SADAAT – THE DESCENDANTS OF THE HOLY PROPHET (P.B.U.H)

To talk about sects and clans created over the ages without mentioning the father of all mankind, the first human i.e. Adam is neither possible nor advised, for it all starts with him. The reason why his mention is so imperative is that as Adam was sent to earth in punishment for his sin, induced by Eve his woman companion, the fate of human kind was written down and sealed. They were flawed and dysfunctional; their fate was ordained to be in division and segmentation. From this segmentation the world would see the rise of many an evil and bear with it as best as they can.

The separation of Adam and Eve’s progeny into two separate streams borne out of necessity, has grown over time and developed into marked sects and religions, practiced and spread in God’s course and man’s greed and deliberation. We begin and end with Adam, the first human ever created by the Almighty God, who having all the privileges and favors of God could not stop himself from committing one error and straying from the path specified by the Divine. Today we falter just like the first man did; we stray from the right path and pride ourselves in the segmentation of one religion, one society, one civilization into sects and different belief systems. The fine lines made for identification are now far wide and gaping. What should have just been for identification is today a source of a lot more evil and nourishes one of the innate attributes of mankind.

Looking at the division of mankind into various religions and sects from a different perspective one is forced to think that this just might have been the grand plan of The Almighty. We today introduce ourselves mainly as Muslims, Christians and Jews etc, all these religions sent from God; a little different from one another but no doubt fundamentally quite the same. This line of difference was created right at the beginning as we come to the known history and the Prophet Abraham to whom we can trace our lineage. He is at the pinnacle and from him we can trace the various other Prophets and their families and henceforth follow the path of human division into sects and races.

History of the Syed Clan

As mentioned above the great story begins with our Prophet Abraham who is forced to alienate his Egyptian wife Hagar on the wish of his first wife Sarah. From the womb of Sarah the seed of Abraham produces a son by the name of Isaac when Abraham is a hundred and Sarah is ninety years old. Isaac’s children produce according to the covenant made by God with Abraham a long line of Prophets some known some unknown, some with miracles untold and others with wisdom unparalleled[1].

The two famous and known religions of the world i.e. Christianity and Judaism were also bestowed upon Prophets born within this line of the children of Isaac and his son Jacob. They were called the tribe of “Bani Israel”; from them would come many Prophets in the centuries to come and bring forth the message of God to their people. The calm, submissive Jesus who believed in complete submission and the passionate Moses, were bearers of two of the most prominent religions of the world from the Bani Isreal clan.

Bani Israelites were proud of their ability to produce Prophets with many miracles and abilities setting the background for the introduction and struggle of the last Prophet (P.B.U.H). This time not one of their kin but an outsider, someone who came from the other line of Abraham’s descendants. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) was born to the Banu Hashim clan, this was the line formed by the union of Abraham and his Egyptian wife Hagar, and the son born to them named Ishmael. The wife and son who were left desolate in the sun baked desert, forced to strife for mere existence and the basics of life in the wilderness of Beer-Sheba, on the command of Princess Sarah. Banu Hasim one of the sub clans of the children of Ishmael later on in the centuries were designated as the keepers of Ka’ba - the House of God (Built initially by Abraham and later renovated by many Prophets). It was built around 1900 BCE which is roughly believed to be the time when Abraham lived. The Ka'ba has maintained its venerable status as the destination of pilgrimage in the eyes of the pilgrims and the Arab population of the Arabian Peninsula down the centuries. Banu Hashim for their responsibility as the keepers of Ka’ba was a prominent clan and hence the power struggle between Banu Ummiya (another sub clan of the children of Ishmael) and Banu Hasim was a constant factor in the background of the struggle of Islam and its Prophet (P.B.U.H).

Around the time of 1610 AD when Muhammad informed his close relatives about the voice of God that had instructed him to recite a new message to the people, his clan Banu Quraish, a sub division of Banu Hasim, was assigned the upkeep of the house of God. Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) at the time of receiving this message from God was a man of forty and married to a wealthy trader in Mekkah Hazrat Khadijah. It was her wealth that got spent in the way of God for spreading his message to people far and wide.

The Nucleus of the Clan

Tracing the history of man from Adam to Abraham to Muhammad human race has been divided into various branches based on religion, beliefs, culture, ethnicity and race. As Muhammad took wives initially in a monogamous way during the life of Hazrat Khadijah, contrary to the customs of his sect and Arabian cultural norms he was deprived of a son from this and future marriages. His daughter Hazrat Fatima from Hazrat Khadijah is featured as the dearest to the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and her marriage to Ali Ibn-e Abi Talib marked the rise of a new sect that would be known as the “Syed” clan.

