Syed Ali Nasir Saeed Abaqati Explained

Syed Ali Nasir Saeed Abaqati Musavi, known as Roohul Millat and Agha Roohi, is a Shia cleric from Lucknow, India.

Family background

Syed Ali Nasir Saeed Abaqati popularly known as Agha Roohi is a Shia scholar from Lucknow, India and comes from the family of Syed Mir Hamid Hussain Musavi whose book `Abaqat al'anwar fi imamat al 'A'immat al'athar is popular among Twelver Shi'a scholars worldwide, and quoted even today.^[1]

He belongs to the lineage of Syed Mohammad Quli Khan.^{[2] [3] [4]} His family is renowned and respected in Lucknow, where his father Saeed-ul-Millat Syed Mohammad Saeed and grandfather Syed Nasir-ul-Millat enjoyed much respect in their lifetimes. His ancestral town is Kintoor, Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh and he traces his lineage to Muhammad via Imam Musa al-Kazim, hence the name "Musavi".^[5]

His majalis (religious lectures)

He is an exponent of Tabarra, openly curse the enemies of Hussainiyat, the killers of Imam Hussain.

Agha Roohi recites the ashra-e-majalis (religious lecture to commemorate the Martyrdom of Imam Hussain, spanning ten days) at Shia PG College (at Victoria Street in Nakhas) in morning and at Afzal Mahal in evening.^[6] He also addresses a majlis at Karbala Talkatora, where procession of taboot, to signify the mortal remains of Maula Ali culminates on 21 of the month of Ramadan every year since the earlier ban order was revoked in 1999.^[7] Apart from majalis in Lucknow he often was invited in other cities too, e.g., Allahabad.^[8]

Involvement in community matters, demonstrations and rallies

• He has been involved in issues related to the Mazar-e-Shahid Salis, Agra.^[9]
• He has been involved in political activism related to affairs of Shia community for long. In 1969, he alongside Moulana Dr. Kalbe Sadiq addressed a press conference alongside Jana Sangh's leader Nanaji Deshmukh, when they were ′invited to tell the world the sufferings their sect had undergone′.^[10] In 1993 when he was President of the All India Shia Husaini Council he joined political party BJP.^[11]
• In 2002, he organised 'Anti Terrorism Week' which included demonstrations, burning of effigies of Osama bin Laden, Mulla Omar, Pervez Musharraf and the Pakistan flag.^[12]
• In 2006, he was removed from the board of Shia College, Lucknow.^[13]
• In May 2006, he opposed 'new model nikahnama' for the Shia community issued by All India Shia Personal Law Board, headed by Maulana Mirza Mohammed Athar.^[14]
• He held al-Qaeda responsible for 2006–2007 destruction of the Al-Askari Mosque in Samarra, Iraq.^[15]
• In 2009, the Law Commission's report on bigamy resulted in opposition from All India Muslim Personal Law Board, Agha Roohi suggested Law Commission to talk to clerics over this issue.^[16]
• On 14 November 2010, he and fellow cleric Kalbe Jawad tried to stop the annual meeting of the board of trustees at Shia Post Graduate Degree College because it was being held on a Sunday. The men were taken into preventive custody but were released when violent protests broke out.^{[17] [18]}
• On 19 June 2014, he organised a demonstration to protest killing of innocents by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria at Dargah Hazrat Abbas, Lucknow.^[19] Addressing the crowd, he said,^[20]

  "ISIS is a great threat not only to Islam but the entire humanity and what must be understood by Muslims across the globe is that these brutal attacks on Holy Shrines clearly smells of conspiracy which must be countered by remaining united."

• In April 2017, he issued a statement vowing to end cow slaughter.^[21]
• In 2019, he alongside other Shia clerics like Imam-e-Juma of Asafi Mosque Maulana Kalbe Jawad, president of the Shia Moon Committee Maulana Saif Abbas, academician and cleric Maulana Kalbe Sibtain Noori, spokesperson of All India Shia Personal Law Board Maulana Yasoob Abbas, etc. signed the memorandum demanding the maintenance of sanctity and religious fibre of 235-year-old Bara Imambara precincts.^[22]
• In 2020, he alongside other Shia clerics Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, Maulana Kalbe Jawad, Maulana Yasoob Abbas, Maulana Abbas Irshad, Maulana Saif Abbas, etc. requested Archaeological Survey of India for immediate assessment and time-bound restoration of the centrally protected monument Imambara Sibtainabad.^[23]

Renowned Scholar Expresses Concern Over Current State of Affairs

He has made it clear that if the authorities and national and religious leaders had made thoughtful decisions, the country’s situation would be quite different today. Maulana Agha Roohi acknowledges that while this may not be the opportune time to criticize political leaders and officials, turning a blind eye and remaining silent about realities seems to be equivalent to neglecting the rights of troubled people. The plight faced by millions of workers, the needy, and the unemployed in our society has revealed the stark contradiction between the words and actions of our leaders. While these helpless workers wait helplessly at bus stops, whether they reach their homes safely or not, this blood-soaked caravan is leading the country towards an uncertain destination. ^[24]

