Draft:Sayyid Jamal ad-Din Asadabadi
| Sayyid Jamal ad-Din Asadabadi | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Sayyid Jamal ad-Din Muhammad Husayni Asadabadi |
| Other Names | Sayyid Jamal ad-Din al-Afghani |
| Personal Details | |
| Birth Place | Iran |
| Works |
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Sayyid Jamal ad-Din Asadabadi (1217–19 Esfand 1275 SH) (commonly known as Sayyid Jamal ad-Din al-Afghani) was a political thinker and proponent of the idea of Islamic unity. He is also considered one of the earliest theorists of Islamic fundamentalism. It is said that his thirtieth ancestor was Imam Husayn (peace be upon him)<ref name="ReferenceA">N. R. Keddie, "Sayyid Jamal ad-Din
In the Ottoman Empire
Sultan Abdul Hamid invited him to Istanbul, hoping to utilize his influence for administering the Islamic countries of the Ottoman Empire.
In Istanbul, Mirza Aqa Khan Kermani, Sheikh Ahmad Ruhi, and Khabir al-Mulk, encouraged by him, began publishing materials against the Shah and the Atabak. Following the assassination of Naser al-Din Shah by Mirza Reza Kermani, who was one of his disciples, the Iranian government requested his extradition, but the Ottoman authorities refused.
Sayyid Jamal as a Pioneer of the Muslim Awakening Movement
Among the points that Sayyid Jamal al-Din consistently pursued within the framework of his theory of Islamic unity is the issue of "Islamic convergence." Islamic convergence refers to consensus regarding the political legitimacy of the Islamic system on one hand, and unity concerning the general principles of religion and their acceptance by Islamic sects on the other. Here, Sayyid Jamal intended the mutual acceptance of religious commonalities by Islamic sects and careful attention to them in the direction of (Islamic Awakening). If we examine this matter carefully, we will see that there are clear and immense possibilities for the unity of the Islamic world, which either do not exist or are less available for other nations.
From the perspective of Sayyid Jamal al-Din Asadabadi, the factors causing division among Muslims are outlined in nine cases:
1. Abandonment of moral virtues and the entrenchment of vile characteristics.
2. Distancing from original and primordial Islam, and the infiltration of superstitions and innovations into the beliefs of Muslims.
3. Nationalism and ethnic and racial prejudices.
4. Belief without action, the issue of hypocrisy, severance of relations, and lack of cooperation between scholars and rulers of Muslim lands.
5. Separation of religion from politics and the transformation of the Caliphate into monarchy.
6. Sectarianism and factionalism.
7. Internal despotism.
8. Foreign colonialism.
9. Ignorance, unawareness, and backwardness in sciences and arts.
Associates and Disciples
The companions and associates of Sayyid Jamal al-Din and Mirza Malkam Khan, in Iran and the Ottoman Empire, were mostly anti-Qajar activists from the Azali Babi movement. Ali Muhammad Farahvashi himself has named Mirza Aqa Khan Kermani, Sheikh Ahmad Ruhi, Mirza Hasan Khan Khabir al-Mulk, Mirza Reza Kermani, and Sheikh Abul-Qasim Ruhi as his associates and disciples.
Assassination of Naser al-Din Shah
Sheikh Abul-Qasim Ruhi and Mirza Reza Kermani, acting on the orders of Sayyid Jamal al-Din and the Union of Islam circle in Istanbul, had set out with the intention of killing Naser al-Din Shah. After some time, he fell out of favor with the Sultan, his stipend was cut off, and he lived in poverty until he developed jaw cancer. He underwent surgery and died in 1275 Solar Hijri (March 9, 1897 CE) in Istanbul, where he was buried in the Cemetery of the Shaykhs. In addition to the views of some researchers, some of Sayyid's associates also believe that he was poisoned and murdered by agents of the Qajar monarchy—in retaliation for his opposition to the Qajar regime and the killing of Naser al-Din Shah.
Upon the request of the Afghan government to transfer his remains, this request was accepted by the Ottoman government, and in the year 1284, the body of Sayyid Jamal al-Din Asadabadi was transferred from Istanbul to Kabul and buried at Kabul University. With the burial of his coffin at this location, the name Dar al-Funun was given to the site, and during the reign of Mohammad Zahir Shah in the year 1311, a tall structure made of black ebony stone was erected above it.
False Accusations Against Sayyid Jamal
Some false slanders contrary to the conduct and ideas of Sayyid Jamal al-Din have been attributed to him; accusations such as being an agent of the British government and a supporter of its interests, or an agent of the Russian government and opposed to British interests, have been leveled against him, all of which appear fundamentally baseless.
Works
- Treatise on Nigeria
- Articles in the newspaper Urwa al-Wuthqa
- Article refuting the lecture by Ernest Renan
- Letters
- Articles in the periodical "Ziya' al-Khafiqayn"
- Tatimmat al-Bayan fi Tarikh al-Afghan
A Brief History of Iran from the Beginning to the Time of Sayyid Jamal,
As well as other books and treatises, the most refined and complete edition of which has been published by Sayyid Hadi Khosroshahi.
See Also
External Links
- Khosroshahi Website, containing a collection of works by Sayyid Jamal al-Din Asadabadi
- Muhammad Abduh
- Ahmad Subhi Mansour
Notes
Further Reading
- (Translation of an article from Urwa al-Wuthqa) Da'wat al-Furs ila al-Ittihad ma'a al-Afghan