and presented many valuable gifts." After Nadir, his successor Shah Rukh also retained his relation with Imam. John R. Perry writes in Karim Khan Zand (Chicago, 1979, pp. 135-6) that, "Abu'l-Hasan enjoyed the respect of all the leading citizens and even the provincial warlords and would seem the perfect choice for beglerbegi (governor-general) now that Kirman was relatively settled. On his appointment, therefore, Mirza Hosayn, Mortaza Qoli Khan, and the other local rulers meekly handed over their provinces to him. No details of his administration are recorded; he probably re-allocated the regions to several local khans and used his moral rather than military authority to check injustice. He remained on good terms with the leading men of the bureaucratic class, consulting them readily in matters of government." John R. Perry also adds, "After Nader's death, Sayyed Abu'l Hasan took a winter residence in Kirman itself, retaining his house at Babak for the summer. Shahrokh Khan accorded him great respect, even marrying his son Lotf Ali Khan to the Sayyed's (Imam's) daughter." (Ibid. p. 135)

In India, after the death of emperor Aurengzeb in 1707, the next Mughal rulers who followed him one after another were Bahadur Shah (1707-1712), Jahandar Shah (1712-1713), Farukh Siyar (1713-1719) and Muhammad Shah (1719-1748), in whose time, Nadir had conducted his expedition to India. Nadir set out from Nadirabad for Ghazna on May 21, 1738 and crossed the Indian frontiers with a gigantic army. He crossed Khyber Pass and reached Peshawar, and left it on January 6, 1739 for Lahore after passing through Wazirabad and Jhelum. He set off from Lahore on February 6, 1739 and proceeded to Sirhind, where he heard that the Mughal king Muhammad Shah had reached Karnal with 3 lac soldiers and 2000 elephants with a large deposit of cannon. Nadir ordered Nasrullah Mirza on February 24, 1739 to march from Jamna for Karnal, and he himself advanced in between Jamna and Ali Mardan Canal.

The tradition relates that Imam Abul Hasan Ali had also accompanied Nadir during the operations, but it cannot be substantiated in the Indian sources. We may safely infer that Imam Abul Hasan Ali would have joined the regiment of Nasrullah Mirza in the operations of Karnal, had he truly accompanied.

Nadir finally entered Delhi on March 20, 1739 and pillaged the treasure of the Mughal empire. He took away huge money, jewels, diamonds and gold for the worth of about 70 crore of rupees, including the famous pea-cock throne and Koh'i Noor diamond. He left Delhi for Kabul. On December 9, 1739 and entered India once again to plunder Sind. He reached Dera Ismail Khan on January 5, 1740 and at Larkana on February 12, 1740 and pillaged gold, jewels and pearls amounting over one crore rupees from the ruler of Sind. Nadir left Sind on April 10, 1740. To this we must add the likelihood that Imam Abul Hasan Ali had availed chance to see his followers secretly in Sind, provided the tradition of his company is genuine. If so, he would have seen his followers when Nadir was hunting booty between January and April, 1740.

Nadir thus dominated Iran, Afghanistan and India. In Iran, he tried to solve differences of Usuli and Akhbari groups and also endeavoured to have the Jafari fiqh accepted as a fifth fiqh in the Sunni framework of the four schools of law. He also tried to overcome the Sunni theologians. Nadir was a brave campaigner, and so was cruel and proud, and had executed a large number of innocent people. He was at last killed in his tent near Mashhad in 1160/1747.

Immediately after the murder of Nadir, the Afghan and Turkoman leaders in Afsharid military collided each other for the treasures pillaged in India. Ahmad Shah Abdali (1747-1773) lastly succeeded to take away the whole lot to Kandhar and established the Dhurrani rule in Afghanistan in 1160/1747. In Iran, the southern Caucasus and Azerbaijan had been captured by the Afghan general called, Azad Khan. Another leader, Ali Mardan Khan occupied Ispahan, and Karim Khan Zand took Fars and Laristan.

Ali Quli Khan was the second Afsharid ruler, known as Adil Shah (1747-1748), the nephew of Nadir Shah; who ruled Khorasan. His brother Ibrahim (d.1161/1748) became the third ruler for few months. Shah Rukh, the son of Nadir escaped from prison at that time, and attacked on Khorasan, and became the fourth ruler for few months. He was deprived of his sight by his own Khorasani chiefs, and Murad Khan had been proclaimed as the fifth ruler. Murad Khan was also blinded, and once again the blind Shah Rukh was placed on the throne, who ruled till 1210/1795.

