Many saints came to the valley
of Kashmir to preach and to propagate Islam, to name a few were: Bulbul Shah,
Syed Jalal Uddin Bukhari, Syed Taj Uddin, Syed Hussain Samnani, and Yousuf. But
the one who lit the torch of monotheism, in reality was Hazrat Amir-e-Kabir
Sahah-e-Hamdan.
His name was Ali, and titles were Amir-e-Kabir, Ali Sa'ani, and Mir. Besides
them, the Chroniclers had mentioned several other titles: Qutub-e-Zaman,
Sheikh-e-Salikan-e-Jehan, Qutub-Ul-Aktab, Moih-Ul-Ambiya-o-Ul-Mursaleen,
Afzal-Ul-Muhaq-e-qeen-o-Akmal-Ul-Mudaq-e-qeen, Al-Sheiyookh-Ul-Kamil,
Akmal-Ul-Muhaqqiq-Ul-Hamadani etc.
He traced his patrimony through his father, Syed Shahab Uddin, to Imam
Zain-ul-Abedein and finally to Hazrat Ali. His mother, Syeda Fatimah, with
seventeen links, reached the Prophet.
Syed Hamdani came from an educated family. He was intelligent and quick of mind,
and read the holy Qu'ran, under the care of his maternal uncle, Hazrat Ala-Uddin
and from him too he took his lessons on subjects outer and intrinsic for a
period of thirteen years.
He fought with Amir-e-Temur and so moved to Kashmir with seven hundred Syeds and
his followers, during the reign of King Shahab-Uddin. He had already sent two of
his followers: Syed Taj Uddin Samnani and Mir Syed Hasan Samnani to take stock
of the situation. The ruler of Kashmir became the follower of Mir Syed Hasan
Samnani and because of the Kings concurrence he entered Kashmir with a large
following. The King and heir apparent, Qutub Uddin, received him warmly. At that
time the Kashmir ruler was on war with Firoz Tughlaq and because of his efforts
the parties came to terms.
Shah Hamdan started the propagation movement of the Islam in Kashmir in an
organized manner. The Kashmiri Muslims were unaware of the Deeni spirit before
his arrival there. The reason being, the people, who had initiated the Movement,
were saintly by nature and carried a deep influence of the Hinduism and the
Buddhism. In-spite of having been turned Muslims they still observed many local
rites and practices. Shah Hamdan did not stay in the valley permanently but
visited on various occasions. First during the reign of Sultan Shahab Uddin in
774 Hijri he came, stayed for six months and left it. Second, he visited in 781
Hijri when Qutub Uddin was the ruler, stayed for a year and tried to extend the
Movement to every nook and corner of Kashmir, returned to Turkistan via Ladakh
in 783 Hijri. Third, he visited in 785, with the intention to stay for a longer
period but had to return earlier owing to illness.
Shah Hamadan was a Multi-dimensional personality. He was a social reformer
besides being a preacher. Among the seven hundred followers, who accompanied him
to Kashmir, were men of arts and crafts who flourished here? They popularized
Shawl-making, cloth-weaving, pottery and calligraphy. Allama Iqbal admits that
because of Shah Hamadan the wonderful arts and crafts turned Kashmir into a mini
Iran and brought about a revolution in the thinking process of the people.
Shah Hamadan's greatest contribution was the character building of the people to
liberate them from the fear of the new system and their love for the older one.
He imbibed true awakening and taught the Shairah. The Kashmiri people still had
some of the Hindu beliefs; visited the temples and revered the Brahmins. The
rulers wore Hindu dresses, and observed practices Un-Islamic in nature. On his
instructions the rulers abandoned Un-Islamic dress and took to long cloaks
similar to the ones wore by the Turkish rulers. Orders of the Shairah were made
popular and people were inspired to learn more about Islam. For purpose of
building the character of the Muslims he practiced truthfulness and
fearlessness. He even scolded the contemporary rulers on their Un-Islamic
activities. Sultan Qutub Uddin had two real sisters as wives. He reprimanded him
and asked to divorce one of them. He obeyed. He made Islamic teachings known to
the people in Kashmir, improved their beliefs, made efforts for the building of
their character and laid down a fool-proof system for the propagation of the
Islam.
Shah Hamadan, besides being a mystic saint and an effective preacher, was a man
of letters and wrote about a hundred pamphlets in Arabic and Persian:
Zakhira-Tul-Malik, a famous book, has been translated in many languages. It is
impossible to mention all the titles of his books here, how ever, a few of them
are: Sharah Nasoos-Ul-Hukm Farisi, Asrar-Ul-Nuqt, Risala Nooriya, Risia
Islahat-e-Ilam-Ul-Qafia-o-Qaeda, Moudat-Ul-Qurabi, Rouzat-Ul-Firdous,
Firdous-Ul-Akhbar, Manazil-Ul-Salikeen, Khulasit-Ul-Manaqib, Chehl Asrar, and
etc.
Once a king invited him. He declined. The king grew furious; ordered to mould a
horse from copper, heat it, put the saint on it, and brings him to him. The
order was obeyed. The king's servants heated the horse but it soon grew cold
(under the will of God). The king repented for his conduct and begged of his
forgiveness.
On return from his third visit to Kashmir he reached Kinar via Pikhanli and was
received as a royal guest. He fell ill there and died after five days on 6, Zil
Haj 786 Hijri.
Compiler, Hasan, in the Tar-eekh-e-Hasan mentions the date of expiry in the
Persian couplet, which means: The great Syed Sirdar (Ali Hamadan) went to the
paradise to take rest. Hasan mentions the year of the death in this couplet.
He was buried at Kolab in Khatlani where people gather in large numbers to pay
their homage to him.
The Monastery (Khanqah-e-Mualla)
His room where he stayed for the first time, is a part of a great building,
named as Khanqah-e-Muala rose by Sultan Sikandar from 1394 to 1417 AD. The
building is a beautiful model of wooden architecture of Kashmir, with engravings
on walls. Friday prayers are said here where hundreds gather to pray. The sacred
relics include the Prophet's flag, the pillar of the Prophet's tent, and Shah
Hamadan's walking stick.
During his life the place acquired the distinction of being the center of the
spiritual light. People revere the place and some call it the second Ka'aba out
of extreme devotion.