Qutub Shah Qasim Haqqani (رحمۃ اللہ علیہ)

The Epitome of spirituality

Shrine of mir syed qasim shah Haqqani r.a Fateh kadal Srinagar kashmir

The burials of the rulers hardly attract anyone to visit there whereas the shrines of the Sufis are an attraction to thousands.

Besides being a great sufi, Shah Qasim Haqqani was a versatile writer

The auspicious arrival of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (R.A) heralded a new era in the history of Kashmir. Almost every sphere of the society was impacted as the immigrants who accompanied the great missionary settled in the state. The traditional oral account puts the number of people as seven hundred, comprising religious luminaries, Sufis, artisans and skilled persons which is corroborated by the contemporary and later written sources. In the spiritual sphere the mystic silsilhas or Orders were introduced by these Sufis. Among the luminaries accompanying Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (R.A), mention may be made of Syed Shams ud Din Shami. Almost all the chronicles have noted a brief account about him. However it was his progeny that caught the lime light due to their contribution in the religious and spiritual domain of Kashmir. One such great saint was Mir Syed Shah Qasim Haqani. He was born to Mir Sayyid Mohammad, sixth descendant of Sham ud din Shami, on 29th Rajab in 958 Hijra corresponding to 1551 A.D. Incidentally these were the days when Kashmir was politically unstable as the titular king was Sultan Nazuk Shah but the reins of the state were virtually in the hands of Mirza Haider Dugghlat, a cousin of Babur. Mirza Haider ruled here from 1541 to 1551 A.D. From his very childhood Sayyid Qasim was known for being pious and virtuous. As he entered the threshold of youth, saintly virtues and characteristics were visible from his very appearance. Since his teenage he kept aloof from the mundane and took to search the path of Truth. He committed the Quran to his memory. He led a strict shariah oriented life. Tazkiratul Urfa, chronicled by Mir Syed  Momin Haqani mentions that Syed Qasim would keep distance from hustle and bustle and would wander around the deserted places though he would   maintain the protocol of social contacts with the people. In order to subdue the instincts of Nafs, he took very little, kept fast without eating anything. For continuous eleven years he used to give his breakfast items ( bread etc) in alms to the needy contending himself with fasts. Moving away from the capital city, he would engage himself in praying at the outskirts and sometimes at Harwan Srinagar. It is here that he is said to have had the auspicious meeting with Hazrat Khizar (A.S) who instructed him in Zikr Khafi and then he reverted to Alaudin Pora Srinagar. 

Being extremely inclined, and himself adhering to the Islamic teachings, initially he was against Sama (music). With this in mind, he went to Zowara a locality near Pampore where Mir Mohammad Khalifa, a disciple of Shiekh Yaqoob Sarfi (R.A) was residing and entertaining himself with Sama. Sayyid Qasim intended to punish the disciples of Mir Mohammad Khalifa with hundred lashes each for indulging in an act which he claimed Shariah does not permit. On approaching the Sufi and his congregation, he lost his wits and could not recover himself up to the Zuhar (Noon) prayers. As he opened his eyes, Mir Mohammad Khalifa intimated him that Shaikh Yaqub Sarfi (R.A) had informed him in advance that it was he (Sarfi) who was deputing Sayyid Qasim to get entrapped and that he should be conferred the title of “Shah”. Sayyid Qasim came to be known as Shah Qasim and he chose to be a disciple of Mir Mohammad Khalifa in the first instance and later on of Shaikh Yaqub Sarfi(R.A.) who instructed him in the Kubravi Silsilah granting the Khatti Irshad and the Khirqa also.

The shrines and/or the resting places of the Sufis and Rishis are otherwise also attracting the commoners besides their followers. It is not here possible to trace the causes of the origin of the devotees thronging their shrines or to discuss it being permissible or otherwise. However it is of interest to note that their final resting places are conspicuous for otherwise also. It may be added here that the burial places of the Sultans and kings who held the sway of kingdoms for larger periods and whose fame extends even to present times hardly can offer a comparison to the eternal resting places of the Rishis and Sufis. The burials of the rulers hardly attract anyone to visit there whereas the shrines of the Sufis are an attraction to thousands, the number exceeds lakhs in many instances. The people are regular visitors to the shrines whereas the graves of even prominent kings are not known to their decadents or their counterparts in the present times.  The graves of the ruling class have hardly something to offer to the spiritual thirst of a devout, in fact a state of desolation dawns upon the visitors of their graves whereas the shrines of the Rishis and Sufis are a source of peace, inspiration and thought provoking.  The palaces of the former class reflected shine of their grandeur which in some cases is preserved till date but their graves are a quite contrast to it. The royals possessed and hoarded riches during their lifetimes but the spirituals led a life of austerity. Thousands of hankers-on and others waited and do wait upon the rulers as their sun shines but the Rishis and Sufis have a limited following, so much so even the Rishi of the stature of Sheikh ul Alam Shaikh Nur ud Din Rishi narrates that he roamed about in every nook and corner of the valley but no one invited to his home. 

