Shia Islam in India
Encyclopedia
Shia Muslims are a large minority among India
's Muslims
. However, there has been no particular census conducted in India with regards to sects, but Indian sources like Times of India and DNA reported India
n Shiite population in mid 2005–2006 between 25% and 31% of entire Muslim population of India which accounts them in numbers between 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 of 157,000,000 Indian Muslim population. However, as per an estimation of one reputed Shiite NGO Alimaan Trust, India
's Shia population in early 2000 was around 30 million with Sayyid
s comprising just over half of the entire Shia population. According to some national and international sources India
n Shia population is the world's second-largest after Iran
, Shiite population was also acclaimed publicly as second largest by the 14th Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
quoted in the year 2005. One of the lingering problems in estimating the Shia population is that unless the Shia form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni. For example, the 1926 rise of the House of Saud
in Arabia brought official discrimination against Shias. The Shia-majority areas of Al-Hasa
, Qatif
and Hofuf
on the Persian Gulf
, Western Arabia provinces of Jizan
, Asir, and Hejaz
that had large Shia minorities have officially been completely stripped of their religious identities. Shiites are estimated to be 21–35 percent of the Muslim population in South Asia, although the total number is difficult to estimate due to the intermingling between the Muslim Sects and practice of taqiyya
by Shiites.
However,some external sources like 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 Shiites 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 Shiite population in India
in 1996 over 26,000,000 out of entire Indian Muslim population of 103,000,000 at that time.
There are many big and small towns and villages with majority Shiite Muslim population in India. Many Sayyid
s between 12th to 16th century migrated to the Indian subcontinent
to escape the persecution of Shias
in mostly Sunni ruled Middle East
. Prominent places in India with majority or considerable Shiite Muslim population are Kargil
, Delhi
, Mumbai
, Hyderabad, Barabanki, Lucknow
, Hallaur
, Sadaat Amroha
, Sadaat Jais & Naseerabad and Naugawan Sadat
. Shias in Hallaur,Sirsi Sadat,Sadaat Amroha and Naugawan Sadat are majority Sayyid
s. Among the Shias of India
an overwhelming majority belongs to the Ithna Ashari (Twelver) division, while the Shias among the Khoja
and Bohra
communities are Ismaili
. Dawoodi Bohra
s are primarily based in India
, even though the Dawoodi
theology originated in Yemen
. India
is home to the majority Dawoodi Bohra
population most of them concentrated in Gujarat out of over 1 million followers worldwide.
There is no certainty as to when the Shia community first established itself in South Asia. As per historical evidences and the genealogy maintained by the Sayyid
s who migrated to India
from Middle East
the history of Shia Islam traces long back around 1000 years. The rulers of various dynasties of India
and also in the 11th century the rulers of Multan
and Sindh
which are now part of Pakistan
were adherents of Shia Islam. The Nawabs of Awadh
and Hyder Ali
& Tipu Sultan
of Mysore, who were rulers in India, were also Shia Muslims.
Shia culture and belief has left its influence all over India with Imam al Husain ibn Ali becoming the revered personality in India not only for the Shias but also from non-Muslim communities, especially the Hindus of northern India who participate in ceremonies commemorating Husain ibn Ali's martyrdom on the day of Ashura
.
Shaykh al-Mufid writes that before the Battle of Karbala
, Husain 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 Husain 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 Husain 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 persecution. These refugees brought with them rituals which kept alive the remembrance of Karbala and their Shia Identity.
Its narrated by Abd al Razzaq al Muqarram in his work of Maqtal al-Husayn
that prior to his martyrdom, Al Abbas ibn Ali
while asking water for Mohammad's family from the Yazid's
army expressed his desire to go either Rome
or to India
. This made some people wept in the army of Yazid
.
It has been believed that in 7th century few ladies from the household of Prophet Mohammad after Battle of Karbala
came to Punjab province which became a part of Pakistan
. One of the prominent of them was Ruqayyah bint Ali, the daughter of Ali bin Abi Talib through his wife Ummul Banin, Ruqayyah bint Ali was the sister of Abbas ibn Ali
and wife of Muslim ibn Aqeel
. Still her shrine in Lahore
, Punjab
of Pakistan
, is visited by people all around and she is referred as Bibi Pak Daman
.
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’ism, like Sa’adaat
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.
n Identity. Husain ibn Ali then goes on to praise India
and its people in the following words:
"The perfumed fragrance entered the realm of love from your country
The cool breeze came to my grandfather Mohammad from that garden."
Upon asking more about the guest’s background he finds out that he is an Indian merchant residing in neighboring city of Basra
, his father had been entrusted with the treasury of the war booty by none other than Ali bin Abitalib. For this reason the merchant holds himself morally responsible for assisting Husain ibn Ali in any possible way when the later is in trouble. Husain ibn Ali appreciated gesture, but discouraged the merchant from taking up arms in following words:
"Brother, in my opinion you are the beloved of the world
In this country you are the treasure of India
."
Munshi Premchand
further narrates the perception of this merchant on the part of Imam as suspicion about Husain ibn Ali’s sincerity because of being a Hindu
.
With tear filled eyes the traveler said:
”I am a Hindu
, perhaps my fidelity is not convincing
Master! Even though this heart is the land of Idol
Temple
In it is also lit the light of affection”.
Husain ibn Ali said : What have you said in passion, Why should my eyes doubt your fidelity? My lord is aware of my conscience. What’s the difference between Hindu
and Muslim
is the quest for truth. This has the guiding principle for the People of the Cloak or Ahl al-Kisa
. ”.
n provinces from time to time.
Few prominent ones of the Indian Shia Muslim dynasties are as follows:
The Bahmani Sultanate
also called the Bahmanid Empire or Bahmani Kingdom was a Muslim
state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms. Bahmanid Sultanate was the first independent Islamic and Shi'ite Kingdom in South India.
The Sharqi sultanate was an independent medieval Shia Muslim dynasty of North India
, one of the many kingdoms that came up following the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate
. Between 1394 CE to 1479 CE, Sharqi dynasty ruled from Jaunpur
in the present day state of Uttar Pradesh
.
On the establishment of the Bahmani Sultanate
in the Deccan (1348), Berar Sultanate
was constituted one of the five provinces into which their kingdom was divided, being governed by great nobles, with a separate army. The perils of this system becoming apparent, the province was divided (1478 or 1479) into two separate provinces, named after their capitals Gawil
and Mahur.
Bidar Sultanate
was one of the Deccan sultanates
of late medieval India
. Its founder, Qasim Barid was a Turk, domiciled in Georgia
. He joined the service of the Bahmani
sultan Muhammad Shah III. He started his career as a Sar-Naubat but later became the Mir-Jumla (prime minister) of the Bahmani sultanate
.
The Qutb Shahi dynasty
was a Turkic dynasty (whose members were also called the Qutub Shahis). They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golconda
in southern India
. They were Shia Muslim
s and belonged to Kara Koyunlu
.
The Adil Shahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India
from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate
(1347–1518), before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518. The Bijapur Sultanate was absorbed into the Mughal Empire
on 12 September 1686, after its conquest by the Emperor Aurangzeb
.
Of all the Muslim states and dependencies of the Mughal empire
, Awadh had the newest royal family, the Nawabs of Awadh. They were descended from a Persian
adventurer called Sa'adat Khan, originally from Khurasan
in Persia.
The Najafi Dynasty of Nawabs of Bengal
were Sayyid
s and were descendants of Prophet Muhammad
through Al Imam Hasan ibn Ali
, ruling from 1757 until 1880.
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.
nation in the world with Shiite population of 3–4 percent of its entire population, has recognized the day of Ashura
listed as Moharram as the Public Holiday in India
. India also has the Birthday of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib as public Holiday in states of Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh
, whose capital Lucknow
is considered as the centre of India’s Shiite Muslim community. The Birthdate of Ali bin Abi Talib is not recognized by any country in any of its states other than India
and Iran
as public Holiday. It is also a known fact that when Saddam
mercilessly quelled a Shia uprising in 1992
. The world media remained silent and damage to the shrines of Husayn ibn Ali
and his half-brother Al Abbas ibn Ali
, in the course of Baathist attempts to flush out Shia rebels was a tightly kept secret of the Saddam
regime but Indian media Doordarshan
was the only network in the world to have shown that footage.
However, all religious processions are banned in Srinagar
since the eruption of militancy in 1990s, the ban is protested by Shiites every year during Moharram who condemn and blame Indian government for suppressing their right of religious freedom in Jammu and Kashmir
, which is a Muslim
majority state.
Apart from the reign of few Mughal Emperors, there have been no reports of specific targeted persecution of Shias
in India
unlike the neighboring Pakistan
and few Middle East
ern countries. India
being a secular country, Shiite Muslims in India
practice their religion freely without any restriction, except for few areas like Kashmir
where their religious freedom is suppressed by Indian government. However, in post Godhra riots a Shia Ex Member of the Parliament Ehsan Jafri
was reported to be burnt to death by Hindu
mob in his own residence in the state of Gujarat in 2002.
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.
.
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 Holkar Maharajas of Indore
conducted Majlis
or Muharram 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 Alam
s through fire by men is more common. There are several occasions when these are traditionally practiced particularly in the town of Vizianagaram
550 km 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.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's Muslims
Islam in India
Islam is the second-most practiced religion in the Republic of India after Hinduism, with more than 13.4% of the country's population ....
