Shia Islam in India
Shia Islam in India
Shia Islam in India
Feroz Khan
Azim Premji M. F. Husain
Total population
Over 50 Million
Most of India.
Languages
Part of a series on
Sha Islam
Isml
Nzr-Ismls
Mustl-Tyyb
Zad
Ethnashar
J'fars
Ghult-Emms
Hurf-Nuqtv-Baktshs
Khab-Nusyrs
Btin-Alevis
List of extinct Shia sects
Ahl al-Kisa
Muhammad
Ali
Fatimah
Hasan
Hussein
Holy Women
Fatimah
Khadija bint Khuwaylid
Umm Salama
Zaynab bint Ali
Umm ul-Banin
Fatimah bint Hasan
Sukayna bint Husayn
Rubab
Shahrbanu
Ftimah bint Ms
Hakimah Khtn
Narjis
Fatimah bint Asad
Farwah bint al-Qasim
v
t
e [1]
Shia Islam in India 4
There are many big and small towns and villages with a majority Shiite
Muslim population in India. Many Sayyids between 11th to 16th
century migrated to the Indian subcontinent to escape the persecution
of Shias in mostly Sunni ruled Middle East,[3] Prominent places in
India with majority or considerable Shia Muslim population are Kargil,
Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Hallaur, Amroha and others.
History
As per historical evidences and the genealogy maintained by the Nawab Shuja-ud-Daula and his heir Nawab
Asaf-ud-Daula at Faizabad
Sayyids who migrated to India from the Middle East, the history of
Shia Islam in India traces long back, around 1000 years. According to
historical records earliest known Muslim settlers in Awadh region (now a part of state of Uttar Pradesh) were father
and son duo Saiyed Salar Dawood Ghazi and Saiyed Saiyed Salar Masud Ghazi.[4] In 422 AH/1030 AD Saiyed
Salaar Dawood Ghazi his son Saiyed Salaar Masud Ghazi and nefew Saiyed Salaar Sulaiman established themselves
at Satrikh (also known as Sulaimanabad), district Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. In the year 462 AH/1070 AD Saiyed
Shia Islam in India 5
Abdullah Zarbaqsh and Saiyed Zaid Shahsawar viz. the son-in-law and
grandson (daughter's son) of Saiyed Salaar Dawood Ghazi established
the town Zaidpur, district Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. The rulers of
various dynasties of India and also in the 11th century the rulers of
Multan and Sindh were adherents of Shia Islam. The Nawabs of
Awadh[5]
Shia culture and belief has left its influence all over India with Imam
Hussein ibn Ali becoming the revered personality in India not only for
the Shias but also from non-Muslim communities, especially the Nizamat Imambara in West Bengal, built by
Hindus of northern India who participate in ceremonies Mansur Ali Khan (Nawab of Bengal) is probably
commemorating Hussein ibn Ali's martyrdom on the Day of Ashura. the largest Imambara of India
Shaykh al-Mufid writes that before the Battle of Karbala, Hussein ibn
Ali and the commander of the enemy forces, Umar ibn Saad, met at
night and talked together for a long time. After that meeting Umar ibn
Saad sent a letter to the Governor of Kufa, Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad in
which he wrote that Hussein ibn Ali has suggested that he go to one of
the border outposts of the rapidly expanding Muslim empire as a way
of resolving conflict. Other traditions name that border outpost as Al
Hind or India. Even though Hussein ibn Ali himself was not able to go
to India, some of the Shia did emigrate there for various reasons,
including those who came as refugees from Umayyads and Abbasids
Hoogly Imambara Courtyard, West Begal
persecution. These refugees brought with them rituals which kept alive
the remembrance of Karbala and their Shia Identity.
Due to the Mughal's admiration for Persian culture, might and power,
Persians Shias were invited to migrate to South Asia to prosper and
obtain high positions in the Muslim Sultanates and later in the Mughal
Empire. There were also rebels and nobles who lost royal favour and
migrated to Mughal Empire. The Mughals also preferred to employ
foreign Muslim officials that had no local interests and thus were loyal
to the Mughal emperor. The Mughal empereor Humayun who fled to Shia Jaama Masjid Husainabad, Lucknow
Shia Islam in India 6
Persia due to Sher Shah Suri's conquereing of much of his empire, the benevolent Shah Ismail I of the Safavids
granted him help and thus Humayun returned with Persians soldiers and nobles to reclaim the throne, but this also
increased the influence of the Shia Persians in Mughal Empire.
