Amir Kulal
Encyclopedia
Shams ud-Din (شمس الدین) renowned as Amir Kulal (امیر کلال) was born in Bukhara
, Uzbekistan
to the well known scholar Saif ud-Din Hamza (سیف الدین حمزہ) a descendant of Nabi Muhammad
. Saif ud Din Hamza (sometimes called Saif ud-Din Kulal) was also Amir (chieftain) of Tribe of Kulal (Amir-i-Kulal), hence the title Amir. After Saif ud-Din Hamza’s death Shams ud-Din took up the role of head of the tribe by which time his reputation as a scholar and religious figure had spread through Turkistan
, and the title Amir-i-Kulal had become synonymous with Shams ud-Din, which stays to this day. He had number of students who later became prominent figures in history including Baha-ud-Din Naqshband and Amir Timur. He is buried at Sokhar (Sukhar), near Bukhara. After rise of the Timurid Dynasty
a symbiotic relationship began between the houses of Amir Timur and Amir Kulal which continued through the Mughal line in India.
It might be noted here that Amir Kulal’s grandfather (also called Shams ud-Din) was the spiritual mentor of Barlas Tribe and Turghai (Amir Timur’s father) and is buried at Shahrisabz
. Sometimes Amir Kulal’s grandfather is confused with Amir Kulal (both having the same name).
. In fact the entire tribe of Kulal had descended from Nabi Muhammad and settled at Vabkent
(Wabkana)–30 kilometers north of Bukhara
. Around 1340 the city was visited by Ibn Battuta
(1304–1359) who spent a night a night there as a guest. Ibn Battuta described the small city of Vabkent as beautiful with many gardens and rivers. Kulal Tribe had settled at Vabkent
a number of generations back, near the end of the twelfth century. Their date of settlement can be approximated with the madrasa which was constructed at Vabkent in 1198 under the patronage of Burhan ud-Din Abdul Aziz II, whose name adorns madrasa’s minaret, the only surviving segment of the building. It is interesting to note here that the engineers working on construction of the madrasa were all from the Kulal Tribe and copied the Kalyan Mosque (Po-i-Kalyan
) style, though few upgrades were made in the design and technology. In essence the Vabkent Madrasa was a more refined form of Kalyan Mosque.
Kulal Tribe quickly established a small industrial base at the central market of Vabkent and number of mills in the surrounding areas which continued to operate well into the sixteenth century. Minting of coins, steel, pottery and milling were the main industries. Though, the highly glazed pottery and tiles, unmatched in quality and quantity were their main export earning them the title of Kulal (potter). Their kiln designs were highly efficient and were able to produce up to 1500 pots in each batch. Utilizing wind and water resources for milling and industrial processes coupled with efficient kiln designs resulted in considerably higher returns per capita leading to a healthy lifestyle for the entire tribe.
Kulal Tribe lived in the surroundings of Burkhara and Bukhara city amidst the most turbulent times but remained safe and stayed out of the line of fire. Never in their history of few centuries were they attacked or their stronghold city destroyed. The reason lied in the threefold strategy.
Firstly, they were famous as an entire tribe of descendants of Nabi Muhammad
, attracting considerable respect from the neighboring tribes, thus anyone bad-eyeing them had to think twice-the entire region being a Muslim dominated country.
Secondly, the city was surrounded by a terrain of gardens and greenery crisscrossed by numerous rivers and streams at one side and an endless desert at the other, which was barren and uninhabited. This coupled with nothing much of material value in the small city was big enough deterrent for any invading army which would have to travel at least one day to reach the city which lied at the boundary of Kyzyl Kum
(Qyzlqum) desert and no major city to north of the city.