In sum, Iran was dominated by three rules at that time. Muhammad Hussain Qajar possessed northern region. The southern area was under the control of Karim Khan Zand, and Khorasan on eastern area was ruled by the Afsharids. Muhammad Hussain Qajar had been killed, and Karim Khan Zand took over the power of whole Iran, including Khorasan; and founded the rule of Zand dynasty in Iran in 1163/1750.

Karim Khan Zand (1163-1193/1750-1779) had a friendly relation with Imam Abul Hasan Ali and his brother Pir Mirza Muhammad Bakir. Mirza Hussain Khan, the governor of Kirman treated the Imam with great respect, who charged certain towns and districts of Kirman under the control of the Imam. Later on, Karim Khan Zand appointed the Imam as the Beglarbegi of Kirman in 1170/1756. According to The Cambridge History of Iran (London, 1991, 7:85), "Eventually, Karim Khan appointed as beglerbegi an Ismaili Sayyid, Abul Hasan Ali Shah Mahallati, well respected locally for piety and generosity. His moral authority overrode the petty squabbles of the regional military governors, and his ample private income precluded any necessity for extortion or peculation."

Karim Khan Zand died in 1193/1779, and Iran once again disintegrated. His brother Zaki Khan declared Muhammad Ali, the second son of Karim Khan, and his son-in-law as the second ruler of the Zands. Afterwards, Abul Fateh Khan, the elder son of Karim Khan was made a joint ruler with Muhammad Ali.

Meanwhile, a certain Aga Muhammad Khan Qajar reached to Mazandaran, and took charge of his tribe in Astrabad, and declared his rule in 1193/1779 immediately after the death of Karim Khan Zand. Zaki Khan dispatched his forces in command of his nephew, called Ali Murad Khan against Aga Muhammad Khan. Instead of fighting with Aga Muhammad Khan, he himself rebelled against the Zands, and captured Ispahan. He levied high taxes on the landlords and put to death who refused. He also tortured many persons, and once he is said to have thrown out 18 persons from his window to a ditch. The people in Ispahan rebelled, and killed Zaki Khan. Meanwhile, his brother Sadik Khan came in Shiraz and tore the eyes of Abul Fateh Khan from their sockets, and occupied Shiraz. In the succession disputes following Karim Khan Zand's death, the Imam is said to have lent his support to Sadik Khan, who was assisted in raising an army in Kirman. Sadik Khan restored the governorship of the Imam in Kirman. Imam's timely support to Sadik Khan had also avoided a massacre of the Ismailis. Meanwhile, the border region between Kirman and Afghanistan, including Narmashir, was raided by the Afghan and Baluchi troops of Azam Khan, an amir from Kandhar. Azam Khan was subdued by the Imam's forces, consisted of 7000 soldiers in command of Mirza Sadik, the cousin of the Imam. Later on, Azam Khan ravaged the districts of Kirman from Narmashir and reached as far as the entrance of the city of Kirman. This time, Abul Hasan Ali himself commanded his forces from Shahr-i Babak and inflicted a defeat to Azam Khan outside Kirman.

Ali Murad Khan raided Shiraz and killed Sadik Khan, the brother of Zaki Khan in 1195/1781. Then followed Jafar Khan (1779-1785), the son of Sadik Khan, who defeated Aga Muhammad Khan Qajar many times. His son Lutf Ali Khan, the last ruler of the Zand dynasty attacked the rising power of the Qajarids in Ispahan in 1205/1790, but his advisor, Haji Ibrahim abandoned his side and joined Aga Muhammad Khan. Lutf Ali Khan proceeded to Sirjan, intending to occupy Shahr-i Babak and the stronghold of the Imam, guarded by the Ataullahi Ismailis. Imam Abul Hasan Ali had fortified and well-provisioned fortress in Shahr-i Babak under the command of Mirza Sadik. Lutf Ali Khan failed to gain Shahr-i Babak, and committed massacres of the Ismailis in the localities. He advanced to the city of Kirman. On that junction, Imam Abul Hasan Ali refused to allow his entry in the city, and reinforced the city's defence and prepared to withstand a long siege. After one day of the siege, the inhabitants of the city sent out the Qadi and Shaikh al-Islam to the camp of Lutf Ali Khan with an offering of 20,000 tumans, imploring him to raise the siege and postpone the occupation of the city.

Hasan-i Fasai compiled his Farsnama'yi Nasiri in 1314/1896 (tr. by Heribert Busse, London, 1972, pp. 37-8), who writes, "Lotf Ali Khan, however, was full of pride and said that he would not raise the siege before Seiyed Abu'l Hasan Khan Kaheki, the governor of Kirman, and all the nobles and aldermen had come out of the city to the encampment. When the Qadi and Shaikh al-Islam returned unsuccessful to the city, Abu'l Hasan Khan took greater care in the defence of the fortress than he had done before. When the winter came and roads and paths were blocked by snow and rain, the camp was cut off from provisions. For some time the people in the camp were satisfied with eating the meat of horses and donkeys, and patiently endured snow and rain. When things, however, became unbearable, the soldiers folded their tents and moved off. Lotf Ali Khan could not but do the same, and in the month of Jomadi I of that year (1205/January, February, 1791), he returned to Shiraz."

In Shiraz, Lutf Ali Khan also sought no entry due to the hold of Aga Muhammad Khan. He fought next year with the Qajars, and defeated them in 1206/1792. In 1209/1794, Lutf Ali Khan captured Kirman. Aga Muhammad Khan besieged it for six months. It is said that Pir Mirza Muhammad Bakir had given a shelter to Lutf Ali Khan in a fort, who was seriously injured and sought mercy. Lutf Ali Khan finally managed to escape from Kirman, to which Aga Muhammad Khan, while entering Kirman, had accused the local people to have helped in escaping Lutf Ali Khan. By the vengeance he was wreaking on the inhabitants of Kirman, and issued orders to deprive all the adult males of their life, or of their eyesight; and the females and children, to the number of twenty thousand, were granted as slaves to the soldiers. G.R.G. Hambly writes in Aqa Mohammad Khan and the establishment of the Qajar Dynasty (JRAS, vol. L., January, 1963, p. 166) that, "Kerman was systematically ravaged for three months. Twenty thousand women and children were handed over to the army or sold as slaves. For the male population a different punishment was reserved and tradition relates that 7,000 eyes were brought to the conqueror, who personally counted them, informing the officer in charge of the operation: "Had one been missing, yours would have been taken!" As a memorial to the downfall of the Zand dynasty, a pyramid of skulls was erected in Bam on the spot where Lotf Ali Khan had been captured. Six hundred prisoners were executed in Kerman and their heads were carried to Bam by a further three hundred who were decapitated when they reached their destination. According to Henry Pottinger, this monument was still standing in 1810."

Lutf Ali Khan was arrested when he was about 25 years old. His eyes were torn from the sockets and was executed in 1209/1794. With his death, the Zand dynasty had been declined in Iran, and Aga Muhammad Khan (1193-1212/1779-1797) founded the Qajarid empire.

In India, after the departure of Nadir, the Mughal empire in the time of Muhammad Shah (1719-1748) had become crippled. The constant expeditions of Ahmad Shah Abdali between 1161/1748 and 1181/1767 not only had broken down the backbone of the Mughal army, but also left the country economically collapsed. The next Mughal rulers on the throne of Delhi were Ahmed Shah (1748-1754) and Shah Alam II (1759-1806).

In India, it may be noted that Multan had been a centre of the Shamsi Ismailis of Kashmir and Punjab, where the descendants of Pir Shams had served as the vakils of the Imam. In Sind and Kutchh, the descendant of Pir Dadu also worked as the vakils. While, the Kadiwal Syeds were active in Kutchh and Sind, in which Syed Ghulam Ali Shah, or Syed Ghulmali Shah was most prominent. He initiated a bulk of the Hindus during the reign of Maharao Godmalji in Kutchh. Many other Indian da'is and vakils are reported to have lived in the period under our review, whose names are known only through their ginans, viz., Syed Fateh Ali Shah, Syed Miran Mahdi, Syed Miran Muhammad Shah, Syed Ladha Shah, Syed Kutabuddin, Syed Aal-i Imam, Syed Hussain etc.

