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HASAN ALI SHAH, AGA KHAN I (1233-1298/1817-1881), 46TH IMAM

Encyclopaedia of Ismailism by Mumtaz Ali Tajddin

"Imam Hasan Ali Shah, known as Muhammad Hussain al-Hussaini Mahallati was born in Mahallat in 1219/1804, and assumed the Imamate at the age of 13 years in 1233/1817. His most renowned title was Aga Khan. His name was documented with Bombay Government as His Highness Aga Khan Mahallati. His name however in the Bill of 1830 was written as Pirzada i.e., the son of a saint.

His mother Bibi Sarcar Mata Salamat was the daughter of Pir Mirza Muhammad Bakir. On moving to Yazd, Imam Khalilullah Ali had left his wife and children at Mahallat to live on the proceeds of the family holdings in Mahallat and Kahek. When she found herself insecure in Mahallat, she had gone to Qumm with his son and made necessary arrangement for his elementary schooling, where his tutor was Ali Muhammad Qummi.

The governors of Mahallat and Qumm were inimical to the family of Imam Khalilullah Ali because of the regular thronging of the Indian pilgrims at his residence. According to Ibrat-i Afza, an autobiography of Imam Hasan Ali Shah, "The fortunes of the family were at low ebb when Imam Shah Khalilullah was killed in Yazd." Hence, Bibi Sarcar Mata Salamat came to the court at Tehran with his son to seek justice. Her pleadings were immediately successful. Shah Fateh Ali ordered his governor of Yazd, Haji Muhammad Zaman Khan to arrest Hussain Yazdi and his gang. Not content with this retribution, he also invited Imam Hasan Ali Shah at his palace and gave him due honour. Ahmad Mirza Adud'ud Dawla writes in Tarikh-i Adudi (Tehran, 1908, p. 69) that, "Finally, as conclusive sign of honour, Fateh Ali Shah gave one of his daughters, Sarv-i Jahan Khanum, in marriage to Imam Hasan Ali Shah, allotting 23,000 tumans of wedding expenses." The Imam was also invested the honorific title of Aga Khan in 1234/1818, including the governorship of Mahallat and Qumm.

Imam Hasan Ali Shah led a peaceful life in Mahallat, and enjoyed honour at the Qajarid court until the death of Shah Fateh Ali on 19th Jamada I, 1250/October 23, 1834. Shah Fateh Ali was succeeded by his grandson, Muhammad Shah (1250-1264/1834-1848). The Imam attended the coronation of Muhammad Shah in Tehran on January 31, 1835, where he happened to see Major Henry Rawlinson (1810-1895), vide George Rawlinson's Memoir of Sir Henry C. Rawlinson (London, 1892, p. 52). The new king Muhammad Shah had consulted with his chief minister, Farahani (d. 1251/1835) and appointed the Imam as the governor of Kirman in 1251/1835.

The province of Kirman was then in the hands of the rebellious sons of Shuja al-Saltana, a pretender to the throne, and it was also regularly raided by the Afghans and Baluchis. The Imam diplomatically restored order in Kirman with his own resources. Both Bam and Narmashir held for a long time by the rebellions were also taken back. The Imam sent report of his victories to Tehran, but he obtained no appreciative words due to the rumours that he was extending his influence in southern Iran. The Imam had paid half the expenses incurred in the campaign upon the words of the Prime Minister, Mirza Aqasi that he might recoup himself from the revenues of that province, but the Imam did not touch the revenues and made his claim in the above report. Despite his valuable services, his governorship was short-lived in Kirman.