Lastly, and most importantly their social system. The social system was devised into three sections, namely: political system; monetary system; and publicity system. Their political system was simple. The most learned of the tribe was chosen as the head. Main goal of the head, other than being the qazi and administrator was to represent the tribe and politically maneuver through times of war. Also the post was not hereditary. No hereditary claim to the “throne” meant there wasn’t one family in the tribe which would grow up to have amassed huge portions of tribe wealth in a couple of generations, in-case the head turned out to be corrupt. Also, this avoided any mutual tussles between heirs of any deceased chieftain, as there was nothing to fight for. Their monetary system was even more advanced (for their time) than the political system. All of the mills and manufacturing plants were owned in essence by the community. Anyone willing and skilled was allowed to operate and earn a living as long as he kept the structure maintained and donated for construction of newer structures. The system worked superbly well and at least at a smaller scale of a couple of thousand individuals proved could be sustained for a number of centuries. Strict code of intermarriages within the tribe, relatively small birthrate (compared to the one prevalent at the times), single marriages and continuous outward migration meant the population stayed nearly constant throughout the time period.
The tribe used an ingenious method of publicity to deter any invaders. Although they were mainly craftsmen (engineers and scientists) but had strapping and tall builds. They used this to their advantage by encouraging young members of the tribe to learn the necessary fighting skills and take up wrestling as a sport which by the time of Shams ud-Din Amir Kulal had become a tribal trademark sport. The tribe held regular contests both at Vabkent and Bukhara in which outsiders also competed. Almost always success of Kulal’s youth meant instillation of the idea of Kulal Tribe as superior and fierce warriors. Thus, without ever going to war for a period of more than three centuries the tribe held its reputation as fierce warriors and wrestlers.
The full nasb of Amir Kulal is as follows:-
hamsudeen=Amir Kulal ibn Hamzah ibn Ibraheem ibn Muhammad ibn (Muhammad) Hasan ibn Abdullah AlShaheed ibn Jafar ibn Husain ibn Ali ibn Hasan AlQayem ibn (Muhammad) Husain ibn (Ahmad) Husain ibn (Muhammad) Ali=AlDaynori ibn Moussa=AbuSobha Moussa AlThani ibn Ibraheem AlMurtdha ibn Moussa AlKadhim ibn Jafar AlSadiq ibn Muhammad AlBaqir ibn Ali Zainualabdeen ibn AlHusain AlSebit, son of Fatimah ibnt Nabi Muhammad, ibn AlImam Ali ibn AbiTalib AlHashemi AlQurashi.
. His father Saif ud-Din Hamza was head of Kulal Tribe and a renowned scholar of his time. As head of the tribe, Saif ud-Din Hamza was titled Amir-i-Kulal (Leader of Kulal Tribe). Shams ud-Din was educated in his childhood and early in his life took the position of head of the madrasa at Vabkent. At the same time he started gaining fame as a wrestler. By the time he assumed the position of the head of Kulal Tribe his fame as a scholar and religious figure had spread through the surrounding region with many noble and powerful families sending their children to study under him, most notably from the Barlas
Tribe.
As head of Kulal, his responsibilities increased but Amir Kulal continued to teach at the madrasa. One of Amir Kulal’s most famous disciples was Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari
who used to work as an executioner in Bukhara
under the rule of Qazan Khan ibn Yasaur
(d. 1346). One day Baha ud-Din was ordered to execute a man who had angered the king. However, right before his execution the accused called upon Amir Kulal, identifying him as his teacher. Amir Kulal intervened and the accused was set free on his intercession. This was Baha ud-Din’s first encounter with Amir Kulal. Impressed by him, Baha ud-Din became his student.
Amir Kulal also had a sizeable following of spiritual protégés (murid). Of these the most prominent was Turghai (Trush) (d. 1356 AD) who had previously been influenced by Amir Kulal’s grandfather. After Turghai’s death his son Timur
(d. 807/1405) held Amir Kulal in the same esteem holding him as his spiritual guide.
Around the year 1340 Ibn Battuta made a day stop at Vabkent who later described the city as beautiful with many rivers and gardens. He was Amir’s guest at the city and was guided towards Bukhara, then at a day’s travel from Vabkent.
