SPLIT IN AFGHAN JAMAT

Sayed Nadir Khan had implemented his new system virtually in the middle of 1962. He deposed the khalifas of Hazarajat, and enforced in his decree that the Ismailis should assemble under the direct mandate of his sons. Examining an analytical of the informations, it appears that he had two points in his mind, i.e., the collection of tithe and consolidation of his power to pave a way for the rule of his sons in future. He however failed to designate his sons over the jamats, because Sayed Mansur, the son of Mohammad Hasan, the son of Sayed Kazim from Torkman reacted violently to it under the vehement agitation. In his words, "None will be allowed to grind the Ismailis under the millstone of cruelty." Almost the whole jamat of Torkman districts and a large part of Quli Khish and half of Kalu districts, which were formed with 500 families, had supported Sayed Mansur, who wrote a letter to Sayed Nadir Khan on December 24, 1962 as under: -

We, the undersigned people respectfully submit our following petitions to the presence of Aga Sahib (the title which the jamats addressed to Sayed Nadir Khan)

  1. Your esteemed office has been procuring tithe in the name of Imam of the Age since many years. Have you delivered the funds to the treasury of the Imam of the Age? If you have not delivered and spent in charity and welfare fields for the benefit of jamat, we do not know about it. Kindly let us know for our satisfaction whether you got permission from Imam to spend it.
  2. Many years passed that our present Imam descended the throne of Imamate, but the jamats of Afghanistan remained entirely unaware of the Farman of Hazar Imam, and also they do not know how to recite the holy name of Hazar Imam in their prayers and also nothing is known about Ismaili prayer and bandagi. Why so?
  3. The Ismailis all over the world enjoy their own prayer-halls. Why we have been deprived of it?
  4. The Sunnis have mosques, the Shiahs have their takiya khana (Imambara), the Hindus have their temples and Christians have their churches. We are also human beings, but we have nothing alike; neither prayers nor prayer-hall.
  5. The Muslims and non-Muslims have their own madrasa (schools), religion teachers and students. Why we are missing it?
  6. According to our past dais, especially Hakim Nasir Khusraw, when a mustajib (beginner) failed to know any religious matter, it is required that he must ask to upper hudud (rank), such as madhun, mu’allim and dai until he brushed away his ignorance. We have now committed mistake in the above matters, and humbly request you to kindly convince us.

 

With best regards and compliments.

 

 

The signatures of the elders of jamats.

 

 

About 80 elder persons of different jamats alongwith the above letter duly signed and thumbed visited the house of Sayed Nadir Khan to justify their case. But, he and his sons instead of giving reply, conviction or affability to the jamats, is related to have taken a way of an intimidation and threat. On the contrary, he accused of them and reported to the official security that some insurgent people attacked his house to kill him and plundered his properties. The security officers and policemen rushed to his house and arrested twelve elders, and the rest of them were released after thorough inspection. The security officers and policemen arrived at the conclusion after their investigation that the dispute was on the issue of their beliefs, not a felony and crime as had been reported to them. They were released very soon, such as Ramzan Baba Shah, Ramzan Ashuri, Mohammed Ibrahim Sikandar, Mir Hasan, Nadali, Navroz, Kalantar Jamali, Nasir Ali, Ghulam Nabi Sufi Dadali, Ghulam Nabi Ainullah, Haji Mohammad Mohsin and Haji Juma Khan.

Soon after the above incident, the supporters of the twelve persons approached the court and royal court and pleaded for justice. On the other hand, Sayed Nadir Khan and his sons are said to have mobilized their influence and wealth, and bribed the judiciary, police and local rulers and created much problems for the elders. We may safely surmized that the long hatred hatched between them finally resulted a split of two groups in the Afghan jamat in 1963, i.e., the Naderi and Mansuri groups.

 

[HISTORICAL REVIEW OF AFGHANISTAN] [AFGHANS OF AFGHANISTAN] [ISMAILI MISSION IN AFGHANISTAN] [ISMAILIS IN AFGHANISTAN]

[RITUAL PERFORMANCES & CEREMONIES] [THE SAYEDS OF KAYAN] [SPLIT IN AFGHAN JAMAT]

[IMAM’S REPRESENTATIVE IN AFGHANISTAN] [ANOTHER SPLIT IN AFGHAN JAMAT] [WAZIR CAPTAIN AMIR ALI KARIM IN KABUL]

[AFGHAN DELEGATIONS IN BANGLADESH] [NADERISM] [CASUALTIES & MIGRATION OF THE ISMAILIS]

[AFGHAN DELEGATIONS IN PESHAWAR] [CONCLUSION] [BIBLIOGRAPHY]

[LINKS TO ARTICLES ON THE WEB]


Back to Content
Back to www.ismaili.net