A Research on Entrance of Ismailia in Gilgit

Abstract

THE SMALL GROUP OF SHIITS AFTER HAZRAT IMAM JAFFAR SADIQ FOLLOWED HIS ELDER SON HAZRAT ISMAIL AS THEIR SPIRITUAL IMAM AND ARE KNOWN AS ISMAILIA. MORE OVER THE ISMAILIS WERE DIVIDED INTO TWO SUB SECTS I-C ISMAILI MUSTALIA KNOWN AS BOHRI AND ISMAILI NAZARIA KNOWN AS AGHA KHANIS. WITH THE PASSING OF TIME, THE CENTER OF NAZARI FATIMID DYNASTY SHIFTED FROM AFRICA TO NORTH OF IRAN AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE ISMAILI PREACHES ENTERED INTO SUB CONTINENT. THUS THE ERA OF ISMAILI IN SUBCONTINENT BEGUN. GILGIT IS LOCATED IN NORTHERN AREAS OF PAKISTAN WITH A HUGE AGHA KHAN POPULATION. OWING TO PREJUDICIAL AND BIASED APPROACH TOWARDS RELIGION AND SECTARIAN INTOLERANCE THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE HAVE POOR UNDERSTANDING AND KNOWLEDGE OF OTHER SECTS. IT MUST BE NOTED HERE THAT IN THIS REGION THE MAJORITY OF POPULATION BELONGS TO ASNA ASHRIA SHIATS, FOLLOWED BY AHL-E- SUNNAT (DEOBAND) THE AGHA KHANIS ARE AT THIRD NUMBER IN THIS ROW. IN SUCH A DIVERS POPULATION, IGNORANCE TO EACH OTHER’S SECTS, FAITHS AND BELIEFS LEAD TO RELIGIOUS IGNORANCE AND ULTIMATELY BRING CHAOS, CONFUSION, RELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE AND SECTARIAN CLASHES. TO AVOID SUCH CLASHES AND TENSION IT IS NECESSARY TO PROMOTE TRUE SPIRIT, UNDERSTANDING AND MESSAGE OF ISLAM ALONG WITH KNOWLEDGE OF EACH SECT. IN GILGIT THE SHIATS AND SUNNIS ENJOY, CORDIAL RELATION WITH STRONG SOCIAL CONTACT. HOWEVER, PEOPLE KNOW VOLATILE ABOUT AGHA KHANIS AND ISMAILIS SHIITS. THIS CREATES MISUNDERSTANDING AMONG COMMON MAN AGAINST THEM. EVEN PEOPLE AVOID SOCIAL CONTACT WITH THEM. THIS REQUIRES PROPER STUDY AND UNBIASED RESEARCH REGARDING THEIR FAITH. THIS PAPER EXPLORED THAT ISMAILIA HAD REACHED GILGIT IN THE 11TH CENTURY AFTER THE ADVENT OF SHIA AND SUNNI SECTS. ON THE CONTRARY, HUNZA VALLEY, A PART OF THIS REGION HAD BEEN UNDER THE RULE OF SHIA FOR ABOUT TWO HUNDRED YEARS. IN THE BEGINNING OF THE 13TH CENTURY ISMAILI MISSIONARIES PROJECTED THEIR CREED POWERFULLY AND THE RESIDENTS HAD EMBRACED ISMAILI BELIEFS. APART FROM HUNZA VALLEY, YASEEN, GOPAS, PINYAL THIS SECT HAS QUICKLY SPREAD TO OTHER PARTS OF THE GLOBE.