Shah-i-Hamedan Mir Saiyid Ali Hamedani: His Life and Works

Mir Saiyid Ali Hamedani, well known as Shah-i-Hamedan (1314-1385) belonged to the Kubraviya order. He migrated from Iran and laid down the foundation of the Kubraviya order in Kashmir. He is the author of a large number of works, of which one – Zakhiratul Muluk deals with the nature of the Islamic state, the duties of rulers and rights of the people. It is significant that a sufi should write a book on the nature of government. Hamedani was also a social reformer. To secure the freedom of man, he placed great emphasis on Akl-i-Halal, earning his livelihood through legalised means of income. Hamedani rejected all forms of charity available for the religious class. He is supposed to have converted Kashmir into Iran-i-Saghir (Mini Iran) by introducing Iranian arts and crafts in Kashmir, which is why after a gap of six hundred years, he is still called Shah-i-Hamedan by the people of Kashmir. The articles of this volume cover various aspects of the works of Mir Saiyid Ali Hamedani.