Sheikh Ahmad-e Jami
Encyclopedia
Ahmad Ibn Abolhasan Jāmi-e Nāmaghi-e Torshizi (born Namagh
(now Kashmar
), Persia, 1048 - died Torbat-e Jam, 1141) better known as Sheikh Ahhmad-e Jami or Sheikh Ahmad-i Jami or Sheikh Ahmad-e jam or Sheikh-e Jam or simply Ahmad-e Jam was a Persian Sufi, Sufi writer
, Mystic
and poet
. His Mazar
(tomb
) is located in Torbat-e Jam. In the Arabic language, which had great influence on the Persian language, the word "Sheikh
" means "a wise old man" and Jam is the shortened form of Torbat-e Jam
) near Torshiz in Khorasan, and counted "Jarir Ibn Abdullah", a companion (Sahaba
) of Mohammad, as one of his ancestors. His parents made their living by farming. Ahmad was tall of stature, strong and courageous; this and a reputation for gruffness led to sources referring to him as "the Colossal Elephant" (Zhandeh Pil). Medieval accounts describe him as having red hair, a wine-colored beard and dark-blue eyes.
Until the age of twenty-two (circa 1070 CE / 463 AH), Ahmad would attend drinking parties with a circle of profligate friends. Ahmad experienced a conversion to the religious life one night after witnessing the miraculous transformation of wine into grape juice. [The Colossal Elephant and his Spiritual Feats, Story 1, Story 74]. After this Ahmad withdrew from his circle of friends. He took up the life of a hermit and lived in seclusion for eighteen years, on the mountain of Nâmaq until about 1082 (475 A.H.), and then on the mountain of Bizd for the next six years until circa 1088 (481 A.H.). [The Colossal Elephant, Stories 9, 10 and 13]. At the age of forty he returned to society to guide the people and make wine-drinkers and sinners to repent. The earliest source about him, The Spiritual Feats of Sadid al-Din Muhammad al-Ghaznavi, gives him the honorific title “Shaykh al-Islam.” According to Ghaznavi’s Spiritual Feats, Ahmad-e Jâm was not at first appreciated by the people, but after several miraculous healings, his reputation spread and he attracted some followers (see Stories 13-15).
Ahmad settled down in Ma‘d-âbâd and began training disciples and composing books and propagating his ideas. He also built a Friday mosque and a khâneqâh, or Sufi lodge. From his home in Ma‘d-âbâd, he made many trips throughout Khorasan, including visits to the major cities of Herât, Nayshabur, and Marv, and to Bâkharz and Bastâm. He evidently won many converts from the villages outlying Jâm. Shaykh Ahmad’s activity therefore stretched across a territory that triangulates the modern borders of eastern Iran, northern Afghanistan and southern Turkmenistan. [Colossal Elephant, introduction].
A sample of his poetry
is:
Don't be like axe and don't offend anyone
Don't be useless like a plane
Just be like a saw in your life
Do something for yourself and something for others
, with some of his most important books being:
for him in order that the people could come and use the mystical powers of the Sheikh after his death.
, who chose his penname according to Sheikh Ahmad Jami's name (which is Jami).
Namagh
Namagh is a village of Koohsorkh District in Kashmar, Iran.Sheikh Ahmad-e Jami was born there in 1048....
(now Kashmar
Kashmar
Kashmar is a city in and the capital of Kashmar County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. Kashmar is located near the river Sish Taraz in the western part of the province, and south of the province's capital Mashhad, in Iran, from east to Bardaskan, west to Torbat-e Heydarieh, north to...
), Persia, 1048 - died Torbat-e Jam, 1141) better known as Sheikh Ahhmad-e Jami or Sheikh Ahmad-i Jami or Sheikh Ahmad-e jam or Sheikh-e Jam or simply Ahmad-e Jam was a Persian Sufi, Sufi writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, Mystic
Irfan
‘Irfān literally means knowing/awareness. The term is often translated as gnosis, however it also refers to Islamic mysticism. Those with the name are sometimes referred to as having an insight into the unseen...
and 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...
. His Mazar
Mazar
A Mazār is a tomb or mausoleum ; the word deriving from the Arabic verb zāra , 'to visit', whence also comes the noun ziyārah , 'a visit', or 'visiting the tomb of a saint for blessings.'. Though the word is Arabic in origin, it has been borrowed by a number of eastern languages, including Persian...
(tomb
Tomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
) is located in Torbat-e Jam. In the Arabic language, which had great influence on the Persian language, the word "Sheikh
Sheikh
Not to be confused with sikhSheikh — also spelled Sheik or Shaikh, or transliterated as Shaykh — is an honorific in the Arabic language that literally means "elder" and carries the meaning "leader and/or governor"...