In 1252/1837, about twenty months after his arrival in Kirman, the Imam was replaced by another governor, Firuz Mirza Nusrat ad-Dawla, and was recalled to Tehran. Trusting on the rumours, Muhammad Shah also took field against the Imam in command of Suhrab Khan. Instead of making an investigation, the king's militant stance had been a surprise to the Imam. It induced the Imam to take arms for defensive purpose. The fortress of Bam near Kirman was then in the hands of the king's artillery men, who had betrayed their chief. The Imam was capable to occupy this fort without difficulty in September, 1937. He refused to withdraw with his forces from the citadel of Bam until the principal cause of the court intrigues followed by his dismissal was not shown to him. The Iranian empire turned a deaf ear to him. Rather, his defensive actions were branded a rebellion. Obviously, the accusations were utterly exaggerated. The Iranian chronicler, Rida Quli Khan Hidayat, for instance in Raudat-us-Safa'i Nasiri (Tehran, 1922, 10:260) has lebelled the actions of the Imam as an act of revolt. An important analyst of the fact will be able to judge how much truth there was in the biographical work, Ibrat-i Afza (Tehran, 1946, p. 20) of the Imam, in which he disclaimed any desire for temporal power and said: "Through the grace of God and the blessing of my immaculate forefathers and ancestors, I am able, from the wide and lofty expanse of darwishhood, to disdain and despise all monarchy." Thus, the Imam was driven to desperate straits and had to take up arms in self-defence. He had however a large and substantial following in Iran. Had he chosen, he could have mustered a big army to shake the Qajarid throne, but he was loath to fight with the king for whom he had a regard.

The Imam's dismissal from the governorship of Kirman is also occasioned by the rivalries for the headship of the Nimatullahi order in Iran. It is said that Muhammad Jafar, known as Majdhub Ali Shah (d. 1239/1823) was succeeded by Zain al-Abidin Shirwani, known as Mast Ali Shah (1196-1253/1782-1837). Once the Imam, during Fateh Ali Shah's rule had given refuge to Mast Ali Shah in the village of Daulatabad, near Mahallat, who had escaped the violent persecution of the Shi'a ulema of Fars. During the coronation of Muhammad Shah, Mast Ali Shah, who had been enjoying the Imam's hospitality at Mahallat, accompanied a certain Ismaili friend to Tehran. Muhammad Shah too, had certain Sufic loyalties, and joined the Nimatullahi order before his coronation. Soon afterwards, Mast Ali Shah came to know Haji Mirza Aqasi, the prime minister, as his powerful rival, who as Nimatullahi aspired to the leadership of the order. It resulted Mast Ali Shah to incur the disfavour of the king, and was driven from the court. Since the Imam had continued to support his friend, Mast Ali Shah, he arose the enmity of Mirza Aqasi, who intrigued against him and caused his removal from the governorship of Kirman.

It is also said that a certain Abdul Muhammad Mahallati had demanded one of the daughters of the Imam in marriage to his son, which was declined. Thus, Abdul Muhammad Mahallati, initially in the service of the Imam, rose to a high position in the service of Mirza Aqasi in Tehran, aroused him against the Imam. Mirza Aqasi, the prime minister was responsible to have stirred up Muhammad Shah, the Qajarid king against the Imam. E.G. Browne in his A Literary History of Persia (London, 1930, 4:147-9) also admits the bone of contention between the Imam and the Iranian king due to the arrogant behaviour instigated by Mirza Aqasi, who being an old tutor of the king wielded more influence over him.

In the meantime, Rida Quli, the grandson of Fateh Ali Shah, had taken refuge with the British in Baghdad, reported alleged details of news to Palmerston through the British resident Col. Taylor, claiming that the Imam had formed an alliance and mutual league with the people of Sistan and the army of Baluchis. This further boosted the rumours of the rebellion of the Imam.

In a letter to Viscount Falkland (1803-1884), the governor of Bombay, the Imam had also disclosed on April 18, 1851 that, "The cause of my having been blamed before was the hot disposition of Haji Mirza Aqasi who had obliged me to leave the Persian court."

It is an undeniable fact that Iran was a thick arena of the bigoted Shi'ite ulema, where an Ismaili Imam hardly rule the country in peace, and as such, the notion that the Imam had revolted for capturing the Qajarid throne seems absolutely irrational.

