Dr.Mushtaque B Barq
Hazrat Amir e Kabir Syed Mir Ali Hamdani (1314–1384 CE) was one of the prominent Sufi saints and scholars of the 14th century. His father, Syed Shihabuddin, was a mystic and widely known scholar; his mother was known for her piety, but her name is not recorded in any authentic resource. He was born in 1314 CE (714 AH) in Hamadan, Iran, into a scholastic, mystic, and religiously devotional family. Iran, at the time of his birth, was ruled by the Ilkhanate Empire, and the reigning monarch was Öljaitü (Muhammad Khodabandeh, r. 1304–1316), who had converted from Buddhism to Shia Islam under the guidance of Allama Hilli (Melville, 2013, pp. 605–606). Although the ruler Öljaitü favoured Twelver Shi’ism, most Iranians—especially in cities like Hamadan—still followed Sunni Islam (mainly Shafi’i and Hanafi schools).
During the childhood of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani, the Ilkhanate rule was in decline, and after the death of Öljaitü in 1316, Abu Sa’id Bahadur Khan (r. 1316–1335) inherited a fracturing empire that would collapse completely by 1335 (Wing, 2016, pp. 28–31), giving way to regional successor states until Timur’s rise (Manz, 1989, pp. 12–15). Persian administrative systems survived through viziers like Rashid al-Din Hamadani, whose Jami’ al-Tawarikh documented this transitional period (Blair, 1995, pp. 5–8). Sufi orders like the Kubrawiyya and Suhrawardiyya were growing during this time (Paul, 1998, pp. 112–114). Rossabi (2011, pp. 56–59) reveals that Mongol rulers allowed Christians, Jews, and Buddhists to practice their religions freely. Hamadan, where Hamadani was born, was close to important Shi’i shrines but mostly had a Sunni population. This diverse and open environment exposed the young Hamadani to many different religious and theological ideas (DeWeese, 1994, pp. 205–207).
According to Nafahat al-Uns by Jami, his ancestors had migrated from Arabia to Persia. From an early age, the revered saint received a traditional Islamic education, which included in-depth study of the Qur’an, Hadith, and Fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence). His intellectual pursuits also extended to Persian and Arabic literature, philosophy (Ilm al-Kalam), and logic (Mantiq), reflecting his broad and rigorous scholarly training. The teachers who shaped his spiritual acumen were Shaykh Taqiuddin Ali Dawani, a prominent scholar of Shafi’i jurisprudence; Shaykh Mahmud Mizdiqani, an expert in Hadith and Tafsir (Qur’anic exegesis); and Shaykh Ala ud-Daula Simnani, a major figure in the Kubrawi Sufi order, who deeply influenced Hamadani’s spiritual development. Under Shaykh Taqiuddin Ali Dawani, Hamadani mastered Shafi’i fiqh, while Shaykh Mahmud Mizdiqani grounded him in Hadith studies. This dual training laid the foundation for his later insistence on Sufism’s compliance with Sharia (Aquil, 2016, p. 38).
The author further adds that rigorous asceticism—“Hamadani’s chilla (40-day retreats) under Shaykh Mazdaqani emphasized physical austerity and silent dhikr, reflecting the Kubrawi order’s militaristic discipline—a legacy of its founder, Najmuddin Kubra.” (Aquil, 2016, p. 45).
Mir Syed Ali Hamadani’s Travels to Kashmir Mir Syed Ali Hamadani visited Kashmir three times between 1372–1384 CE during the rule of Sultan Shihabuddin Shah Mir and his successor Qutubuddin (Khan, 1994, p. 45). He brought along with him, on his first trip in 1372–73 CE, 700 followers, including scholars and artisans, to spread Islam and establish Sufi centers (Baharistan-i-Shahi, 16th c.). The revered saint engaged Kashmiri Brahmins in theological discussions, emphasizing Islam’s compatibility with local traditions (Khan, 1994, p. 78). He founded Sufi centers (khanqahs) in Srinagar and Bijbehara, which later became centers for spiritual grooming. He introduced Persian crafts like shawl-weaving and built khanqahs in Srinagar and Bijbehara (Aquil, 2007, p. 92).
While Persian texts like Tohfatu’l-Ahbab praise his peaceful preaching, some Brahmin sources accuse him of temple destruction (Pandit, 1991, p. 112). Modern scholars like Richard Eaton argue his work complemented the Sultanate’s policies; however, Eaton (2003, p. 72) debated that these policies were not state-sponsored.
