Khajeh Abdollah Ansari
Encyclopedia
Abu Ismaïl Abdullah ibn Abi-Mansour Mohammad or Khajah Abdullah Ansari of Herat (1006–1088) also known as Pir-i Herat (sage of Herat) was a famous Persian
Sufi who lived in the 11th century in Herat
(then Khorasan
, now Herat province, Afghanistan
). One of the outstanding figures in Khorasan
in the 5th/11th century: commentator of the Koran, traditionist, polemicist, and spiritual master, known for his oratory and poetic talents in Arabic and Persian
.
, on 4 May 1006. His father Abu Mansur, was a shopkeeper who had spent several years of his youth at Balkh
.
Abdullah was the disciple of Shaikh Abul Hassan Kharaqani
, for whom he had deep respect and faith, as he has said: "Abdullah was a hidden treasure, and its key was in the hands of Abul Hassan Kharaqani
."
He practiced the Hanbali
fiqh
, one of the four Sunni schools of law
or jurisprudence
. His shrine
, built during the Timurid Dynasty
, is a popular pilgrimage site.
He wrote several books on Islamic mysticism
and philosophy in Persian
and Arabic. His most famous work is "Munajat Namah" (literally 'Litanies or dialogues with God'), which is considered a masterpiece of afghane literature. After his death, his students and disciples compiled his teachings about the Tafsir
of Quran, and named it "Kashful Asrar". This is the best and lengthiest Sufi Tafsir of Quran, being published several times in 10 volumes.
He excelled in the knowledge of Hadith, history, and Ilm ul-Ansaab. He used to avoid the company of the rich, powerful and the influential. His yearly majlis-e-wa'az was attended by people from far and wide. Whatever his disciples and followers used to present to him was handed over to the poor and the needy. He is said to have had a very impressive personality, and used to dress gracefully.
Khwajah Abdullah Ansari of Herat was a direct descendant of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
, and was the ninth in line from him. The lineage is described, and traced in the family history records, as follows;
Abu Ismail Khajeh Abdollah Ansari, son of Abu Mansoor Balkhi, son of Jaafar, son of Abu Mu'aaz, son of Muhammad, son of Ahmad, son of Jaafar, son of Abu Mansoor al-Taabi'i, son of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
.
In the reign of the third Caliph amongst the Khulafaa-e-Rashideen of Islam, Uthman ibn Affan, Abu Mansoor al-Taabi'i took part in the conquest of Khorasan, and subsequently settled in Herat, his descendant Khwajah Abdullah Ansari died there in 1088.
The descendants of Mulla Qutubuddin Ansari Shaheed founded the famous Firangi Mahal
school of religious thought and education.
Khwajah Abdullah Ansari of Herat is also the ancestor of the line of Heravi Khajavi in Iran, whom among others reign the provins of Khorasan
.
Stations of the Sufi Path, The One Hundred Fields (Sad Maydan) of Abdullah Ansari of Herat, translated by Nahid Angha www.archetypebooks.com
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
Sufi who lived in the 11th century in Herat
Herat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
(then Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
, now Herat province, Afghanistan
Herat Province
Herat is one the 34 provinces of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces, it makes up the South-western region of the country...
). One of the outstanding figures in Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
in the 5th/11th century: commentator of the Koran, traditionist, polemicist, and spiritual master, known for his oratory and poetic talents in Arabic and Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
.
Life
He was born in the Kohandez, the old citadel of HeratHerat
Herāt is the capital of Herat province in Afghanistan. It is the third largest city of Afghanistan, with a population of about 397,456 as of 2006. It is situated in the valley of the Hari River, which flows from the mountains of central Afghanistan to the Karakum Desert in Turkmenistan...
, on 4 May 1006. His father Abu Mansur, was a shopkeeper who had spent several years of his youth at Balkh
Balkh
Balkh , was an ancient city and centre of Zoroastrianism in what is now northern Afghanistan. Today it is a small town in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, and some south of the Amu Darya. It was one of the major cities of Khorasan...
.
Abdullah was the disciple of Shaikh Abul Hassan Kharaqani
Abul Hassan Kharaqani
Abu al-Hassan Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Salmān al-Kharaqāni or Shaikh Abul-Hassan Kharaqāni [also written Kherqāni] is one of the master Sufis of Islam...
, for whom he had deep respect and faith, as he has said: "Abdullah was a hidden treasure, and its key was in the hands of Abul Hassan Kharaqani
Abul Hassan Kharaqani
Abu al-Hassan Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Salmān al-Kharaqāni or Shaikh Abul-Hassan Kharaqāni [also written Kherqāni] is one of the master Sufis of Islam...
."
He practiced the Hanbali
Hanbali
The Hanbali school is one the schools of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. The jurisprudence school traces back to Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal but was institutionalized by his students. Hanbali jurisprudence is considered very strict and conservative, especially regarding questions of dogma...
fiqh
Fiqh
Fiqh is Islamic jurisprudence. Fiqh is an expansion of the code of conduct expounded in the Quran, often supplemented by tradition and implemented by the rulings and interpretations of Islamic jurists....
, one of the four Sunni schools of law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
or jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
. His shrine
Khwaja 'Abd Allah Ansari shrine
The Khwaja 'Abd Allah Ansari shrine, also known as Gazar Gah, is a funerary compound in Herat, Afghanistan, that houses the tomb of the Sufi mystic and saint Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, also known as the guardian pir of Herat....
, built during the Timurid Dynasty
Timurid Dynasty
The Timurids , self-designated Gurkānī , were a Persianate, Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turko-Mongol descent whose empire included the whole of Iran, modern Afghanistan, and modern Uzbekistan, as well as large parts of contemporary Pakistan, North India, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and the...