In the year 1357 Timur approached Amir Kulal for his advice on strategic maneuvers for attacking Uzbeks
. It was under his advice that Timur
changed his attack plan.
Amir Kulal died in 772/1370 and was buried in Sukhar (Sokhar) near Bukhara. Sometimes Amir Kulal’s tomb is confused with the tomb of his grandfather (also Shams ud-Din Kulal). It is Shams ud-Din Kulal (Amir Kulal’s grandfather) who is buried at Shahrisabz
(Kesh); the Green City. Amir Kulal’s grandfather had constructed the madrasa Dor-i-Tilavat/Dorut Tilavat
(House of Mediation) and was buried here after his death. Later, Timur transferred the body of his father Turghai, to be near the grave of Shams ud-Din (Amir Kulal's grandfather). Amir Kulal's grandfather was Turghai and Barlas Tribe’s spiritual mentor. Majority of Timur’s family is also buried at the same place. Recently, his tomb had been renovated under the orders of Uzbekistan’s President.
None of the books written by Amir Kulal are extant. However, some excerpts and essays have survived in the family library. Also, three copies of a biography of Amir Kulal "Maqamat-i-Amir Kulal" written by his great grandson Shihab ul Din have survived.
. Although Amir Kalan is renowned for his religious scholarship he was also well versed in mathematics and astronomy, and introduced these sciences to the young prince. At Ulugh Beg’s madrasa Amir Kalan was considered one of the top ten teachers (mudarris) with unparalleled proficiency in ulum-i-yaainia, dinia and ulum-i-shariat. Amir Sultan (Muhammad Shmsudeen ibn Ali ibn Burhanudeen ibn Amir Kulal), another grandson of Amir Kulal married Ottoman Sultan, Bayezid I
’s daughter. After Babur
established the Mughal Empire
in India many of Amir Kulal’s descendants moved there and continued to enjoy an influence in the Mughal dynasty. They remained as teachers and mentors of Mughal
Princes and Kings or their close friends. Last of these was Shah Abbas
, tutor of Mughal King Farrukhsiyar
. By the time Farrukhsiyar was enthroned the family had parted ways from Mughals. A gap of hundred years follows, after which the family comes to prominence with Sheikh Samad Ali, one of the prominent students of Shah Abdul Aziz
. Although his exploits as an engineering entrepreneur overshadows his scholarly work. His son Hakim Qadir Ali earned fame both as a scholar and doctor and his great grandson Shah Altaf was renowned as a scholar and scientist in the area around Delhi, and his school attracted many students from this area. After the founding of Pakistan, majority of Amir Kulal’s descendants moved to Pakistan.
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
to the well known scholar Saif ud-Din Hamza (سیف الدین حمزہ) a descendant of Nabi Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. Saif ud Din Hamza (sometimes called Saif ud-Din Kulal) was also Amir (chieftain) of Tribe of Kulal (Amir-i-Kulal), hence the title Amir. After Saif ud-Din Hamza’s death Shams ud-Din took up the role of head of the tribe by which time his reputation as a scholar and religious figure had spread through Turkistan
Türkistan
*Türkistan is the local name for Turkestan, a region of Central Asia.*Türkistan, Kazakhstan is a historic city and place of pilgrimage in southern Kazakhstan...
, and the title Amir-i-Kulal had become synonymous with Shams ud-Din, which stays to this day. He had number of students who later became prominent figures in history including Baha-ud-Din Naqshband and Amir Timur. He is buried at Sokhar (Sukhar), near Bukhara. After rise of the Timurid Dynasty
Timurid Dynasty
The Timurids , self-designated Gurkānī , were a Persianate, Central Asian Sunni Muslim dynasty of Turko-Mongol descent whose empire included the whole of Iran, modern Afghanistan, and modern Uzbekistan, as well as large parts of contemporary Pakistan, North India, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and the...
a symbiotic relationship began between the houses of Amir Timur and Amir Kulal which continued through the Mughal line in India.