His second visit to Kashmir was in (1373–1389 CE) under the reign of Sultan Qutubuddin. Mir Syed Ali Hamadani focused on earlier reforms and strengthened the Kubrawi Sufi order by training local disciples (DeWeese, 1994, p. 210). He was able to promote Persian language and calligraphy, thereby integrating Kashmiri tradition into a global identity. His famous work Zakhirat-ul-Muluk was framed during this period (Aquil, 2007, p. 105). Interfaith dialogue created a harmonious coexistence (Eaton, 2003, p. 67). This visit established a bridge between Persianate Islam and Kashmir’s local heritage.
The third and final visit of the saint was in 1384 CE during the reign of Sultan Qutubuddin (1373–1389). The Kubrawi Sufi master delivered his final sermons at the Khanqah-e-Mualla in Srinagar, emphasizing the principles of ‘adl (justice) and ihsan (spiritual excellence) that formed the core of his teachings in Zakhirat-ul-Muluk (Aquil, 2007, p. 132). During this period, Hamadani formally established the waqf (endowment) system for his khanqahs, ensuring their financial sustainability (Wani, 2018, p. 56). The waqf system enabled long-term stability for Islamic institutions, while the standardized initiation rituals created an enduring spiritual lineage (Khan, 1994, p. 115). He standardized the khirqa (initiatory cloak) ceremony for his disciples, creating formal structures for the Kubrawi silsila (spiritual lineage) in Kashmir (Bhat, 2015, p. 78).
The saint’s political engagements included advising Sultan Qutubuddin on governance principles, particularly the “Circle of Justice” that balanced royal authority with public welfare (Rafiabadi, 2005, p. 143). Hamadani’s departure from Kashmir marked the beginning of his final journey toward Central Asia. Historical accounts in Nafahat al-Uns record that he appointed his son, Mir Muhammad Hamadani, as spiritual successor before leaving (Jami, 1485, p. 234). The saint died en route in Kunar, Afghanistan, though his legacy endured through multiple burial sites—his primary shrine in Khatlan (Tajikistan) and a symbolic relic shrine at Khanqah-e-Mualla in Srinagar (Hassnain, 2000, p. 89).
Literary Contributions of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani Mir Syed Ali Hamadani’s extensive corpus of writings includes: Zakhirat-ul-Muluk (Treasure of Kings), written in Persian, which serves as a comprehensive manual of political ethics and Sufi governance. This text was praised by Jami in Nafahat al-Uns (1485) as “a mirror for kings and ascetics alike,” demonstrating its dual appeal to both temporal rulers and spiritual seekers.
Risalat al-Istilahat al-Sufiyya (Glossary of Sufi Terms), written in Arabic-Persian, systematically defines over 200 Sufi concepts such as fana (annihilation in God) and baqa (subsistence). His mystical poetry collection Chihil Asrar (Forty Secrets), focusing on divine love, was published in a critical edition by the Iranian Ministry of Culture (1985), while his exegetical work Dur al-Ma’arifa (Pearl of Knowledge) offers Sufi interpretations of the Quran.
Jami’s Nafahat al-Uns lists more than 50 works attributed to him, including lost texts like Sharh al-Ta’arruf (Commentary on Sufi Doctrine), while Daud Mishkati’s 17th-century Khulasat al-Manqibaat records that Hamadani composed twelve treatises specifically during his time in Kashmir, including Risala-i-Walayat (On Sainthood).
The anonymous 16th-century chronicle Baharistan-i-Shahi notes that Sultan Qutubuddin highly valued Hamadani’s epistles, having them copied for court scholars. Tehrani’s al-Dhari’a ila Tasannif al-Shi’a attributes thirty-five texts to him, including critiques of Ibn Arabi’s concept of Wahdat al-Wujud. Rafiabadi’s Sufism and Rishi Movement (2005) analyzes Hamadani’s Kashmiri correspondence, particularly the Maktubat-i Hamadani letters advising disciples on ascetic practices.
Modern research highlights three key aspects of Hamadani’s literary contribution: the remarkable diversity of genres spanning from legal manuals to mystical poetry; the predominance of Persian (80%) alongside Arabic works (20%); and three major thematic concentrations—the synthesis of Sufi and governance principles (exemplified by Zakhirat-ul-Muluk), critiques of pantheistic philosophy, and Kashmir-specific texts like Risala-i Kashmiriya. These works collectively establish Hamadani as a pivotal figure in the intellectual history of Persianate Islam and the cultural development of Kashmir.
