Ajan Fakir
Encyclopedia
Ajan Fakir, born Shah Miran, also known as Azan Pir, Hazrat Shah Miran, and Shah Milan (presumably from Miran
), was a Sufi Syed
, poet
, Muslim preacher and saint from the 17th century who came from Baghdad
to settle in the Sibsagar
area of Assam
in the north-eastern part of India, where he helped to unify the people of the Brahmaputra valley and to reform, reinforce and stabilise Islam
in the region of Assam. The nickname Azan came from his habit of calling azan
.
According to one version his name was "Hazarat Shah Syed Mainuddin". He is particularly known for his Zikir and Zari, two forms of devotional songs, that draw from local musical traditions and have striking similarities with borgeets of Srimanta Sankardeva
, the 16th century saint-scholar from Assam.
According to the late renowned author and Sahitya Akademi award winner Abdul Malik, Azan Fakir was a preacher with profound mastery over the Qur’an, the Hadith and Islamic philosophy. Abdul Malik has done extensive study on zikr. In 1955-54 Asam Sahitya Sabha and Department of Tribal Culture and Folklore Research, Gauhati, entrusted Syed Abdul Malik to gather zikrs. In 1958, Abdul Malik published a book entitled, Asamiya Zikr Aru Jari. Another Assamese scholar Muhibul Hussain made the first major collection of zikrs in his book Hajarat Ajan Pir, published in 1954.
. He came to Assam accompanied by his brother Shah Navi. He married an Ahom woman of a high family and settled at Gorgaon, near modern Sibsagar
town.
. As a Pir
he composed Zikirs. Originally he spoke Arabic, but he learnt the language of the land he adopted, completely mastered it and wrote his spiritual songs in such a homely idiom that they stand comparison with the compositions of his Vaishnava contemporaries.
He used the medium Zikir (some kind of spiritual songs)to propagate Islam. The practitioners (Md Kerimuddin Ahmed and Abu Khayer Abdul Muneem) of Zikir are still alive in Sivasagar, Assam (the address is given below). Any queries of Azan peer or Azan peer's Zikir may be asked to the given address. All interested persons are welcome to visit it. The persons described below are authorized as Zikir practitioner under Dibrugarh radio station by the station director on behalf of president of India.
Md Kerimuddin Ahmed Abu Khayer Abdul Muneem
Jengonikotia Taxiali or C/O: - Abdul Hussain
Sivasagar, Assam, India Sivasagar, Assam, India
P.O & Dist: -Sivasagar P.O & Dist: -Sivasagar
Pin: -785640 Pin: -785640
Phone: -7399781545
and had a matha
built for him. This place on the bank of Brahmaputra has become a holy place with Ajan Pir’s Dargah where an annual urs
is held.
His dargah
is at Sahaguri Chapari near Sibsagar
town.
Miran
Miran may refer to:Places*Miran, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan*Miran, Kabul, Afghanistan*Miran, Wardak, Afghanistan*Miran People* Miran better known nickname of Mir Sadiq Ali Khan son of Mir Jafar*Miran Bux*Mahmoud Miran*Miran Shah...
), was a Sufi Syed
Syed
Syed is a masculine given name derived from the title Sayyid, it is not to be confused with the similar looking name Sayid...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, Muslim preacher and saint from the 17th century who came from Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
to settle in the Sibsagar
Sibsagar
Sivasagar is a town in the Sibsagar district in the state of Assam in India, about north east of Guwahati....
area of Assam
Assam
Assam , also, rarely, Assam Valley and formerly the Assam Province , is a northeastern state of India and is one of the most culturally and geographically distinct regions of the country...
in the north-eastern part of India, where he helped to unify the people of the Brahmaputra valley and to reform, reinforce and stabilise Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
in the region of Assam. The nickname Azan came from his habit of calling azan
Adhan
The adhān is the Islamic call to prayer, recited by the muezzin at prescribed times of the day. The root of the word is meaning "to permit"; another derivative of this word is , meaning "ear"....
.
According to one version his name was "Hazarat Shah Syed Mainuddin". He is particularly known for his Zikir and Zari, two forms of devotional songs, that draw from local musical traditions and have striking similarities with borgeets of Srimanta Sankardeva
Srimanta Sankardeva
Mahapurusha Srimanta Shankardeva , was the greatest Assamese saint-scholar, playwright, social-religious reformer and a colossal figure in the cultural and religious history of Assam, India...