It might be noted here that Amir Kulal’s grandfather (also called Shams ud-Din) was the spiritual mentor of Barlas Tribe and Turghai (Amir Timur’s father) and is buried at Shahrisabz
Shahrisabz
Shakhrisabz , is a city in Uzbekistan located approximately 80 km south of Samarkand with the population of 53,000 . It is located at the altitude of 622 m. Once a major city of Central Asia, it is primarily known today as the birthplace of 14th century Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur...
. Sometimes Amir Kulal’s grandfather is confused with Amir Kulal (both having the same name).
Family Lineage and Kulal Tribe
Shams ud-Din’s father, Amir Saif ud Din Hamza (امیر سیف الدین حمزہ) was head of the Kulal Tribe and a direct descendant of Husain ibn Ali, grandson of Nabi MuhammadMuhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
. In fact the entire tribe of Kulal had descended from Nabi Muhammad and settled at Vabkent
Vabkent
Vabkent is a town in the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan and the capital of Vabkent district. It is famous for a minaret constructed in 1196–1198, under the reign of Ala ad-Din Tekish....
(Wabkana)–30 kilometers north of Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
. Around 1340 the city was visited by Ibn Battuta
Ibn Battuta
Abu Abdullah Muhammad Ibn Battuta , or simply Ibn Battuta, also known as Shams ad–Din , was a Muslim Moroccan Berber explorer, known for his extensive travels published in the Rihla...
(1304–1359) who spent a night a night there as a guest. Ibn Battuta described the small city of Vabkent as beautiful with many gardens and rivers. Kulal Tribe had settled at Vabkent
Vabkent
Vabkent is a town in the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan and the capital of Vabkent district. It is famous for a minaret constructed in 1196–1198, under the reign of Ala ad-Din Tekish....
a number of generations back, near the end of the twelfth century. Their date of settlement can be approximated with the madrasa which was constructed at Vabkent in 1198 under the patronage of Burhan ud-Din Abdul Aziz II, whose name adorns madrasa’s minaret, the only surviving segment of the building. It is interesting to note here that the engineers working on construction of the madrasa were all from the Kulal Tribe and copied the Kalyan Mosque (Po-i-Kalyan
Po-i-Kalyan
The title Po-i-Kalyan , which means "The foot of the Great", belongs to the architectural complex located at the foot of the great Kalyan minaret in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.-History:...
) style, though few upgrades were made in the design and technology. In essence the Vabkent Madrasa was a more refined form of Kalyan Mosque.
Kulal Tribe quickly established a small industrial base at the central market of Vabkent and number of mills in the surrounding areas which continued to operate well into the sixteenth century. Minting of coins, steel, pottery and milling were the main industries. Though, the highly glazed pottery and tiles, unmatched in quality and quantity were their main export earning them the title of Kulal (potter). Their kiln designs were highly efficient and were able to produce up to 1500 pots in each batch. Utilizing wind and water resources for milling and industrial processes coupled with efficient kiln designs resulted in considerably higher returns per capita leading to a healthy lifestyle for the entire tribe.
Kulal Tribe lived in the surroundings of Burkhara and Bukhara city amidst the most turbulent times but remained safe and stayed out of the line of fire. Never in their history of few centuries were they attacked or their stronghold city destroyed. The reason lied in the threefold strategy.
Firstly, they were famous as an entire tribe of descendants of Nabi Muhammad
Muhammad
Muhammad |ligature]] at U+FDF4 ;Arabic pronunciation varies regionally; the first vowel ranges from ~~; the second and the last vowel: ~~~. There are dialects which have no stress. In Egypt, it is pronounced not in religious contexts...
, attracting considerable respect from the neighboring tribes, thus anyone bad-eyeing them had to think twice-the entire region being a Muslim dominated country.
