Abdullah Shah Ghazi
Abdullah Shah Ghazi (Abdullah al-Ashtar) | |
|---|---|
عبداللہ شاہ غازی (عبداللہ الاشتر) | |
 The shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi in Karachi, Pakistan, originally built by Murshid Nadir Ali Shah of Sehwan Sharif | |
| Personal life | |
| Born | 113 AH ≈ 730 CE |
| Died | 151 AH ≈ 768 (aged 37–38)[1] CE |
| Parent |
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| Known for | Sufi mysticism |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Islam |
| Muslim leader | |
| Period in office | 8th century |
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| Part of a series on Islam Sufism |
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Abdullah Shah Ghazi (Arabic: عبد الله شاه غازي, romanized: ʿAbd Allāh Shāh Ghāzī) (c. 730 - c. 768) also known as Abdullah al-Ashtar was a Muslim mystic and Sufi whose shrine is located in Clifton in Karachi, in Sindh province of Pakistan.[2]
His real name was Abdullah al-Ashtar. His father, Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah.
Life in Sindh
[edit]Around 761, Muhammad Nafs al-Zakiyah sailed from Aden to Sindh where he consulted with the governor, Umar ibn Hafs Hazarmard before returning to Kufah and Medina. His son, Abdullah Shah Ghazi, married a woman from Sindh and had children by her. According to Tabari, Sindh was selected since its governor, Umar ibn Hafs, supported Muhammad's claim to the Imamate. Ibn Khaldun and Ibn al-Athir say that the governor had Shi'ite inclinations.[3]
Once they decided enough support had been amassed to revolt successfully (762), Muhammad went to Medina, and Abdullah Shah Ghazi stayed in Sindh. Abdullah Shah Ghazi was accompanied by a number of troops belonging to the Shi'ite sect of Zaydiyah, who at the time were active supporters of Ahl al-Bayt, willing to take a militant stance in pursuit of the Imamate. Shortly thereafter, however, Umar received word from his wife in Basrah that Muhammad Nafs Al-Zakiyah had been killed in Medina (14 Ramadan 145/6 December 762). As a consequence, Umar felt that their presence in the capital compromised his position as governor. Unwilling to take any definite action either for or against them, he summoned Abdullah Shah Ghazi and suggested:
"I have an idea: one of the princes of Sindh has a mighty kingdom with numerous supporters. Despite his polytheism, he greatly honours [the family of] the Prophet. He is a reliable man. I will write to him and conclude an agreement between the two of you. You can then go to him, stay there, and you will not desire anything better."[4]
Abdullah Shah Ghazi went to that area and spent some years there, probably from 762 to 769. Eventually hearing of their presence in Sindh, the caliph al-Mansur replaced Umar ibn Hafs with Hisham ibn Amr al-Taghlibi on the understanding that he seize Abdullah Shah Ghazi, kill or otherwise disperse the Zaydiyah, and annex the non-Muslim region. When Hisham, after reaching Sind, also proved reluctant to undertake the task, his brother Sufayh (later a governor of Sindh) did it for him, killing Abdullah along with many of his companions.[5]
Martyrdom
[edit]
Sohail Lari suggested in his book, A History of Sindh that Shah Ghazi was an Arab merchant who had come to Sindh with the first wave of Arab conquerors. However, another historian, M. Daudpota, suggested that Ghazi arrived in the area from Iraq as a commander, who along with Muhammad ibn al-Qasim, fought Sindh's Hindu ruler, Raja Dahir, in the eighth century.[6] Abdullah Shah Ghazi was said to have been killed in a forest in the Sindh by his enemies. His devotees buried his body on top of a hill in a coastal area, where he had earlier arrived on an Arab ship. This area now lies in the vicinity of Clifton and Sea View in Karachi.[6]
Shrine
[edit]The tomb is constructed on an elevated platform, while the body is laid to rest in a subterranean crypt. The shrine comprises a tall, square chamber adorned with Sindhi tile work, flags, and buntings, crowned by a striking green-and-white striped dome. Devotees tenderly touch the silver railing surrounding the burial site, adorning it with floral garlands. The shrine commands deep admiration and reverence from people belonging to diverse ethnicities and religious backgrounds.[6][7]
