A book is, and has to be, the consciousness of a necessity, thus Shi ‘as ofJammu and Kashmir written by Justice (Rtd) Hakim Imtiyaz Hussain is to be assessed as the consciousness of three necessities: i) assertion of the identity of the community, ii) fighting the prejudice strengthened by the vested interest, and iii) emphasis on variety rather than uniformity.
The universal principle of history of a nation/people/community is that it is recognition of variety as the undeniable fact rather that imposition of some vague mono-chromatic, monolithic, and aggressive ONE. Whenever such an all-obliterating ONE with some rhetorical phrases emerged in history, and tried to encroach upon numerous other smaller ‘ones’, the society was overwhelmed by chaos and gloom. The book under review, therefore, is an attempt to celebrate the simultaneity as well possibility of emergence of numerous points of view within the world embracing Islam; the critique against Islam that there is no one single way of life is changed into an argument in favour of the forte of Islam that it assumes the surface colour of the land and the people that it includes within its fold. The very rationale of tracing the origin and development of Shia sect and then making an in-depth study of the surface features of the occurrence of the sect in different times and spaces is an approval of the diversity of the underlying universal and immutable principle of Islam in introducing Islam, Hakeem sahib says, It (Islam) achieves its objective through reasoning, logic and guiding people towards the higher morals and loftier values.” ( P.1 ). The glorious periods in the history of Islam are those in which the principle of reasoning, logic, and guiding towards higher morals and loftier values remained the supreme driving force for it, as a corollary, accepts lower morals, and baser values, the binary opposites of ‘higher’ and ‘loftier’ entities; the comparative degree of the two adjectives implies that the onward movement has no absolute end.
When Irtiqa and Iqamah are accepted as co-existing and complimentary forces of society, there is no combative relation between the variables and the constants; history of the origin and development of various sects, schools and branches of Islam, quite comprehensively traced by Hakeem Sahib in his book, shows how the faith continues to influence and shape the world even today in spite of the existence of abominable forces hostile to it.
The irtiqa or the forward movement is based on one unalterable basis, the Iqama: ash-hadu an laa ilaa illah, ash-had anna Muhammadun rasuulu llh (I bear witness that there is no God but Allah; I bear the witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.) When Irtiqa and Iqamah are accepted as co-existing and complimentary forces of society, there is no combative relation between the variables and the constants; history of the origin and development of various sects, schools and branches of Islam, quite comprehensively traced by Hakeem Sahib in his book, shows how the faith continues to influence and shape the world even today in spite of the existence of abominable forces hostile to it.
Without indulging in peripheral issues and gratuitous digressions, the author has succeeded in showing that difference of opinions, customs, rituals and rhetoric is not as sign of plethora, but plenitude profusion and exuberance which God has extolled as the Ihsan of Rahman in many contexts in the Quran. The author has shown it quite admirably how the proliferation and exuberance continued from the very beginning of Islam and continued encompassing tribes, clans, races, colours, tongues, lands and histories without obliterating them or coercing them to surrender before an arbitrary mono-chromatic system; like a true vital force, Islam has been always a system of systems.
The semantics of Shi’ah is sufficient to reveal that every believer in Islam is a ‘supporter’ or ‘follower’ of one principle, and thus Ahl al-Bayat or ‘the people of the house’; bayat signifies existence of all members of a family under one roof, around one hearth; faith in the Chahardah Masoomin, or the fourteen Infallibles fortifies the notion of the grand invincible family.
The author of the book has succeeded in clearing the thickets of misconception that unfortunately originated with the passage of time,or were deliberately nourished by the enemies of Ahl al-Bayat.
The kernel of the encyclopedic book under review is the history of Ahl al-Bayat in Kashmir. Without involving the readers in any unwanted methodological complexity of research, Hakeem Imtiyaz helps the readers understand the followers of Mustafa and the Murtaza who co-existed from the very first contact of the Kashmiri people with Islam.
The kernel of the encyclopedic book under review is the history of Ahl al-Bayat in Kashmir. Without involving the readers in any unwanted methodological complexity of research, Hakeem Sahib helps the readers understand the followers of Mustafa and the Murtaza who co-existed from the very first contact of the Kashmiri people with Islam.
The emergence of numerous centres of propagation of the Shi’a believers, like Shiabudin Pora, Zadibal, Madin Sahib, Hassanabad, Syedapora Zainagir, Ahmadpora, Budgam, Arabal- Shalimar and many other places intimates the widespread and all pervasive influence of the sect on Kashmiri people.
The compendious book besides being a history of Shi’aism , is replete with information about the outstanding Muslim saints who migrated from Iraq and Iran and established various sects in Kashmir and commanded perennial respect among the masses. The book is useful in understanding the fundamentals and practices of various Sufi orders that are spread across all the rural and urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir and continue to play significant role in shaping the collective behaviour of common masses, and determine their destiny.
The significance of the admirable book, among other things is that it contains detailed information about the contribution of the Shi’a scholars, poets, creative artists, musicians, and artisans to the intellectual as well as commercial aspects of Kashmir that have elevated it to the recognition of being called Irani-Saghir.
The sense of pain or tragedy, common to all the Shi’as of the world has found a natural and sublime vent through poetry, painting, sculpture, calligraphy, singing and music all the great luminaries in these spheres belong to the community.
The Shi’as of Kashmir exhibit a wide spectrum of professions; from the lake-dwelling vegetable growers, and settled cultivators of Khag region of Budgam to the eminent intellectuals, historians, politicians, poets, musicians, and artists spread over the whole of Kashmir. We find the Ahl al-Bayat engaged in all practical vocations and contributing substantially to the strength of Kashmiri people.
The well-documented book, embellished with memorable pictures, is accomplished in lucid and functional prose. The author has admirably eschewed unwanted ornamentation of style and hyperboles. The book, I am sure, shall stimulate further research and thus serve its intellectual purpose.
Prof Shafi Shauq is a PhD in English and is an acclaimed poet, fiction writer, linguist and critic. After serving for thirty three years in the University of Kashmir, Prof. Shauq retired as Dean Faculty of Arts in 2010. He can be reached at: [email protected]
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