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Ayatullah Aga Syed Yousuf Al-Moosavi Al- safvi (r.a) (1904 – 29 August 1982) was a Kashmiri religious scholar and leader of Shia Muslims. He founded the influential Anjuman-e-Sharie organisation.

Biography

Ayatullah Aga Syed Yousuf (r.a) was born in Budgam in 1322 hijri, and completed his education in Islamic law from Najaf in Iraq. He is the descendent of Mir Shamsudin Araki, who came to Kashmir in 13th century from Araki town of Iran. After the death of his elder brother, Aga Syed Ahmed Almosavi, he took over the traditional responsibilities performed by Aga family. He established an educational institution for Islamic learning called Madras-e Babul Ilem (“gateway of knowledge”) in Budgam. Madars-e Babul Ilem is the alma mater of many in the Kashmir literary field.

It has been a routine among Shias of Kashmir that legal disputes go to their religious head (Mawlawi or Agas) instead the government courts. Such Sharie Adalats (“religious courts”) determine justice according to Islamic doctrine. During the period of Ayatullah Aga Yousef, sharie adalats became very popular. There were a number of occasions when the district court sent cases to Yousef’s court.

Anjumane Sharie Shian

Aga Syed Yousuf established Anjumane Sharie Shian in Jammu and Kashmir with both religious and political goals. As the government receives the taxes from the general public, Anjuman Sharie Shian collects khums and fitr as alms from the Shia population to spend on social, educational, and economic improvement for the poorer segment of the community. When Sheikh Abdullah’s government passed the Land Reform Act, Aga Syed Yousef said the bill was against the doctrine of Shiaism, which resulted in the government exempting Shias from the bill.

Other accomplishments

Aga Syed Yousuf undertook the construction of Imambara Budgam. He also widened the Imambara Hassanabad, a smaller replica of the one in Budgam. Aga Syed Yousuf also introduced the Shia nisab (“syllabus”) at the University of Kashmir.

Aga Syed Yousuf was a very close associate of Imam Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini(r.a), the father of Islamic Revolution of Iran. Aga Syed Yousuf donated $2 million to Iran as financial assistance during the revolutionary struggle. When Ayatollah Khomeini was expelled from Iran by the Shah, Aga Syed Yousuf wrote him a letter and invited him to Kashmir. Ayatollah Khomeini replied, “I would love to visit my ancestral home, Kashmir, but due to certain political reasons I am afraid I can’t.

All the letters of Ayatollah Khomeini are preserved in the personal library of Ayatollah Yousuf and his personal library is situated at Yousuf Abad, Budgam.

Personal

Ayatollah Aga Syed Yousuf (r.a) died on 29 August 1982. After his death, the district hospital of Budgam was named after him. Aga Syed Yousuf was buried in Ayatullah Mehdi shrine Budgam. The shrine was constructed by Aga Syed Yousuf himself during his lifetime to honour Ayatullah Aga Syed Mehdi who also was Yousuf’s grandfather.

Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari (26 April 1943 – 30 September 2014) widely known as Molvi Saeb among his followers was a Kashmiri Shia cleric, politician, businessman and a authoriser of Grand Ashura Procession In Kashmir. Ansari was also a renowned business man. He studied Islamic theology in Iran, Egypt and Iraq. He was famous among religious circles as great orator of majlise shame – ghareeba the night of 11th muharram His religious speeches catapult him on global stage and were widely hailed worldwide particularly in the Indian subcontinent. He succeeded his father Molvi Muhammad Jawad Ansari as president of All Jammu and Kashmir Shia Association in Jammu & Kashmir in 1962, a position he held for life. He was a sitting member of Jammu and Kashmir’s Legislative Assembly for the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party; he was earlier a member of National Conference and Congress. Molvi Iftikhar entry into politics was seen as major shift. He was nominated as an MLC in 1973 on Congress ticket but switched to Janata Party in 1977. In Parliament elections, he first time contested against the National Conference during LS polls of 1977. And the NC’s candidate was wife of late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Though he lost those elections but his contesting against NC was marked as the beginning of state’s mainstream politics. He switched back to Congress in 1980s and was chosen as leader of the Legislature party in the State Assembly from 1983 to 1987. He was again elected to the state legislative assembly in 1996 on a Congress ticket and became a minister in the National Conference (NC) government headed by Dr Farooq Abdullah. In 2002, Molvi Iftikhar joined NC and was elected from Pattan Assembly segment later that year but quit the party in 2006 to join the PDP. He lost the by-election. Coming back strongly in 2008, he was elected from Pattan Assembly segment. In forth coming assembly elections, he was PDP’s candidate from the same constituency. Currently a law maker from North Kashmir’s Pattan and Vice- President of State’s principal opposition Peoples Democratic party, Molvi Iftikhar was earlier member of Congress and National Conference. He served State as minister as well. Besides being well read cleric and mature politician, Molvi Ansari was also a business tycoon of state interests in car trade. His family also owns two leading showrooms in the summer capital of the state.

Assassinations

Maulvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari was one of the rare political stalwarts who stood by the people of the state and did not leave valley during peak of militancy. He escaped three assassination attempts. Ansari was thrice the target of unsuccessful assassination attempts. In June 2000 Ansari barely escaped the explosion of a landmine while addressing a religious congregation at Gund Khwaja Qasim. The blast killed twelve of his followers. On 1 September 2000 Ansari was injured by an IED explosion that killed two policemen and a driver.

Death

Ansari died at his residence Dar ul Jawad, Qamarwari, Srinagar on the morning of 30 September 2014 (04 Zilhajah 1435 AH), after a prolonged liver illness. Ansari was undergoing specialized treatment in the United States. Various political, religious and social leaders offered condolences. Not well during last few years of his life, Molvi Ansari finally lost battle to chronic liver disease on September 30 2014. In recent past according to family, he was in New Delhi for treatment. When flood hit valley, Molvi was shifted to his daughter’s residence at Alamgari Bazar. His condition deteriorated and was taken back to his Darul Jawad residence late Sunday evening. Amid sobs, wails and tears, Molvi Iftikhar’s body was taken for last rites. The people were in lakhs and the funeral procession passed through Saikidafar, Eid gah Hawal Gaysiyar Chowk and Alamgari Bazar. Almost half a million people joined the funeral procession of iftikhar Ansari from qamarwari to Zadibal imambargah where namaz e jenazah was offered. He was buried in his ancestral graveyard, Baba Mazar, Alamgari bazar, Zadibal, Sriangar. Cutting across political affiliations, his demise was widely condoled. Known as the fire brand leader in the political spectrum of the state, Molvi Iftikhar’s demise was termed as the great loss for the state. Besides top leadership of PDP, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was among the first to reach to the residence of Molvi Iftikhar and condole his demise, while Omar’s father Dr Farooq Abdullah termed the loss as ‘personal’.

Islam teaches that God who is merciful, all-powerful and unique has guided mankind through prophets, revealed scriptures and natural signs. The primary scriptures of Islam are the Quran, viewed by Muslims as the verbatim word of God, and the teachings and normative example (called the sunnah, composed of hadith) of Muhammad.