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PIR NASIRKHUSARO(1004-1088)

By: Mumtaz Ali Tajddin S. Ali
mumtaztajddin@yahoo.com

The word tradition is derived from the Latin tradere means to transmit or hand over
for safekeeping. It is also said, it comes from the Latin word traditio via French the
noun from the verb tradere means to transmit or hand over. The transmission of
beliefs, behaviors and customs pass down from generation to generation. It is a long
established a way of thinking, behaving or following something that has been used
by the people in a particular group, family or society etc. The tradition can persist
and evolve for thousands of years. Edward Shils (1910-1995) in his book, Tradition
(Chicago, 1981, p. 12) put forward a definition of tradition that became universally
accepted that, “In its barest, most elementary sense, it means simply a traditum; it is
anything which is transmitted or handed down from the past to the present.”

The Pir or Peer is a Persian word, means saint. Its Arabic synonymous is Sheikh or
Shaykh, its other connotation is Murshid, means guide or mentor and Persian is
Sarkar means, master or lord. In Sufism, the role of the Pir is to guide and instruct
his disciples on the Sufi path. With this perspective, the Ismailis of the Central Asia,
the disciples of Nasir Khusaro revered him as Pir, Hazrat, Hakim, Sayed and Hujjat.

The traditional list of the Ismaili Pirs in the old Dua of the subcontinent may not be
confronted or confounded with the title of the Pir prevalent in the Central Asia. Our
global jamat should utmost own estimable respect to one another’s traditions
irrespective of dissidence, if any, as we believe in the diversity. Mawla Hazar Imam
said, “The Ismaili Jamat around the world is more diverse, is more widespread,
speak more languages, has more inherited traditions and culture than may be many
of you have suspected. This is immense diversity, it is diversity of language, it is
diversity of place, of a way of living; it is diversity in cultural history, and yet each
and every spiritual child – whether he is from Northern Pakistan, whether he is from
Afghanistan, whether he is from the Soviet Union or whether he is from China –
each of these spiritual children is a Murid of the Imam-of-the- Time.” (Dar-esSalaam, 6th Oct., 1988)

We have to discuss however that there were few Sayeds in subcontinent in whose
names are attached with the term, Pir. Take an example of Sayed Imam Shah, who
was not an official Pir, but we can see his many ginans, where is used Pir Imam
Shah. The Ismailia Association for India published collection of the ginans of Sayed
Imam Shah into Gujrati in 1969. It contains 162 ginans, in which 23 ginans ascribe
his name as Pir Imam Shah. It emanates that these ginans were discovered from the
archives of the Imam-Shahi sect, who revered Sayed Imam Shah as their Pir.
Anyhow, it makes no difference, it must simultaneously not be treated with the
tradition of the Central Asia.

In addition to this, Sayed Abdul Nabi wrote 2 ginans, in which one ginan contains
Pir Abdul Nabi. There is one ginan of Sayed Mira’n Muhammad Shah and it too
contains, Mira’n Muhammad Shah Pir. Besides, Hasan Pir may also be not ignored
in this context.

It may be a cause of some surprise that in 1550, Imam Khalilullah Ali (d. 1585) said
in an expressed message that, “I have promoted Bawa Dadu to the rank above other
Vakils.” It asserted the post of the Chief Vakil, but some Ismailis misinterpreted that
the promotion above other Vakils pointedly pertained to the office of the Pir and
began to call him Pir Dadu in place of Bawa Dadu! This mis-expression resulted
ultimately an insertion of his name in the traditional list of the Pir as the 30th Pir in
the old Dua, which was later deleted, but his name, Pir Dadu is stuck up in the
history.

Imam Aga Ali Shah honored title of Pir to Vazir Ismail Gangaji (1788-1883) in
Junagadh, and Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah also invested title of Pir to Itmadi
Sabzali Ramzan Ali (1884-1938) in Bombay. Both were posthumous titles, not the
authorized Pirs.

The traditional list of the Pirs was in the old Dua. This old dua was also introduced
by Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah in Arabic script for Hunza, Chitral, Afghanistan
and other regions of the Central Asia. It was also sent in Syria. As stated, it contained
names of the Pirs of the subcontinent. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah assigned Dr.