Persecution
Persecution of Shia Islam in India begins from Kashmir where Ashura Procession is banned decades ago. shias are
not allowed to mourn on the day of Ashura in Kashmir imposing strict restrictions on procession openly violation the
Freedom of religion in the state. Shiites in India faced persecution by some Sunni rulers and Mughal Emperors
which resulted in the martyrdom of Indian Shia scholars like Qazi Nurullah Shustari (also known as
Shaheed-e-Thaalis, the third Martyr) and Mirza Muhammad Kamil Dehlavi (also known as Shaheed-e- Rabay, the
fourth Martyr) who are two of the five martyrs of Shia Islam.
Shias also faced persecution in India in Kashmir for centuries, by the Sunni invaders of the region which resulted in
massacre of many Shias and as a result most of them had to flee the region. Shias in Kashmir in subsequent years
had to pass through the most atrocious period of their history. Plunder, loot and massacres which came to be known
as Taarajs virtually devastated the community. History records 10 such Taarajs also known as Taraj-e-Shia
between 15th to 19th century in 1548, 1585, 1635, 1686, 1719, 1741, 1762, 1801, 1830, 1872 during which the Shia
habitations were plundered, people slaughtered, libraries burnt and their sacred sites desecrated. Such was the reign
of terror during this period that the community widely went into the practice of Taqya in order to preserve their lives
and the honor of their womenfolk. Village after village disappeared, with community members either migrating to
safety further north or dissolving in the majority faith. The persecution suffered by Shias in Kashmir during the
successive foreign rules was not new for the community. Many of the standard bearers of Shia Islam, like Saadaat
(Saiyeds) or the descendants of the Prophet Mohammad and other missionaries who played a key role in spread of
the faith in Kashmir, had left their home lands forced by similar situations.
Rampur, former princely state of British India. Previously ruled by Shiite Muslim Nawabs of Rampur, it was
incorporated into the state of Uttar Pradesh in 1949.
Shias also claim to be sidelined in India, hence the All India Shia Personal Law Board was formed after segregation
from the All India Muslim Personal Law Board in 2005 to address the legal needs of the Shia population. AISPLB
feels that there should be a national policy for the Shias to prevent their exploitation by vested interests. The attitude
of the government towards Muslims especially in Maharashtra came in for criticism. The newly formed All India
Shia Personal Law Board had 69 members at the time of formation compared to 204 members in the All India
Muslim Personal Law Board. The Shia body had the support of the erstwhile royal family of Lucknow, some 2000
descendants of the family claim to have extended their support. Shias claim they have been sidelined by the
Sunni-dominated law board, which was set up in 1972. Maulana Mirza Mohammed Athar, president of the
breakaway All India Shia Personal Law Board explained the reason for segregation saying that, Shias have formed a
forum of themselves because the All India Muslim Personal Law Board never took interest in their well being."
Shias and Sunnis do not interpret family laws in a similar way. Shiites also have different Mosques and Burial
grounds in India.
However, some external sources such as the BBC claim that there are close to 20 million Shia's in India and the Pew
Research Center figure them between 10 to 14 percent giving the numbers between 16,000,000 to 24,000,000.
However, the Pew Research Center report is not considered authentic by many Shias and also national and
International reports after taking into consideration the report released by Britannica Book of the year in 1997 which
put the estimates of Shia population in India in 1996 over 26,000,000[10] out of entire Indian Muslim population of
103,000,000 at that time.[11]
Shia Islam in India 9
Community
There are notable Shia Muslims involved in many prominent Indian affairs, such as Arts, Business, Diplomates,
Bureaucracrates, Journalism, Sports, Science, Religion, Literature, Politics, etc.
Azim Hashim Premji, being 3rd richest Indian, belongs to Shia community. Bismillah Khan, the winner of Bharat
Ratna award is regarded as one of the most important figures in Indian music. In Politics, majority of Shia Muslims,
like other Muslims of India are generally supporters of the Indian National Congress.