. However, there has been no particular census conducted in India with regards to sects, but Indian sources like Times of India and DNA reported India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Shiite population in mid 2005–2006 between 25% and 31% of entire Muslim population of India which accounts them in numbers between 40,000,000 to 50,000,000 of 157,000,000 Indian Muslim population. However, as per an estimation of one reputed Shiite NGO Alimaan Trust, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
's Shia population in early 2000 was around 30 million with Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
s comprising just over half of the entire Shia population. According to some national and international sources India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Shia population is the world's second-largest after Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Shiite population was also acclaimed publicly as second largest by the 14th Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh
Manmohan Singh is the 13th and current Prime Minister of India. He is the only Prime Minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to return to power after completing a full five-year term. A Sikh, he is the first non-Hindu to occupy the office. Singh is also the 7th Prime Minister belonging to the Indian...
quoted in the year 2005. One of the lingering problems in estimating the Shia population is that unless the Shia form a significant minority in a Muslim country, the entire population is often listed as Sunni. For example, the 1926 rise of the House of Saud
House of Saud
The House of Saud , also called the Al Saud, is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia and one of the wealthiest and most powerful dynasties in the world. The family holds thousands of members...
in Arabia brought official discrimination against Shias. The Shia-majority areas of Al-Hasa
Al-Hasa
Al-Ahsa is the largest governorate in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, named after Al-Ahsa oasis. The name Al-Ahsa is also given to the biggest city in the region, Hofuf. In classic Arabic, Ahsa means the sound of water underground. It has one of the largest oases in the world with Date Palms of...
, Qatif
Qatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
and Hofuf
Hofuf
Al-Hofuf is the major urban center in the Al-Ahsa Oasis in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.- Overview :...
on the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
, Western Arabia provinces of Jizan
Jizan
-Ethnography:The inhabitants of Jazan, are made up of Arabs. Islam is the religion of almost the totality of the inhabitants of the city and the province.-External links:*http://www.jazan.gov.sa* *http://krwetatnt.com/vb/...
, Asir, and Hejaz
Hejaz
al-Hejaz, also Hijaz is a region in the west of present-day Saudi Arabia. Defined primarily by its western border on the Red Sea, it extends from Haql on the Gulf of Aqaba to Jizan. Its main city is Jeddah, but it is probably better known for the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina...
that had large Shia minorities have officially been completely stripped of their religious identities. Shiites are estimated to be 21–35 percent of the Muslim population in South Asia, although the total number is difficult to estimate due to the intermingling between the Muslim Sects and practice of taqiyya
Taqiyya
Taqiyya , meaning religious dissimulation, is a practice emphasized in Shi'a Islam whereby adherents may conceal their religion when they are under threat, persecution, or compulsion...
by Shiites.
However,some external sources like the Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center is an American think tank organization based in Washington, D.C. that provides information on issues, attitudes and trends shaping the United States and the world. The Center and its projects receive funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts. In 1990, Donald S...
figure them between 10 to 14 percent giving the numbers between 16,000,000 to 24,000,000. However, the Pew Research Center
Pew Research Center
The Pew Research Center is an American think tank organization based in Washington, D.C. that provides information on issues, attitudes and trends shaping the United States and the world. The Center and its projects receive funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts. In 1990, Donald S...
report is not considered authentic by many Shiites 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 Shiite population in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in 1996 over 26,000,000 out of entire Indian Muslim population of 103,000,000 at that time.
There are many big and small towns and villages with majority Shiite Muslim population in India. Many Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
s between 12th to 16th century migrated to the Indian subcontinent
Indian subcontinent
The Indian subcontinent, also Indian Subcontinent, Indo-Pak Subcontinent or South Asian Subcontinent is a region of the Asian continent on the Indian tectonic plate from the Hindu Kush or Hindu Koh, Himalayas and including the Kuen Lun and Karakoram ranges, forming a land mass which extends...
to escape the persecution of Shias
Persecution of Shia Muslims
The dispute over the right successor to Muhammad resulted in the formation of two main sects, the Sunni, and the Shia. The Sunni, or followers of the way, followed the caliphate and maintained the premise that any devout Muslim could potentially become the successor to the Prophet if accepted by...
in mostly Sunni ruled Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
. Prominent places in India with majority or considerable Shiite Muslim population are Kargil
Kargil town
Kargil is a town, which serves as the headquarters of Kargil District of Ladakh in the state of Jammu and Kashmir in India. It is the second largest town in Ladakh after Leh...
, Delhi
Delhi
Delhi , officially National Capital Territory of Delhi , is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest by population in India, next to Mumbai. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with 16,753,265 inhabitants in the Territory at the 2011 Census...
, Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
, Hyderabad, Barabanki, Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, Hallaur
Hallaur
Hallaur or Haloor is a town or a big village in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, situated near the banks of Rapti river. Residents of Hallaur are referred as Hallauri.The Place of Rizvi Syed...
, Sadaat Amroha
Sadaat Amroha
The Sadaat Amroha or Amrohi Syed are a community of Sayyids, historically settled in the town of Amroha, in Uttar Pradesh, India. Many members of Sadaat Amroha community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh....
, Sadaat Jais & Naseerabad and Naugawan Sadat
Naugawan Sadat
'Nowgawan Sadat' is a town and a nagar panchayat in Jyotiba Phule Nagar district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Nowgawan Sadat had a population of 27,075. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%...
. Shias in Hallaur,Sirsi Sadat,Sadaat Amroha and Naugawan Sadat are majority Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
s. Among the Shias of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
an overwhelming majority belongs to the Ithna Ashari (Twelver) division, while the Shias among the Khoja
Khoja
The Khojas are ethnic group of Shia Muslims. The word Khoja derives from Khwaja, a Persian title .In Pakistan, many Khojas migrated to and settled in the province of Sindh and especially in the city of Karachi. While in India, most Khojas live in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and...
and Bohra
Mustaali
The Musta‘lī Ismā'īlī Muslims are so named because they accept Al-Musta'li as the nineteenth Fatimid caliph and legitimate successor to his father, al-Mustansir...
communities are Ismaili
Ismaili
' is a branch of Shia Islam. It is the second largest branch of Shia Islam, after the Twelvers...
. Dawoodi Bohra
Dawoodi Bohra
Dawoodi Bohra is a subsect of Ismāʿīlī Shīʿa Islām. While the Dawoodi Bohra is based in India, their belief system originates in Yemen, where it evolved from the Fatimid Caliphate and where they were persecuted due to their differences from mainstream Sunni Islam...
s are primarily based in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, even though the Dawoodi
Dawoodi Bohra
Dawoodi Bohra is a subsect of Ismāʿīlī Shīʿa Islām. While the Dawoodi Bohra is based in India, their belief system originates in Yemen, where it evolved from the Fatimid Caliphate and where they were persecuted due to their differences from mainstream Sunni Islam...
theology originated in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
is home to the majority Dawoodi Bohra
Dawoodi Bohra
Dawoodi Bohra is a subsect of Ismāʿīlī Shīʿa Islām. While the Dawoodi Bohra is based in India, their belief system originates in Yemen, where it evolved from the Fatimid Caliphate and where they were persecuted due to their differences from mainstream Sunni Islam...
population most of them concentrated in Gujarat out of over 1 million followers worldwide.
History
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
s who migrated to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
from Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
the history of Shia Islam traces long back around 1000 years. The rulers of various dynasties of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and also in the 11th century the rulers of Multan
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
and Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
which are now part of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
were adherents of Shia Islam. The Nawabs of Awadh
Nawab of Awadh
The Nawab of Awadh is the title of rulers who governed the state of Awadh in India in the 18th and 19th century. The Nawabs of Awadh originated form Persia-Establishment:...
and Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali
Hyder Ali was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India. Born Hyder Naik, he distinguished himself militarily, eventually drawing the attention of Mysore's rulers...
& Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan
Tipu Sultan , also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Kingdom of Mysore. He was the son of Hyder Ali, at that time an officer in the Mysorean army, and his second wife, Fatima or Fakhr-un-Nissa...
of Mysore, who were rulers in India, were also Shia Muslims.
Shia culture and belief has left its influence all over India with Imam al Husain ibn Ali becoming the revered personality in India not only for the Shias but also from non-Muslim communities, especially the Hindus of northern India who participate in ceremonies commemorating Husain ibn Ali's martyrdom on the day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
.
Shaykh al-Mufid writes that before the Battle of Karbala
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
, Husain ibn Ali and the commander of the enemy forces, Umar ibn Saad
Umar ibn Sa'ad
Umar ibn Sa'ad was the son of Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas. He was a clergyman and governor of Ray city, and took orders from Ibn Ziyad...
, met at night and talked together for a long time. After that meeting Umar ibn Saad
Umar ibn Sa'ad
Umar ibn Sa'ad was the son of Sa'ad ibn Abi Waqqas. He was a clergyman and governor of Ray city, and took orders from Ibn Ziyad...
sent a letter to the Governor of Kufa
Kufa
Kufa is a city in Iraq, about south of Baghdad, and northeast of Najaf. It is located on the banks of the Euphrates River. The estimated population in 2003 was 110,000....
, Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad
Ubayd-Allah ibn Ziyad
Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad was a son of Ziyad ibn Abi Sufyan after whose death in 673 he became the Governor of Kufa and Basra and later Khurasan.He also minted coinage, which survives to this day...
in which he wrote that Husain 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
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Even though Husain ibn Ali himself was not able to go to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, some of the Shia did emigrate there for various reasons, including those who came as refugees from Umayyads and Abbasids persecution. These refugees brought with them rituals which kept alive the remembrance of Karbala and their Shia Identity.