The ancestors of Sayyid Shah Qasim Haqani had immigrated into Kashmir during the fourteenth century along with Amir Kabir Mir Sayyid Ali Hamdani(R.A.). He became a disciple of Shaikh Yaqub Sarfi(R.A.) in the Kubravi Silsilah. Later on he acquired, at Ujjain, the instructions in Qadriya order from Hujatul Ullah Abul Maqarim Shaikh Fazl ullah, Naqashbandiya from Hazrat Jamal ud Din popularly known as Diwana , Chistiya from Shaikh Salim Chisti Fathapuri, Shazliya from Sayyid Sibgatullah Shariff of Makkah. The grant of the title of Haqani to Sayyid Shah Qasim is more interesting. It is reported that one of the Sufis, Baba Ali Waali approached Hazrat Sheik Yaqub Sarfi, in some foreign land, with the plea that he was intending to visit Kashmir and needs someone to guide him there. The latter recommended him his prominent disciple, Shah Qasim. On his arrival in Kashmir Shah Qasim enquired from Baba Ali Waali about his Murshid. The latter did not refer to Shiekh Yaqub Sarfi (R.A) in the required protocol. Shah Qasim felt hurt so much so that he suffered from acute headache. Almost all the contemporaries and the latter sources reveal that during the following night, the immigrated Sufi(Baba Waali) had a dream where in he saw the Prophet (SAW), and  a person holding a hand fan. Baba Ali requested for the introduction of the person. The Prophet (SAW) referred to the person as “Aishaan” and added that  had you referred to Sheikh Yaqub Sarfi R.A as “Aishan” yesterday the “Haqani” would not have got hurt. It is said that since the morning of that day all began to call Sheikh Yaqub as “Aishan” and Shah Qasim as Haqani.   It is said that besides a leading Sufi, Shah Qasim Haqani was a versatile writer and he had a Dewan(Compilation) to his credit but has been lost to the vagaries of the time.

It was the 19th day of the month of Zul Hajj in 1033 A.D. Shah Qasim Haqani was not feeling well. The condition of the saint was failing day by day. One of his disciples, Mohammad Sharief by name, went to offer the Zuhar prayers at Khanqhai Moulla at Alludinpora (present Fateh Kadal). A dervish while meeting Mohammad Sharief enquired about the condition of his Murshid Sayyid Shah Qasim Haqani. The disciple retorted that considering the feeble state of health of the saint, he might not recover from the illness. The dervish remarked that Shah Qasim is no doubt unique and unparalled in the present times but prayed for his better end. The disciple of Shah Qasim exclaimed that his Murshid has guided hundred of immature (Naqisan) persons to perfection. Considering that why should he doubt his ending at Imaan. The dervish affirmed that Shah Qasim was far better than what Mohammad Sahrief was uttering but since he would arrange Sama which made him to comment so.  Shah Qasim on seeing the disciple feeling dejected gave a detailed sermon to his disciples.  Here it would suffice to quote that he intimated them that after his burial if something sprouts from his grave, they should consider that he had been accepted(by Allah). Many contemporaries reveal that Shah Qasim told his disciples that if the reed(Nai) grows from the upper side of his grave , it should be regarded as a sign of his recognition (Qubuliat) from Allah; if not they should take out his corpse and burn it to ashes so that no one claims to be a dervish like him. During the last quarter of the same night on 29th Rabi Sani 1033 Hijra corresponding to 1624 A.D Shah Qasim left for heavenly abode. It was 29th of Phagun of Kashmiri calendar. Almost all the contemporary historians and hagiographers report that the reed began to sprout from his grave. However some put it that it sprouted the moment the grave was filled with earth, some say that it happened the next day and according to some it happened on the fourth day. However all are unanimous that reed began to sprout from the neighbouring area so much so that it appeared from the kiln/oven of the ironsmith neighbouring the grave yard of Shah Qasim. The entire area was filled with the reeds and the entire Mohalla came to be called as Nar Pir Asthan or the Shrine of the Pir having reed. 

Zubani ke goyed madah dar shaani Haqani

Tu Haqani kuja dani zubani aan sukhan dani

Some interesting observations may be quoted here. The urs of shah Qasim is celebrated on 29th of Phagun as per the Kashmiri calendar but the date surely falls on the 29th of a month of Islamic calendar. If you happen to be on the shrine of Shah Qasim on 29th of Phagun, one is stunt to see the reeds sprouting during the same night every year.