" means "a wise old man" and Jam is the shortened form of Torbat-e Jam
His life
He was born in 1048 (441 A.H.) in Namagh (now KashmarKashmar
Kashmar is a city in and the capital of Kashmar County, in Razavi Khorasan Province, Iran. Kashmar is located near the river Sish Taraz in the western part of the province, and south of the province's capital Mashhad, in Iran, from east to Bardaskan, west to Torbat-e Heydarieh, north to...
) near Torshiz in Khorasan, and counted "Jarir Ibn Abdullah", a companion (Sahaba
Sahaba
In Islam, the ' were the companions, disciples, scribes and family of the Islamic prophet...
) of Mohammad, as one of his ancestors. His parents made their living by farming. Ahmad was tall of stature, strong and courageous; this and a reputation for gruffness led to sources referring to him as "the Colossal Elephant" (Zhandeh Pil). Medieval accounts describe him as having red hair, a wine-colored beard and dark-blue eyes.
Until the age of twenty-two (circa 1070 CE / 463 AH), Ahmad would attend drinking parties with a circle of profligate friends. Ahmad experienced a conversion to the religious life one night after witnessing the miraculous transformation of wine into grape juice. [The Colossal Elephant and his Spiritual Feats, Story 1, Story 74]. After this Ahmad withdrew from his circle of friends. He took up the life of a hermit and lived in seclusion for eighteen years, on the mountain of Nâmaq until about 1082 (475 A.H.), and then on the mountain of Bizd for the next six years until circa 1088 (481 A.H.). [The Colossal Elephant, Stories 9, 10 and 13]. At the age of forty he returned to society to guide the people and make wine-drinkers and sinners to repent. The earliest source about him, The Spiritual Feats of Sadid al-Din Muhammad al-Ghaznavi, gives him the honorific title “Shaykh al-Islam.” According to Ghaznavi’s Spiritual Feats, Ahmad-e Jâm was not at first appreciated by the people, but after several miraculous healings, his reputation spread and he attracted some followers (see Stories 13-15).
Ahmad settled down in Ma‘d-âbâd and began training disciples and composing books and propagating his ideas. He also built a Friday mosque and a khâneqâh, or Sufi lodge. From his home in Ma‘d-âbâd, he made many trips throughout Khorasan, including visits to the major cities of Herât, Nayshabur, and Marv, and to Bâkharz and Bastâm. He evidently won many converts from the villages outlying Jâm. Shaykh Ahmad’s activity therefore stretched across a territory that triangulates the modern borders of eastern Iran, northern Afghanistan and southern Turkmenistan. [Colossal Elephant, introduction].
Poetry
Although his main field was writing Books, he also composed great poems during his life.A sample of his poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
is:
چون تیشه مباش و جمله زی خود متراش
چون رنده ز کار خویش بی بهره مباش
تعلــیم ز اره گیر در امــر معاش
چیزی سوی خود میکش و چیزی می پاش
Don't be like axe and don't offend anyone
Don't be useless like a plane
Just be like a saw in your life
Do something for yourself and something for others
His Works
Although the title of his books are in Arabic, all of them are written in Persian. They are about Shariah and TheologyTheology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, with some of his most important books being:
- Meftāh al Najāt - Literally : The key of Redemption
- Konuz al Hekma - Literally : The Treasure of Wisdom
- Seraj al Sāerin - Literally : The Lamp of Pilgrims
His Death
After his death in 1141 the people of Ma'dabad (now Torbat-e Jam) buried him in the gate of the city and made a tombTomb
A tomb is a repository for the remains of the dead. It is generally any structurally enclosed interment space or burial chamber, of varying sizes...
for him in order that the people could come and use the mystical powers of the Sheikh after his death.
Impact
He had a great influence on JamiJami
Nur ad-Dīn Abd ar-Rahmān Jāmī also known as DJāmī, Mawlanā Nūr al-Dīn 'Abd al-Rahmān or Abd-Al-Rahmān Nur-Al-Din Muhammad Dashti who is commonly known as Jami , is known for his achievements as a scholar, mystic, writer, composer of numerous lyrics and idylls, historian, and one of the greatest...
, who chose his penname according to Sheikh Ahmad Jami's name (which is Jami).
External links
- Sheikh Ahmad Jami in torbatjam.com
- Mazar of Sheikh Ahmad Jami Complex - (Persian)
- Download a Pdf version of Meftāh al Najāt - (Persian)
- Some photos from his Mazar on flickrFlickrFlickr is an image hosting and video hosting website, web services suite, and online community that was created by Ludicorp in 2004 and acquired by Yahoo! in 2005. In addition to being a popular website for users to share and embed personal photographs, the service is widely used by bloggers to...