Secondly, the city was surrounded by a terrain of gardens and greenery crisscrossed by numerous rivers and streams at one side and an endless desert at the other, which was barren and uninhabited. This coupled with nothing much of material value in the small city was big enough deterrent for any invading army which would have to travel at least one day to reach the city which lied at the boundary of Kyzyl Kum
Kyzyl Kum
The Kyzyl Kum , also called Qyzylqum, is the 11th largest desert in the world. Its name means Red Sand in Turkic languages. It is located in Central Asia in the doab between the rivers Amu Darya and Syr Darya, and is divided between Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan...
(Qyzlqum) desert and no major city to north of the city.
Lastly, and most importantly their social system. The social system was devised into three sections, namely: political system; monetary system; and publicity system. Their political system was simple. The most learned of the tribe was chosen as the head. Main goal of the head, other than being the qazi and administrator was to represent the tribe and politically maneuver through times of war. Also the post was not hereditary. No hereditary claim to the “throne” meant there wasn’t one family in the tribe which would grow up to have amassed huge portions of tribe wealth in a couple of generations, in-case the head turned out to be corrupt. Also, this avoided any mutual tussles between heirs of any deceased chieftain, as there was nothing to fight for. Their monetary system was even more advanced (for their time) than the political system. All of the mills and manufacturing plants were owned in essence by the community. Anyone willing and skilled was allowed to operate and earn a living as long as he kept the structure maintained and donated for construction of newer structures. The system worked superbly well and at least at a smaller scale of a couple of thousand individuals proved could be sustained for a number of centuries. Strict code of intermarriages within the tribe, relatively small birthrate (compared to the one prevalent at the times), single marriages and continuous outward migration meant the population stayed nearly constant throughout the time period.
The tribe used an ingenious method of publicity to deter any invaders. Although they were mainly craftsmen (engineers and scientists) but had strapping and tall builds. They used this to their advantage by encouraging young members of the tribe to learn the necessary fighting skills and take up wrestling as a sport which by the time of Shams ud-Din Amir Kulal had become a tribal trademark sport. The tribe held regular contests both at Vabkent and Bukhara in which outsiders also competed. Almost always success of Kulal’s youth meant instillation of the idea of Kulal Tribe as superior and fierce warriors. Thus, without ever going to war for a period of more than three centuries the tribe held its reputation as fierce warriors and wrestlers.
The full nasb of Amir Kulal is as follows:-
hamsudeen=Amir Kulal ibn Hamzah ibn Ibraheem ibn Muhammad ibn (Muhammad) Hasan ibn Abdullah AlShaheed ibn Jafar ibn Husain ibn Ali ibn Hasan AlQayem ibn (Muhammad) Husain ibn (Ahmad) Husain ibn (Muhammad) Ali=AlDaynori ibn Moussa=AbuSobha Moussa AlThani ibn Ibraheem AlMurtdha ibn Moussa AlKadhim ibn Jafar AlSadiq ibn Muhammad AlBaqir ibn Ali Zainualabdeen ibn AlHusain AlSebit, son of Fatimah ibnt Nabi Muhammad, ibn AlImam Ali ibn AbiTalib AlHashemi AlQurashi.
Early life
Shams ud-Din Amir Kulal (شمس الدین امیر کلال) was born at BukharaBukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
. His father Saif ud-Din Hamza was head of Kulal Tribe and a renowned scholar of his time. As head of the tribe, Saif ud-Din Hamza was titled Amir-i-Kulal (Leader of Kulal Tribe). Shams ud-Din was educated in his childhood and early in his life took the position of head of the madrasa at Vabkent. At the same time he started gaining fame as a wrestler. By the time he assumed the position of the head of Kulal Tribe his fame as a scholar and religious figure had spread through the surrounding region with many noble and powerful families sending their children to study under him, most notably from the Barlas
Barlas
The Barlas were a Mongol - later Turkicized - nomadic confederation in Central Asia and the chief tribe of the Timurids who ruled much of Central Asia, Iran, and South Asia in the Middle Ages.- Origins :According to the Secret History of the Mongols, written during the reign of Ögedei Khan, the...
