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The Shah-e-Hamadan of Kashmir and his religious ideology-Word for Peace

Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, also known as Amir-i-Kabir (the Great Commander), and commonly known as Shah-e-Hamadan (the King of Hamadan).

Binish Qadri, WordForPeace.com

The Shah-e-Hamadan of Kashmir and his religious ideology-Word for PeaceJ

ammu and Kashmir are deeply indebted to Shah-e-Hamadan for the advancement of Islam in the first place and, in the second place, for the growth of art and culture. He wrote Risala-i-Wujudiyssya, a justification area for that theory, along with two notes and commentaries on Wahdatul Wajud ‘s greatest Sufi supporter (unit of existence) works by Ibn Arabi, “Fusus-al-Hikam” and “Al-Insan-al-Kamil” Throughout present-day South Asia, the spiritual philosophies emanated from the writings and teachings of Shah-e-Hamadan.

The early period of the Shah Mir dynasty is characterized by and noted for the arrival of the Sufi Muslim saints, particularly Sayyid Ali Hamadani, who greatly contributed to the growth of Islam in Kashmir which is known as Pir-i-Vaer and which has a relic of Sufism. Mir Sayyid Ali Hamadani, also known as Amir-i-Kabir (the Great Commander), and commonly known as Shah-e-Hamadan (the King of Hamadan), is the 14th-century Persian Sufi saint of the Kubrawiya order who, through his poetry, spoke of the divine creation between man and God (Al-Islam.org). Islam, he notes, is the place for the soul’s salvation and enhances imaan, and so we must preserve it.

His poetry touches upon various aspects of human life. This teaches us profound principles and philosophies of life which is why he deserves to be a Sufi saint par excellence in the category of profound Muslim philosopher. He was instrumental in spreading Islam in Kashmir. In addition, he developed Kashmir Valley art and culture and is considered to have brought various skills, expertise, crafts and industries from Iran into Kashmir which tags him as one of Kashmir’s great social and economic reformers.

It is said that he brought with him 700 supporters and followers along with some carpet and shawl weavers, who educated and taught the Pashmina textile and carpet making craft to the local population (Rafiabadi, 2003). His active involvement and support in textile weaving has benefited the state of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly Ladakh. The textile industry’s growth and development in Kashmir increased its demand for fine wool, increasing its migration from Kashmir to Ladakh, which in turn meant that Kashmiri Muslim groups settled in Ladakh, carrying with them art and crafts such as minting and writing (Jacqueline, 2008).

He focused on producing and distributing art and crafts for which production factors , especially skilled man-power, play a major role. Along with Islam’s growth and development in Kashmir he took no interest in social welfare and economic growth and development. He developed a disdain for the material life at a very young age, and a preference for Islamic mysticism.

To gain knowledge of Islamic theology and mysticism, he spent his early years under the guidance of his motherly uncle Sayyid Ala-ud-Daula Simnani, a well-known Kubrawi saint of Simnan, Iran, to acquire knowledge that is useful for inner enrichment. He had a propensity to leverage the awareness profitably by practicing Sufism as a way toward all-inclusive Islamic education.

Shah-e-Hamadan ‘s vision on Ibn-Arabi ‘s philosophy has made him a South Asian celebrity and guide. He is licensed to present Ibn-Arabi’s philosophy to South Asia. His social, religious, and economic organizing and understanding of Islam is a guiding light and a symbol of hope for crises and conflict among nations. Until today, he is certainly one of the great reformers who traveled to search for truth (Irmtraud, 1997) and preached Islam in various parts of the world including China, Afghanistan, Syria, Uzbekistan, and Turkestan (Najafi, 2005). It was he, in Kashmir, who revitalized Islam. His writings and poetry were greatly appreciated, respected and loved by Muslim scholars and medieval reporters worldwide. In his work “Hafat Iqlam’,’ Amir Ahmad Razi notes that Shah-e-Hamadan went three times around the world, meeting 1,000 and 400 saints (Rao, n.d.).

He did not tolerate any misuse and mistreatment of Islam and protested against all such activities which are a source of humanity’s moral ruin. He was well versed in Islam’s fundamentals, and even carried it through his preaching in various parts of the world. He made it possible, through his superior understanding of the creation, to teach people about the value of faith in uplifting and to lead humanity on the right direction. His preaching represents his love for islam, his devotion and his loyalty to God. He has no research and lesson to express social, religious, economic, historical , and cultural messages.

Conclusion

There is a tremendous need to revisit the religious philosophy of Shah-e-Hamadan, for he is not only the individual who practiced Islam by letter and spirit, but also freely defended the universal values of Islam and its principles. Philosophy is a reality analysis undertaken by philosophers with the intent of understanding the meaning of life and its attitude. This is witness to the fact that the rise and fall of civilizations, along with social , cultural , political, and economic influences, is a question of how they perceive their religious philosophy. All those nations had a fall that disregarded the role of religion and its great leaders’ religious philosophies. Underdeveloped nations in general, and South Asian nations in particular, have to revisit Shah-e-Hamadan ‘s philosophical ideology to solve their social, legal, cultural, political, and economic problems. The Muslim world’s people are likely to rise up against the covetous, selfish, and immoral set-ups established and imposed on the less advanced countries by the advanced countries, especially Uncle Sam (United States of America), particularly in South Asia, if they follow the footsteps of great Muslim leaders. And we need to do a thorough literature review of the saints and Sufis who went to far-off places to preach Islam and spread their faith through precept and example.

References

Barzegar, Karim Najafi (2005). Intellectual movements during Timuri and Safavid period: 1500–1700 A.D. Delhi: Indian Bibliographies Bureau. ISBN: 978-81-85004-66-2.

Fewkes, Jacqueline H. (2008). Trade and Contemporary Society along the Silk Road: An Ethno-history of Ladakh. Routledge Contemporary Asia. Routledge. pp. 44–45. ISBN: 9781135973094.

Rafiabadi, Hamid Naseem (2003). ‘’World Religions and Islam: A Crtical Study. Part 2’’ Sarup & Sons. pp. 97–105. ISBN: 9788176254144.

Rao, V.S. (n.d.). A History of Kashmir (Up to 1947). Academic Publications, Darya Ganj, New Delhi. Printed at Taj printers, New Delhi.

Stellrecht, Irmtraud (1997). The Past in the Present: Horizons of Remembering in the Pakistan. Rüdiger Koppe. ISBN: 978-38-96451-52-1.

Author: Binish Qadri

*Research Scholar, Department of Economics, Central University of Kashmir, Academic Counsellor, IGNOU STUDY CENTRE 1209,S.P. College, Srinagar; Editor in EPH – International Journal of Business and Management Science & Asian Journal of Managerial Science; Ezine Articles Expert Author; IJRULA title awards, 2018 winner (Best Researcher, 2018).

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