Ali Adil Shah
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Dr.Mazhar Naqvi
Ali Adil Shah 1st
is probably the only ruler in Indian history who was jailed by his own father
for professing Imami faith. He was second son of the fourth King of Adil Shahi
dynasty Ibrahim Adil Shah I. On his accession, Ibrahim deviated from the
traditions followed by his predecessors who not only loved imams but also
patronized their followers and admirers. On his accession, Ibrahim reversed all
previous traditions and introduced many innovations in religious and political
practices. He deleted the names of twelve imams from Khutbas. Ibrahim also sidelined the afaqi faction and replaced most of its members with
Deccani to the imperial services. He retained only four hundred afaqi troops as
his bodyguard. His decision shocked the people, for he had succeeded his elder
brother, Mallu through the
machinations of the Afaqi faction at the court. As a result of his new policy,
Marathas became much powerful and influential and followers of Imams relegated
to the secondary position. Even the Marathis started maintaining the accounts
that was considered to be the forte of Iranians since the establishment of
Bahmani kingdom. These Iranians had remained respected even after the division
of Bahmani Kingdom. They had enjoyed royal favors after the formation of
Adilshahi dynasty of Bijapur but accession of Ibrahim changed the entire scenario.
Ibrahim was so fanatic his approach that he got arrested his
second son Ali Adil Shah I and confined him to Miraj Jail upon coming to know
about his son’s leaning towards Imams. Ibrahim ruled from 1534 to 1558 and
succeeded by Ali Adil Shah as the was the
fifth ruler of Bijapur. On the
day of his coronation, he abandoned the practices
initiated by his father who has been recorede3d by historians as a man of shady
character. Ali Adil reintroduced the Khutba
with the names of twelve imams and other practices abolished by Ibrahim. He
granted full freedom to Iranian doctors of religion to preach Imami faith and
offered attractive remuneration to carry out their missionary activities from
the state exchequer.
The new
Shah restored the lost glory of afaqis and put Deccanis to the position of
insignificance. He subverted all the dogmatic experiments practiced by his
father.
He married Chand Sultana, a famous woman warrior and daughter to Nizam Shahis
of Ahmadnagar kingdom. Ali’s greatest moment came when he united the Sultans of
Deccan against Vijayanagar and earned a decisive victory at Rakkasagi in 1565.This
led to the expansion of the southern boundary of Bijapur to the city of
Vijayanagar. In 1579, Ali being issueless and having no
son, appointed his nephew Ibrahim,
son of his brother Tahamasif, as his successor. In the same year, he was killed
by a eunuch but by that time he had been able to expand Bijapur empire up to
the port of Honavar on the west coast. The southern boundary of his kingdom
extended along the line of Varada and Tungbhadra rivers. He lies buried in Ali
Rauza near Sakaf Rauza in Bijapur.
(Reference available on request)
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