Until the early twentieth century, the shrine stood as a humble hut atop a sandy hill in Clifton. It was Syed Nadir Ali Shah, a revered Sufi saint belonging to the Qalandariyya Sufi Order of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar, who became the custodian of the shrine and played a pivotal role in its construction and development.[8][9][10][11] Under his supervision, the iconic dome of the shrine, the windowed ambulatory, the Mosque, the free kitchens or Langar Khana, the Qawwali court, and the pilgrim lodge within its premises were constructed. Additionally, a long stairway leading to the shrine was built.[10][12] His efforts transformed the shrine into a center of spirituality and community service. Over the years, the shrine has become a magnet for people from various sects, ethnicities, and sections of society, who are drawn to its spiritual aura and devotion.[7] The shrine's distinct features, such as the provision of free meals and soul-stirring Qawwali performances, have long been maintained in connection with Syed Nadir Ali Shah's dervish lodge, known as Kafi Sakhi Sarwar, in Sehwan Sharif.[2][9][13] In 1962, the administrative control of the shrine was transferred to the Auqaf department. Subsequently, in 2011, the shrine underwent a renovation of its exterior under the ownership of the Pakistani construction giant, Bahria Town.[14] This renovation elicited mixed responses from the residents of Karachi.[15]
The Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine was attacked in 2010 by militants who detonated two suicide bombs at the shrine, killing 10 and injuring 50.[6]
Langar
[edit]The "langar," or free kitchen, provides meals three times a day, seven days a week, serving individuals in need. This initiative began in the 1930s by Syed Nadir Ali Shah, the shrine's custodian at the time. Following his passing in 1974, the tradition was continued by his successor, Syed Arif Ali Shah. This charitable service has been consistently upheld by his disciples ever since.[9][12][8][16]
See also
[edit]- List of mausoleums and shrines in Pakistan
- Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, descendant of Imam Hasan ibn Ali
- Gazi Pir
- Syed Nadir Ali Shah
- Islam in South Asia
References
[edit]- ^ Maclean, Derryl N. (1989). Religion and Society in Arab Sind. E. J. Brill. p. 111. ISBN 90-04-08551-3.
- ^ a b Butt, Asim (11 August 2005). "Pakistan's mystical Islam thrives". BBC News. Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ Ibn Khaldûn (3:422); Ibn al Athîr (Kâmil, 5:595). As cited in: Derryl N. Maclean, Religion and Society in Arab Sind, pp. 127–130, BRILL, (1989).
- ^ Tabari, 3: 361; Ibn al-Athîr (Kâmi1, 5: 596); Ibn Khaldûn (3:422). As cited in: Derryl N. Maclean, Religion and Society in Arab Sind, pp. 127–130, BRILL, (1989).
- ^ Tabarî (3:363) and Ibn al-Athîr (Kamil, 5:597) both read the name as Safannaj, but the proper form is Sufayh as recorded in another context by, Ibn Khayyat (Ta'rikh,1:473). As cited in: Derryl N. Maclean, Religion and Society in Arab Sind, pp. 127–130, BRILL, (1989).
- ^ a b c d Paracha, Nadeem (23 November 2014). "Abdullah Shah Ghazi: The saviour saint". Dawn newspaper. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Saint Ghazi and his shrine". Dawn newspaper. 8 October 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ a b "غازی بابا کے مزارکی تعمیر قلندری بزرگوں نے کی تھی". ummat.net (in Urdu). Archived from the original on 26 July 2018.
- ^ a b c "1290 سال پرانا مزار عبداللہ شاہ غازیؒ". ایکسپریس اردو. 4 August 2019. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
- ^ a b Brohi, Ali Ahmed (1984). Jam, Jamot aen Jamra. Karachi: Sindh Salamat Kitab Ghar. pp. 77–80.
- ^ Rehman, Rabiya (22 March 2021). "Top 15 Historic Buildings and Landmarks of Karachi". Cubic Feet Design Blog. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ a b Mayne, Peter (1956). Saints of Sindh. London: John Murray. ISBN 978-0719509056.
- ^ Shaw, Isobel (1999). Pakistan Handbook. Pakistan: Moon Publications. p. 59. ISBN 0918373565.
- ^ Hafeez Tunio (4 December 2011). "Takeover of shrines: Private company to run Abdullah Shah Ghazi". The Express Tribune newspaper. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
- ^ "City Faith – Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine revisited". thekarachiwalla.com. 8 August 2019. Retrieved 2 October 2019.
- ^ Brohi, Ali Ahmed (1984). Jam, Jamot aen Jamra. Karachi: Sindh Salamat Kitab Ghar. pp. 77–80.
External links
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