, the 16th century saint-scholar from Assam.
According to the late renowned author and Sahitya Akademi award winner Abdul Malik, Azan Fakir was a preacher with profound mastery over the Qur’an, the Hadith and Islamic philosophy. Abdul Malik has done extensive study on zikr. In 1955-54 Asam Sahitya Sabha and Department of Tribal Culture and Folklore Research, Gauhati, entrusted Syed Abdul Malik to gather zikrs. In 1958, Abdul Malik published a book entitled, Asamiya Zikr Aru Jari. Another Assamese scholar Muhibul Hussain made the first major collection of zikrs in his book Hajarat Ajan Pir, published in 1954.
Career
He was a disciple of Khwaja Nizamuddin Auliya in BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
. He came to Assam accompanied by his brother Shah Navi. He married an Ahom woman of a high family and settled at Gorgaon, near modern Sibsagar
Sibsagar
Sivasagar is a town in the Sibsagar district in the state of Assam in India, about north east of Guwahati....
town.
His works
He flourished during the middle of the 17th century and saw action in the battle between Mir Jumla and the AhomsAhom kingdom
The Ahom Kingdom was a medieval kingdom in the Brahmaputra valley in Assam that maintained its sovereignty for nearly 600 years and successfully resisted Mughal expansion in North-East India...
. As a Pir
Pir (Sufism)
Pir or Peer is a title for a Sufi master equally used in the nath tradition. They are also referred to as a Hazrat or Shaikh, which is Arabic for Old Man. The title is often translated into English as "saint" and could be interpreted as "Elder". In Sufism a Pir's role is to guide and instruct his...
he composed Zikirs. Originally he spoke Arabic, but he learnt the language of the land he adopted, completely mastered it and wrote his spiritual songs in such a homely idiom that they stand comparison with the compositions of his Vaishnava contemporaries.
He used the medium Zikir (some kind of spiritual songs)to propagate Islam. The practitioners (Md Kerimuddin Ahmed and Abu Khayer Abdul Muneem) of Zikir are still alive in Sivasagar, Assam (the address is given below). Any queries of Azan peer or Azan peer's Zikir may be asked to the given address. All interested persons are welcome to visit it. The persons described below are authorized as Zikir practitioner under Dibrugarh radio station by the station director on behalf of president of India.
Md Kerimuddin Ahmed Abu Khayer Abdul Muneem
Jengonikotia Taxiali or C/O: - Abdul Hussain
Sivasagar, Assam, India Sivasagar, Assam, India
P.O & Dist: -Sivasagar P.O & Dist: -Sivasagar
Pin: -785640 Pin: -785640
Phone: -7399781545
The conspiracy
In course of time his influence spread, he acquired a good number of followers and earned the enmity of a Muslim official, Rupai Dadhora, who by conspiracy convinced the Ahom king that Ajan Fakir was going against Islamic tenets and had orders passed for plucking out the Pir’s eyes. The Pir, according to some songs, had two earthen pots brought into which he let his “two eyes drop”.Aftermath
The king was alarmed and for atonement made land grants to Ajan Fakir at Sovaguri Chapari, near SibsagarSibsagar
Sivasagar is a town in the Sibsagar district in the state of Assam in India, about north east of Guwahati....
and had a matha
Matha
A matha ) is a term for monastic and similar religious establishments of Hinduism and Jainism. A matha is usually more formal, hierarchical, and rule-based than an ashram.-Advaita Mathas:...
built for him. This place on the bank of Brahmaputra has become a holy place with Ajan Pir’s Dargah where an annual urs
Urs
Urs is the death anniversary of a Sufi saint in South Asia, usually held at the saint's dargah . South Asian Sufis being mainly Chishtiyya, refer to their saints as lovers and God as beloved...
is held.
His dargah
Dargah
A Dargah is a Sufi shrine built over the grave of a revered religious figure, often a Sufi saint. Local Muslims visit the shrine known as . Dargahs are often associated with Sufi meeting rooms and hostels, known as khanqah...
is at Sahaguri Chapari near Sibsagar
Sibsagar
Sivasagar is a town in the Sibsagar district in the state of Assam in India, about north east of Guwahati....
town.