The Prophet (P.B.U.H), Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Fatima are the three building blocks of this clan. Significantly the children of Hazrat Ali with his other wives, like Hazrat Abbas son of Um-al-Baneen, are not known as Sadaat. The significance of Hazrat Ali is apparent from his title “Haider Qarrar”. He was also called “Sher-e-Khuda” meaning the Lion of God, due to his bravery and many feats of chivalry performed in the heat of battle. He was the Prophet’s companion and partner through thick and thin.

The numerous battles fought in the name of Islam rendered him as the bravest man feared by even the most dangerous of fighters. He was not just an excellent fighter but a most intelligent strategist, known not just for his tact on the battlefield but also for his wisdom. For after the death of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H), people from all over came to him to solve their disputes, untangle their matters and answer the many puzzles of life and existence. He also developed the concept of the “x” value in mathematics and laid the foundations of algebra and astronomy.

Hazrat Ali was the first cousin of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) and on a number of occasions was referred by him as his brother. His matrimony to the Prophet’s daughter Hazrat Fatima and the two sons’ borne from their union mark the first born Sadaat into this world. From hereon the children of these two sons namely Hazrat Hassan and Hazrat Hussain would be identified as Sadaat and be the direct descendants of the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H).

Fight for an Arabic Islamic State

The religion bestowed upon the last Prophet (P.B.U.H), according to God was complete and carried intelligences and guidelines for not just personal worship and beliefs but also provided a system of governance for the state and clan. This basic element lays the grounds for a future struggle of the descendants of the Prophet, for their legacy was to carry forward the ways of Islam into the matters of state.

The hot ground of power struggle that was hence created after the death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) thus resulted in many battles and blood shed on the Arabian soil. The system of Caliphs was initiated as a means of societal and state correction and control. As was evident to the descendants their legacy down the road was in the association of the Muslim religion with the formation of the State. Almost all religions in the world are regularly used for political aims but Islam apart from this was also created for state-building purposes, hence even today the ideology of a Muslim state coincides with the governing principles of Islam[2].

Shiaat and Sunni Belief System

The Caliphs that took the state governance into their hands at the onset made efforts to continue managing state affairs according to the teachings of Islam included in Quran and Hadith. After the rule of the four Caliphs namely, Hazrat Abu Bakar, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Usman and Hazrat Ali, the idea of a caliphate, transgressed into a Sultanate under the rule of Ameer Mavia. He declared himself Emperor or Sultan of the Muslim Empire and after him his son Yazeed took the power seat. Hence, the rift in Muslims that was created after the death of the Prophet (P.B.U.H), against his beloved and trusted Hazrat Ali Ibn-e-Abi Talib, grew in the time of Mavia and his son Yazeed as they were never counted amongst the supporters of Ali. That difference of loyalties still continues to grow wider under the guise of the two main divisions of Muslim beliefs i.e. Shiaat and Sunni belief systems.

The rise of the two belief systems was a result of the struggle of Banu Umayyad family to gain power and riches. Mavia’s successor Yazeed a son of the clan established his rule and forced the Grandson of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) Hazrat Hussain to declare him the representative of the state and Islamic tradition. It was purely a political gimmick played by Yazeed to capture the trust of the people by having the Prophet’s Grandson declare him as an authority on the traditions of Islam. This is the point where the great sacrifice of Hazrat Hussain is called upon to save the religion and legacy of his Grandfather, the Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). Hence, the first Sadaat and descendants of Muhammad shed their blood on the sands of Karbala to mark the beginning of the course of Islamic history.

IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING A SYED IDENTITY IN THE PAST

The Migration to Iran

During the rule of the Umayyad Family and the Abbasid clan after the end of the Caliphate system and the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali, the fourth Caliph, many efforts were made to destroy and distort his history and name along with the sacrifice of his younger son. The bone of contention between the two parties or the root of hatred for Hazrat Ali had been his closeness with the Prophet (P.B.U.H), apart from the many relations slaughtered by the two thronged sword of Hazrat Ali in battles with infidels, for the course of the spread of Islam was not without bloodshed.

As the rule of Umayyad family continued over the centuries their oppression and injustice forced many a Syed families to flee from the land of Arabia and find a safe haven in Iran and other surrounding countries. Many families had to hide and disguise their identities in order to escape the cruelties committed against Sadaat in the land of the last Prophet (P.B.U.H). In Iran these people could save themselves and their families from the rising momentum of hatred of those in power against the direct descendants of the Prophet (P.B.U.H) and Hazrat Ali.