Tribe.
Amir-i-Kulal
Shams ud-Din was elected as tribe’s head after his father’s death. Although all the heads of Kulal were called Amir-i-Kulal (meaning chief of Kulal tribe), it was Shams ud-Din whose name has become synonymous with the designation Amir Kulal. Today he is mostly remembered through the title Amir Kulal rather than his real name.As head of Kulal, his responsibilities increased but Amir Kulal continued to teach at the madrasa. One of Amir Kulal’s most famous disciples was Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari
Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari
Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhari was the founder of what would become the Naqshbandi. He was born in Bukhara which is located in Uzbekistan...
who used to work as an executioner in Bukhara
Bukhara
Bukhara , from the Soghdian βuxārak , is the capital of the Bukhara Province of Uzbekistan. The nation's fifth-largest city, it has a population of 263,400 . The region around Bukhara has been inhabited for at least five millennia, and the city has existed for half that time...
under the rule of Qazan Khan ibn Yasaur
Qazan Khan ibn Yasaur
-Biography:Qazan was the son of Yasa'ur, a Chagatayid prince who had revolted in the 1310s. Upon his ascension to the throne, he attempted to increase his power within the ulus. These measures provoked the anger of the nobility, who threw their support behind the Qara'unas Amir Qazaghan. The two...
(d. 1346). One day Baha ud-Din was ordered to execute a man who had angered the king. However, right before his execution the accused called upon Amir Kulal, identifying him as his teacher. Amir Kulal intervened and the accused was set free on his intercession. This was Baha ud-Din’s first encounter with Amir Kulal. Impressed by him, Baha ud-Din became his student.
Amir Kulal also had a sizeable following of spiritual protégés (murid). Of these the most prominent was Turghai (Trush) (d. 1356 AD) who had previously been influenced by Amir Kulal’s grandfather. After Turghai’s death his son Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
(d. 807/1405) held Amir Kulal in the same esteem holding him as his spiritual guide.
Around the year 1340 Ibn Battuta made a day stop at Vabkent who later described the city as beautiful with many rivers and gardens. He was Amir’s guest at the city and was guided towards Bukhara, then at a day’s travel from Vabkent.
In the year 1357 Timur approached Amir Kulal for his advice on strategic maneuvers for attacking Uzbeks
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
. It was under his advice that Timur
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
changed his attack plan.
Amir Kulal died in 772/1370 and was buried in Sukhar (Sokhar) near Bukhara. Sometimes Amir Kulal’s tomb is confused with the tomb of his grandfather (also Shams ud-Din Kulal). It is Shams ud-Din Kulal (Amir Kulal’s grandfather) who is buried at Shahrisabz
Shahrisabz
Shakhrisabz , is a city in Uzbekistan located approximately 80 km south of Samarkand with the population of 53,000 . It is located at the altitude of 622 m. Once a major city of Central Asia, it is primarily known today as the birthplace of 14th century Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur...
(Kesh); the Green City. Amir Kulal’s grandfather had constructed the madrasa Dor-i-Tilavat/Dorut Tilavat
Dorut Tilavat
Dor-i-Tilavat/Dorut Tilovat/Dor al-Tilavat is a madrasa in Uzbekistan.Dorut Tilovat was first constructed in the thirteenth century by Shams ud-Din Kulal . He had travelled from Bukhara to Kesh to spread the message of Islam...
(House of Mediation) and was buried here after his death. Later, Timur transferred the body of his father Turghai, to be near the grave of Shams ud-Din (Amir Kulal's grandfather). Amir Kulal's grandfather was Turghai and Barlas Tribe’s spiritual mentor. Majority of Timur’s family is also buried at the same place. Recently, his tomb had been renovated under the orders of Uzbekistan’s President.
