His Life, Thoughts and Contribution to the Contemporary Sufism
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Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 Khawaja Yusuf Hamadānī: His Life, Thoughts and Contribution to the Contemporary Sufism Fatkhiddin Mansurov Center for Modern Languages & Human Sciences University Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia Abstract This study investigates the thoughts and significant role in the formation and development in contribution of prominent Sufi scholar Khawaja their Sufi orders. Despite this fact, it is clearly seen Yusuf Hamadānī (d. 535 H/1140). He played an that Hamadānī’s life, works and contributions to important role in the formation of Sunni Sufism that Sufism had not been studied as much as other Sufi had extended to our present time and nurturing great masters. scholars of all times. He remained among the people, taught the religion of Islam to everyone without 2. His Life and Unique Characteristics discrimination, guided and delivered his admonitions to his people in a proper way. Yusuf Hamadānī Yusuf Hamadānī was born in 440 H/ 1048 in preferred these deeds over seclusion which was quite Buzanjird near Hamadan. Buzanjird was a village popular in the previous decades among Sufis. He has located in 30 km from Hamadan in present Iran [1]. become one of the Sufi Masters with the most number His full name is Abu Yaʿqub Yusuf ibn Ayyub ibn of disciples and educated Sufi leaders such as Husain ibn Vahra Buzanjirdī Hamadānī [8]. Yusuf Khawaja Abdulkhāliq Ghijduwānī (d. 575 H/1179) Hamadānī acquired his primary education and learnt and Khawaja Ahmad Yasawī (d. 562 H/1166) being some fields of Islamic knowledge in Hamadan before the founders of the two renowned Sufi orders the the age of 19. Later he improved his knowledge in Khawajagan-Naqshbandiyya and Yasawiyya that the presence of Abu Ishaq Shirāzī (d. 476 H/1083) in played significant roles in upholding Sufism to the Baghdad. During the years Hamadānī spent in present days. The study is considered as one of the Baghdad his tendency to Sufism perfected. After the significant research works conducted on Yusuf death of Shirāzī in 1083, he migrated to Hamadan. Hamadānī’s life, teachings and his contribution to According to the sources, Hamadānī spent his life in contemporary Sufi thought. the cities such as Baghdad, Marv, Bukhara and Samarqand by narrating hadith and teaching Sufism. 1. Introduction It should be stressed that he was renowned through the entire Muslim World as a grand scholar [8]. Khawaja Yusuf Hamadānī, who was one of the The most reliable information about Yusuf mystic scholars and played a vital role in the Hamadānī’s life can be found in the book named development of the Sufi orders in Central Asia. His “KitÉb al-Ansāb” written by Abd al-Karim ibn activities in Central Asia yielded the most efficient Muhammad al-Samʿānī (d. 562 H/ 1167). results and generated great Sufis and founders of Shamsuddin ibn Khallikān stated similar information mysticism. with some supplements in his book “Wafāyāt al- He was a symbol of tolerance, compassion and A’yÉn” [21]. Samʿānī had a direct communication generosity. He used to distribute what he gained to with Khawaja Yusuf Hamadānī and heard and poor and needy people with no expectations from recorded several hadīth from him (narrated by Yusuf people. He never got tired or bored of tackling Hamadānī) consisting of more than twenty chapters other’s problems and would endeavour to help [8]. everyone regardless of their condition or race. His Ibn Asākir (d. 570 H/ 1175) was a Sunni Scholar, heart was full of love and compassion towards all a historian and a student of the Sunni mystic Abu creations. Khawaja Yusuf Hamadānī used to visit Najib Suhrawardī, states mentioned in his book non-Muslim houses and tell them about Islam. He “Arbaʿīnāt” that he heard Yusuf Hamadānī’s would pay more attention and care to poor people conversations in Marv in 531 H/ 1137 [24]. than riches. He was patient and tolerant for Though several researches had been undertaken everything, and show respect and love to everybody. to describe in more detail Yusuf Hamadānī’s life, Khawaja Yusuf Hamadānī’s teaching has been yet, the limited information and its variedness had influenced the Muslim countries that played a led to a variety of conclusions. It is important to emphasise Madelung’s research suggested different approaches from other researches. That approach Copyright © 2016, Infonomics Society 2316 Literacy Information and Computer Education Journal (LICEJ), Volume 6, Issue 2, June 2016 discusses whether Yusuf Hamadānī influenced to certain extent with regrets, that made him Central Asia Sufism. Although all the researches dedicated the rest of his life to Sufism. Taking into attempted to benefit from the sources concerning account the death of all his hadith scholars around Yusuf Hamadānī emphasised his role in Central 463 H/ 1070 who reported the narrations, we can Asia’s