Ein nai ne nai ko ki be fahme to dar aayed

Ramzist nehani ki tura rehabari nai

Syed qasim Shah haqqani shrine

Bashir Ahmad Dar is a Sr.Lecturer 

Architect of our Society

1384 AD is considered a historical year for Kashmir because in this year the great Saint and Sufi ,religious scholar, creative and multitalented writer and missionary and voyager for the cause of Islam, Mir Syed Ali Hamdani ( RA) popularly known as Amir-i-Kabir and Shah-i-Hamdan, sanctified the terra firma of Kashmir by his presence to spread the religion of Islam everywhere in Kashmir and enthuse the populace with the true spirit of the complete way of life. The advent of the great saint harbingered the dawn of a new era in the sense that the socio- political situation of Kashmir took an earth-shattering turn and a forceful process of socio- cultural transformation began to emerge as a result of his onslaught on all kinds of social, political and cultural ills.
Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (RA) was born on Monday, 12th of Rajjab, 714 A.H. (1314 A.D.) at Hamdan in Persia. His father’s name was Syed Shihab- ud- Din, an Allavi Syed and an important official in Hamdan. His mother’s name was Saiyadnah Fatimah whose lineage can be traced back to our beloved Prophet (SAW). He received his early education from his maternal uncle Saiyid Ala – ud – Din, a great saint of his era. He memorized the whole Quran (Hafiz-i-Quran) in his early boyhood and studied Islamic theology and learnt and educated himself with the learning of Tasawuff under the supervision of his maternal uncle Syed Ala-ud-Din. Later, he became the spiritual disciple of Sheikh Sharaf –ud- Din who advised him to complete his education by extensive travels to foreign lands. As a result of this, Mir Syed Ali (RA) undertook many travels which covered a period of twenty one years and remained and enjoyed the company of many mystics and divine personages of the age. He traveled around the world three times and interacted with one thousand and four hundred saints. He authored more than one hundred and seventy books. The three books, Zakirat-ul-Maluk, Risala-i-Maktubat and Ghayatul-Makan, are the most prominent and contain an account of his experiences and ideas. The first book emphasizes upon the principles which ought to be the guidelines of a Muslim ruler. The second is a collection of his letters to the different rulers offering guidance on political issues and the third stresses that the people absorbed in materialistic and worldly pursuits can not carry the difficult task of being a Sufi.
The great Saint espoused the policy of attracting and stirring the ruler and his nobles to recognize Islam as their way of life because he was of the firm conviction that the common masses followed the demeanor and mores of their rulers. And, he also preferred to convert the people to Islam in the City or Shahr because the cities played a great makeup for the social amend. Mir Syed Ali Hamdani converted an enormous number of people in the vale. It is has been instituted that he did not only fetch the Sultan and his nobles like Magrays, Ganaies, and Chandans into frontiers of Islam but he also thrived in inspiring the great Guru of Kali Mandir, Srinagar and his thousands of followers to embrace Islam. His moral and spiritual maneuver played a great role in changing the demographic character of Kashmir and he was successful in pushing the Brahmincal influence to its last leg and made a large number of Hindus belonging to different castes to accept Islam. His influence on the Kashmiri society was due to his accessibility to all and the unique qualities which attracted the attention of everybody including the Hindus. He was a symbol of equality, justice and unity and his Khanqah was open for everybody from the king to the poorest in the society. His introducing the tradition of Zikir of Aurad-i-Fathiya had the aim to blend the dissimilar sections and groups of the society. The great saint is the architecture of our society who freed us from the idol worship.

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Syed Ali Hamadani’s (RA) enduring impact on Kashmir