Its narrated by Abd al Razzaq al Muqarram in his work of Maqtal al-Husayn
Maqtal al-Husayn
Maqtal al-Husayn is a book which narrates the story of battle of Karbala and death of Hussain ibn Ali. These books has written since the 8th century until now.-Maqtal:...
that prior to his martyrdom, Al Abbas ibn Ali
Abbas ibn Ali
Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Ali was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib and fourth Rashidun Caliph) and Fātimah bint Hizam al-Kilabiyyah .Al-‘Abbās is revered by Muslims for his loyalty to his half-brother Husayn ibn ‘Alī, his respect for the...
while asking water for Mohammad's family from the Yazid's
Yazid
-Given name:* Yazid I , second Umayyad Caliph upon succeeding his father Muawiyah* Yazid II, Umayyad caliph* Yazid III, Umayyad caliph* Yazid Kaïssi, French-born Moroccan footballer* Yazid Mansouri, French-born Algerian footballer...
army expressed his desire to go either Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
or to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. This made some people wept in the army of Yazid
Yazid I
Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiya ibn Abī Sufyān , commonly known as Yazid I, was the second Caliph of the Umayyad Caliphate . He ruled for three years from 680 CE until his death in 683 CE. Many Muslims condemn Yazid's rule as contentious and unjust...
.
It has been believed that in 7th century few ladies from the household of Prophet Mohammad after Battle of Karbala
Battle of Karbala
The Battle of Karbala took place on Muharram 10, in the year 61 of the Islamic calendar in Karbala, in present day Iraq. On one side of the highly uneven battle were a small group of supporters and relatives of Muhammad's grandson Husain ibn Ali, and on the other was a large military detachment...
came to Punjab province which became a part of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. One of the prominent of them was Ruqayyah bint Ali, the daughter of Ali bin Abi Talib through his wife Ummul Banin, Ruqayyah bint Ali was the sister of Abbas ibn Ali
Abbas ibn Ali
Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Ali was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib and fourth Rashidun Caliph) and Fātimah bint Hizam al-Kilabiyyah .Al-‘Abbās is revered by Muslims for his loyalty to his half-brother Husayn ibn ‘Alī, his respect for the...
and wife of Muslim ibn Aqeel
Muslim ibn Aqeel
Muslim ibn Aqeel, or Muslim ibn Aqil, was the cousin of Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali, and the son of Aqeel ibn Abu Talib. Muslim ibn Aqeel was sent ahead as an envoy to Kufa to see if the people could be trusted to be loyal to the Imam Husayn. He sent word back saying that the people of Kufa...
. Still her shrine in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, Punjab
Punjab (Pakistan)
Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...
of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, is visited by people all around and she is referred as Bibi Pak Daman
Bibi Pak Daman
Bibi Pāk Dāman is the name given to the shrine and mausoleum of Ruqayyah bint Ali located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. Legend has it that it holds the graves of six ladies from Muhammad's household...
.
Persecution
Shiites in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
faced persecution by some Sunni rulers and Mughal Emperors
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
which resulted in the martyrdom of Indian Shia scholars like Qazi Nurullah Shustari
Qazi Nurullah Shustari
Qazi Nurullah Shustari also known as Shaheed-e-Salis was an eminent jurist and scholar of his time, 1542 A.D.-1610/11. Qazi Nurullah Shustari also known as Shaheed-e-Salis (third martyr) was an eminent jurist (faqih) and scholar (alim) of his time, 1542 A.D.-1610/11. 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
Five Martyrs of Shia Islam
The Five Martyrs were five ulema of Shi'i Islam, living in different spans of history, who were executed by the Sunni regimes. The Shia remember them by the term Five Martyrs, and Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussain Najafi wrote a book Shuhada-e Khamsa kay Halaat-e Zindagi "Biographies of the Five...
.
Shias also faced persecution in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
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
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
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
Taqiyya
Taqiyya , meaning religious dissimulation, is a practice emphasized in Shi'a Islam whereby adherents may conceal their religion when they are under threat, persecution, or compulsion...
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’ism, like Sa’adaat
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
or the descendants of the Prophet Mohammad and other missionaries who played a key role in spread of the faith in Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
, had left their home lands forced by similar situations.
India's role in battle of Karbala
Nathanvilal Wahshi, a Hindu Writer narrated about the arrival of a helper for Husain’s cause on the eight day of Moharram. Husain ibn Ali welcomed him and immediately confirmed his IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n Identity. Husain ibn Ali then goes on to praise India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and its people in the following words:
"The perfumed fragrance entered the realm of love from your country
The cool breeze came to my grandfather Mohammad from that garden."
Upon asking more about the guest’s background he finds out that he is an Indian merchant residing in neighboring city of Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
, his father had been entrusted with the treasury of the war booty by none other than Ali bin Abitalib. For this reason the merchant holds himself morally responsible for assisting Husain ibn Ali in any possible way when the later is in trouble. Husain ibn Ali appreciated gesture, but discouraged the merchant from taking up arms in following words:
"Brother, in my opinion you are the beloved of the world
In this country you are the treasure of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
."
Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand
Munshi Premchand , was a famous writer of modern Hindi-Urdu literature. He is generally recognized in India as the foremost Hindi-Urdu writer of the early twentieth century...
further narrates the perception of this merchant on the part of Imam as suspicion about Husain ibn Ali’s sincerity because of being a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
.
With tear filled eyes the traveler said:
”I am a Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
, perhaps my fidelity is not convincing
Master! Even though this heart is the land of Idol
Idolatry
Idolatry is a pejorative term for the worship of an idol, a physical object such as a cult image, as a god, or practices believed to verge on worship, such as giving undue honour and regard to created forms other than God. In all the Abrahamic religions idolatry is strongly forbidden, although...
Temple
In it is also lit the light of affection”.
Husain ibn Ali said : What have you said in passion, Why should my eyes doubt your fidelity? My lord is aware of my conscience. What’s the difference between Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
and Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
is the quest for truth. This has the guiding principle for the People of the Cloak or Ahl al-Kisa
Ahl al-Kisa
Ahl al-Kisā refers to the Islamic prophet Muhammad, his daughter Fatimah, his cousin and son-in-law Ali, and his two grandsons Hasan and Husayn. They are also referred to as Āl al-‘Abā or Panj-tan-e Āl-e Abā or simply Panj tan...
. ”.
Shia Muslim Dynasties in India
Shiite Islam has deep rooted influence in present and history of India from North to South with various Shia Muslim dynasties ruling IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n provinces from time to time.
Few prominent ones of the Indian Shia Muslim dynasties are as follows:
- Bahmani Sultanate (1347–1527 AD)
The Bahmani Sultanate
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
also called the Bahmanid Empire or Bahmani Kingdom was a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms. Bahmanid Sultanate was the first independent Islamic and Shi'ite Kingdom in South India.
- Sharqi Dynasty (1394 CE to 1479 CE)
The Sharqi sultanate was an independent medieval Shia Muslim dynasty of North India
North India
North India, known natively as Uttar Bhārat or Shumālī Hindustān , is a loosely defined region in the northern part of India. The exact meaning of the term varies by usage...
, one of the many kingdoms that came up following the disintegration of the Delhi Sultanate
Delhi Sultanate
The Delhi Sultanate is a term used to cover five short-lived, Delhi based kingdoms or sultanates, of Turkic origin in medieval India. The sultanates ruled from Delhi between 1206 and 1526, when the last was replaced by the Mughal dynasty...
. Between 1394 CE to 1479 CE, Sharqi dynasty ruled from Jaunpur
Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
Jaunpur is a city and a municipal board in Jaunpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Jaunpur district is located to the northwest of the district of Varanasi in the eastern part of the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. According to the 2001 census, Jaunpur district had a population...
in the present day state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
.
- Berar Sultanate (1490–1572 AD)
On the establishment of the Bahmani Sultanate
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
in the Deccan (1348), Berar Sultanate
Berar Sultanate
-Berar in Ancient History:Subah Berar and Gondwana the Vidarbha region known as Gulshan-e-Berar in medieval period since Khilji dynasty to mughal period according Aine-Akbari and Alimgeer Namah report the berar is hole Fourteen sarkar...
was constituted one of the five provinces into which their kingdom was divided, being governed by great nobles, with a separate army. The perils of this system becoming apparent, the province was divided (1478 or 1479) into two separate provinces, named after their capitals Gawil
Gawilghur
Gawilghur was a well-fortified mountain stronghold of the Maratha Empire north of the Deccan Plateau, in the vicinity of Melghat Tiger Reserve, Amravati District, Maharashtra. It was successfully assaulted by an Anglo-Indian force commanded by Arthur Wellesley on the 15 December 1803 during the...
and Mahur.
- Bidar Sultanate (1489–1619 AD)
Bidar Sultanate
Bidar Sultanate
Bidar sultanate was one of the Deccan sultanates of late medieval India. Its founder, Qasim Barid was a Turk, domiciled in Georgia. He joined the service of the Bahmani sultan Muhammad Shah III. He started his career as a sar-naubat but later became the mir-jumla of the Bahmani sultanate...
was one of the Deccan sultanates
Deccan sultanates
The Deccan sultanates were five Muslim-ruled late medieval kingdoms—Bijapur, Golkonda, Ahmadnagar, Bidar, and Berar—of south-central India. The Deccan sultanates were located on the Deccan Plateau, between the Krishna River and the Vindhya Range. These kingdoms became independent during the breakup...
of late medieval India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. Its founder, Qasim Barid was a Turk, domiciled in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. He joined the service of the Bahmani
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
sultan Muhammad Shah III. He started his career as a Sar-Naubat but later became the Mir-Jumla (prime minister) of the Bahmani sultanate
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
.
- Qutb Shahi dynasty (1518–1687 AD)
The Qutb Shahi dynasty
Qutb Shahi dynasty
The Qutb Shahi dynasty was a Turko-Persian dynasty ; its members were collectively called the Qutub Shahis. They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golkonda in modern-day Andra Pradesh, India. They were Shia Muslims and belonged to Kara Koyunlu...
was a Turkic dynasty (whose members were also called the Qutub Shahis). They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golconda
Golkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
in southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. They were Shia Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
s and belonged to Kara Koyunlu
Kara Koyunlu
The Kara Koyunlu or Qara Qoyunlu, also called the Black Sheep Turkomans , were a Shi'ite Oghuz Turkic tribal federation that ruled over the territory comprising the present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, north-western Iran, eastern Turkey and Iraq from about 1375 to 1468.The Kara Koyunlu Turkomans at one...
.
- Adil Shahi dynasty (1527–1686 AD)
The Adil Shahi dynasty ruled the Sultanate of Bijapur in the Western area of the Deccan region of Southern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
from 1490 to 1686. Bijapur had been a province of the Bahmani Sultanate
Bahmani Sultanate
The Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
(1347–1518), before its political decline in the last quarter of the 15th century and eventual break-up in 1518. The Bijapur Sultanate was absorbed into the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
on 12 September 1686, after its conquest by the Emperor Aurangzeb
Aurangzeb
Abul Muzaffar Muhy-ud-Din Muhammad Aurangzeb Alamgir , more commonly known as Aurangzeb or by his chosen imperial title Alamgir , was the sixth Mughal Emperor of India, whose reign lasted from 1658 until his death in 1707.Badshah Aurangzeb, having ruled most of the Indian subcontinent for nearly...
.
- Nawab of Awadh (1722–1858 AD)
Of all the Muslim states and dependencies of the Mughal empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
, Awadh had the newest royal family, the Nawabs of Awadh. They were descended from a Persian
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...
adventurer called Sa'adat Khan, originally from Khurasan
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 Persia.
- Najafi Nawabs of Bengal (1757–1880)
The Najafi Dynasty of Nawabs of Bengal
Nawab of Bengal
The Nawabs of Bengal were the hereditary nazims or subadars of the subah of Bengal during the Mughal rule and the de-facto rulers of the province.-History:...
were Sayyid
Sayyid
Sayyid is an honorific title, it denotes males accepted as descendants of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his grandsons, Hasan ibn Ali and Husain ibn Ali, sons of the prophet's daughter Fatima Zahra and his son-in-law Ali ibn Abi Talib.Daughters of sayyids are given the titles Sayyida,...
s and were descendants of Prophet Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
through Al Imam Hasan ibn Ali
Hasan ibn Ali
Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib is an important figure in Islam, the son of Fatimah the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and of the fourth Caliph Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hasan is a member of the Ahl al-Bayt and Ahl al-Kisa...
, ruling from 1757 until 1880.
- Nawab of Rampur
Rampur
Rampur, Uttar Pradesh
Rampur is a city and a municipality located in Rampur District in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Rampur district is located at Longitude 78-0-54 to 69-0-28 East and Latitude 28-25 to 29-10 North and spans an area of 2,367 km².It also gave its name to a former princely state of British...
, former princely state of British India. Previously ruled by Shiite Muslim Nawabs of Rampur, it was incorporated into the state of Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in 1949.
Present circumstances
India, the only non MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
nation in the world with Shiite population of 3–4 percent of its entire population, has recognized the day of Ashura
Day of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
listed as Moharram as the Public Holiday in India
Public holidays in India
India, being a culturally diverse and fervent society, celebrates various holidays and festivals. There are three national holidays in India: states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics...
. India also has the Birthday of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib as public Holiday in states of Bihar
Bihar
Bihar is a state in eastern India. It is the 12th largest state in terms of geographical size at and 3rd largest by population. Almost 58% of Biharis are below the age of 25, which is the highest proportion in India....
and Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
, whose capital Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
is considered as the centre of India’s Shiite Muslim community. The Birthdate of Ali bin Abi Talib is not recognized by any country in any of its states other than India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
as public Holiday. It is also a known fact that when Saddam
Saddam
–Saddam is an Arabic name which means "One who confronts", other meanings include: "One who frequently causes collisions", "Powerful collider", "One who causes a collision that had bad results", "Powerful confronter", "One who frequently crashes", or "Powerful commander"...
mercilessly quelled a Shia uprising in 1992
1991 uprisings in Iraq
The 1991 uprisings in Iraq were a series of anti-governmental rebellions in southern and northern Iraq during the aftermath of the Gulf War. The revolt was fueled by the perception that the power of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was vulnerable at the time; as well as by heavily fueled anger at...
. The world media remained silent and damage to the shrines of Husayn ibn Ali
Husayn ibn Ali
Hussein ibn ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib and Fātimah Zahrā...
and his half-brother Al Abbas ibn Ali
Abbas ibn Ali
Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Ali was the son of ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib and fourth Rashidun Caliph) and Fātimah bint Hizam al-Kilabiyyah .Al-‘Abbās is revered by Muslims for his loyalty to his half-brother Husayn ibn ‘Alī, his respect for the...
, in the course of Baathist attempts to flush out Shia rebels was a tightly kept secret of the Saddam
Saddam
–Saddam is an Arabic name which means "One who confronts", other meanings include: "One who frequently causes collisions", "Powerful collider", "One who causes a collision that had bad results", "Powerful confronter", "One who frequently crashes", or "Powerful commander"...
regime but Indian media Doordarshan
DoorDarshan
Doordarshan is an Indian public service broadcaster, a division of Prasar Bharati. It is one of the largest broadcasting organizations in India in terms of the infrastructure of studios and transmitters. Recently, it has also started Digital Terrestrial Transmitters. On September 15, 2009,...
was the only network in the world to have shown that footage.
However, all religious processions are banned in Srinagar
Srinagar
Srinagar is the summer seasonal capital of Jammu and Kashmir. It is situated in Kashmir Valley and lies on the banks of the Jhelum River, a tributary of the Indus. It is one of the largest cities in India not to have a Hindu majority. The city is famous for its gardens, lakes and houseboats...
since the eruption of militancy in 1990s, the ban is protested by Shiites every year during Moharram who condemn and blame Indian government for suppressing their right of religious freedom in Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People's Republic of China to the north and east and the...
, which is a Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
majority state.
Apart from the reign of few Mughal Emperors, there have been no reports of specific targeted persecution of Shias
Persecution of Shia Muslims
The dispute over the right successor to Muhammad resulted in the formation of two main sects, the Sunni, and the Shia. The Sunni, or followers of the way, followed the caliphate and maintained the premise that any devout Muslim could potentially become the successor to the Prophet if accepted by...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
unlike the neighboring Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and few Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
ern countries. India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
being a secular country, Shiite Muslims in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
practice their religion freely without any restriction, except for few areas like Kashmir
Kashmir
Kashmir is the northwestern region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term Kashmir geographically denoted only the valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir Panjal mountain range...
where their religious freedom is suppressed by Indian government. However, in post Godhra riots a Shia Ex Member of the Parliament Ehsan Jafri
Ehsan Jafri
Ehsan Jafri was an ex-Parliamentarian who was burnt to death in 2002 in his own home by a group of unknown rioters during the Gujarat riots of 2002. He had been a noted trade unionist, and was one of the top party officials of the Congress party in Gujarat...
was reported to be burnt to death by Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
mob in his own residence in the state of Gujarat in 2002.
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
All India Muslim Personal Law Board
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board is an organization constituted in 1973 to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in India, most importantly, the The Muslim Personal Law Application Act of 1937, providing for the application of the...
in 2005 to address the legal needs of the Shia population. AISPLB
AISPLB
All India Shia Personal Law Board is an organisation formed in January 2005 to represent the rights of Shia in India. It was felt that the current board, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board had been neglecting the views of Shia....
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
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
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
All India Muslim Personal Law Board
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board is an organization constituted in 1973 to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in India, most importantly, the The Muslim Personal Law Application Act of 1937, providing for the application of the...
.
The Shia body had the support of the erstwhile royal family of Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, 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
Mirza Mohd Athar
Maulana Mirza Mohammad Athar is a zakir-e-ahl-e-bayt from Lucknow, India. He is the son of a very learned and popular speaker, the late Mulla Mirza Mohammad Tahir. Mirza Athar was educated at Sultan-ul-Madaris where he graduated with "Sadr-ul-Afazil" and Lucknow University where he obtained a...
, 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
All India Muslim Personal Law Board
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board is an organization constituted in 1973 to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in India, most importantly, the The Muslim Personal Law Application Act of 1937, providing for the application of the...
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.
Azadari In India
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 AshuraDay of Ashura
The Day of Ashura is on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar and marks the climax of the Remembrance of Muharram.It is commemorated by Shia Muslims as a day of mourning for the martyrdom of Husayn ibn Ali, the grandson of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad at the Battle of Karbala on 10...
.
The Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
rulers of Vijayanagar
Vijayanagara
Vijayanagara is in Bellary District, northern Karnataka. It is the name of the now-ruined capital city "which was regarded as the second Rome" that surrounds modern-day Hampi, of the historic Vijayanagara empire which extended over the southern part of India....
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 Holkar Maharajas of Indore
Indore
Indore is one of the major city in India, the largest city and commercial center of the state of Madhya Pradesh in central India. Indore is located 190 km west of the state capital Bhopal. According to the 2011 Indian census, Indore city has a population of 1,960,631...
conducted Majlis
Majlis
' , is an Arabic term meaning "a place of sitting", used in the context of "council", to describe various types of special gatherings among common interest groups be it administrative, social or religious in countries with linguistic or cultural connections to Islamic countries...
or Muharram congregations. In Lucknow
Lucknow
Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
Hindus regularly join Muslims in the Azadari and Alam
Alam
For the organization ALAM, see Association of Licensed Automobile ManufacturersAlam can be an Arabic surname or it can also mean flag, sign, or world.-Al'am as flag or sign:...
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
Muharram
Muharram is the first month of the Islamic calendar. It is one of the four sacred months of the year in which fighting is prohibited...
thus proclaiming the message of peaceful co-existence among communities and united resistance to tyrannical authority.
The carrying of Alam
Alam
For the organization ALAM, see Association of Licensed Automobile ManufacturersAlam can be an Arabic surname or it can also mean flag, sign, or world.-Al'am as flag or sign:...
s through fire by men is more common. There are several occasions when these are traditionally practiced particularly in the town of Vizianagaram
Vizianagaram
Vizianagaram is the main city of the Vizianagaram District of north-eastern Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Vizianagaram district was formed on 1 June 1979, with some parts carved from the neighbouring districts of Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. It is, at present, the largest municipality of...
550 km 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
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
is the participation of Hindus in the ceremonies. In Vizinagaram
Vizianagaram
Vizianagaram is the main city of the Vizianagaram District of north-eastern Andhra Pradesh in southern India. Vizianagaram district was formed on 1 June 1979, with some parts carved from the neighbouring districts of Srikakulam and Visakhapatnam. It is, at present, the largest municipality of...
109 of the Alams are carried by Hindus.
Religion
- Grand AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Ghufran Ma'abGhufran Ma'abAyatollah Syed Dildar Ali Naseerabadi - also known as Ghufran-Ma'ab was a Shia scholar of India who originated from a family of scholars from the village of Nasirabad, Raibareli, 32 km from their District Raebareli, in Uttar Pradesh, India.The title "Ghufran Ma'ab Nasirabadi" was bestowed on...
– One of the leading AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
had ever produced. - Sayyid Ahmad al Musawi al Hindi – Grandfather of revolutionary Iranian leader Grand AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Ruhollah al Musawi al KhomeiniRuhollah KhomeiniGrand Ayatollah Sayyed Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini was an Iranian religious leader and politician, and leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution which saw the overthrow of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran...
.He was born in Kintoor Barabanki UP - Qazi Nurullah ShustariQazi Nurullah ShustariQazi Nurullah Shustari also known as Shaheed-e-Salis was an eminent jurist and scholar of his time, 1542 A.D.-1610/11. Qazi Nurullah Shustari also known as Shaheed-e-Salis (third martyr) was an eminent jurist (faqih) and scholar (alim) of his time, 1542 A.D.-1610/11. Qazi Nurullah Shustari ...
– Executed by Mughal Emperor Jehangir, is regarded as the third among the five martyrs of Shia IslamFive Martyrs of Shia IslamThe Five Martyrs were five ulema of Shi'i Islam, living in different spans of history, who were executed by the Sunni regimes. The Shia remember them by the term Five Martyrs, and Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussain Najafi wrote a book Shuhada-e Khamsa kay Halaat-e Zindagi "Biographies of the Five...
. - Al-Allamah, Al-Faqeeh, Al-Adeeb AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Shaikh Ali Hazeen Lahiji (Four Hundred Years ago) - Mirza Muhammad Kamil Dehlavi – Executed by Sunni Ruler of JhajharJhajharJhajhar is situated in the erstwhile province of Shekhawati of Rajasthan, India. It is located in the district of Jhunjhunu, approximately 7 km from Nawalgarh...
, also known as the Shahid RabayShahid RabayMirza Muhammad Kamil Dehlavi also known as Shahid Rabay was the author of Nuzhat-e-Isna Ashariya . This book was a complete response to Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi's Tauhfa Ithna Ashari...
or the fourth martyr of the five martyrs of Shia IslamFive Martyrs of Shia IslamThe Five Martyrs were five ulema of Shi'i Islam, living in different spans of history, who were executed by the Sunni regimes. The Shia remember them by the term Five Martyrs, and Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussain Najafi wrote a book Shuhada-e Khamsa kay Halaat-e Zindagi "Biographies of the Five...
. - AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Sayyid Mir Hamid Hussain al MusawiHamid HussainAyatollah Sayyid Mir Hamid Hussain Musavi Kintoori Lakhnavi , was a leading Shia scholar of his time in India...
Kintoori Lakhnavi – Leading Indian Cleric of his time. - Moulvi Khursheed Ali Khan, Famous Landlord, Founder Jamia-e-ImaniaJamia-e-ImaniaJamia-e-Imania Jamia-e-Imania was established as a Shia Religious Seminary for extended Islamic studies and higher religious education on 15 December 1866/1283 in the city of Banaras India. It was founded by Moulvi Khursheed Ali Khan, on the proposal of Qaazi Maulana Syed Bande Ali Khan the last...
, Banaras (1283/1866) - Ayat-ul-Ilm-e-wat-Tuqa Ayatullah Syed Imdad Ali, First Ameed Jamia-e-ImaniaJamia-e-ImaniaJamia-e-Imania Jamia-e-Imania was established as a Shia Religious Seminary for extended Islamic studies and higher religious education on 15 December 1866/1283 in the city of Banaras India. It was founded by Moulvi Khursheed Ali Khan, on the proposal of Qaazi Maulana Syed Bande Ali Khan the last...
, Banaras. - Jawad-ul-Ulama AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Syed Ali Jawad Al-Husaini, Zangipur/Banaras (B.1857D.1920) Mu'aasir wa Ham-Jama'at Sahib-e-Abaqaat. - Farazdaq E Hind Allama Qais Zangipuri King of Qaseeda, Zangipur (B.1901D.1974) .
- Mir Anis – Legendary Urdu poet and renowned MarsiaMarsiaMarsiya is an elegiac poem written to commemorate the martyrdom and valour of Hussain and his comrades of the Karbala...
writer all over the world. He was born in FaizabadFaizabadCity of Faizabad , previous capital of Awadh, is the headquarters of Faizabad District and a municipal board in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, situated on the banks of river Ghaghra . Faizabad has a twin city of Ayodhya, which is considered to be the birthplace of Rama...
in the northern Indian state of Uttar PradeshUttar PradeshUttar Pradesh abbreviation U.P. , is a state located in the northern part of India. With a population of over 200 million people, it is India's most populous state, as well as the world's most populous sub-national entity...
in 1803 and died in 1874. - Mirza Dabeer – Leading Urdu poet of India who excelled and perfected the art of Marsiya writing and is considered the leading exponent of Marsiya writing along with Mir Anis.
- Munaitiq-e-Zaman Ayatullah Syed Mohammad Sajjad Al-Husaini, Founder Jamia Jawadia, Banaras (1928)
- Qudwat-ul-Fuqaha Ayatullah Syed Sibte Husain, Jaunpur.
- Grand AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Sayyid Mohsin Nawab Rizvi Mujtahid – Vice Principal of Sultanul MadarisSultanul MadarisSultanul Madaris is a Shia Islamic religious school for higher religious education in Lucknow, India founded in 1892 by Ayatullah Syed Muhammad Abul Hasan "Abbu sahab" son of Ayatullah Syed Ali Shah. The extensive buildings were erected under the supervision of the Nawab Mehdi Hasan Khan....
, LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, former Principal, Madarse Aliya (Oriental College), RampurRampur, Uttar PradeshRampur is a city and a municipality located in Rampur District in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Rampur district is located at Longitude 78-0-54 to 69-0-28 East and Latitude 28-25 to 29-10 North and spans an area of 2,367 km².It also gave its name to a former princely state of British...
, and Madarse Nasirya, JaunpurJaunpur, Uttar PradeshJaunpur is a city and a municipal board in Jaunpur district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.Jaunpur district is located to the northwest of the district of Varanasi in the eastern part of the North Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. According to the 2001 census, Jaunpur district had a population...
. - AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Najmul MillatNajmul MillatNajm al-Ḥassan , popularly known as Najmul Millat or Najmul Ulama, was a top faqīh , and trained several Ulama such as Sibte Hasan Naqvi, Farman Ali, Mohammad Haroon, Mohammad Dawood, Kifayat Hussain, Adeel Akhtar, and Jaffer Hussain...
– Leading AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
and father of Maulana Syed Mohammad the founder of Madrasatul WaizeenMadrasatul WaizeenMadrasatul Waizeen is a centre of Shia Islamic education in the city of Lucknow, India.In The Muslim Review: An English Monthly Magazine Of Madrasatul Waizeen, volume XI, number 3 an ad on the inside of the front cover describes the Madrasatul Waizeen, Lucknow:-Foundation and development:The... - Alam-ul-Aalaam Ayatullah Syed Muzaffar Husain Al-Husaini, First Haadi (Supreme Authority) Jamia Jawadia, Banaras (Wafat 1944).
- Ayatullah Agha Hajji Mirza Mahdi Puya YazdiMahdi PuyaAyatullah Agha Hajji Mirza Mahdi Puya Yazdi was a Twelver Shia Muslim and an Islamic scholar, most notable for his famous tafsir of the Qur'an...
– A Twelver Shia Muslim and an Islamic scholar, most notable for his famous tafsirTafsirTafseer 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 the Qur'anQur'anThe Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
. - AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Syed Mohammad Abul Hasan – Founder of Sultanul MadarisSultanul MadarisSultanul Madaris is a Shia Islamic religious school for higher religious education in Lucknow, India founded in 1892 by Ayatullah Syed Muhammad Abul Hasan "Abbu sahab" son of Ayatullah Syed Ali Shah. The extensive buildings were erected under the supervision of the Nawab Mehdi Hasan Khan....
son of AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Syed Ali Shah. - Aal-e-Jawad-ul-Ulama Maulana Mulla Syed Mohammad Tahir Al-Husaini (1920–1971) Ameed Jamia-e-ImaniaJamia-e-ImaniaJamia-e-Imania Jamia-e-Imania was established as a Shia Religious Seminary for extended Islamic studies and higher religious education on 15 December 1866/1283 in the city of Banaras India. It was founded by Moulvi Khursheed Ali Khan, on the proposal of Qaazi Maulana Syed Bande Ali Khan the last...
/ Haadi Jamia-e-Jawadia - Grand AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Ali Naqi Naqvi – Leading Mujtahid of modern IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Syed Ali Shah – Father of Grand AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Syed Mohammad Abul Hasan. - AyatollahAyatollahAyatollah is a high ranking title given to Usuli Twelver Shī‘ah clerics. Those who carry the title are experts in Islamic studies such as jurisprudence, ethics, and philosophy and usually teach in Islamic seminaries. The next lower clerical rank is Hojatoleslam wal-muslemin...
Syed Aqeel-al-GharaviSyed Aqeel-ul-GharaviSyed Aqeel-ul-Gharavi is a leading Shia scholar and community activist of India. He is also a professor at Hauz-e-Ilmiya Jamiat-us-Saqalain, Delhi. During early 1990s he was principal of this Hauza. and co-supervisor of Safinatul Hidaya Trust, Batla House, Okhla, Delhi...
– Leading Shia scholar and community activist of IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Syed Kalbe Hussain – One of the senior clerics of IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Maulana Muhammad RizviMuhammad RizviSayyid Muhammad Rizvi is a Twelver Shī‘ah scholar, a speaker, as well as an author. He is the second-born son of Sa‘eed Akhtar Rizvi.-Biography:...
– Twelver Shia Cleric, son of Maulana Sa'id Akhtar RizviSa'id Akhtar RizviSayyid Sa‘eed Akhtar Rizvi was an Indian born, Twelver Shī‘ah scholar, who actively promoted Islam in East Africa.He spoke Urdu, English, Arabic, Persian, Swahili and knew Hindi and Gujrati....
and author of the book Shī‘ism Imāmate & Wilāyat. Canada: Al-Ma‘ārif Books. 1999. ISBN 0-920675-11-5. - Maulana Sa'id Akhtar RizviSa'id Akhtar RizviSayyid Sa‘eed Akhtar Rizvi was an Indian born, Twelver Shī‘ah scholar, who actively promoted Islam in East Africa.He spoke Urdu, English, Arabic, Persian, Swahili and knew Hindi and Gujrati....
– Indian born, Twelver Shī‘ah scholar, who actively promoted Islam in East Africa. - Syed Sibte Hasan Naqvi – Shia Cleric and father of Syed Mohammad Waris Hasan NaqviSyed Mohammad Waris Hasan NaqviMaulana Dr Syed Mohammad Waris Hasan Naqvi was a Shia cleric from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.Waris Hasan was the son of the renowned cleric Syed Sibte Hasan Naqvi....
- Syed Mohammad Waris Hasan NaqviSyed Mohammad Waris Hasan NaqviMaulana Dr Syed Mohammad Waris Hasan Naqvi was a Shia cleric from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.Waris Hasan was the son of the renowned cleric Syed Sibte Hasan Naqvi....
– Shia Cleric form LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Maulana Kalbe AbidKalbe AbidMaulana Syed Kalbe Abid Naqvi was a mujtahid from Lucknow, India who preached Shia Islam and came from a family of scholars known as "Khandaan-e-Ijtehad", notably Syed Dildar Ali Nasirabadi, also known as Ghufran Ma'ab. His father was Syed Kalbe Hussain and grandfather Syed Aqa Hasan...
(late) – Mujtahid from LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and father of Maulana Kalbe JawadKalbe JawadHujjat al-Islam Imam-e-Juma Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad Naqvi is a Shi'a scholar from Lucknow, India.-Family background:...
. - Late Maulana Sayyid Aqa Hasan Naqvi – Mujtahid from LucknowLucknowLucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh in India. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of Lucknow District and Lucknow Division....
- Maulana Kalbe Sadiq – Senior member of All India Muslim Personal Law BoardAll India Muslim Personal Law BoardThe All India Muslim Personal Law Board is an organization constituted in 1973 to adopt suitable strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Muslim Personal Law in India, most importantly, the The Muslim Personal Law Application Act of 1937, providing for the application of the...
and brother of Maulana Kalbe AbidKalbe AbidMaulana Syed Kalbe Abid Naqvi was a mujtahid from Lucknow, India who preached Shia Islam and came from a family of scholars known as "Khandaan-e-Ijtehad", notably Syed Dildar Ali Nasirabadi, also known as Ghufran Ma'ab. His father was Syed Kalbe Hussain and grandfather Syed Aqa Hasan...
(late). - Maulana Kalbe JawadKalbe JawadHujjat al-Islam Imam-e-Juma Maulana Syed Kalbe Jawad Naqvi is a Shi'a scholar from Lucknow, India.-Family background:...
– Leading cleric of IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, leader of Friday prayers in Asafi Imambargah and son of Maulana Kalbe AbidKalbe AbidMaulana Syed Kalbe Abid Naqvi was a mujtahid from Lucknow, India who preached Shia Islam and came from a family of scholars known as "Khandaan-e-Ijtehad", notably Syed Dildar Ali Nasirabadi, also known as Ghufran Ma'ab. His father was Syed Kalbe Hussain and grandfather Syed Aqa Hasan...
(late). - Ustaz-ul-Asatizah Maulana Syed Mohammad Husaini (Zaeem Hauza-e-Ilmiyyah, Jamia-e-ImaniaJamia-e-ImaniaJamia-e-Imania Jamia-e-Imania was established as a Shia Religious Seminary for extended Islamic studies and higher religious education on 15 December 1866/1283 in the city of Banaras India. It was founded by Moulvi Khursheed Ali Khan, on the proposal of Qaazi Maulana Syed Bande Ali Khan the last...
, Banaras) - Maulana Mirza Mohammad AtharMirza Mohd AtharMaulana Mirza Mohammad Athar is a zakir-e-ahl-e-bayt from Lucknow, India. He is the son of a very learned and popular speaker, the late Mulla Mirza Mohammad Tahir. Mirza Athar was educated at Sultan-ul-Madaris where he graduated with "Sadr-ul-Afazil" and Lucknow University where he obtained a...
– Leading Orater of India, and the first president of All India Shia Personal Law Board (AISPLB). - Syed Hamidul Hasan – Cleric from India and one of the students of Ayatullah al-Uzma Syed Muhsin al-Hakim and Ayatullah al-Uzma Syed Abul Qasim al-Khoei.
- Maulana Syed Ghulam Hussain Raza Agha Mujtahid ul Asr – Leading scholar and head of ulema of Hyderabad
- Raja Amir Mohd. Khan (Raja of Mehmoodabad) – Famous Marsiyakhan
- Allamah Zeeshan Haider Jawadi (First Allama In India) Have Write Many Book and He Is Belonged To Karari-Kaushambi (Allahabad)
Business and politics – present and past
- Dr. Hamid AnsariMohammad Hamid AnsariMohammad Hamid Ansari ) is the 12th and current Vice President of India. He is a former chairman of the National Commission for Minorities...
– Incumbent Vice President of India. - Azim PremjiAzim PremjiAzim Hashim Premji is an Indian business tycoon and philanthropist who is the chairman of Wipro Limited, guiding the company through four decades of diversification and growth to emerge as one of the Indian leader in the software industry...
– Indian business tycoon from Gujarat state and Owner of one of India's largest Software development Companies WiproWiproWipro Limited formally Western India Products Limited is a global IT services and consulting company headquartered in Bangalore, India. As of 2011, Wipro is the second largest IT services company by turnover in India and employs more than 120,000 people worldwide as of March 2011...
. - Fakhruddin T. KhorakiwalaFakhruddin T. KhorakiwalaFakhruddin T. Khorakiwala was an Indian businessman and Sheriff of Mumbai. From 2000 until his death, he was the chancellor of Jamia Milia Islamia. He is a well known Indian businessman, and owns Akabarallys group of departmental stores in Mumbai...
– Dawoodi BohraDawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra is a subsect of Ismāʿīlī Shīʿa Islām. While the Dawoodi Bohra is based in India, their belief system originates in Yemen, where it evolved from the Fatimid Caliphate and where they were persecuted due to their differences from mainstream Sunni Islam...
, Chancellor of Jamia Millia UniversityJamia Millia IslamiaJamia Millia Islamia is an Indian Central University located in Delhi. It was established at Aligarh in United Provinces, India in 1920. It became a Central University by an act of the Indian Parliament in 1988...
, former Sheriff of MumbaiSheriff of MumbaiThe Sheriff of Mumbai is an apolitical titular position of authority bestowed for one year on a prominent citizen of Mumbai. The current Sheriff of Mumbai is Indu Shahani, principal of H. R...
and owner of Akbarallys and WockhardtWockhardtWockhardt Ltd. is a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company headquartered in Mumbai, India. The company has manufacturing plants in India, UK, Ireland, France and US, and subsidiaries in US, UK, Ireland and France. It is a global company with a more than half of its revenue coming from Europe. The...
. - Zoher Khorakiwala and Komail Khorakiwala – Dawoodi BohraDawoodi BohraDawoodi Bohra is a subsect of Ismāʿīlī Shīʿa Islām. While the Dawoodi Bohra is based in India, their belief system originates in Yemen, where it evolved from the Fatimid Caliphate and where they were persecuted due to their differences from mainstream Sunni Islam...
, owner of MonginisMonginisMonginis is a major Indian pastry, cake and general bakery chain based in Mumbai, with shops in 11 Indian cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Cairo, the capital of Egypt.-Products:...
Bakery Chain - Sir Sultan AhmedSir Sultan AhmedSir Syed Sultan Ahmed KCSI was an Indian Barrister & Politician. He had a very successful practice as a barrister having victories over Motilal Nehru, Tej Bahadur Sapru and Sarat Chandra Bose...
– Indian barrister and politician - Zafar Ali NaqviZafar Ali NaqviZafar Ali Naqvi is an Indian politician and member of the Parliament of India, representing the Lakhimpur Kheri constituency. His political party is the Indian National Congress.-Education and Early Career:...
– Indian politician and Member of the Parliament of IndiaParliament of IndiaThe Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha... - Mukhtar Abbas NaqviMukhtar Abbas NaqviMukhtar Abbas Naqvi is a former Indian federal minister and a Bharatiya Janata Party leader. Born in Allahabad in 15 Oct 1957 he studied law and arts at Allahabad University, while Collage time he was President of Student Union Government Intermediate College Allahabad.He contested first for...
– Former Indian Federal Minister and Member of the Parliament of IndiaParliament of IndiaThe Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha... - Ehsan JafriEhsan JafriEhsan Jafri was an ex-Parliamentarian who was burnt to death in 2002 in his own home by a group of unknown rioters during the Gujarat riots of 2002. He had been a noted trade unionist, and was one of the top party officials of the Congress party in Gujarat...
(1929 – February 28, 2002) – Indian politician and ex-Member of the Parliament of IndiaParliament of IndiaThe Parliament of India is the supreme legislative body in India. Founded in 1919, the Parliament alone possesses legislative supremacy and thereby ultimate power over all political bodies in India. The Parliament of India comprises the President and the two Houses, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha...
, killed during Gulbarg Society massacreGulbarg Society massacreThe Gulbarg Society massacre took place on February 28, 2002, during the 2002 Gujarat riots, when a mob attacked the Gulbarg Society, a Muslim neighbourhood in Chamanpura, Ahmedabad... - Syed Sibtey RaziSyed Sibtey RaziSyed Sibtey Razi is an Indian politician belonging to the Indian National Congress who has been Governor of Assam since July 2009. Previously he was Governor of Jharkhand.-Early life:...
– GovernorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of AssamAssamAssam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
state and former Governor of JharkhandJharkhandJharkhand is a state in eastern India. It was carved out of the southern part of Bihar on 15 November 2000. Jharkhand shares its border with the states of Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh to the west, Orissa to the south, and West Bengal to the east...
state. - Ali Yawar Jung – Former Indian diplomat and former Governor of the state of MaharashtraMaharashtraMaharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
from 1971 to 1976. He played a significant role in full scale establishment of Azadari in MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. - Nur JehanNur JehanBegum Nur Jahan , also known as Mehr-un-Nisaa, was an Empress of the Mughal Dynasty that ruled much of the Indian subcontinent...
– Mughal Empress, considered mastermind behind Jehangir's rule, family origin in Persia - Mumtaz MahalMumtaz MahalMumtaz Mahal born as Arjumand Banu Begum was a Mughal Empress and chief consort of emperor Shah Jahan...
– Wife of MughalMughal EmpireThe Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Emperor Shah Jahan I buried in Taj MahalTaj MahalThe Taj Mahal is a white Marble mausoleum located in Agra, India. It was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal...
in AgraAgraAgra a.k.a. Akbarabad is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, India, west of state capital, Lucknow and south from national capital New Delhi. With a population of 1,686,976 , it is one of the most populous cities in Uttar Pradesh and the 19th most...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. - Bahmani SultanateBahmani SultanateThe Bahmani Sultanate was a Muslim state of the Deccan in southern India and one of the great medieval Indian kingdoms...
rulers. - Sharqi Dynasty rulers
- Berar SultanateBerar Sultanate-Berar in Ancient History:Subah Berar and Gondwana the Vidarbha region known as Gulshan-e-Berar in medieval period since Khilji dynasty to mughal period according Aine-Akbari and Alimgeer Namah report the berar is hole Fourteen sarkar...
rulers. - Bidar SultanateBidar SultanateBidar sultanate was one of the Deccan sultanates of late medieval India. Its founder, Qasim Barid was a Turk, domiciled in Georgia. He joined the service of the Bahmani sultan Muhammad Shah III. He started his career as a sar-naubat but later became the mir-jumla of the Bahmani sultanate...
rulers. - Qutb Shahi dynastyQutb Shahi dynastyThe Qutb Shahi dynasty was a Turko-Persian dynasty ; its members were collectively called the Qutub Shahis. They were the ruling family of the kingdom of Golkonda in modern-day Andra Pradesh, India. They were Shia Muslims and belonged to Kara Koyunlu...
rulers. - Adil Shahi dynasty rulers.
- Nawab of AwadhNawab of AwadhThe Nawab of Awadh is the title of rulers who governed the state of Awadh in India in the 18th and 19th century. The Nawabs of Awadh originated form Persia-Establishment:...
rulers.- Begum Hazrat MahalBegum Hazrat MahalBegum Hazrat Mahal , also known as Begum of Awadh, was the first wife of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah.-Queen of Awadh:Her maiden name was Muhammadi Khanum and she was born at Faizabad, Awadh, India. She was a courtesan by profession and had been taken into the royal harem as a Khawasin, after being sold by...
– Wife of Wajid Ali ShahWajid Ali ShahWajid Ali Shah was the fifth King of Oudh, holding the position from 13 February 1847 to 7 February 1856....
, last NawabNawabA Nawab or Nawaab is an honorific title given to Muslim rulers of princely states in South Asia. It is the Muslim equivalent of the term "maharaja" that was granted to Hindu rulers....
of the princely kingdom of AwadhAwadhAwadh , also known in various British historical texts as Oudh or Oude derived from Ayodhya, is a region in the centre of the modern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which was before independence known as the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh...
- Begum Hazrat Mahal
- Nawab of Rampur rulers.
- Najafi Dynasty Nawabs of Bengal.
- Hyderabad StateHyderabad State-After Indian independence :When India gained independence in 1947 and Pakistan came into existence in 1947, the British left the local rulers of the princely states the choice of whether to join one of the new dominions or to remain independent...
Nizam rulers. - Mahabat KhanMahabat KhanMahabat Khan , was a prominent Mughal general and statesman, perhaps best known for his coup against the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1626....
– prominent Mughal general and statesman, perhaps best known for his coup against the Mughal Emperor Jahangir in 1626. - Sayyed Mahmud KhanSayyed Mahmud KhanSayyid Mahmud Khan Barha, also known as Mahmud Khan, was a general in the Akbar'r army, Amiral Kabir Sayyid Mahmud Khan Barha, son of Sayyid Mubarak , was the first person of this family - the Saiyids of Barah - to rise to the rank of a nobleman. This he did through his bravery and valour during...
– Military general of Mughal Emperor Akbar's army. - Siraj ud-DaulahSiraj ud-DaulahMîrzâ Muhammad Sirâj-ud-Daulah , more commonly known as Siraj ud-Daulah , was the last independent Nawab of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. The end of his reign marks the start of British East India Company rule over Bengal and later almost all of South Asia...
– Last ruler of BengalBengalBengal is a historical and geographical region in the northeast region of the Indian Subcontinent at the apex of the Bay of Bengal. Today, it is mainly divided between the sovereign land of People's Republic of Bangladesh and the Indian state of West Bengal, although some regions of the previous...
before British intrusion.
Bollywood
- Kamal AmrohiKamal AmrohiSyed Amir Haider Kamal Naqvi popularly known as Kamal Amrohi or Amrohvi in Urdu was an Indian film director, screenwriter, and dialogue writer. He was a Shi'a Muslim and an Urdu and Hindi poet. He is most known for his Hindi films such as Mahal , Pakeezah and Razia Sultan...
– BollywoodBollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film director, screenwriter, and dialogue writer - Meena KumariMeena KumariMeena Kumari , born Mahjabeen Bano, was an Indian movie actress and poetess. She is regarded as one of the most prominent actresses to have appeared on the screens of Hindi Cinema...
– BollywoodBollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
Actress and Urdu-Hindi Poetess. - Farida JalalFarida Jalal- Career :Farida Jalal, a native of New Delhi, started her career in the 1960s, when she won the United Film Producers Talent Hunt sponsored by Filmfare. She usually played the sister or rejected fiancée of the male lead, but almost never the female lead...
– Bollywood Actress. - JagdeepJagdeepSyed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jaffry, better known as Jagdeep, is an Indian film actor known for his comic roles. He played Soorma Bhopali in Sholay , Gabbar in Purana Mandir , Chief Zabardast in Tehkhana , Hotel Receptionist in Veerana , Salman Khan's father In Andaaz Apna Apna and later directed a movie...
– Bollywood Actor and Comedian, father of Javed Jaffrey and Naved Jaffrey. - Feroz KhanFeroz KhanFeroz Khan was an Indian actor, film editor, producer and director in the Hindi film industry...
– Indian Actor, Film editor, Producer and Director in the BollywoodBollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film Industry. - Saeed JaffreySaeed JaffreySaeed Jaffrey OBE is an Indian-born British actor, who has done numerous British movies. He was born in Malerkotla, Punjab...
– Indian Punjabi British actor. - Sanjay KhanSanjay Khan-Career:Khan made his debut in the 1964 Chetan Anand film "Haqeeqat" followed by the Rajshri film Dosti. In the 1960s and 1970s Khan starred in the movies Dus Lakh, Ek Phool Do Mali and Intaqam. He also acted opposite his brother Feroz in three films Upaasna , Mela and Nagin...
– Actor turned film producer and director - Akbar KhanAkbar KhanAmir Akbar Khan Amir Akbar Khan Amir Akbar Khan (1816 – 1846;, born as Mohammad Akbar Khan and famously known as Wazir Akbar Khan, was an Afghan Prince, a general, a tribal leader and Emir. He was active in the First Anglo-Afghan War, which lasted from 1839 to 1842...
– Film actor, screenwriter, producer and director. - Fardeen KhanFardeen KhanFardeen Khan is an Indian Bollywood actor.-Early life:Fardeen Khan was born to actor turned director Feroz Khan and mother Sundari. Grandson of Sadiq Ali Khan and Fatima Khan. He is the nephew of actors Sanjay Khan and Akbar Khan. He is the cousin of Suzanne Khan and actor Zayed Khan. He lived in...
– Indian established BollywoodBollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
actor and son of legendary Feroz KhanFeroz KhanFeroz Khan was an Indian actor, film editor, producer and director in the Hindi film industry...