Vazir Pir Muhammad Hoodbhoy (1905-1956), the first President of the Ismailia
Association for Pakistan (1948-1956) to print the old dua into Arabic transliteration
and provide its copies to the above countries. It was printed in 1370/1951at Karachi,
wherein few names of the traditional Pirs are given on page 14.

It is ought to be known that the old dua continued in the above regions till 1990, then
was replaced by the present Arabic dua. The Ismailis of the Central Asia never
reacted or retrograded, but recited old dua along with names of the Pirs of the
subcontinent for about 40 years. It deserves notice conclusively that there should
have no any obstruction to apply the term Pir with the name of Nasir Khusaro, who
had converted them in multitude. About 70% of Ismaili population reside in Central
Asia. Thus, we should not argue while using title of Pir with the name of Nasir
Khusaro as it is a customary and honorable title in the Central Asia for the renowned
religious saints.

The spiritual status of Pir Shams, Pir Sadruddin and Pir Nasir Khusaro was coherent
as they reached the fountainhead of ultimate goal. Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah
said:-
“Jesus Christ, Pir Sadruddin, Nasir Khusrao, Pir Shams, Maulana Rum, did in the days
gone by and they adored to path of Haqiqat. This path is very difficult for ignorant.”
((Dar-es-Salaam, 29th September, 1899)
“Nasir Khusaro, Hasan bin Sabbah, Pir Sadruddin and so on, who hailed from Iran in
past and became eminent Lions of Ismailism. (Zanzibar, 14th September, 1905).
“In past, Umar Khayyam was a theoretic orthodox Sunni jurist. He had a Koran in his
hand. He used to speak vainly of washing hands and feet. Later, he realized that
washing hands and feet means to make one barber, a barber’s task. Then, he started
reflection on divine insight in piecemeal. After shifting of time, he befriended Nasir
Khusaro. Umar Khayyam made pioneering efforts and reached his own status after his
fellowship with Nasir Khusaro. He is ever existent. In his book, he wrote, I am alive
forever.” (Dar-es-Salaam, 29th Sep., 1899).

It is worth mentioning parenthetically that while endorsing either Nasir Khusaro or
Pir Nasir Khusaro, it makes no difference, but it is foremost duty to keep distance in
the tradition of Central Asia without any discrimination with transparent hearts.

BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF PIR NASIR KHUSARO

His full name as cited in his works, was Abu Mu’in Nasir bin Khusaro bin al-Harith
al-Marwazi al-Qubadiyani. Nasir is an Arabic name, means helper, but Khusaro is
a Persian term, means pretty or good fame. Thus, Nasir Khusaro means pretty helper.
He was born in 394/1004 in Qubadiyan, a district of Balkh in Khorasan. He belonged
to a family of government officials and his brother was a vizir. He too entered the
government service in the capacity of a finance controller and in time was a
successful courtier in the local Ghaznavid court. He was full of ambition, mentally
alert and gifted in writing poetry. He also took interest in philosophy, natural science
and various religions. He is ranked as the Real Wisdom of the East and Ruby of
Badakhshan.

Virtually, nothing is substantiated of his ancestral faith. W. Ivanow however infers
from his works that he was most likely a Shi’ite Twelver and later became a Shi’a
Ismaili. The tradition has it that he joined Ismaili fold after he had a dream. Corbin
interprets his awakening from darkness and sleep as learning the hidden significance
of the exoteric religion and what this meaning implies. He further believes that it
was not simply a matter of one night but of the night of ignorance, which lasted from
his birth in this earthly world.

Pir Nasir Khusaro visited dozens of cities in about seven years (March 6, 1046-
October 23, 1052). He was in Cairo for three years, studying and training with the
eminent Fatimid intellectuals.

His meeting with al-Muayyad fid-din ash-Shirazi (d. 470/1078) took place very soon
after his arrival, for the latter was a high dignitary in the Fatimid mission. AlMuayyad had also recently arrived in Cairo, having fled from persecution in
southern Iran. When the meeting took place, Pir Nasir Khusaro confided to alMuayyad all the theological and philosophical questions, which tormented him,
regarding the origin of the universe, the purpose of creation, the mystery of
predestination and fate, about prayer, fasting, laws of inheritance, the uneven distribution of happiness, etc. However, al-Muayyad would only answer the
question if Nasir first pledged an oath of secrecy. Pir Nasir Khusaro’s confessionalode (qasida itirafiyyah) is as crucial to our understanding of his spiritual biography as the account of his dream. For, it is in its lines that he refers to his real conversion to Ismailism and initiation into Ismaili gnosis. It proves conclusively that he was converted in Egypt and not in Persia prior to his journey. The rest of the qasida is
full of expressions of gratitude to al-Muayyad (“My teacher, the healer of my soul,
the embodiment of wisdom and glory”) and praise of Imam al-Mustansir billah
(“Owner of the treasury of knowledge and the House of God. Owner of the Great
Name by whom eternity exists”).

