Draft:Ghulam Muhammad Gharvi

Ghulam Muhammad Gharvi
Name	Ghulam Muhammad Gharvi
Other Names	Leader of Baltistan
Personal Details
Birth Place	Baltistan, Pakistan
Brith Date	1962 CE
Death Place	Pakistan
Death Date	23 Dhu al-Hijjah 1410 SH (approx. 2031 CE)
Religion	Islam

Ghulam Muhammad Gharvi was a renowned scholar and leader of the Shia in Baltistan. He had significant activities in cultural, educational, social, and political fields. He strove eloquently to maintain unity among Islamic schools of thought, secure the rights of the people, and preserve the manifestations of Islamic culture in the Baltistan region.

Biography

He was born in 1362 SH (1983 CE) in the Pari neighborhood, Kharmang region, Baltistan, into a religious and scholarly family.

Education

He completed his primary government education in the city of Kargil, India, and simultaneously began acquiring religious sciences. At the age of 8, he finished reading the Quran. At the age of 11, his father sold his property to fund his son's journey to Iraq for religious studies. He traveled to Iraq with his father and spent 5 years in Karbala acquiring religious sciences. He also benefited greatly from religious sciences for 6 years in Najaf, in the vicinity of the shrine of Imam Ali (peace be upon him). He graduated from the Hawza of Najaf in this field and returned to Baltistan for preaching and religious activities. He spent one year in his birthplace preaching pure Islam. Afterwards, he moved to Skardu, the center of Baltistan. This great scholar became famous throughout the region due to his scholarly personality, God-given talents, forbearance, and piety, and his reputation reached everyone.

Spiritual and Scholarly Personality

Due to his high aptitude, devotion to the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), and great effort, he was able to make full use of various religious sciences in a short time. He gleaned from all religious sciences and added to his harvest of knowledge. For this reason, when he returned from Najaf, his scholarly fame reached all the people of the region in a short time. All scholars present in the region acknowledged his scholarly personality. On the other hand, his scholarly personality, vast knowledge, and deep insight into scientific matters are evident from his expression of religious issues, solving people's religious problems, judgments, speeches, and teaching. In terms of spirituality and mysticism, he stood at the peak. His entire life consisted of worship and servitude, sincerity and action, humility and modesty, and serving the people for the pleasure of God. This statement can be easily proven by the confession of those who lived closely with him and from the words of his students and friends. That someone who intervenes in various social issues and takes a stance on social matters, yet no one has the slightest dissatisfaction with him and everyone loves him equally, is clear evidence of the spiritual and mystical personality of this great scholar. On one hand, he was a very humble and down-to-earth personality and treated ordinary people in a friendly and intimate manner. On the other hand, he was very brave and courageous against oppressors and tyrants, and he confronted and fought them decisively and boldly to secure the rights of the people, promote religion, and prevent innovations, superstitions, and anti-religious acts. There are many examples of this on the tongues of the special and general people of the region.

Political and Social Activities

Due to the strength of his scientific foundation, the solidity of his religious principles, and his great enthusiasm, he made eloquent efforts to solve the religious and social problems of the people and engaged in judgment to resolve various disputes and conflicts. In his judgments, in addition to considering jurisprudential and principled bases, he had a deep look at temporal and spatial issues, and in the matter of judgment, he did not rely solely on his own opinion but rather involved all scholars and scientists of the region in this matter and consulted with them. He considered himself responsible for the religious and social affairs of the people of the region. To secure the rights of the people and remove injustices and oppressions that were occasionally inflicted on the people by the government or religious political parties, he rose up. He would not sit down until the people's problems were solved and their rights secured. He established a religious judgment center in the region. He engaged in judging disputes between individuals, regions, and tribes. Disputes that were not resolved in other places or by individuals appointed by the government, he would invite the disputing parties to his home and judge between them with his attractive and scientific speeches. He would end the dispute. To resolve disputes and differences and establish unity and peaceful life among the people, he would go to different regions of Baltistan. This was a constant concern of his. Despite the fact that he never considered himself a political man, he had a deep look at all political affairs of the region. Because of this, enemies could not implement their political goals in the region while he was alive.

References

• Husayn Abadi, History of Baltistan, 2004 CE.
• Hasrat, Baltistan Tahdhib wa Thaqafat, 2007 CE.

Scientific and Cultural Services

In addition to his judicial and social activities, Ghulam Mohammad Gharvi had a distinguished record in promoting Islam and the school of Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), reforming society, and educating people. Owing to his proficiency in public speaking, he elucidated truths and provided enlightenment through his scientific and revolutionary speeches at various religious and national occasions. He familiarized the people, especially the younger generation, with the foundations and concepts of pure Islam, and informed them about the objectives of enemies and satanic forces. In addition to speaking, he continuously taught and trained students of religious sciences at the "Mansuriya" School, which is one of the old seminary schools of Baltistan. In addition to religious lessons such as literature, logic, jurisprudence, and principles of jurisprudence, ethics was also among the subjects he taught.

Death

He passed away on Friday, 23 Dhu al-Hijjah 1410 AH (15 July 1990 CE) at the age of 78 and was buried with the participation of thousands of his followers.

References

• Husainabadi, Muhammad Yusuf, History of Baltistan, 2004 CE.