The animosity of the Qajarids became more and more virulent, therefore, the Imam at once recalled his brother Sardar Abul Hasan Khan from Baluchistan, where he was conducting military campaigns, and his another brother Muhammad Bakir Khan from Rawar. He prepared to resist the royal forces. He was besieged 14 months at Bam, a town in the province of Kirman, about 120 miles south-east of the city of Kirman on the western edge of the great salt desert, Dasht-i Lut. Thus, the Imam was detained to house-arrest in Kirman, and during which time, he continued to see his followers of Badakhshan, Khorasan and India.

Meanwhile, Muhammad Shah returned from his unsuccessful campaign against Herat in 1254/1838, therefore, the Imam was allowed to proceed to Tehran towards the end of 1254/1838. He presented his case before the king with innumerable evidences of his loyalty. T. MacKenzie, the British envoy, however, reported from Kharrak to the Secret Committee that, "The Aga Khan was induced to surrender himself under solemn promises which were shamefully violated by the Persian government, and instead of being restored to his government, he was kept a prisoner at Tehran at the king's camp." Finally, the Imam was made free provided he retired peacefully to his family lands at Mahallat.

Assured of his safety, the Imam however found that he was being socially ostracized by the orders of his implacable enemy, Mirza Aqasi, and had to fight even for food. This fresh provocation embittered the situation. In the meantime, once again the cloud of rumours began to thicken in Tehran that the Imam had built a palace with a huge army to extend his influence in southern Iran. It was exaggerated and ultimately took the shape of a report that the Imam intended to rebel against the Qajarids. The Imam led a tranquil life at Mahallat for about 2 years following his dismissal from the governorship. Early in 1256/1840, Muhammad Shah himself went to Dalijan near Mahallat on the pretence of recreation, to verify the truth of the rumours. At that time the Imam was out of Mahallat for hunting. He however, sent his messenger to Mirza Aqasi, requesting for royal permission to proceed to Mecca for pilgrimage. Permission was granted and a first batch of the Imam's family including his mother and son were sent to Iraq. He himself then moved from Mahallat for ever in Rajab, 1256/September, 1840 with his brothers, nephews, and a number of relatives, dependents and followers.

The Imam reached Yazd after leaving Mahallat. It is reported in Riach's diary of September 25, 1840 that, "Bakhsh Ali Khan from Shiraz came to siege the Aga Khan, but he was defeated by the followers of the Aga Khan. Muhammad Shah, the king who was at that time in Ispahan, also sent two messengers to arrest the Aga Khan. The Aga Khan ordered both hands of one of them to be cut off which was done, the other by entreating mercy was not injured." When the Imam was on the borders of Kirman and Yazd, Bahman Mirza Baha ad-Dawla, the governor of Yazd, and the brother of the king, attacked with the royal force on Imam's caravan, but was defeated in his incursion. Robert Grant Watson writes in History of Persia (London, 1866, p. 333) that, Bahman Mirza had divided his force into three parts and thus gave an opportunity to the Imam to defeat each detachment in detail. Among the first troops of Bahman Mirza, there were many who secretly held the tenets of Ismailis, the rest was that in the action, which ensued, they went over in a body to Imam, and their leader Isfendiar, was killed.

By the end of 1840, the southern Iran had become a bed of hatching rebellions. It was however rumoured that an Iranian prince Suleman Mirza, residing at Baghdad, had arrived in Kirman to assist the Imam. Even Ali Shah, the king's uncle, who was spreading his influence in the mountains of Fars, was also in contact of the Imam. Muhammad Taki Khan, the chief of the Bakhtiyari tribe, and the governor of Khuzistan, also generated close ties with the Imam with a view to help him against the Iranian empire. Meanwhile, Muhammad Shah failed to get his revenue in advance from Muhammad Taki Khan, and accused him of having supplied the Imam with his means and resources; therefore, Ali Naqi Khan replaced him to the governorship. A.H. Layard, on the other hand writes in Early Adventures (London, 1887, p. 322) that, when he was in the mountains, he received news that the British government also supported the Aga Khan. There is no foundation to believe that the Imam had ever acquired aids from the rebellions of the southern Iran, or the British authority to engineer rebellion against the Iranian empire. In December 31, 1841 after resuming his office in Tehran, the British agent McNeill had written to Aberdeen that, "It may be almost unnecessary for me to add that the charges brought against the British government or its agents, of having secretly aided the Aga Khan, are without foundation, and the Persian government must have been deceived by its informants."