The Mughal emperor Aurengzeb (d. 1707) is reported to have persecuted the Ismailis in Gujrat and Sind, and most among them had taken refuge in Iran. Some among them returned afterwards, but many other settled in Kirman and died there, whose graves still exist, giving dates in Khojki character. The grave of Aga Nihal, possibly a Kashmiri Ismaili, bears the date of 1722 and Kamadia Muhammad dates 1725. One unknown grave indicates the date of 1742. In Mahallat, the graves of Khoja Peeru and Kamadia Bhalu of Sind bear the date of 1705 and 1711 respectively.

It seems that Imam Abul Hasan Ali had moved to Shahr-i Babak in Kirman, most possibly in 1158/1745, situated about 180 kilometers southwest of the main city of Kirman. The decision seems to have been motivated for the security of the Indian pilgrims, since the Bakhtiyari tribesmen committed banditry on the roads, terrorizing the highways. Ahmad Ali Khan Viziri (d. 1295/1878) writes in Tarikh-i Kirman (Tehran, 1973, p. 542) that, "During the chaotic conditions of Iran after the downfall of the Safavids, the Indian Ismailis who regularly travelled to Anjudan and Mahallat regions for seeing their Imam and remitting to him their religious dues, were often plundered and killed between Nain and Yazd by the Bakhtiyari tribesmen."

The Imam thus, had to move to Shahr-i Babak, a location closer to the Iranian Gulf ports and the main pilgrimage route. He acquired extensive properties in Shahr-i Babak, also erected a winter residence in the city of Kirman, where his daughter, Fakhru'z-Zaman died in 1170/1756. He is also reported to have spent generously colossal money for the benefit of the people of Kirman, which enhanced his popularity. His fame in Kirman can be estimated from the fact that he was able to continue his governorship of Kirman when the Zand dynasty disintegrated upon Karim Khan's death in 1193/1779, and henceforth, the Imam ruled over Kirman independently.

Syed Fateh Ali Shah (d. 1212/1798), an Indian vakil had visited Shahr-i Babak to see the Imam, and made its brief description in his one extant ginan that: "The Lord resides in the western land as an Iranian. He speaks Persian in northern Iran (sheter deep). His residence is in Shahr-i Babak, and his name is Shah Abul Hasan Ali in elegant form."

When Imam Abul Hasan Ali left for Shahr-i Babak in 1158/1745, he was succeeded as a governor of Kirman by his cousin, Mirza Sadik. In 1206/1792, Aga Muhammad Khan seized Shiraz and sent his nephew, Fateh Ali to conquer Kirman. Fateh Ali occupied Kirman, and replaced Mirza Sadik, and himself became the governor of the provinces of Fars, Kirman and Yazd.

When Aga Muhammad Khan massacred a large number of the local inhabitants in Kirman, the Ismailis were however spared in the operation. The Ismaili Syed families and the relatives of the Imam, living in Shahr-i Babak were allowed to repair to Kahek, where Aga Muhammad Khan gave them new pieces of land to compensate for what they left in Kirman city; and assigned them according to the rank emoluments (wazifa) and pay (mostamarri). Imam Abul Hasan Ali's first historical debut in the Iranian sources is recorded from the event of the capture of Kirman by Lutf Ali Khan in 1205/1791. His death is also recorded in the contemporary sources as 1206/1792 under the name of Syed Abul Hasan Ali Shah Mahallati Kaheki. He had however passed his whole life in Shahr-i Babak, but his death took place in Mahallat on May 23, 1792, and was interred in Najaf.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABUL HASAN SHAH, PIR Encyclopedia Topic

Pir Shihabuddin Shah (d. 1301/1884) married to Bibi Arus Khanum, who gave birth of a son, Abul Hasan Shah and six daughters, viz. Talah, Nushi, Turan Malek, Khadija, Tuman Malik and Zarin Taj. Upon the death of Pir Shihabuddin Shah, Imam Aga Ali Shah declared his infant son, Abul Hasan Shah as a next Pir. In this context, the farman follows:

On the day of the ziarat (December 16, 1884) of Pir Khalilullah (Pir Shihabuddin Shah), Imam Shah Ali Shah summoned the jamat at Wadi (Aga Hall, Bombay), and said, "I accept the son of Pir Khalilullah as Pir and consign him the authority of Pir. Do all the jamat like this or not?" So, the jamat said, "Khudawind! We all like it." Hence Dhani Salamat Datar said, "Well! Then go and please the wife of Pir Khalilullah." The jamat then approached the wife of Pir Khalilullah, and kissed the hand of Pir Abul Hasan Shah, and said to her, "He is now our Pir." (vide the manuscript of Sunder Kalyan Huda Zamerwala. With the farman is attached a note: "This farman has been transcribed by Sunder Kalyan on 4th Bhadarwa Vad, 1958 Samavat (1906 A.D.) from the book of Hansraj Sunderji Bhoykawala, which was in the house of Sunderji). The Imam is also reported to have said, "I have appointed Abul Hasan Shah as a Pir, who is yet an infant, therefore, I will also appoint a vakil to represent him."

In the manuscript of Varas Ghulam Hussain Varas Kassim of Junagadh, the following farmans are however traced:-

On Monday 13th of Vad (Waning half) of Magsar 1841 Samavat (December 15, 1884), there were the tenth sufra of Pir Khalilullah at Wadi (Aga Hall), so Dhani Salamat said to the jamat, "Tomorrow on Tuesday, I shall deliver farmans."

On next day, December 16, 1884, Imam Ali Shah said, "I give the gadi (authority) of Pir Salamat Khalilullah to his son (Abul Hasan Shah). He is the successor to his gadi. In the material world he is yet an infant, so to discharge his duties, I shall appoint such a vakil that the hearts of you jamat shall be pleased." In the same manuscript, there is one another farman in this context, which reads: On December 28, 1884, Imam Ali Shah said, "In the world, now, my heart is broken. My heart is much affected due to the death of my young sons (Aga Nur Shah and Pir Shihabuddin Shah). Some of you want to do the kangwa ceremony at the hands of the Pir. But he is still an infant, I have left that work at the disposal of Sultan Muhammad."

Hence, Pir Abul Hasan Shah, the son of Pir Shihabuddin Shah became the next Pir when he was hardly two to three months old. He could hardly hold the office for three to four months through his vakil, and died in 1885 in infancy at the age of about six months. It was indeed a great trial for the followers to obey what an Imam ordered. He was buried in Hasanabad in Bombay by the side of his great grandfather Imam Hasan Ali Shah. In the mausoleum, there are three graves, two large and one small. One of the large ones is that of Imam Hasan Ali Shah, and other is built in the memory of Imam Aga Ali Shah, whose body was kept for some times before its transportation to Najaf. The smaller one, on which are hung some wooden miniature cradles is that of Pir Abul Hasan Shah.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral ABUL KHATTABName

(8th Century) Dai for Imam al-Baqir and Imam Jafar as-Sadiq, publicly declared his faith in the Holy Imam and was hanged in Kufa in 138AH/755. See Khattabiyya.

(8e S.) Dai de l'Imam al-Baqir et l'Imam Jafar as-Sadiq, attesta publiquement la divinité de l'Imam et fut pendu à Kufa en 755 (138 A.H.) V. Khattabiyya.

Heritage Dictionary of ismailism, entry #140general ABUZAR ALI (902-915/1496-1509), 35TH IMAMEncyclopedia Topic

"Muhammad Abuzar Shah, surnamed Abuzar, was also called Nuruddin. He is also known as Shah Nuruddin bin Gharib Shah in the Syrian works. Like his father, he also passed a darwish life in Anjudan. He had however advised his followers to exercise precautions in view of new religious tendency and political cataclysm in Iran.

The village of Anjudan considerably accelerated on account of ample water supply, therefore, the new protective walls with fortifications were built around it during the early time of Imam Abuzar Ali's Imamate. It caused the old enclosure itself to play the part of a sort of citadel. Some craftsmen, blacksmiths, potters tanners and dyers had come from outside, and possibly built their workshops on the outskirts.

In 904/1499, Shah Ismail had decided that the time was ripe for the supreme bid for power. He prepared a colossal army, and began to conquer the Iranian territories in 905/1500 including Iraq and founded the Safavid empire. In Iran, he absolutely dominated in Hamdan, Mazandaran, Shirwan, Khorasan, and Yazd etc. He tried to extend his influence in Afghanistan, Balkh and Bukhara. The Ottoman empire evidently opposed the growing power in Iran. The Uzbek rulers of Bukhara however checked the advance of the Safavids. Thus, the Safavids considered their two borders insecure for the empire.