Syed Ali Hamadani (RA) was a great reformer and a visionary who has impacted almost all the aspects of lives of Kashmiris. Be it religious or spiritual dimension or social and political, be it economic activity by introducing the arts and crafts of Iran and Central Asia in Kashmir or the instructions to the Kings and rulers in all these matters, the influence and impact of Syed Ai Hamadani (RA) cannot be undermined.
He has influenced the Muslim saints and Hindu ascetics equally by his deep spiritual indoctrination he was espousing. His son Mir Mohammad Hamadani continued his mission in Kashmir and was instrumental in initiating the local Rishi Saint Shaikh Nooruddin Wali into his Sufi discipleship, thus paving the way for a long and enduring process of Islamisation of not only Kashmir but even the localised mystic orders of Kashmir like Rishism.
He was the only preacher of Islam in Kashmir and Baltistan (Northern Areas, Pakistan) who brought a clandestine change in the life styles of Kashmiri masses and provided them with Islamic values and established the Persian culture in Kashmir. In this way Kashmir was transformed into a new phase of its civilizational march from Buddhist and Hinduised moorings to an Islamic and Iranian one. It was due to these Persian influences on the socio-cultural life of the people in Kashmir that Sir Muhammad Iqbal has given reference to Kashmir in his poetry as Iran –i-Sagheer meaning little Iran.
Mir Syed Ali Hamadani (RA), the apostle of Kashmir, better known as the ‘Shah of Hamadan’ and ‘Ameer-e-Kabir’ (1314- 1384) is arguably the most celebrated of these Syed, coming from Iran and Central Asia in Medieval period and who have blessed Kashmir and have accelerated the process of Islamisation of Kashmir which has continued after them and is still continuing unabated.
In our state there are four major Hospices dedicated to the Shah, the Khanqah e Mu’alla (Srinagar), Tral, Doru and Shey (Ladakh). There also are several lesser- known Hospices of the Shah, which are situated at Sopore and Pampore. The Shah died either at Hazara (Pakistan) or in Kafiristan. However, he was buried in Khatlan (Tajikistan).
His room where he stayed for the first time is part of a great building, named as Khanqah-e-Mualla (the hospice). The building is a beautiful model of wooden architecture of Kashmir, with engravings on walls. The sacred relics include the Prophet’s flag, the pillar of the Prophet’s tent, and Shah Hamadan’s walking stick is also housed in this hospice. During his life the place acquired the distinction of being the center of the religious learning and spiritual enlightenment. People throng to the place and pray there to Allah even today.
The Shah was born in Hamadan, Iran. He travelled across the continents for twenty- one years, in the pursuit of knowledge and spiritual enlightenment. He met 1400 saints in the process before he returned to Hamadan. The Shah of Hamadan reached Kashmir in 1372. He went to Ladakh around 1381 and was the first to establish a mosque there. Hamadani (RA) entered the valley in the reign of Sultan Shihab-ud-Din in 774/1372. After staying for a short time he left for Mecca. He visited Kashmir second time in 781/1379 in the reign of Sultan Qutbu’d-Din. This time he stayed there for two and a half years and then left for Turkistan via Ladakh in 783 A.H. He paid the third visit in 785/1383, stayed in Kashmir for a short period, and then left “Kashmir on account of ill-health and stayed at Pakhli for ten days at the request of the ruler of that place whose name was Sultan Muhammad.”
However, Baharistan-i-Shahi does not mention Hamadan’s third visit to Kashmir. Hamadani (RA) died in 786 A.H., at the age of 73 in Kanar, a place in the vicinity of Pakhli. His body was carried to Khattalan now in Tajikistan and was buried there on 25 Jamadul Awwal, 787,130 (14 July 1385).
Apart from culture and mannerism, the cultural traits of Kashmiri literary life were also influenced greatly by his arrival to Kashmir.From Persia were received these genres: new poet genres –ghazal, qasidah, marsiya, rubai, mathanavi, nat and Manqabat. Muslims introduced in Kashmir from Persia as there was the only litany very genres that obtained in Kashmir prior to the Muslims were vaakh, watsun and shrukh.
He preached Islam and affected the conversion of thousands of people from Buddhism to Islam by his great efforts. He has constructed many Khanqahs, mosques and memorial places in these areas, some places are very popular in Asia particularly “Chaqchan Mosque” a most beautiful handicraft mosque in the garassion. 95 percent people (Noorbakhshi) of District Ghanche (Northern Areas, Pakistan) have great belief on him following his assistant’s preachings (Shah Syed Noorbakshs R.A)
Apart from influencing Muslim Sufis and masses, Syed Ali Hamadani (RA) and his Sufi colleagues, have influenced the non Muslim ascetics substantially. It is pertinent here to say that dissatisfied with the religion of the Brahmans, Lal had therefore, no other alternative but to seek the company of the Kabrawi Sufi, Sayyid Husain Simnani, who had settled in the village of Kulgam during the reign of Sultan Shihabuddin. While Lal Ded was a wandering mystic, Simnani was engaged in a philanthropic mission in Kulgam. Lal Ded did not give a systematic expose of Saivism on the lines laid down by the theologians who preceded her; on the other hand her “songs illustrate a picture of the actual hopes and fears of the common folk that nominally followed the teachings of those men whom they had accepted as their guides.”
There was great impact that was received by this wandering mystic like Lala, from her surrounding Islamic personages like Sayyid Husain Simnani, Sayyid Tajuddin and Sayyid Ali Hamadani. She imbibed a critical attitude towards the manifold abuses of the caste ridden social order. Her verses against the Brahmnamic supremacy show that she as well as other sensitive elements of the medieval non-Muslims were receiving subtle impact of Islamic acculturation, as this fact is also attested by strong documentary evidences.
The author is Director of the Shah-e Hamadan Institute of Islamic Studies, Kashmir University.