In 1257/1841, the Imam defeated the royal forces of 4000 at the command of Isfandiyar Khan, the brother of Fazal Ali Khan near Dashtab. In the interim, Fazal Ali Khan had collected a force of 24000 to compel the Imam to flee from Bam to Rigan on the border of Baluchistan and followed the Imam close upon his heels like a shadow, and blockaded the way to the Bunder Abbas. The Imam found himself between the horns of a dilemma and decided to move to southern Khorasan to Afghanistan. Starting at Rawar, he transversed the arid Dasht-i Lut to Qain. In June, 1841 Muhammad Shah sent Abdullah Khan, the commander of his artillery from Tehran with orders to burn and demolish the towns and villages that were suspected of assisting the Imam. He also sent Khan Ali Khan, the governor of Lar against the campaign. In the meantime, Habibullah Khan, the governor of Yazd also came out to fight with the Imam, with eight guns and a body of troops. Thus, his enemies embosomed the Imam on all sides. In a battle with Khan Ali Khan, he was repulsed, and had to fly to the mountains of Baluchistan. During the night, however, the Imam returned the mountain with reinforcements and surprised the troops of Khan Ali Khan in ambushing upon them at full gallop and turned them back.

Accompanied by his brothers and many soldiers and servants, the Imam proceeded eastward, and after having adventured on a long perilous journey through central Iran, he crossed the borders, and arrived at Lash in Afghanistan in 1257/1841, marking an end of the longer Iranian period of Ismaili Imamate. After facing heavy odds and finding himself out-numbered, the Imam forced his way through the king's army and reached Afghanistan. Naoroji M. Dumasia writes in The Aga Khan and his Ancestors (Bombay, 1939, pp. 27-28) that, "His exile from Persia was a loss to that country, but Persia's loss was the gain of the British Empire, and his comradeship in arms with the British army cemented the ties of friendship.....The part which the Aga Khan played as an ally of the British in that disastrous war was in every way worthy of the heroic deeds of the great martyrs of Islam whose blood flowed in his veins."

About the time that the Imam was having troubles in Iran, the British were deeply involved in Afghanistan, and their efforts were aimed at establishing in Kabul a rule that would be friendly to Britain, and prevent the Russian influence penetrating the borders of India, that would possibly threaten the existence of British empire. The First Anglo-Afghan War, or First Afghan War (1255/1838 to 1258/1842), which is called for heavy sacrifices and untold hardship and suffering, was undertaken partly to counter the Russian advance in Central Asia and partly to place on the throne at Kabul the dethroned ruler, Shah Shuja, in place of Dost Muhammad (1791-1863). Thus, the British occupied Afghanistan on August 7, 1839, and placed Shah Shuja (1780-1842), the amir of Sadozai tribe on the throne of Kabul and Kandhar. Sir William MacNaghten (1839-1891) was designated as the British envoy at the court of Shah Shuja.

Inside Afghanistan, the Imam began to trek from Girishk to Kandhar. On August 6, 1841 the intelligence from Girishk reached Rawlinson, reporting the arrival of the Imam and his horsemen. Rawlinson in turn informed to MacNaghten of the Imam's influence and of his importance as an Iranian refugee in Afghanistan. Henceforward, a close relation developed between the Imam and the British. From Girishk, the Imam reported his arrival to Muhammad Taymur, the Birtish appointed governor of Kandhar, and also to Major Henry Rawlinson. The Imam stayed on as a guest of Muhammad Taymur at Kandhar.