Iran was a state with a majority of Shiaats and hence, they had a high regard for the family of their Prophet. Even today Iran is considered to be a Shiaat state where a high majority is loyal and committed to the Sadaat (Descendants of the Prophet). They remember the sacrifice of Hazrat Hussain and the love that Hazrat Ali had for his Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). In Iran the escaping Sadaat families lived in peace for many years to come and many settled there on a permanent basis, interwoven into the culture, society and the beliefs of the Irani people.

This was a cultural amalgamation of the Arab Sadaat with the Irani Shiaats, where both held similar beliefs and valued the same fundamentals, and hence could live in harmony and considerable security. This was not the place where they would have to hide their identities; the Sadaat families openly declared themselves as the descendants of the Holy Prophet and were given much respect.

Spread of Islam - Preaching and conversions

As time passed and the Umayyad family lost its power and the world dynamics changed shifting the power balance from one community to the next, Muslim migrants in Iran were able to subside their past filled with blood and tyranny committed against them. They started to flourish and prosper in the arts and teachings of Islam and the many mysteries hidden within its manifold scriptures. They became Islamic historians, Sufis and Preachers.

From here started the journey of the Sadaat in the propagation and spread of Islam, they traveled world over preaching the message of Islam and its fundamental governing principles. These Syed Sufi saints were not just emanating from Iran but also from countries like Turkey, Iraq and other countries where they had spread during the Umayyad and Abbasid family rules.

This spread of the message of a peaceful and practical religion i.e. Islam became their legacy and destiny. They traveled the world over and arrived in the sub-continent and had a major influence on the people after the Muslim Empire was established in Delhi. By this time the Sufi fraternities had formed and they traveled with their entourage of Saints, Walis, Craftsmen and many talented individuals. These Sufi Sadaat ruled the hearts of the people; they touched many souls who converted to Islam due to their teachings. The entire Sub-Continent and many Russian states were influenced by their efforts and their dedicated cause of service to humanity.

They did not just spread the message of Islam but taught many crafts to the local people like one of the many prominent names featured in history is that of Syed Ali Wali Ameer Kabir Hamdani. He came to Kashmir from the land of Hamdan in Iran and converted the entire Kashmir and Northern areas which include Gilgit, Skardo, Baltistan etc. In his quest for the spread of Islam and its traditions he brought many renowned craftsmen along with him who taught the craft of Shawls and Carpet making to the Kashmiris, one of their assets till date. These today form the culture and heritage of a beautiful and reminiscent Kashmir. Syed Ali Wali Ameer Kabir Hamdani later traveled to the Russian states and converted them to Islam and his final resting place, a tomb dedicated to him a Sufi Preacher, is also in Russia[3].

Apart from him many prominent names are featured in the historical literature on the propagation of Islam by Sufi fraternities. One amongst them is Data Ganj Baksh, who came from Ghazni and settled in Lahore. The spread of Islam in Punjab is mainly due to his efforts[4].

Many other Sufi saints have established their names in the spread of Islam including Fareed Gang Baksh who came in Multan and settled in Punjab and Shabaz Qalandar in Sindh.

Sufi Poets

Fulfilling their duties as the descendants of the Prophet these Sufi saints were the miracle workers who have resulted in the spread of the true events in the history of Islam. Following in their foot steps many Sufi Poets in times to come wrote poetry on the history of Islam and highlighted the true meaning of Islam and its main contributors. Famous Sufi poets like Bulleh Shah and Rumi within their poetry have left messages to be decoded by those who have the insight. Baba Bulleh Shah whose real name was Syed Abdullah Shah, was a Punjabi Sufi poet and humanist. He is believed to have been born in the small village of Uch, Bahawalpur in modern day Pakistan. His ancestors had migrated from Bukhara in modern Uzbekistan, in 1680[5]. When the masses faltered and started focusing on the wrong details of Islam, these sufi poets wrote poetry to correct those who cared to think. One of the poems from Baba Bulleh Shah tries to focus the attention of people on the simplicity of existence and religion, as it states:

Ik nuqte vich gal mukdi eh.
(The subject of matter finishes/lies in one point)

Phar nuqta, chad hisaabaan nu,
(Get the point and leave all other accounts)

kar duur kufar diyaan baabaan nu.
(Keep the chanpters of sin closed)

Laah dozakh gor azaabaan nu,
(Send the horrors of the grave to hell)

kar saaf dile diyaan khavaabaan nu.
(Clean up the dreams/thoughts in your heart)

Gal aise ghar vich dhukkdi eh,

(For the subject lies/inflames within the heart/place)
ik nuqte vich gal mukdi eh.
(The subject of matter finishes/lies in one point)

Aiven mattha zimeen ghasaida,
(For no reason you rub your forehead on the ground)

lamma pa mahiraab dikhaida.
(Showing the sign of piousness on your forehead)

Phar kalma lok hasaida,
(Reciting the Qalima for the people)

Dil andar samajh na liaaida.
(Not understanding the real spirit in your heart)
Kadi baat sacchi vi lukdi eh,
(Sometimes this talk seems truthful)

Ik nuqte vich gal mukdi eh.
(The subject of matter finishes/lies in one point)

Kaee haaji ban ban aaye ji,
(Many came as Pilgrims)

Gal neele jaame paaye ji,
(Dressed in blue)

Haj baich takey le khaaye ji,r
(They sell the status gained by their Pilgrimage)

Bhala eh gal kinnu bhaaye ji.
(How will anyone like this charade?)