None of the books written by Amir Kulal are extant. However, some excerpts and essays have survived in the family library. Also, three copies of a biography of Amir Kulal "Maqamat-i-Amir Kulal" written by his great grandson Shihab ul Din have survived.
Amir Kulal's Descendants
After Amir Kulal’s death his descendants, propagated from his four sons: Burhanudeen, Shah, Hamzah, and Omar, continued to be associated with the Timurid and then Mughal Dynasty Kings and Princes as their friends and teachers. Amir Kulal’s grandson Amir Kalan (Muhammad ibn Shah ibn Amir Kulal) was entrusted with the education of young Ulugh BegUlugh Beg
Ulugh Bek was a Timurid ruler as well as an astronomer, mathematician and sultan. His commonly-known name is not truly a personal name, but rather a moniker, which can be loosely translated as "Great Ruler" or "Patriarch Ruler" and was the Turkic equivalent of Timur's Perso-Arabic title Amīr-e...
. Although Amir Kalan is renowned for his religious scholarship he was also well versed in mathematics and astronomy, and introduced these sciences to the young prince. At Ulugh Beg’s madrasa Amir Kalan was considered one of the top ten teachers (mudarris) with unparalleled proficiency in ulum-i-yaainia, dinia and ulum-i-shariat. Amir Sultan (Muhammad Shmsudeen ibn Ali ibn Burhanudeen ibn Amir Kulal), another grandson of Amir Kulal married Ottoman Sultan, Bayezid I
Bayezid I
Bayezid I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1389 to 1402. He was the son of Murad I and Valide Sultan Gülçiçek Hatun.-Biography:Bayezid was born in Edirne and spent his youth in Bursa, where he received a high-level education...
’s daughter. After Babur
Babur
Babur was a Muslim conqueror from Central Asia who, following a series of setbacks, finally succeeded in laying the basis for the Mughal dynasty of South Asia. He was a direct descendant of Timur through his father, and a descendant also of Genghis Khan through his mother...
established the Mughal Empire
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
in India many of Amir Kulal’s descendants moved there and continued to enjoy an influence in the Mughal dynasty. They remained as teachers and mentors of Mughal
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
Princes and Kings or their close friends. Last of these was Shah Abbas
Abbas III
Abbas III was a son of Shah Tahmasp II of the Safavid dynasty. After the deposition of his father by Nader Khan the infant Abbas was appointed nominal ruler of Iran on 7 September 1732. Nader Khan, who was the real ruler of the country, assumed the positions of deputy of state and viceroy...
, tutor of Mughal King Farrukhsiyar
Farrukhsiyar
Abu'l Muzaffar Muin ud-din Muhammad Shah Farrukh-siyar Alim Akbar Sani Wala Shan Padshah-i-bahr-u-bar [Shahid-i-Mazlum] was the Mughal emperor between 1713 and 1719. Noted as a handsome but weak ruler, easily swayed by his advisers, Farukhsiyar lacked the ability and character to rule independently...
. By the time Farrukhsiyar was enthroned the family had parted ways from Mughals. A gap of hundred years follows, after which the family comes to prominence with Sheikh Samad Ali, one of the prominent students of Shah Abdul Aziz
Shah Abdul Aziz
Al Muhaddith Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi was one of the great Sunni Islamic scholar scholars of Hadith in India.-Biography:Shah Abdul Aziz was the eldest son of Shah Waliullah was only 17 years old when Shah Waliullah died...
. Although his exploits as an engineering entrepreneur overshadows his scholarly work. His son Hakim Qadir Ali earned fame both as a scholar and doctor and his great grandson Shah Altaf was renowned as a scholar and scientist in the area around Delhi, and his school attracted many students from this area. After the founding of Pakistan, majority of Amir Kulal’s descendants moved to Pakistan.