The signs of the Fatimid presence in Jerusalem were uncountable. He was impressed
by some of them, such as silver lamp donated to the Dome of the Rock, on which
the name of Imam al-Mustansir was inscribed in gold letter around the bottom. The
Fatimid governor of Palestine also built in the area of the Haram; Pir Nasir Khusaro
admired their inscriptions. The Fatimid presence was no less visible at the shrine of
Abraham in Hebron; which was enlarged and redecorated.

Besides being a great thinker, celebrated poet, philosopher and erudite writer, Pir
Nasir Khusaro was also an eminent traveler. He was a great diplomat and expert in
winning over the hearts of people. The distance he traversed from Balkh to Egypt,
and thence to Mecca and then to Fars via Basra, and ultimately back to Balkh, not
counting excursions for visiting shrines and so on, was about 2220 parasangs (each
one about 3 miles). His journey began in 437/1045 and travelled first to Merv to
tender his resignation from government service, and then proceeded to Nishapur.

From there he took the overland route via Tabriz to Syria and Palestine. He thereafter
visited Mecca, and thence arrived in Cairo by way of Damascus and Jerusalem in
439/1047. As entered the city, he felt instinctively that "here it is where you should
seek for what you need." He gave a lively picture of the great splendour of the
Fatimid Empire in vivid words during the time of Imam al-Mustansir, with its royal
palaces, gates, gardens, shops and the normal living of the people, as well as the
uncountable wealth of Egypt. He writes in his travelogue, Safar-nama, (p. 55), “I
saw such personal wealth there that were I to describe it, the people of Persia would
never believe it. I could discover no end or limit to their wealth, and I never saw
such ease and comfort anywhere."

He was no doubt admitted into the mission organization, received a sound education
in Ismaili theology, philosophy and esoteric doctrine, which he articulated logically
in his literary works.

Pir Nasir Khusaro was able to offer personal homage to Imam al-Mustansir billah in
Cairo. He was appointed as the hujjat of Khorasan and Badakhshan.

Gholam Reza writes in Nasir-i Khusraw (Tehran, 1977, p. 14) that, "Of course,
Nasir does eulogize one person: the Caliph al-Mustansir. For him, however, the
Caliph is not the representative of worldly rule or secular power, but rather the
spiritual master of masters, representative of the Holy Prophet, the Pole of the Age.

These eulogies are not mere poetic effusions, but deeply felt songs of devotion."
Pir Nasir Khusaro expresses his gratitude to God for his new-found faith, and for the
Imam, for together they show him an eternal constancy lacking in the otherwise
fickle and faithless world in the following words in his Diwan:-
All praise to God, Who has imposed no burden on me. But this that bends my back
in obligation to His grace. Praise be to God that by generosity of the True Imam of
God, I have come to know him in truth, certainly and in his reality. He is that Prince
without peer in all the world, whose realm is free of any trace of the demon realm.
By the rising of his blessed, auspicious countenance, even Jupiter is bereft of justice
in Sagittarius’s rising. O’ Lord, by Your grace, grant me success that, day and
night, I may keep myself devoted to him. (Diwan, 82:51-5)

He devoted many pages of his Diwan to the praise of Imam Mustansir billah and
said:-
The Prophet’s’ descendant has taken up the seat of his ancestor in majestic glory, the
tip of his crown stretching all the way to Saturn. The Chosen One is the one whom
God has chosen; what foolishness do you keep babbling on about? There, where the
Prophet sat by God’s command, his descendant sit today by the same command.
(Diwan, 232:70-2)

But to the wise ones of Khorasan, I am recognized as the Hujjat of Mustansir.
Through my words, the wisdom of religion became like drops of rain, making the
desert bloom. No one ever saw in the words of Hermes. The likes of what they find
in the words of Nasir. Even though I am concealed in Yamgan, this has served to
make me ever greater. (Ibid. 26:37-40)