Shah Ismail's fist action on his accession was the proclamation of the Shi'ism as the state religion of Iran, differentiating from the Ottoman of Turkey, who were the Sunnis. Shah Ismail however failed to impose Shi'ism in many Iranian regions. Many people are reported to have been executed, and other migrated. The Sunni theologians went to Herat, India and Bukhara. Under such rigorous policy, one renowned Ismaili scholar, Shah Tahir Hussain Dakkani also fled from Kashan, and repaired to India. The Sufis were also not spared in Iran, who began to live under the cloak of the Twelvers.

The strict Shi'ite tendency in Iran had certainly forced the Ismailis to assume the mantle of the Twelvers to get rid of the executions. Weathering these storms, it seems that Imam Abuzar Ali had gone into hiding for about seven years between 905/1500 and 912/1507, which can be ascertained also from the version of Khayr Khwah Herati's Tasnifat (ed. W. Ivanow, Tehran, 1961, p. 52). Before leaving Anjudan for an unknown place, he had most possibly left behind his hujjat to act as a link between the Imam and the followers.

Momin Shah, the son of Imam Shamsuddin Muhammad was the hujjat in Syria. Since he was an elder son, therefore, a small section in Syria had considered him as his father's successor. He returned from Syria and settled down in a village called Khwand in Qazwin, bordering Gilan too. He preached the esoteric teachings of Ismailism on Sufic pattern. Momin Shah built a small khanaqah (cloister) in Khwand, where he and his descendants were revered as the "Saints of Khwand" (sadat-i khwandia) due to their piety and learning. Momin Shah died in 738/1337 and remained faithful to the line of Kassim-Shahi. None among them had ever claimed for Imamate, or visited Syria to nourish that small growing group, who later on became known as Momin-Shahis. The trivial section of Momin-Shahis was neither a forgotten branch of the Ismailis, nor a schism of great importance.

Muhammad Shah (d. 807/1404), the son of Momin Shah became the next saint (sadat) of their khanaqah in Khwand, who also acquired few powers in the locality of Daylam. He was succeeded by his son, Raziuddin I (d. 833/1429), who in turn was succeeded by his son Muhammad Tahir Shah (d. 867/1462). His son Raziuddin II (d. 915/1509) had gone to Badakhshan from Sistan in 913/1508 for mission. He established his rule over a large part of Badakhshan with the help of the Ismailis during the time of a certain Taymurid amir called Mirza Khan (d. 926/1520). Raziuddin II was killed in the local tribal fighting in 915/1509. Mirza Khan then executed many Ismailis in Badakhshan.

Imam Abuzar Ali is said to have returned to Anjudan in 912/1507 after getting congenial atmosphere. He maintained his cordial ties with the local amirs, elites and the Safavids. Imam Abuzar Ali is said to have betrothed to Sabira Khatoon, the daughter of Shah Ismail, and was granted the title of Amir al-Umra (chief of the chiefs). This matrimonial relationship suggests a close tie of the Imam with the ruling power in the mantle of the Twelver.

Imam Abuzar Ali died in 915/1509 and was buried in Anjudan. The Russain scholar W. Ivanow had visited Anjudan in 1937 to collect the details from the inscriptions of then existing graves and mausoleums of the Ismaili Imams. He failed to locate the grave of Imam Abuzar Ali in Anjudan. But, before him, Muhammad Taqi bin Ali Reza, who compiled Athar-i Muhammadi in 1893 had visited Anjudan before the migration of Imam Aga Hasan Ali Shah in 1842. He had discovered the grave of Imam Abuzar Ali, and writes, "Imam Abuzar Ali had been invested the honorific title of Amir al-Umra, whose description is still preserved on the marble slab of Imam's grave" (pp. 65-66). It tenaciously corroborates to the fact that the grave of the Imam in Anjudan had been decayed before the visit of W. Ivanow, and it is, of course, possible that the same would have been happened with the grave of Imam Murad Mirza.

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddingeneral aCHANoun

Pur, bon, correct.

Heritage Dictionary of Ismailism, entry #462general AchambeEncyclopedia Topic

With astonishment, amazement, wonder, surprise

Various Sources