Family

His elder son Maulana Syed Abbas Nasir Saeed Abaqati (b. 1986), a PhD student in Shia theology, fought against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS, or IS) while he was studying at Najaf University (Al-Hawza al-'Ilmiyya fi al-Najaf al-Ashraf Islamic seminary) in July 2014 when clashes with the ISIS broke out in Iraq he joined it.^{[25] [26]} Apart from other majalis he now addresses majlis at Shia College during first 10 days of Muharram.^[27] He is president of Anjuman Moinuzzaireen which manages Mazaar-e-Shaheed-e-Saalis while his younger brother Syed Murtaza Nasir Saeed is secretary and his uncles (half-brothers of Agha Roohi) Maulana Syed Sajjad Nasir Saeed Abaqati and Syed Husain Nasir Saeed are patron and Mutawalli' respectively.^{[28] [29]}

See also

• Islamic scholars

External links

• Shia Sunni clash in Lucknow during Muharram, 18 December 2010 – 11:04 pm

Notes and References

1. http://mullasadra.blogspot.in/2011/09/scholarship-in-sayyid-family-in-avadh-i.html#!/2011/09/scholarship-in-sayyid-family-in-avadh-i.html Scholarship in a sayyid family of Avadh I: Musavī Nīshāpūrī of Kintūr
2. http://www.docstoc.com/docs/3385087/Leader-of-Heaven Leader of Heaven
3. http://www.al-huda.com/Article_4of79.htm Roots of North Indian Shi‘ism in Iran and Iraq Religion and State in Awadh, 1722–1859
4. Book: Burke. Edmund. Abrahamian. Ervand. Lapidus. Ira Marvin. Islam, Politics, and Social Movements. 1988. University of California Press. 978-0-520-06868-1. 284 .
5. Book: Jones, Justin. Shi'a Islam in Colonial India Religion, Community and Sectarianism. 2011. Cambridge University Press. 978-1-139-50123-1. 243 .
6. https://web.archive.org/web/20131203014604/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-02-24/lucknow/28336668_1_moharrum-majlis-maulana-kalbe-jawwad Old city immersed in Moharrum solemnity
7. News: Taboot procession taken out in the city . 28 February 2024 . The Times of India . 18 November 2003 . Lucknow . en.
8. News: Mourners perform 'angaro ka matam' . 28 February 2024 . The Times of India . 2 January 2011 . Lucknow . en.
9. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/shia-ulema-at-odds-over-shrine-control/story-6SYK0tlPPeZ6EojJMct86M.html Shia ulema at odds over shrine control
10. Book: Link: Indian Newsmagazine . 1969 . 13 . 28 February 2024 . en.
11. Book: Organiser . 1998 . Bri Bhushan for Bharat Prakashan (Delhi) Limited . 13 . 28 February 2024 . en.
12. News: Madhe Sahaba procession today . 28 February 2024 . The Times of India . 26 May 2002 . Lucknow . en.
13. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/shia-clerics-at-dispute-over-shia-college/story-bniq4OSKbcXKYCdnqJt5TJ.html Shia clerics at dispute over Shia college
14. https://web.archive.org/web/20121020141942/http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/Print/103464.aspx Now, a model nikahnama only for Shias
15. https://web.archive.org/web/20121105094442/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1289445231.html Sadiq, Jawad blame US; Abaqati puts it on Qaeda
16. https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/keep-off-clerics-tell-law-panel-to-meet-pm/story-2AuB03JRdyRYgCgJx1dwCM.html Keep off, clerics tell law panel; to meet PM
17. http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Cleric-detained--supporters-go-on-rampage-in-Lucknow/711205 Cleric detained, supporters go on rampage in Lucknow
18. Book: Muslims in Indian cities: Trajectories of Marginalisation. 2012. Hurst & Co. 9781849041768. London. 794935130.
19. News: Clerics call for protest meet against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria . 28 February 2024 . The Times of India . 17 June 2014 . Lucknow . en.
20. News: Iraq crisis: Lucknow Shia group appeal for support . 28 February 2024 . The Times of India . 20 June 2014 . Lucknow . en.
21. News: Fareed . Faisal . Lucknow: Shia Muslim youths form 'Gau Raksha Dal', vow to end cow slaughter . 13 October 2018 . Scroll.in.
22. News: Historians & clerics up in arms over 'profane' photo shoots at Bara Imambara, write to PM Modi . 28 February 2024 . The Times of India . 8 June 2019 . Lucknow . en.
23. News: Sibtainabad mutawalli for FIR against encroachers . 28 February 2024 . The Times of India . 4 April 2020 . Lucknow . en.
24. Web site: مولانا آغا روحی نے ملک کے موجودہ حالات پر کیا تشویش کا اظہار . 26 May 2020 .
25. News: Fareed. Mohd Faisal. Shia youth 'who fought ISIS' gets grand welcome home in Lucknow. 13 Oct 2018. The Indian Express. 20 October 2014.
26. News: Jeelani. Gulam. Shia cleric who fought against ISIS, returns to a hero's welcome in Lucknow. 30 November 2014. News18. 13 Oct 2018.
27. Web site: Maulana Abbas Nasir Saeed Abaqati Sb. . www.p5world.com . 13 October 2018.
28. Web site: List Of Designated Members Of Anjuman Moinuzzaireen – Mazar e Shaheed-E-Salis(r.a) . 5 March 2024.
29. Web site: Latest Updates – Mazar e Shaheed-E-Salis(r.a) . 27 October 2021 . 5 March 2024.