Kadey baat sacchi vi lukdi eh,
(Sometimes this talk seems truthful)

Ik nuqte vich gal mukdi eh.[6]
(The subject of matter finishes/lies in one point)

IMPLICATIONS OF HAVING A SYED IDENTITY IN THE PRESENT

Respect and Honor

After the fall of the Umayyad Sultanate and the revival of the history of Islam, people started viewing Sadaat with respect and honor. Today being a Syed holds a certain degree of respect from the masses. Individuals can take pride in the fact that they are the descendants of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H). But the tragedy is that they have forgotten the true meaning of being a Muslim and a Syed. We take pride in being of a certain clan and have become introverted and use our clans and families as a way of discrimination.

Where the teachings of the Sufi saints were completely different from what we have retained in the present age. They did not believe in division, segregation and segmentation. Their message was loud and clear, focused on the fundamentals of Islam and the building up of a society where all are equal and together set the foundation of a healthy and prosperous society and community. These messages of community building and the uplift of fellow humans are evident in the system of Zaqat and Hadia apart from the many others, within the Islamic principles of State functions.

Sufi poet Bulleh Shah discourages being classified even as a Syed for he wanted Muslims to move beyond the boundaries of clans and sects and come together as a whole, in tune with the Supreme Being. In one of his poems he states in:

Jaira sanoon syed saddey
(Who so ever calls us Syed)
Dozakh milay sazaiyyan
(Hell is there’s in punishment)
Jaira sanoon Raain akhey
(Who so ever calls us Raain)
Bahistaan Peengaan Payaan
([It is not like they will have] swings in heaven)

Inter-Clan marriages

One of the misconceptions and misrepresentations of Islamic traditions was and is the concept of marriages in Syed families. It is widely believed that syed families cannot marry outside their cast and clan. This is one of the distortions of Islamic teachings that focus on equality of mankind. Religious censorship of this sort cannot be a part of Islam that treats all human beings as equal with no superiors based on ethnicity, religion, color and race. In Islam a person can marry someone who believes in God any of the books sent by him through his many Prophets. For the message has and always will remain the same, people need to view all the religions as a continuation of one message modified and adjusted according to the time and societies it was sent in.

A lot is left to interpretation and thought, we human beings have been given the gift of intelligence which is a tool to think and ponder over the various issues of life and religion. Many Syed families have moved beyond these matters but many still continue to believe in them and so not allow their young to marry in any other clan apart from Sadaat.

Conclusion

We human beings need to understand one thing and one thing only that superiority and goodness come as a result of a person’s actions rather than his origin or birth. It is about time that humanity realizes that what is more important is how we deal with each other in everyday life and to what extent we make an effort to fulfill our obligations to God. The Syed clan was created for a reason and they have continued to fulfill their responsibilities in one way or the other like any other sect or religion. The misconception that they are superior for being born as Sadaat is wrong. Yes all those Sadaat along with non-Sadaat who spread Islam to the world, who gained the favor of God by their actions are superior, not for their Syed identity but for their efforts and actions.

The message of God is given clearly for anyone to understand in one of the verses of Quran, which states:

“Mankind! We have created you all out of a male and a female, and have made you into nations and tribes, so that you might come to know one another”[7].

It becomes evident that the purpose of our lord and creator in dividing us amongst various nations and clans was for identification not for leading us into blood shed, bigotry and segmentation.

[1] The story of Abraham, From the Hebrew Bible - http://www.wsu.edu:8080/~wldciv/world_civ_reader/world_civ_reader_1/abraham.html
[2] http://www.es.flinders.edu.au/~mattom/science+society/lectures/illustrations/lecture16/muhammad.html
[3] Interview with Kausar Hamdani a descendant of Syed Ali Wali Ameer Kabir Hamdani
[4] Sufis and Spread of Islam - http://www.storyofpakistan.com/articletext.asp?artid=A004&Pg=2

[5] Baba Bulleh Shah Sufi Poet – Orkut community – www.orkut.com
[6] Baba Bulleh Shah Sufi Poet – Orkut community – www.orkut.com
[7] www.google.com/thelifeofmohammad//com