Pir Hasan Kabiruddin

"Pir Hasan Kabiruddin, the son of Pir Sadruddin was generally known as Syed Hasan Shah, Pir Hasan Shah, Syed Sadat, Gur Pir Hasan al-Hussain, Makdum Syed Kabiruddin Shah etc. He is however known in Uchh Sharif as Hasan Dariya. He was born in Uchh Sharif in 742/1341 and was the first Indian pir to be born in India. He was endowed from birth with deep spiritual insight and strong common sense combined with sympathy and love for his fellow beings, and was also noted for his piety since childhood.

When Pir Sadruddin visited Iran for the second time, Pir Hasan Kabiruddin eagerly desired to join him. Owing to tedious journey, he was not taken to Iran. Being become forlorn, he started his petition, and prepared a turban for the headgear of Imam Islam Shah. It is known that he also managed to reach Kahek. Imam Islam Shah was rejoiced to see his devotion, and invested him with the mantle of a hujjat, or Pir to be effective after his father.

In 700/1300, Alauddin Khalji appointed Malik Sanjar, surnamed Alp Khan (1297-1317) as a governor of Gujrat and the old Hindu capital Annhilvad became the seat of the governor. Zafar Khan, surnamed Muzaffar Khan (d. 813/1403), one of the trusty nobles of Firuz Khan had been sent from Delhi as the governor of Gujrat in 793/1391. He established an independent Sultanate of Gujrat in 810/1407, and was the first Muslim ruler of Gujrat to suppress Shi'ism in his domains. His son Tatar Khan, surnamed Muhammad Shah (d. 846/1442) ascended the throne of Gujrat in his father's lifetime. He wanted to capture Delhi, but his father opposed him, thereupon, he imprisoned his father in 803/1403 at Asawal. He ruled for 32 years in Gujrat and twice (816/1414 and 824/1420) made fierce attempt to force the Hindus to adopt Islam. He was succeeded by his son, Ahmad I (d. 846/1442), who brought under his control the whole land of Gujrat and its adjoining territories. He too severely domineered the Ismailis. He was followed by Ghazan Khan, surnamed Tajuddin Sultan Muhammad Shah, but he died soon afterwards. In the meantime, Muhammad Khan bin Nimat Khan, the vizir captured the throne and assumed the title of Alauddin Muhammad Shah. It will be appropriate to infer that during the Muslims occupation of Gujrat and its political turmoil, Pir Sadruddin and Pir Hasan Kabiruddin exercised strict taqiya during their religious operations in Gujrat.

Pir Hasan Kabiruddin's association with the Indian Sufis is also well known. Like his father, he also composed ginans. He was a strict vegetarian and his dress, living and food were characterized by a rare simplicity. He was a man of quiet and unassuming disposition completely immersed in the interpretation of the ideas, which absorbed the greater part of his attention and concentration. He was contemplative, thoughtful and fond of loneliness. The tradition has it that he had all the times a bowl of coconut husk from which he ate and drank frugally. It is also said that shortly before his death he retired into solitude. He died in 853/1449 in Uchh Sharif, and was buried in his own house, which became a famous shrine in Uchh Sharif. Shaikh Abdul Haq Mohadis Dehlvi (1551-1642) writes in his Akhbar al-Akhayar (comp. in 998/1590) that, "The greatest miracle of Pir Hasan Kabiruddin is that he converted sizable infidels to Islam. One has no courage to disobey him and embraced Islam in a trice whom he preached, making the non-believers to flock at him in masses." (pp. 372-3)

Pir Hasan Kabiruddin had eighteen sons and one daughter, viz. Syed Awaliya Ali, Syed Kasiruddin, Syed Ali Gohar Nur, Syed Alam Shah, Syed Rehmatullah Shah, Syed Adil Shah, Syed Jafar Shah, Syed Israil Tayyar Ghazi, Syed Shahbaz Ghazi, Syed Sabze Ali, Syed Islam Shah, Syed Imam Shah, Syed Farman Shah, Syed Ismail, Syed Nur Muhammad, Syed Darwish Ali, Syed Lal Shah, Syed Bala Shah Buland Ali, and a daughter Bai Budhai.

Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali is an popular Ismaili Scholar, He has written many articles on Ismaili Imam, Ismailism, and Pir Hasan Kabiruddin in Encyclopedia of Ismailsm, must Visit Web2Host.

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