He returned to Iran in 444/1052 and settled in the city of Balkh. The remarkable
progress he had made and the high status he reached in the Ismaili mission is
indicated by his appointment as the hujjat. Having settled down in Balkh, where he
probably purchased some property, he began reorganizing the local mission and to
propagate the Ismaili doctrine energetically. The 5th/11th century was a period of
intense persecution of Ismailis in Iran, which was dominated by the Seljuqs, and the
massacres of Ismaili population were not uncommon. His activities appeared to have
aroused a lot of hostility in Balkh, and it so happened that once a mob of fanatics
attacked him in his house and he was barely able to escape with his life. It is not
known where he escaped, but eventually he found refuge in the district of Yamghan.

The Central Asia has historically been closely tied to its nomadic people. It is a
region in Asia which stretches from the Caspian Sea in the west to China and
Mongolia in the east, and from Afghanistan and Iran in the south to Russia in the
north. This region consists of the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The mountainous
Badakhshan region of eastern Central Asia, which today comprises the territories of
eastern Tajikistan and north-eastern Afghanistan.

It is certainly due to his tireless endeavors and strenuous exertion that there are
millions of Ismailis in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, China, Chitral, Hunza, Gilgit, Pamir,
Yarkand etc. He spent rest of his life in the bleak valley of Yamghan, situated in an
obscure, desolate, thinly-populated valley of the Upper Oxus river in Central Asia,
about 6000 feet above sea-level. It was in this narrow valley that Pir Nasir Khusaro
spent rest of his life and died in 481/1088.

Pir Nasir Khusrao’s shrine was in distorted condition before 2013 on a hillock in the
present-day village of Hazrat-i Sayyid in Afghanistan.

In 1923, Imam Sultan Muhammad Shah deputed Pir Sabzali in Central Asia. He also
took opportunity to see the shrine of Pir Nasir Khusaro in Hazsrat-i Sayyid and
recited fatiha. He also paid glorious tribute to Pir Nasir Khusaro before the people.
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture conserved and renovated the shrine in 2013.
Alice C. Hunsberger writes in his preface of Nasir Khusraw, the Ruby of
Badakhshan (London, 2003) that, “If Nasir Khusraw is less well-known today, even
in Iran, than other Persian poets, such as Sadi, Khyyam, Rumi or Hafiz, other travel
chroniclers and historians, such as Ibn Battuta or Ibn Khaldun, and other philosopers,
such as Ibn Sina, al-Farabi or Nasi al-Din Tusi, this may in part be due to his devoted
allegiance to the Ismaili faith.”

In the introductory note of Wajh-i Din (ed. by Ghulam Reza Aavani, Tehran, 1977,
p. 1), Seyyed Hossein Nasr writes, "He is one of the greatest Islamic philosopher
and deserves to be studied as a major intellectual figure of Islam in general and of
Ismailism in particular."

He made intellectual literary contributions, but unfortunately his few books are
accessible, such as Diwan and Safar-nama, Rawshana’i-nama, Wajh-i Din,
Gushayish wa Rahayish, Zad al-Musafarin, Jami al-Hikmatayn, etc.

A rare version of an old manuscript of Pir Nasir Khusaro’s Diwan was humbly
presented to Mawlana Hazar Imam in Calgary during the Diamond Jubilee visit to
western Canada on May 11, 2018. The presentation was made on behalf of the jamat
by Karima Karamali, the Vice President of the Aga Khan Council for Canada. In
response, the Imam said that the gift of the manuscript was “beautifully wise” choice.

The main corpus of his poetry is collected in the Diwan, comprising 15,000 lines
largely of odes in the qasida form relating to a wide range of ethical, theological,
and philosophical themes; the Diwan also contains shorter poems and quatrains.
Alice C. Hunsberger notes that the main purpose of Pir Nasir Khusaro’s poetry is
“to open the reader or listener’s inner eye to universal truths and thereby save their
souls from the Hell of ignorance” (Ruby of Badakshan, London, 2003, p. 17). Forty
poems were translated by P. L. Wilson and G. R. Aavani in 1977 and in
1993, Annemarie Schimmel translated and discussed key themes in selected verses.
Hazar Imam and President Rahmon pause in the library of the Ismaili Centre Dushanbe at
its opening on October 12, 2009. They engage over a book about Pir Nasir Khusrao.

Karachi: June, 2022