The Shi'a as a Muslim Minority in Karnataka State, India: Shi’as History & Findings The Shi’a as a Muslim Minority in Karnataka, India: Shi’as History & Findings. Aqeel Abbas The most complete gift of God is a life based on knowledge. Imam Ali a.s First Published 2020 Bangalore, India All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author. 1 | P a g e Presented by Ziaraat.Com The Shi'a as a Muslim Minority in Karnataka State, India: Shi’as History & Findings “In the Name of God, the Most Beneficent & the Most Merciful” CONTENTS AUTHOR BIO, Preface, Acknowledgment & Abstract ..................................................... 1 Glossary.......................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 1: Shia Islam...................................................................................................... 8 Chapter 2: History ......................................................................................................... 10 Shia Islam of the Bahmani Period (1347–1527). ........................................................ 12 Shia Islam of the Deccan Sultanates Period (1490 –1687). ....................................... 15 The Bijapur Sultanate (1490-1686). ....................................................................... 15 The Bidar Sultanate (1492-1619) ........................................................................... 18 The Golconda Sultanate (1512–1687) ................................................................... 18 Doddaballapur (1700’s). ......................................................................................... 20 Kingdom of Mysore (1759-1799) ............................................................................... 21 Methodology ................................................................................................................. 23 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS ............................................................................................... 24 Shi'ism in Chikkaballapur District ............................................................................... 24 Shi'ism in Bengaluru District ...................................................................................... 31 Bengaluru Urban Findings ......................................................................................... 32 ISMAILI SHIA ISLAM ................................................................................................. 41 Bangalore Rural District Findings .............................................................................. 44 2 | P a g e Presented by Ziaraat.Com The Shi'a as a Muslim Minority in Karnataka State, India: Shi’as History & Findings Shi'ism in Mysore District ........................................................................................... 50 Shi'ism in Tumkur District .......................................................................................... 57 Shi'ism in Hassan District .......................................................................................... 59 Shi'ism in Bijapur District ........................................................................................... 61 Shi'ism in Gulbarga District ........................................................................................ 62 Shi'ism in Bidar District .............................................................................................. 64 Shi'ism in Ballari District ............................................................................................ 66 Shivamogga Findings ................................................................................................ 67 CHAPTER 4: Contribution of the Shia Islam to Karnataka State ................................... 69 Shia Muslims Sultanate Contribution to Karnataka State: .......................................... 70 Prominent Shia Muslims contributing to Karnataka: ................................................... 71 CHAPTER 5: ALIPUR VILLAGE ................................................................................... 76 Hindus Mourns in the ISLAMIC Holy month of Muharram ........................................... 119 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 120 Recommendations ...................................................................................................... 121 Future Hope of Karnataka's Shi'a Muslims. ................................................................. 123 BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................... 125 3 | P a g e Presented by Ziaraat.Com The Shi'a as a Muslim Minority in Karnataka State, India: Shi’as History & Findings AUTHOR BIO, PREFACE, ACKNOWLEDGMENT & ABSTRACT Author Bio The author sitting at the MGH Color Gems Co Ltd office in Bangkok, Thailand. Author Bio Syed Aqeel Abbas Najafi was born at Alipur village in the Indian state of Karnataka on 30th August 1989 (Islamic Calendar 17th Muharram). He came from a well-to-do Shia Islamic family who were traders. His grandfather was a trader & landlord who lived in Alipur village, Karnataka State, South India. His father Jouhari Mir Gulam Hussain Najafi, a businessman from Alipur, owned a successful color Gemstones business & his mother Syeda Syedunnisa, a housewife. He did his schooling in Alipur at Bintul-Huda Memorial School and moved to Bengaluru to study Computer Science Engineering at Cambridge Institute of Technology, College. He graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering in Computer Science in 2013 and then worked for his father's business. He also worked as a stock trader, web development & writing books as a part-time in Bengaluru, gives an account of “The Shi’a as a Muslim Minority in Karnataka, India”. Author’s Personal life Syed Aqeel Abbas's parents arranged a girl from his native village Alipur & got him engaged in the year 2011. Aqeel Abbas got married with Syed Mufees Fatima in 22nd June 2013 in Bangalore city in Karnataka State, South India. Aqeel Abbas loves online platforms for Businesses & Education Services. He believed in its effectiveness and predicted in 2012 that it would have a very huge market in the future. Preface As I was born in a Shia Islamic family at Alipur Village, I began to recognize the importance of Shia Muslim’s history & the dramatic presence of Shi'a Muslims in 1 | P a g e Presented by Ziaraat.Com The Shi'a as a Muslim Minority in Karnataka State, India: Shi’as History & Findings Karnataka State, South India. In my years of living in Karnataka State, I’ve attended many religious programs which inspired us to know our history & to learn about how Shia Islamic (The Twelvers-Shia Asna Ashri) Center moved from Bijapur city to Alipur village in Karnataka State, South India. Mysore History has interested me since I first watched The Sword of Tipu Sultan serial as a small child. After years of research, I finally have knowledge of my own to contribute. As an avid reader, I recognized that there weren't many stories out there like mine. This book is for all of the history buffs like myself. While I was in Alipur village, I collected photos & stories as well as facts. I will share all of them with you, as well as the photos I took along the way. Thank you to my family for supporting me throughout the years". Acknowledgment This book is the result of a series of conversations over the last several years between the Author, Shia Islamic religious leaders & Scholars, which began in Alipur village, Chikkabalapur District, India. As with any book length study, the work ahead has benefited from the support of many Shia Islamic religious leaders, alongside our families & friends. I feel so grateful and blessed to have parents like you in my life. In addition, thank you so much for your support—both emotional and financial—over the years. I love you, Mom and Dad. Please accept my heartfelt thanks for the best gift you could ever have given me: a wonderful education. I also thank my dear wife, Syeda Mufees Fathima., who helped me through taking care of me and gave me great help in writing this book. It puts me good company. Abstract India, which accommodates a collection of religions and religious minorities especially in this modern era, is a remarkable country for study and consideration. This study lends itself as an anthropological research to let readers get familiar with the religious identity of Muslims in general and the Shias of Karnataka state in particular. This project is a case study about the Shia Muslims in Karnataka; it also casts a historical eye on the formation of the cultural identity of Shias in India. During the reign of the Arab traders, they brought Islam into the South Indian state of Karnataka almost as soon as the faith was initiated in Arabia. Along with their faith, Muslims brought many products to the region. The Islamic presence and power in the state reached its greatest heights during the reigns of Bahamani Sultanate, Deccan Sultanate, The Qutb Shahi Dynasty, Hyder Ali and his son Tippu Sultan. Though killed by the British in 1799, Tippu Sultan was one of the