Some Shia organisations in India include:-
All India Shia Personal Law Board
Madrasah al Waizeen (College of preachers)
Jamia Nazmia
Sultan al Madaris
Anjuman Haideri Hallaur
Shia Companions organisation[12]
Azadari in India
See also: Azadari in Lucknow
Azadari or the mourning practice of Imam Husain ibn Ali is very much
prevalent across India. One thing which is worth noting in Indian
Azadari is the participation of non Muslims in Shia rituals on the day
of Ashura.
The Hindu rulers of Vijayanagar during the 16th and 17th centuries
even donned blackened garments and helped to arrange the Kala Tazia
(Black Tazia) processions. Even the Scindias of Gwalior and the Husainabad Imambara also known as Chota
Holkar Maharajas of Indore conducted Majlis or Muharram Imambara at Husainabad, Lucknow, built in 1838
by King Mohammad Ali Shah of Awadh
congregations. In Lucknow Hindus regularly join Muslims in the
Azadari and Alam processions. The Sufi saints of India along with the
Shi'ite Scholars encouraged the mixing and merging of indigenous elements from the rich cultural heritage of the
land to that of Muharram thus proclaiming the message of peaceful co-existence among communities and united
resistance to tyrannical authority.
The carrying of Alams through fire by men is more common. There are several occasions when these are
traditionally practiced particularly in the town of Vizianagaram 550km outside of Hyderabad where 110 Alams are
taken through the fire. A significant aspect of firewalking in the context of Moharram commemorations in Andhra
Pradesh is the participation of Hindus in the ceremonies. In Vizinagaram 109 of the Alams are carried by Hindus.[13]
Shia Islam in India 10
References
[1] http:/ / en. wikipedia. org/ w/ index. php?title=Template:Shia_Islam& action=edit
[2] Momen, Moojan, An Introduction to Shi'i Islam, Yale University Press, 1985, p.277
[3] "Shias and Shia Islam in India: a study in society and culture", p. 197, by Nadeem Hasnain, Sheikh Abrar Husain
[4] Shajraat-Taiyabaat the genealogy of Saiyeds of Zaidpur published in 1916
[5] Mughal Empire (1500s, 1600s) (http:/ / www. bbc. co. uk/ religion/ religions/ islam/ history/ mughalempire_5. shtml). Bbc.co.uk
(2009-09-07). Retrieved on 2011-11-07.
[6] Syed Akbar Hyder. Reliving Karbala: Martyrdom in South Asian Memory . Notes, page 180
[7] Syed Akbar Hyder. Reliving Karbala: Martyrdom in South Asian Memory . Notes, page 181
[8] Ansari, N.H. "Bahmanid Dynasty" (http:/ / www. iranica. com/ newsite/ home/ index. isc) Encyclopaedia Iranica
[9] The Peacock Throne by Waldemar Hansen. ISBN 978-81-208-0225-4. Page 468.
[10] 1997 Britannica Book of the Year, 1997, p.781-783
[11] Ash, Russell. The Top 10 of Everything, DK Publishing, Inc.: New York, 1997, p.160-161
[12] Shia Companions (http:/ / www. shiacompanions. org/ )
[13] Toby Howarth. The Twelver Shi'a as a Muslim Minority in India: Pulpit of Tears . Notes, page 195
Further reading
The book "Durr-e-Mansoor dar Halaat-e-Ulama-e-Zangipur"
The book "MATLA-e-ANWAR" (By Maulana Murtaza Husain Sadrul-Afazil)
The book "KHURSHEED-e-KHAWAR" (By Maulan Saeed Akhtar Gopalpuri)
The thesis on "Life of Jawad-ul-Ulama" research work of Dr.Inayet Ali (Aligarh Muslim University)
The booklet "Haqnuma" published Jamia-Imania,Banaras
The booklet on Life of Mulla Syed Mohammad Tahir ( By Maulana Syed Ahmad Hasan)
External links
JafariyaNews.com India section (http://www.jafariyanews.com/india.htm)
English translation of Maqtal al-Husayn of 'Abd al-Razzaq al-Muqarram (http://home.earthlink.net/
~downloadquran/Maqtal_al-Husain.pdf)
http://www.alimaan.org
http://www.humazadar.com
http://alinagarpali.wetpaint.com/page/Allama+Adeel+Akhtar+Zaidi
Article Sources and Contributors 11
License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
//creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/