, is a popular pilgrimage site.
He wrote several books on Islamic mysticism
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
and philosophy in Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
and Arabic. His most famous work is "Munajat Namah" (literally 'Litanies or dialogues with God'), which is considered a masterpiece of afghane literature. After his death, his students and disciples compiled his teachings about the Tafsir
Tafsir
Tafseer is the Arabic word for exegesis or commentary, usually of the Qur'an. Ta'wīl is a subset of tafsir and refers to esoteric or mystical interpretation. An author of tafsir is a mufassir .- Etymology :...
of Quran, and named it "Kashful Asrar". This is the best and lengthiest Sufi Tafsir of Quran, being published several times in 10 volumes.
He excelled in the knowledge of Hadith, history, and Ilm ul-Ansaab. He used to avoid the company of the rich, powerful and the influential. His yearly majlis-e-wa'az was attended by people from far and wide. Whatever his disciples and followers used to present to him was handed over to the poor and the needy. He is said to have had a very impressive personality, and used to dress gracefully.
Khwajah Abdullah Ansari of Herat was a direct descendant of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari - born Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb in Yathrib - hailed from the tribe of Banu Najjar and was a close companion of Muhammad. Abu Ayyub was one among the Ansar of early Muslim history, or those who supported Muhammad after the hijra to Medina in 622...
, and was the ninth in line from him. The lineage is described, and traced in the family history records, as follows;
Abu Ismail Khajeh Abdollah Ansari, son of Abu Mansoor Balkhi, son of Jaafar, son of Abu Mu'aaz, son of Muhammad, son of Ahmad, son of Jaafar, son of Abu Mansoor al-Taabi'i, son of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari
Abu Ayyub al-Ansari - born Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb in Yathrib - hailed from the tribe of Banu Najjar and was a close companion of Muhammad. Abu Ayyub was one among the Ansar of early Muslim history, or those who supported Muhammad after the hijra to Medina in 622...
.
In the reign of the third Caliph amongst the Khulafaa-e-Rashideen of Islam, Uthman ibn Affan, Abu Mansoor al-Taabi'i took part in the conquest of Khorasan, and subsequently settled in Herat, his descendant Khwajah Abdullah Ansari died there in 1088.
Descendants and the School of Firangi Mahal
His direct descendants moved to Hindostaan, and played a key role in the development of Islamic thought, education, and the spread of Islam in Hindostaan. The most famous and significant descendants was Qutub al-Aalam Shaikh Khawaja Alauddin Ansari of Herat, followed by Makhdoom Nizamuddin Ansari of Sehali, Barabanki, Oudh, and Qutub Shaheed Mulla Qutubuddin Ansari Shaheed, of Sehali, Barabanki, Oudh.The descendants of Mulla Qutubuddin Ansari Shaheed founded the famous Firangi Mahal
Firangi mahal
Firangi Mahal , also spelled Farangi Mahal is a Religious Higher education school in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.-Earliest History:...
school of religious thought and education.
Khwajah Abdullah Ansari of Herat is also the ancestor of the line of Heravi Khajavi in Iran, whom among others reign the provins of Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
.
Books (in Persian)
- Kashf al-Asrar wa 'Iddat al-Abrar (Quran exegesisExegesisExegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
) (dari : کشف الاسرار و عدة الابرار) - Munajat Namah (dari : مناجات نامه)
- Nasayeh (dari : نصایح)
- Zad-ul Arefeen (dari : زاد االعالرفین)
- Kanz-ul Salikeen (dari : کنز السالکین)
- Haft Hesar (dari : هفت حصار)
- Elahi Namah (dari : الهی نامه)
- Muhabbat Namah (dari : محبت نامه)
- Qalandar Namah (dari : قلندر نامه)
- Resala-é Del o Jan (dari : رساله دل و جان)
- Resala-é Waredat (dari : رساله واردات)
- Sad Maidan (dari : صد میدان)
- Resala Manaqib Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal
Books (in Arabic)
- Anwar al-Tahqeeq
- Zem al-Kalam
- Manāzel al-Sā'erīn
- Kitaab al-Frooq
- Kitaab al-Arba'een
See also
- Abul Hassan KharaqaniAbul Hassan KharaqaniAbu al-Hassan Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Salmān al-Kharaqāni or Shaikh Abul-Hassan Kharaqāni [also written Kherqāni] is one of the master Sufis of Islam...
- Firangi MahalFirangi mahalFirangi Mahal , also spelled Farangi Mahal is a Religious Higher education school in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.-Earliest History:...
- Abu Ayyub al-AnsariAbu Ayyub al-AnsariAbu Ayyub al-Ansari - born Khalid ibn Zayd ibn Kulayb in Yathrib - hailed from the tribe of Banu Najjar and was a close companion of Muhammad. Abu Ayyub was one among the Ansar of early Muslim history, or those who supported Muhammad after the hijra to Medina in 622...
- Shaikh Khawaja Alauddin Ansari
- Qutub Shaheed Mulla Qutubuddin Ansari Shaheed
- Khwaja 'Abd Allah Ansari shrineKhwaja 'Abd Allah Ansari shrineThe Khwaja 'Abd Allah Ansari shrine, also known as Gazar Gah, is a funerary compound in Herat, Afghanistan, that houses the tomb of the Sufi mystic and saint Khwajah Abdullah Ansari, also known as the guardian pir of Herat....
- Khwaja
- SufismSufismSufism or ' is defined by its adherents as the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. A practitioner of this tradition is generally known as a '...
Further reading
Stations of the Sufi Path, The One Hundred Fields (Sad Maydan) of Abdullah Ansari of Herat, translated by Nahid Angha www.archetypebooks.com