. - Zayed KhanZayed Khan-Early life:Khan's parents are former Bollywood actor Sanjay Khan and interior designer Zarine Khan. Khan is the youngest of four children. His older sisters are Simone Khan , Sussanne Roshan , and Farah Khan Ali...
– Indian BollywoodBollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
actor and son of Sanjay KhanSanjay Khan-Career:Khan made his debut in the 1964 Chetan Anand film "Haqeeqat" followed by the Rajshri film Dosti. In the 1960s and 1970s Khan starred in the movies Dus Lakh, Ek Phool Do Mali and Intaqam. He also acted opposite his brother Feroz in three films Upaasna , Mela and Nagin...
. - Javed Jaffrey – BollywoodBollywoodBollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
actor and comedian. - Naved Jaffrey – Co-producer of Boogie WoogieBoogie Woogie (TV series)Boogie Woogie is an Indian Television dance show that airs on Sony Entertainment Television. In 2008, the series was named with the "Videocon" because it was sponsored by Videocon...
series. - Emraan HashmiEmraan HashmiEmraan Anwar Hashmi is a Filmfare Award-nominated Indian actor who appears in Bollywood films.- Early life :Hashmi was born to Anwar Hashmi and Maherahh Hashmi. His father is a Muslim while his mother a Roman Catholic. After briefly changing his first name to Farhan, he decided to keep his...
– Bollywood actor - Farah Khan AliFarah Khan Ali-Early life:Farah Khan is the eldest of the four children of parents Actor-Producer-Director Sanjay Khan and his wife Interior Designer Zarine Khan. She finished her graduation at Sophia College, Mumbai. Not knowing what she wanted to do, she tried her hand at everything raging from Ad films to...
– Gemologist and renowned jewellery designer of India - DJ AqeelDJ AqeelDJ Aqeel is a DJ, singer and composer from India. He became known after his "Shake it daddy Mix" song became very popular in early 2000. His popularity grew when his song "Tu hai wahi" song which was a remix of the "Yeh Wada Raha" song from the 1982 movie of the same name became popular in the...
– DJ, singer and composer
Sports
- Syed KirmaniSyed KirmaniPadma Sri Syed Mujtaba Hussain Kirmani played cricket for India and Karnataka as a wicket-keeper.-International career:...
– Former Indian cricket captain who was awarded Padma Sri in 1982 - Jalaluddin RizviJalaluddin RizviJalaluddin Rizvi is a former field hockey player who represented India in the 1984 Olympics and 1982 Asian Games. He hails from Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh. He played at the right wing position. He was awarded the Arjuna Award for his achievements.Other awards:...
– Former field hockeyField hockeyField Hockey, or Hockey, is a team sport in which a team of players attempts to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking a ball into an opposing team's goal using sticks...
player who represented IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
in the 1984 Olympics1984 Summer OlympicsThe 1984 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Los Angeles, California, United States in 1984...
and 1982 Asian Games1982 Asian GamesThe 9th Asian Games were held from November 19, 1982 to December 4, 1982 in Delhi, India.An incredible 74 Asian and Asian Games records were broken. This was also the first Asiad to be held under the aegis of the Olympic Council of Asia.-Sports:... - Sania MirzaSania MirzaSania Mirza is a professional Indian tennis player. She began her tennis career in 2003 and is well known for her powerful forehand ground strokes. She is the first ever Indian to break into the top 30 WTA rankings...
– Indian tennis player. She began her tennis career in 2003. In 2004 she was awarded the Arjuna award by the Indian Government.
Journalism
- Saeed NaqviSaeed NaqviSaeed Naqvi is senior Indian journalist, television commentator, interviewer, and a Distinguished Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, New Delhi...
– Senior journalist and Distinguished Fellow at Observer Research Foundation, 20 Rouse Avenue, New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. Visiting Professor at Academy of Third World Studies, Jamia Millia and Senior Advisor at Centre for Culture, Media and Governance, Jamia Millia Islamia University, New DelhiNew DelhiNew Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
. - Nikhat KazmiNikhat KazmiNikhat Kazmi is a senior correspondent and well-known film critic from India, who has been writing for The Times of India, since 1987.-Books:* If Shakespeare was a gun: a play. Writers Workshop, 1984....
– Senior correspondent writing for The Times of IndiaThe Times of IndiaThe Times of India is an Indian English-language daily newspaper. TOI has the largest circulation among all English-language newspaper in the world, across all formats . It is owned and managed by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd...
since 1987
Others
- Amir Rizvi – Indian designer
- Ali Hyder TabatabaiAli Haider TabatabaiAli Hyder Tabatabai, born 1854 at Awadh, died 1933 at Hyderabad Deccan, India, was a poet, translator and a scholar of languages. He descended from a long line of soldiers...
– Poet, translator and scholar of languages - Safi LakhnaviSafi LakhnaviSafi Lakhnavi , born Syed Ali Naqi Zaidi , was a prominent Urdu poet. He was born in the city of Lucknow, India in a family of Zaidi Syeds who claimed direct descent from Hazrat Imam Husain.His father Syed Fazal Husain was appointed an Ataliq to Prince Suleiman Qader Bahadur, son of Nawab Amjad...
– UrduUrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
poet - Saghar Khayyami – UrduUrduUrdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
poet leading humorist and satirist
Shia organizations in India
- All India Shia Personal Law Board
- Madrasah al WaizeenMadrasatul WaizeenMadrasatul Waizeen is a centre of Shia Islamic education in the city of Lucknow, India.In The Muslim Review: An English Monthly Magazine Of Madrasatul Waizeen, volume XI, number 3 an ad on the inside of the front cover describes the Madrasatul Waizeen, Lucknow:-Foundation and development:The...
(College of preachers) - Jamia NazmiaJamia NazmiaJamia Nazmia is one of the leading centres of Shia Islamic education in the city of Lucknow, India. It was founded on the 8th Jamadi-ul-Awwal 1308 Hijri making it the oldest Shia religious institution of India.-Administration:...
- Sultan al MadarisSultanul MadarisSultanul Madaris is a Shia Islamic religious school for higher religious education in Lucknow, India founded in 1892 by Ayatullah Syed Muhammad Abul Hasan "Abbu sahab" son of Ayatullah Syed Ali Shah. The extensive buildings were erected under the supervision of the Nawab Mehdi Hasan Khan....
- All India Shia Yateem Khaana
- All India Shia Husaini Fund
- All India Shia Conference (1930s)
- Anjuman Haideri HallaurAnjuman Haideri Hallaur- Anjuman Haideri Hallaur. :Anjuman –e- Haideri Hallaur is a religious organization of Hallauris established and registered in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Anjuman -e- Haideri Hallaur is actively involved in organizing religious ceremonies and processions during Moharram...
See also
- List of Shia Muslim Dynasties
- Public Holidays in IndiaPublic holidays in IndiaIndia, being a culturally diverse and fervent society, celebrates various holidays and festivals. There are three national holidays in India: states and regions have local festivals depending on prevalent religious and linguistic demographics...
- Public holidays in IranPublic holidays in IranIran uses three official calendar systems: the Iranian calendar as the main date, the lunar Islamic calendar for religious events, and the Gregorian calendar for international events ....
- Five Martyrs of Shia IslamFive Martyrs of Shia IslamThe Five Martyrs were five ulema of Shi'i Islam, living in different spans of history, who were executed by the Sunni regimes. The Shia remember them by the term Five Martyrs, and Grand Ayatollah Muhammad Hussain Najafi wrote a book Shuhada-e Khamsa kay Halaat-e Zindagi "Biographies of the Five...
- Persecution of Shia MuslimsPersecution of Shia MuslimsThe dispute over the right successor to Muhammad resulted in the formation of two main sects, the Sunni, and the Shia. The Sunni, or followers of the way, followed the caliphate and maintained the premise that any devout Muslim could potentially become the successor to the Prophet if accepted by...
- Sayyid in Uttar PradeshSayyid of Uttar PradeshThe Sayyid of Uttar Pradesh in India are a Muslim community who are members of the wider Sayyid community of South Asia. They are also known as Mir and Pirzada. Many are also now found in Pakistan.-History and origin:...
- Sayyid in GujaratSayyid of GujaratThe Sayyid of Gujarat are members of the wider Sayyid community of South Asia. They are also known as Mir and Pirzada.-History and origin:...
- Sadaat NasirabadNasirabad, RaibareliNasirabad is a Village and a Gram Sabha in Chhatoh Block, Rae Bareli district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.- Geography :Nasirabad is located at . It has an average elevation of 101 metres .- Demographics :...
- HallaurHallaurHallaur or Haloor is a town or a big village in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, situated near the banks of Rapti river. Residents of Hallaur are referred as Hallauri.The Place of Rizvi Syed...
- Naugawan SaadatNaugawan Sadat'Nowgawan Sadat' is a town and a nagar panchayat in Jyotiba Phule Nagar district in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.-Demographics: India census, Nowgawan Sadat had a population of 27,075. Males constitute 52% of the population and females 48%...
- Sadaat AmrohaSadaat AmrohaThe Sadaat Amroha or Amrohi Syed are a community of Sayyids, historically settled in the town of Amroha, in Uttar Pradesh, India. Many members of Sadaat Amroha community have migrated to Pakistan after independence have settled in Karachi, Sindh....
- Sadat e BaraSaadat-e-BaraSadat-e-Bara , sometimes pronounced Sadaat-e-Barha, are a community of Sayyids who inhabit a group of twelve villages situated in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh in India. This community had considerable influence during the latter days of the Mughal Empire. They were also found in...
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
- English translation of Maqtal al-Husayn of 'Abd al-Razzaq al-Muqarram
- http://www.alimaan.org
- http://www.humazadar.com