Sufism and Noorbakhshiat in History of Gilgit Baltistan


By Eng. Nazir Hussain on June 1, 2018

Practical emancipation of true Islam duly abiding by the Shariah, Tariqah and Haqiqa is Sufism and the Chief of Awliya Imam Ali (A.S), who is directly connected with the seal of prophet, Muhammad (PBUH).

The chain of this Wilayah, (success ship) starts from the Holy Prophet (PBUH) to Hazrat Ali (A.S) Then Imam Hassan (A.S). and Imam Hussain (A.S), Imam Sajjad (A.S), Imam Muhammad  Baqir (A.S), Imam Jaffar Sadiq (A.S), Imam Musa Kazim (A.S), Imam Ali Raza (A.S), Imam Muhammad Taqi (A.S), Imam Ali Naqi (A.S), Imam Hassan Askari (A.S) and last Imam Muhammad Mehdi (A.S), the companions of Suffa, Miqdad (R.A), Ammar Yasir (R.A), Salman Farsi (R.A), Abuzar Ghaffari (R.A), Awais Qarani (R.A) etc were renown sufies. In the life period of Holy Prophet were as 18 companions of Imam Ali as such Kumail Ibn Ziad (R.A), Mesum Tammar (R.A), Qambar (R.A), Ibn-e-Abbas (R.A), Malik Ashtar(R.A) etc were his followers in Tariqah.

Sufi chain hood of Kumailia started through Kumail bin Zaid. During Imamathood of imam Zain ul abideen (A.S) through sultan Ibrahim bin adham, chains of Nakhshbandia, chistiya and Qadriya were started; where as the chain of taiforia was emanated through sheikh ba-yazid bistami, disciple of Imam  Muhammad Baqir (A.S).

The Ismailiya chain started through Muhammad Ismail the elder son of imam jaffar Sadiq and according to them, it is an imam  chain instead of sainthood chain from Imam Ali Raza A.S through Maroof Karkhi, Zahabiya Chain – Noorbakhshia, Niamatullahia, Moliviya and Safvia sub chains started. (1)

People of Baltistan having Buddhist religious thought converted to Islam in the hands of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani during 783 AH. Equivalent to 1381 AD followed by Syed Muhammad Noorbakhs, during (850 AH, 1441 AD), and disciple of Syed Qasim Faiz bakhs, Mir Shamsudin Araqi during (911 AH,1505 AD) followed by Mir danial Shaheed (932 AH ,1526 AD) after that four Tousi brothers via Syed Nasir, Ali Mehmood and Haider visited Baltistan during 1012 AH equivalent to 1603 AD.

Then came Mir Abu Saeed Sauda (1095 – 1684)  and Mir Arif (died in 1060 AH) equivalent to 1650 AD during (1050 AH,1578 AD) followed by Mir Mukhtar Akhyar (died 1131 AH, equivalent to 1719 AD) and Mir Yahya (died 1118 AH , 1706 AD) Mir mokhtar Akhyar 1131 AH propagated Islam and extensively traveled all valleys of Baltistan and Ladakh and constructed more than 22 Khankahs.

His Era was Glorious period in the Realm of Spiritual, Intellectual, and political awareness of the area that was further augmented by Mir najmudin saqib (1132- 1165 AH), a (prolific) writer and Sufi Master of Noorbakhshi chain of (Sufism).

History depicts from Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (714- 786 AH) to Mir Muhammad  Shah Khana-e-Uloom  (died 1290 AH) the whole population of Baltistan, Kargil and some parts of Ladakhs was 100% Noorbakhshia for a period of 507 years. According to Some historians, Noorbakhshi Sufi order was a popular Sufi order in Gilgit , Hunza Valley and Nagar.

After that slightly changed after arrivals of Mullah Muhammad Umar, Popularly Known as Mullah Pishawari (died 1280 AH, 1864 AD) and conversion of Syed Abbas Shah Chutron Shigar (died 1347 AH) Mullah Abdur Rahim Yougo (1247-1355 AH) Molana Musa Ghowari (1298-1365 AH), Syed Abul Hassan Keris (died 1340 AH) Molana Raza ul Haq Keris ( 1301 – 1367 AH ), Syed Mehdi Shah Keris (died 1333 AD), Molana Sultan Ali Daghoni( 1255 – 1339 AH) a Large Segment of Population diverted to other sects in Baltistan.

The whole (gamut) of  rise and fall of Noorbakhshia in addition to Sufi Masters of Noorbakhshia Chain role of following scholars remained remarkable in the contemporary periods.

Syed  Mokhtar Hussain 1370 AH, Syed Shah Abbas Gursay, Syed Qasim Shah kharkho (1280 -1352 AH), Syed Qasim Shah Chorbat, Syed Ali Raza Sermik, Syed Ameer Hamza Kumik, Syed Raqi Shigar, Molana Hamza Ali Khaplu, Molana Sultan Ali Balghari, Molana Muhammad Ali Daghoni, Syed Mokhtar Hussain Thaly, Syed Imdad Ali BAlghari, Syed Muhammad Ali kuru, Syed Ali Shah Gulshan-e-Kabeer(1927 – 1999), Molana Mufti Abdullah, Allama Basheer, Shaikh Sikandar Hussain, Shiakh Muhammad Mohsin Balghari, Syed Hassan Shah Shigri, Allama Hassan Noori Keris, Syed Ali Khaplu, Shaikh Abdul Kareem Imami Machulu, Syed Shamsuddin Keris, Shaikh Muhammad Younus Saltoro, Syed Ali Kharku, Syed Muhammad Shah Machulu, Syed Ali Kazmi Chorbat.

REF:

(1)    Riazus Siaha P# 11,31,100,333,334, Jami ul Asrar P# 106, Riazul Arifeen P# 36, Taraiqul Haqaiq Vol # 2, P# 133,144, VOL #1 P# 288,491, Majalis ul Momineen P# 211, Rouzat ul Jinan Fi Ahwalul Ullama wa Sadaat VOL # 4, P # 402, Tazkeera Mashaikh Noorbakhshia P # 11, Rouzat ul Jinan wa Jannat ul Jinan VOL # 1.