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Ismaili History 708 - Islam Shah in Kahek

After a long series of bloody expeditions in Iran, Taymur had gone to Samarkand on July 18, 1396 and Iran once again breathed peacefully. Islam Shah, in the meantime, also began to trek from Azerbaijan to Kahek in Iran. Pir Hasan Kabiruddin (d. 853/1449) writes in his ginan that: 'It was Vikram Samvat 1452, the 17th of Ashad (or July 2, 1396) when Imam Islam Shah arrived in Kahek.'The village of Kahek, situated in the north of Ispahan on the road linking to Hamdan. The arrival of Islam Shah took place when Taymur had been in Samarkand, marking the transference of Imam's headquarters from Azerbaijan to Kahek. It appears from the fragments of the ginans that Pir Sadruddin (d. 819/1416) and his son Pir Hasan Kabiruddin (d. 853/1449) had been in Daylam to see Islam Shah, where they received an inkling to proceed to Kahek and wait there for Imam's arrival. Many Ismailis already lived in Kahek and the surrounding villages had been in eager expectation of Imam's arrival. The tedious hours of impatient expectancy were at last over when their revered master appeared on the horizon of Kahek.

Pir Hasan Kabiruddin has portrayed in his ginan the Imam's arrival at Kahek in elegant words. It reads:- 'The Lord arrived in Irak-i Ajam (Iranian Irak), wearing an attractive cap. His attires looked vivid on either side. He had girdled with a curved dagger on the waist, buckled with a sword bearing two points. The strips were wound up on the legs, embodied the appearance elegant. The attractive footwears on the legs have further enhanced his personality. The hanging shawl (garment worn on body) of four yards on the shoulder was indeed an eye-catching. Thus, the Imam. the apparent guide, riding on a horse made his footing in Kahek.'


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