Awrad al-Fatihah (The Invocations of the Opener), composed by the 14th-century Kubrawi master Mir Syed Ali Hamadani (1314–1384 CE), stands as both a foundational Sufi devotional text and a masterpiece of Islamic sacred literature. Structurally, the work ingeniously mirrors the seven verses of Surah al-Fatihah through a meticulously designed seven-part framework that blends:
Quranic recitations (centering on Al-Fatihah and Ayat al-Kursi), Rhythmic Arabic salawat (Prophetic blessings), Persian mystical couplets employing radif (monorhyme) for melodic recitation, Numerical dhikr formulas creating a powerful meditative cadence (Rafiabadi, 2005, p. 89; Buehler, 1998, p. 112). The text’s ingenious seven-part framework mirrors the seven verses of Surah al-Fatihah, with each section systematically incorporating: Foundational Quranic verses (primarily Al-Fatihah and Ayat al-Kursi), Salawat (blessings upon the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ), Contemplation of Divine Names (Asma’ al-Husna), Core Sufi dhikr formulas (including La ilaha illallah), Poetic Persian couplets on divine love,and numerical repetition of sacred phrases.
This multilayered architecture creates a rhythmic spiritual journey that progresses from: Quranic recitation (establishing divine connection), Prophetic devotion (through salawat), Theophanic contemplation (via Asma’ al-Husna), Mystical union (achieved through dhikr and poetry), and Ecstatic dissolution (fana fi Allah).
The text’s progressive rhythm—moving from Quranic grounding to ecstatic Persian poetry—systematically guides practitioners through stages of spiritual purification (tazkiyah), ultimately leading to the Kubrawi ideal of fana fi Allah (annihilation in the Divine) (Hassnain, 2000, p. 156). Originally composed for the Kubrawi order, its universal appeal led to adoption by other major tariqas, particularly the Naqshbandiyya, and it remains widely practiced across Kashmir and Central Asia.
The Meeting of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani and Sheikh-ul-Alam Noor-ud-Din Wali
The meeting between Mir Syed Ali Hamadani (1314–1384) and Sheikh-ul-Alam Noor-ud-Din Wali (1377–1438), represents a crucial moment in the spiritual history of Kashmir. While direct historical evidence of their meeting remains debated, the intersection of their legacies signifies the transmission of Sufi traditions from Persianate Islam to indigenous Kashmiri spirituality (Hassan 2019). Sheikh Noor-ud-Din, born in 1377, would have been a child during Hamadani’s final visit, making a direct meeting unlikely according to conventional historiography (Khan 2018). However, Kashmiri oral traditions and Sufi hagiographies suggest a spiritual connection, possibly mediated through Hamadani’s disciples, such as Syed Hussain Simnani, who remained in Kashmir and influenced early Rishi Sufis (Wani 2020).Kashmiri folklore contains allegorical accounts of their interaction. One popular legend describes young Noor-ud-Din encountering Hamadani in a vision while tending sheep, where the Persian saint blessed him and prophesied his spiritual greatness (Dedmari 2003). Another tradition claims that Noor-ud-Din received spiritual initiation (bay’ah) through Hamadani’s disciples, linking the Rishi order to the broader Kubrawi lineage (Baba 2017). While these stories lack verifiable historical documentation, they reflect the deep reverence Kashmiris hold for both saints and their intertwined legacies.
Awal reshi ahmed reshi
Doyim owais qarni aow
Treyim reshi zulka reshi
Churim reshi pulaas aow
Panchim reshi ruma reshi
Sheyim hazrat miran aow
Satmis skerhum dish naheshi
Bo kuss reshi ti meh kiya naav.
Nund Resh Arz Kor Shah i Hamdanus
Tati Jantus nizam Panus seith
The poetic verses—such as “Awal Reshi Ahmed Reshi…” and “Nund Resh Arz Kor Shah-i-Hamdanus…”—highlight the spiritual lineage and reverence between Kashmir’s mystics, including Sheikh-ul-Alam and Mir Syed Ali Hamadani (Shah-i-Hamdan). These shrukhs reflect a cultural memory that celebrates spiritual unity and mutual respect among Sufi saints. However, despite the deep symbolic resonance found in these verses, historians point to the absence of verifiable historical records confirming a direct meeting between Sheikh-ul-Alam and Amir-i-Kabir. While tradition and oral heritage preserve their spiritual connection, the historical evidence for an actual encounter remains elusive—underscoring the divide between poetic tradition and documented history.
Dr.Mushtaque B.Barq is a Columnist, Poet and Fiction Writer. He is the author of “Feeble prisoner, “ Wings of Love” and many translation works are credited to the author like “ Verses Of Wahab