The internal revolts in Kandhar were put down by October, 1841 by Nott, in which Akram Khan, the chief of Durrani tribe was executed, resulting a disaffection among the other tribes, and a very serious outbreak took place at Kabul too in November, which gradually spread to Kandhar. The British position became critical and in the ensuing struggle, the Imam as the ally of the British, was necessarily involved. Rawlinson also made use of the Imam's influence among the Shi'ite group, to bring about the success.

In November, 1841, the eastern Gilzays broke into revolt near Kabul in protest against the reduction of their allowances, and occupied the passes on the road to Jalalabad, plundered and cut off the communications of Kabul, and the condition of the British at Kabul became very critical.

The insurrection spread slowly towards Kandhar. To put down the rising, William Nott (1782-1845) on January 12, 1842 fought with the rebels and defeated them. The Imam also joined Nott and Rawlinson in the skirmish of Killashek with his horsemen. One of the Imam's men was killed and few others were wounded. Rawlinson, in his report mentioned regarding the event of January 12, that, "On this occasion, Agha Khan, having volunteered the services of his hundred men, was present and was engaged in skirmishing with the enemy."

After two months, the rebel group near Kandhar, prepared for a big incursion under the direction of Mirza Ahmad. The British were in a difficult state. On March 7, 1842, Nott resolved to give a severe blow to the rebels. On this occasion, Rawlinson in consultation with Nott formed a Parsiwan troop, with the horsemen of the Imam and other Shi'a chiefs, Nabi Khan and Mirza Ibrahim and placed altogether 300 cavalry under the command of the Imam. Nott with his forces marched out of Kandhar in pursuit of the enemy and some small skirmishes took place on March 9. On the following day, Nott continued his onwards marching. Rawlinson in his report, dating December 20, 1842 to Governor General, also mentioned that the services at that time of the Imam were such consequence, "that the general thought him deserving of special notice in the report that was forwarded to the government on the occasion." As the year 1258/1842 progressed, the state of Afghanistan still remained more critical. In July, Kandhar and Jalalabad were still under the British advanced posts, and the intervening valleys and defiles were in the hands of the Afghans.

Meanwhile, Lord Ellenborough (1841-1844), the Governor-General had arrived in India in succession to Auckland and he decided that the British troops should evacuate Afghanistan. In July, 1842 the Imam too learned the evacuation programme of the British. Nott with his troops retreated via Ghazna, Kabul and Jalalabad, and the remaining troops were to return to India via Quetta and Sukkur. The charge of Kandhar was left in the hands of Safdar Beg.

After the departure of the British forces from Kandhar on August 9, 1842 for Quetta, the Imam stayed on in Kandhar for about six weeks with Sardar Sherdil Khan. Rawlinson who sympathized with him, had advised him to retreat to India. Hence, the Imam reached Quetta on October 5, 1842 and then went to stay with the Khan of Kalat, Mir Shahnawaz Khan for more than a month. Before he left, he had been given a letter of recommendation to Sir Charles Napier (1782-1853) by MacNaghten. By the end of November, the Imam reached Sukkur and met Sir Charles Napier, who had been commissioned a general officer to the supreme civil, political and military control of both upper and lower Sind. In January, 1843, the Imam went with Napier to the British camp at Bhiria and then to Hyderabad with his sixty horsemen. In Hyderabad, he was employed in the British service during the battles of Miami and Dubba.

Sind had a population of little over a million in the time of the Mirs. During the Anglo-Afghan War, the Mirs of upper and lower Sind had allowed the British forces to pass through their territories. In 1840, James Outram was appointed as the British political agent to the Mirs of lower Sind in place of Henry Pottinger. Outram was also made political agent of upper Sind in place of Ross Bell in 1841. Sir Charles Napier held many meetings in December, 1842 and January, 1843 with the Mirs for the negotiations. However, on January 11, 1843, Napier stormed the deserted fortress of Imamgarh. The Baluchi tribes of one of the Mirs were embittered and on February 14, 1843, attacked the British residency in Hyderabad. On February 17, Napier marched with his forces on Hyderabad and defeated the Mirs of Hyderabad, Khairpur and Mirpur in the battle of Miami. The Mirs of upper and lower Sind surrendered except Mir Sher Muhammad of Mirpur. On March 26, 1843, at the battle of Dubba, Napier defeated Sher Muhammad, and the annexation of Sind to the British territories was formally announced on August, 1843. In Sind, the Imam placed his cavalry at the disposal of the British, and tried to convince Nasir Khan, the then Talpur amir of Kalat, to cede Karachi to the British. Nasir Khan refused to cooperate, the Imam disclosed his battle plan to James Outram. As a result, the British camp was saved from a night attack. For his valuable services, the Imam was granted an annual pension from Charles Napier with a title of His Highness.

After the conquest of Sind in 1259/1843, the British attempted to subjugate neighbouring Baluchistan, in which the Imam again helped them militarily and diplomatically. From Jerruk, where the Imam was staying after February, 1843, he contacted the various Baluchi chieftains, advising them to submit to the British rule. He also sent his brother Muhammad Bakir Khan together with a number of his horsemen to help the British against Mir Sher Khan, the Baluchi amir. Soon afterwards, the Imam was given a post in Jerruk to secure the communications between Karachi and Hyderabad. Charles Napier writes in his diary on February 29, 1843 that, "I have sent the Persian Prince Agha Khan to Jherruk, on the right bank of the Indus. His influence is great, and he will with his own followers secure our communication with Karachi. He is the lineal chief of Ismailians, who still exist as a sect and are spread all over the interior of Asia."

On March 23, 1843, the Imam and his horsemen were attacked by the Jam and Jokia Baluchis, who killed his many followers and plundered 23 lacs of rupees worth of Imam's property. Napier, in April and May, 1843, sent warnings to the Jam and Jokia Baluchis, asking to return the plunder and surrender. In May, 1843, Napier ordered his commander at Karachi to attack and recover the property of the Imam, which was done.

Meanwhile, the Imam left Jerruk, and proceeded to Kutchh via the port of Karachi on Ramzan, 1260/October, 1844, which was his first marine trip. Maharao Shri Deshalji, the ruler of Kutchh feted him with due consideration at Mandvi, and took him to Bhuj and gave him a state bungalow for his stay. The Imam then moved to Kathiawar, where Jam Saheb Shri Ranmalji received him in Jamnagar. For a year, thereafter, he traveled through Kathiawar and came to Bombay via Surat and Daman on December 16, 1845 and was well received with the cordial homage of the whole Ismaili population of the city and its neighbourhood.

Soon after his arrival in Bombay, the Iranian government demanded Imam's extradition from India, citing the Anglo-Persian Treaty negotiated between Iran and India on November 25, 1814. The British India was placed on the horns of a dilemma. It could not, on the one hand, risk a breach of the friendly relation established with Iran, and on the other, surrender to his enemies one who regardless of personal losses and risk of life, had stood by the British as a faithful ally in their greatest hour of trial. At length, however, through the intervention of the British envoy, it was agreed that the Imam should be allowed to remain in India provided he stayed at Calcutta from where he could not be a menace to the Iranian government as from Sind.

Thus, the Imam was reluctant to go to Calcutta on April 19, 1847 with his 52 followers. Sir Orfeur Cavenagh (1821-1891) had arranged for a house at Dumdum in Calcutta under the care of Bengal Presidency. He had to stay in Calcutta for 18 months until the death of Muhammad Shah in 1264/1848. He learnt of this after one month, and immediately approached Maddock, that he should be furnished facility to return to Bombay. On December 6, 1848, the Indian Government agreed to send the Imam to Bombay. He quitted Calcutta on December 8, 1848 with his wife and a suite of 40 retainers, in the Peninsular and Oriental Steamer, Lady Mary Wood, which sailed from Calcutta and reached Bombay on December 26, 1848. On September, 1850, the deputy Secretary in the Iranian Department of Bombay personally asked the Imam, who stated that he was willing to stay in Bombay. The members of the India Board also approved it on January 22, 1851.

In India, the Imam retained his close relation with the British empire. On a rare occasion, the Aga Hall was visited by the Duke of Edinburgh, the future king Edward VII (1901-1910), as Prince of Wales, during a state visit to India. The Prince of Wales inspected the Imam's cups won on the Indian turf and his son's trophies of the Indian chase, and talked over some of the events of a life as varied and adventurous as that of the Imam's ancestor. It was an honour, which, with the exception of the leading ruling princes, was accorded to no other nobleman and was acknowledged of his princely birth and the admirable services he had rendered to the British government.

Imam Hasan Ali Shah spent his final years peacefully in Bombay, with seasonal stay in Poona, and sometime in Banglore. While on visits to Banglore, he had formed a friendship with the then ruler of Travancore, and subsequently represented that important state in Bombay. He used to visit the Indian communities all over India. He invariably attended the Jamatkhana every morning at Bombay and lectured on the moral and religious precepts they should follow. He used to recite some passages of the Koran and then explain them in Persian. Next to him would stand Varas Ghulu, who knew Persian and translate the Imam's words into Sindhi.

Apart from his three wives, four sons and six daughters, the Imam also looked after a thousand or more relatives and retainers who had come with him from Iran. His elder son was Aga Ali Shah succeeded him. The second son was Aga Jhangi Shah (d. 1314/1896), whose sons were Zayn al-Abidin Shah, Shamsuddin Shah and Shah Abbas; and Haji Bibi and Shahzadi Begum were his daughters. The third son of the Imam was Aga Jalal Shah (d.1288/1871), who had two sons, viz. Muchul Shah and Kuchuk Shah, and two daughters, Shah Bibi and Malek Taj Begum. Akbar Shah (d. 1322/1905) was the fourth son, whose two sons were Shah Rukh Shah and Furukh Shah.

Imam Hasan Ali Shah died on Tuesday, April 12, 1881 at 9.45 p.m. His son and successor, Aga Ali Shah was in Karachi at that time, who was informed by urgent telegram. In the meantime, the body of Imam Hasan Ali Shah was shifted to the Darkhana Jamatkhana of Bombay on April 13, 1881 at 10.00 a.m. On Sunday, June 5, 1881 the Ismaili leaders held a meeting to decide where to bury the body. Sharif Gangji made an impressive speech in the meeting. Mukhi Ladak Haji offered the plot on the north of Hasanabad, measuring 16000 square yards alongwith a cash of Rs. 5000/- Kamadia Bandali gave Rs. 5000/- and thus, Rs. 25,000/- had been generated in the meeting from different individuals. The Ismailis of Zanzibar and Karachi also remitted huge funds. In sum, with the consent of the leaders and Imam Aga Ali Shah, it was decided to inter the body in Hasanabad, where a splendid mausoleum was erected.

The body of Imam Hasan Ali Shah buried on July 1, 1881. The Ismailis had closed their business and transactions. A grand gathering of over 6000 people assembled at Dharkhana Jamatkhana's premises, including the ambassadors of Turkey and Persia, the leaders of Europe, Parsis, Muslims and Hindus. The coffin was transferred to Hasanabad at 2.00 p.m. when it was raining. The body was buried at 4.00 p.m. A mausoleum alike Taj Mahal was constructed at the cost of three lacs rupees. The Ismaili men and women had worked very hard in its construction, otherwise its cost had exceeded more than it. Rahim Zain al-Abidin had donated its silver doors. Ababhai Narsi donated its golden zumar, and Mukhi Pirbhai Rahim gave zumar for its two minarets, the height of each is 90 feet.


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