Sufism, Madelung put them under doubts assume that he did not study at Nizāmiyyah until Abu [19]. Furthermore, Madelung proposed that there Ishaq Shirāzī’s death in 476 H/ 1083 [23]. It should was an attempt to exploit Hamadānī to defend the be emphasised that reports about the intensification Hanafī doctrine by showing him as a representative of the occurrence of chaos (fitnah) and of that doctrine and stressing disagreement in Yusuf disagreements at Nizāmiyyah support this Hamadānī’s name. assumption. Namely, Hamadānī turned to Sufism It should be noted that it is very hard to draw the after having been influenced by serious discord entire conclusion based on Samʿānī’s brief between the different doctrines. information. As an author of biographies, Samʿānī He received his primary knowledge concerning might not give sufficient information about Sufism from Abu Ali Farmadī (d. 477 H/ 1084). As Hamadānī’s life. Moreover, there was a rivalry most scholars agree, he was among the prominent between Hanafī and Shāfiʿī doctrines. There are no Muslim scholars and great saints who lived in the reports in the “Maqāmāt” that regards him as 11th century. In some sources, his name is reported as “Hanafī” except for relating his name to Abu Hanifa Farmazī. Though, his name appears as “al-Farmadī” Nuʿmān ibn Thābit (d.150 H/ 767) [14]. There might in the book of Samʿānī named “al-Ansāb”. He was be some attempts in manuscripts to relate the name born in the village of Farmad in Tus present Iran [8]. of Yusuf Hamadānī to Abu Hanifa in the following Abu Ali Farmadī was a recognised and sophisticated centuries. However, this information is not sufficient figure among the Sufis. He focused on nurturing to count other sources as non-reliable and disciples and delivering preaches. He was famed and unauthentic. honoured as a preacher of Khorasan. Yusuf Khawaja Hamadānī’s relationship is stated in the Hamadānī received training and knowledge of book of Khawaja Muhammad Pārsā (d. 864 H/ 1460) Sufism from him in Baghdad [9]. named “Fasl al-Khitāb li Wasl al-Ahbāb fi al- A. Khismatulin reports the following excerpt Tasawwuf” as: “He was a follower of Imam Aʿzam concerning the statement mentioned above: “Sheikh Abu Hanīfa’s doctrine” [20]. Since there is lack of Abu Ali Farmadī was not only the Master of Yusuf information to confirm this, it is hard to agree with Hamadānī, but he was the Master of Abu Hamid al- this opinion. Ghazālī as well” [3]. The authors who do not belong While he was studying with Abu Ishaq Shirāzī, to the lineage of Khawajagan also asserted in their Hamadānī was distinguished by his intelligence and books that Imam Ghazālī and Yusuf Hamadānī were talent and became his teacher’s closest student. His the disciples of Sheikh Abu Ali Farmadī with the curiosity and interest in dialectics continued up to the time difference of 10-15 years [3]. time of adopting an intensely ascetic way of life, In Sufism, it is natural for a Sufi to receive though he was rarely involved in the debates knowledge from different masters or participate in concerning Islamic jurisprudence. His lack of their discourses at the same or different times. involvement in dialectics as a representative of the Therefore, it should be considered quite normal for Shāfiʿī doctrine eased his acceptance in Central Asia Hamadānī to obtain knowledge from different where the Hanafī doctrine was dominant [22]. scholars of his time and participate in the inner circles of their discourses. However, his principal 2.1. Becomes a Sufi teacher in Sufism and science was Farmadī. Thus, Hamadānī’s name is mentioned immediately after The period in which Hamadānī lived saw the Farmadī in the lineages of the Naqshbandiyya and sciences of debate, logic, argumentation, and rhetoric Yasawiyya orders. strive especially concerning religion be it amongst When we analyse the narrations and look through Muslims or with non-Muslims. Of particular note Hamadānī’s work Rutbah al-Hayāt [15], it is evident was the theological dispute that took on threatening that he was nurtured from the knowledge spring of political significance between the Hanbalī and famous and great Abu Ali Farmadī. Farmadī is Shāfiʿī doctrine followers. Sure enough Yusuf considered a scholar who initiated theoretical Sufism Hamadānī who was creative and interested in debates and religious order based on Sharia. on jurisprudential matters was influenced by these conditions and to an extent was involved in these 2.2. Yusuf Hamadānī’s Travel to Central incidents. However, he lamented the constant Asia bickering between the two schools and decided instead to invest his time and talent in Sufism to One of his disciples, the famous historian Abd al- which end he dedicated the remainder of his life [5]. Karim ibn Muhammad al-Samʿānī (d. 562 H/ 1167) Yusuf Hamadānī being Abu Ishaq Shirāzī’s recorded in his book “al-Ansāb” that he attended his greatest student had probably involved in dissension classes and learnt from him in Marv.