Imami
Dynasties of India
Portrait of Yusuf Adil Shah
Dr.
Mazhar Naqvi
The followers of Ahle-bait had started arriving in India
soon after the departure of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad from the world. During the rule
of second Caliph, Arabs had initiated incursions to capture Baluchistan and
Sindh. In the reign of Maula Ali, Sindh came under the influence of his
philosophy. Under the Umayyads, the persecution of Maula Ali’s followers led to
their arrival in large number in Sindh and adjoining areas for their safety. During
Abbasid caliphate, about 400 Imamis migrated to Sindh under Abdullah al-Ashtar
migrated to Sindh where they were not only welcomed but also allowed to
practice their faith.
Despite their number swelling and increasing influence in
Sindh, Multan and several other parts of Indian sub- continent, Imamis could
establish their first kingdom in Deccan by the beginning g of 16th
century. It was Yusuf Adil Shah who ordered the first Shia azan to be called
in 1502-3 and the names of the twelve imams to be included in the Khutbas. Imami
movement received a further fillip when Ghayasuddin Shirazi migrated to Bijapur
during the reign of Ali Adil Shah (1558-80).Shirazi established a seminary at
Bijapur that attracted students in great number from Iran. Prior to Adil
Shahis, it is considered that Bahmani sultanate was first Shia dynasty of India
but there is nothing on record to suggest that they declared their faith
openly. There are evidences of their leaning towards Imami faith and respect
for twelve Imams . On the basis of the accounts available, the history of Shia
dynasties in India can tracked down as under :
Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1527 AD)
The
Bahmani Sultanate also called Bahmani Kingdom was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian
kingdoms. It was established by Hasan Gangu who was reportedly a Brahmin by birth
but later on converted to Islam. His rise was phenomenal and had he not established
an empire Shia kingdoms would have not emerged in south India.
Sharqi
Dynasty (1394 CE to 1479 CE)
The
Sharqi sultanate was an independent medieval Shia Muslim
dynasty of North India,
one of the many kingdoms that came up following the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate. Between 1394 CE to 1479 CE, Sharqi dynasty ruled from Jaunpur in the present day state of Uttar Pradesh. The most illustrious ruler of the dynasty was Ibrahim Shah
but he never declared himself an Imami openly but patronized Muharram rituals and
sufis with pro-Ali approach..
Berar
Sultanate
After
division of Bahmani Kingdom into five independent states, Berar Sultanate was constituted. It was governed by great nobles and boasted of a disciplined army.
Bidar
Sultanate
Bidar Sultanate was one of the Deccan sultanates of late medieval India. Its founder, Qasim Barid was a Turk, domiciled in Georgia. He joined the service of the Bahmani
sultan Muhammad Shah III. He started his career as a Sar-Naubat but
later became the Mir-Jumla (prime minister) of the Bahmani sultanate.
Qutb
Shahi Dynasty
The
Qutb Shahi dynasty was a Turkic dynasty (whose members were also called the Qutub
Shahis). They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golconda
in southern India. They were Shia Muslims and belonged to Kara Koyunlu.
Adil
Shahi Dynasty
The
Adil Shahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1518), before its political decline in the last
quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518. The Bijapur
Sultanate was absorbed into the Mughal Empire on 12 September 1686, after it fell to the forces of Aurangzeb.
Chak Dynasty
The
Chaks or Tschaks ascended the throne of Kashmir in 1550s.The rise of Chaks
synchronizes with their conversion to the Shia doctrine promulgated by Sheikh
Shams-ud- din Mohammad Iraqi in the reign of Sultan Fath Shah. The Chaks
were brave and good soldiers and it was because of their patriotism and martial
spirit that the Mughals had to wait a hundred years after conquering India to
lay their hands on Kashmir. The first of the Chaks was Badshah Ghazi
Chak. He was a wise and able ruler. In him, after a long time, Kashmir
got a stable and efficient administration. Badshah Yaqub Chak was
the last of the Chaks and last independent Muslim King of Kashmir.
Nawabs
& Kings of Awadh
Of
all the Muslim states and dependencies of the Mughal empire, Awadh had the newest royal family, the Nawabs of Awadh. They were ultimately descended from a Persian
adventurer called Saadat Khan,
originally from Khurasan
in Persia. They encouraged propagation of Imami faith in North India
and made their capital Lucknow as one of the greatest centers of azadari. They
built massive Imambaras and donated generously for the maintenance of Shia shrines
in Iraq. It was their efforts that turned the kingdom with a deep affection for
imam Hussain and his followers among people of all faith and tradition
continues even today.
Najafi
Nawabs of Bengal
The
Najafi Dynasty of Nawabs of Bengal were Syeds and were descendants of Prophet Muhammad
through Al Imam Hasan ibn Ali. They ruled from 1757 until 1880.They also built grand Imambaras and
contributed to the promotion of azadari majestically in Bengal
Nawabs
of Murshidabad
Nawabs
of Murshidabad succeeded the Nawabs of Bengal as Nawab Bahadur of Murshidabad,
following Mansur Ali Khan's abdication. They got the title changed as the title
of the Nawab of Bengal was abolished in 1880.They had little or no say in the
share of the revenue collected and were ceased to use any force. Yet they did
not fail in their duty in protecting the legacy of Muharram observance with
regal touch.
Nawabs
of Rampur
Rampur
was a tiny state but first to declare its merger with dominions of Independent
India. Its rulers professed Imami faith and erected several Imambaras and shrines.
Their queens like Sakina Begum also created wakf for the observance of
Muharram. Its most prominent ruler Nawab Raza Ali Khan also composed poetry in
praise of Maula Ali and Imam Hussain. In Raza Library, there is a copy of holy Quran
written by Hazrat Ali in his own handwriting. It is displayed during Ramzan every
year.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment