Ahmad Yasawi

Khoja Ahmat Yssawi
Born	1093
Died	1166
Region	Central Asia
School	Sufism
Main interests	Fiqh and Hadith

Khoja Ahmat Yssawi ([Қожа Ахмет Яссауи, Qoja Axmet Yassawï] Error: {{Lang-xx}}: text has italic markup (help); Uzbek: Xoja Ahmad Yassivi, also spelled Ahmad Yasawi, Ahmet Yasevi, Ahmed Yesevi or Ata Yesevi) (born in Sayram in 1093, and died in 1166 in Hazrat-e Turkestan, both cities now in Kazakhstan), was a Turkic poet and Sufi (Muslim mystic), an early mystic who exerted a powerful influence on the development of mystical orders throughout the Turkic-speaking world. Yasavi is currently the earliest known Turkic poet who composed poetry in a Turkic dialect. Ahmed Yesevi was a pioneer of popular mysticism, founded the first Turkic tariqah (order), the Yasaviyya (Yeseviye), which very quickly spread over the Turkic-speaking areas.

Background

Yassawi was born to Sheykh Ibrahim. At age seven, when he was orphaned by the loss of his father, Yassawi was raised by another spiritual father, Arslan Baba. By age seven, Ahmad Yasawi had already advanced through a series of high spiritual stages and then, under the direction of Arslan Baba, the young Ahmad reached a high level of maturity and slowly began to win fame from every quarter. His father Shaikh Ibrahim had already been renowned in that region for performing countless feats and many legends were told of him. Consequently, it was recognized that, with respect to his lineage as well, this quiet and unassuming young boy, who always listened to his elder sister, held a spiritually important position.

Influence

Ahmed Yassawi later moved to Bukhara and followed his studies with the well known Yusuf Hamdani (d. 1140). Yassawi made considerable efforts to spread Islam throughout Central Asia and had numerous students in the region. Yasawi's poems created a new genre of religious folk poetry in Central Asian Turkic literature and influenced many religious poets in the following countries. Yassawi made the city of Yasi into the major centre of learning for the Kazakh steppes, then retired to a life of contemplation aged 63. He dug himself an underground cell where he spent the rest of his life. Turkish scholar Hasan Basri Çantay noted that "It was a Seljuk king who brought Rumi, the great Sufi poet, to Konya; and it was in Seljuq times that Ahmad Yesevi, another great Sufi, lived and taught. The influence of those two remarkable teachers has continued to the present." Yasavi is also mentioned by Ernest Scott (pseudonym) as a member of the Khwajagan Sufis.

Legacy

A mausoleum was later built on the site of his grave by Tamerlane the Great in the city (today called Türkistan). The Yasaviyya Tariqah which he founded continued to be influential for several centuries afterwards, with the Yasavi Sayyid Ata Sheikhs holding a prominent position at the court of Bukhara into the 19th century. In the Yasaviyya Sufis one comes across the greatest number of the shamanistic elements compared to other Sufi Orders.

The first Turkish-Kazakh university, Ahmet Yesevi University, and liceum, Hoca Ahmed Yesevi Lisesi, were named in his honor.

Naqshbandi Sufi Idries Shah mentions Ahmed Yasavi's lineage in his "The Book of the Book" . Yasavi Sufis are also present in Kashmir. They came to Kashmir from Turkiministan with Hazrat Amir-e-Kabir Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (Q.S). A historical background of the Yasavi order can be found in the book SILSLAY YASAVI, written by Peerzada Mohammad Shafi Yasavi, eldest member of the Yasavi family in Kashmir. The book is written in Urdu.

As stated in the book “Sofi Orders in Islam” by J.S. Truinnigham at page No. 58-60 printed at Oxford Press 1971.Yesvi Sheiks are mentioned in Kashmir in the sixteenth century. This is corroborated by the fact, as borne out by several books of history of Kashmir, also that the first “Yesvi Saint” who arrived in Kashmir was “Jenab Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi” a direct descended of the founder of the “Yesvi Tariqat” Hazrat Khawaja-e-Turkistan Sheikh-at Sheikh Hazrat-e-Sultan Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi, whose mosulem is in “Yasi” about sixty miles away from Tashkent – capital of “Azbaikistan” now in Turkiministan. In several history of “Saints” and “Aulias” of Kashmir viz “Waqaat Kashmir” by Khawaja Azam Dedwari. “Tharikh Hassain” page 267 etc it is mentioned that Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi is the first Yesvi saint came to Kashmir during 1100-1200 AH. In the first instance he stayed in the area called “Baghi Mirza Beg Mullak Shah” in the foot of the holy hillock called Koh-e-Maran (Hari Parbat). Before him the “Naqashbandi Saints” had already came to Kashmir and settled in a big area formerly a royal garden belonging to the “Chak Rules of Kashmir” which was renamed “Khawaja Bazar”. Hazrat Syed Nizam-u-din Ahmad Naqashbandi father of Khawaja Mohammad Aftab Naqashbandi was presiding Naqashbandi Saints and nobility in Kashmir at that time. As soon as he came to know of the arrival of a “Yesvi Saint” in Kashmir, he personally went to pay him his obeisance alongwith his disciples and brought him to his abode in Khawaja Bazar with great honour Hazrat Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi (RA) later on lived in the same area “Khawaja Bazar” and his mausoleum is also there adjacent to the tomb of Hazrat Khawaja Mumiddik Naqashbandi (RA). He died in 1113 AH. It is during the life time of Hazrat Khawaja Ahmad Yesvi in Kashmir that a historical event of bringing of the holy relic of the holy prophet Mohammad PBUH(holy hair) took place. As given in a number of books of history of Kashmir (Waqat Kashmir) etc. This holy relic was purchased by a Kashmiri merchant namely Khawaja Noor-u-din Ishhani frame Arab, reportedly a descendent ( Ashawan) of holy Prophet from Bejapur in south India during the Indian reign of Mughal king Zainul-aba-din during 1100 A.H/ sixteenth century AD. When the king came to know of it he wanted to keep the holy relic out of reverence in the places of India at Delhi/ Lahore and therefore should it form being carried to Kashmir. The king himself was a highly religious minded and spiritually elevated person. He had a dream in which as given in the history holy prophet Mohammad (SAW) asked the king to allow the holy relic being taken to Kashmir. Therefore the king made all arrangements for it being carried to Kashmir under full state control. On its arrival in Kashmir there was a great commorida faith and allegation to the holy prophet. However, later on it was felt to get the holy hair relic testified to know that it actually beloved to the holy Prophet. All eyes fell upon Jenab Khawaja Ahmad yesvi who was the saint of the highest order at that time in Kashmir and so he was entracted to testify the holy relic. After great hersvation he agreed to do it and later on declared that he was impulsively told that the holy relic belonged to the Holy Prophet (SAW) and was from the right side of his holy beard and was after the Mehraj. Therefore the holy relic was kept at the Kankah of Hazarat Naqashband at Khawaja Bazar, Srinagar where from it was shifted outside the Srinagar city to a place in royal garden at Hazrat Bal where it was located since then and the Shrine called “ Hazarat Bal” shrine of holy prophet is famous all over the world. Yet another great saint who was a direct descendent of the founder of the “ Yasmir Cult” Jenab Hazrat Sultan Khawaja Ahmed Yesvi by the order of cult Nasbi yesvi Syed Qazi Daulat Shah Bukhari-ul-Checkinivi also came to Kashmir who preached the “Yesvi cult” in Kashmir. Probably he actually hailed from Checkinia. After some stay in Kashmir he went to Delhi and passed on way during 1129 AH where he is buried. He was on his way to Arabia for Haj pilgrimage. During his stay in Kashmir, the desendent of the Yasvi saints of Kashmir and others who came under the fold of “Yesvi order’ the cult was institualised in Kashmir while Hazrat Syed Qazi Daulat Shah Bukhari left for Delhi, on his way for he Haj pilgrimage, he transferred the seat of authority to Jenab Hazrat Sheikh Mohammad Qaim Yesvi(RA) a descended of Yesvi order (Pg 30-31 Silsilay Yesvi by Haji Syed Mohammad Qami Yesvi) who therefore preached this new cult in Kashmir and a number of people became its discipline. He was a highly accomplished person spiritually and was also highly learned. He had a number of books, publication viz Hizatul Muslimeen in poetry Zikar Jahar with Quarnic Ayat, Ahadith Nabia Aquad Sofia to his credit . He was highly devoted to the the great saints of Kashmir viz Jenab Hazrat Shiekh Nooruddin Noorani(RA) whose shrine is at “ Cherar in the Budgam district of Kashmir about 32 km form the Srinagar. And Hazrat Sultan Shiekh Hamza al Maqdoomi al Kashmiri (RA)whose shrine is at the holy hillock of Hariparabat . Jenab Sheikh Mohammad Qaim Yesvi was regular visitor to the shrine at Char-i Sharief for pay his obeisance to the great saint. Journey to the place was those days on foot and almost half of it was over hills. There was no water supply at Charr. It was the initiative of Jenab Sheikh Mohammad Qaim (RA) in which some of his rich disciples (Talib) from the city of Srinagar helped that he constructed on drinking water channel to charr Sharief of which the sources was at “ Kavidayan about 4-5 km away from Chari Sharief on the way to “Yusmarg”. The water channel became known as “Joi Qaim” Joi in persion language is the name of a Channel. He died in 1153 AH at the age of 57 and his mausoleum is in the graveyard at “Mughal Mohall Hawal in the old Srinagar city adjacent to Kohi Maran Hillock also called “Hari Parbat “. Hazrat Abdullay Yesvi, grandson named Sheikh Ahsan Yesvi who are also buried at the name graveyard to Mughal Mohalla, Srinagar as mentioned above. The graveyard is still intact and beside it a afore mentioned saints of the “Yesvi Cult” and their Kith and Kin no other person from anywhere claim or buried there till date. From 1241 AH probably due to shifting of their residence from the area adjacent to “ Bagh Mullah Sahib” on the foot hills of the hillock “ KohiMarran / Hari Parbat” where infact all the saints Sheikhs , Syeds etc who came to Kashmir from central Asia first settled, the new graveyard Trabal Nawa Kadal was started where one of great grandson of Jenab Shickh Mohammad Qaim Yesvi namely(RA) “Shiekh Abudl Rasool Yesvi (RA)was buried in 1241 AH and all the descendent of this cult in Srinagar are buried there in the graveyard known as “Maqbar Yesvi” situated in Mohalla Tara Bal, Nawa Kadal Srinagar opposite to the Shrine of a great saint of Islam in Kashmir namely Jenab Hazrat Sheikh Ahmad Tara Bal (RA) who lived 1201 -1278 AH. Actually the successors of the “Yasvi Dynesty” who had came to live in Mohalla TaraBal from there previous residence and who where contimporus of Jenab Hazrat Sheikh Ahmad Tarabal, There was a great amity and closeness between the two. As learnt from the history of “Yasvi” dynasty” unfair it was at the instance of the saint of Yesvi Sahib at Tar Bal who had great amity with Jenab Sheikh Jenab Ahmad Tara Bal that the latter need chosen to shift his residence from Nowpora Dalgate area to Srinagar city to Tarabal.

By

S.Affan Yesvi http://www.yasawi.com/

References

• John G. Bennett (1995). The Masters of Wisdom. Bennett Books. ISBN 1881408019.

External links

• Template:Ru icon UNESCO Heritage Mausoleum Hoja Ahmed Yasevi
• Template:Ru icon National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Hoja Ahmed Yasaui
• Template:Ru icon Great Soviet Encyclopedia. Turkestan (city in Kazakh SSR)