Noorbakhshia orNurbakhshia (Balti:སོཕིཡ ཨིམམིཡ ནུར་བཀྵིཡ;[1]Persian/Urdu: نوربخشیه) is a distinctSufi order primarily practiced in theBaltistan region ofPakistan. It places significant emphasis on the concept of Muslim unity and on "Fiqh ul Ahwat" (which delves into Islamic jurisprudence), a concept byMuhammad Nurbakhshi.
The Nurbakhshia tradition is distinguished by its spiritual lineage known as the Silsila-e-Zahab, orthe Golden Chain. This spiritual lineage claims to trace its origins back to the Imam Haqiqi (Divinely Appointed 12 Imams), spanning from Imam Ali to Imam Mahdi. Notably, Noorbakhshia stands out among Sufi orders within Islam for its foundational principles deeply rooted in the teachings of the Aima Tahirreen, or Fourteen Infallibles. The followers of this lineage are known as Sufia Noorbakhshia.
The primary doctrinal sources of Noorbakhshi teachings are encapsulated within three key things: "Al-Fiqh al-Ahwat" and "Kitab al-Aitiqadia," created by Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistani, and "Dawat-e-Noorbakhshia".[2]
In its country of origin, Iran, the Noorbakhshia underwent a transition towards Shia Islam, particularly Twelver Shi'ism, several decades after the Safavid dynasty officially established Twelver Shi'ism as the state religion in 1501. A similar transformation occurred in Kashmir, either during the lifetime ofShams ud-Din Iraqi, who died in 1527, or in the subsequent decades, coinciding with the brief reign of theChak dynasty. The order began declining in the mid-16th century in Kashmir and persecution by Sunni authorities led to its eventual demise.[3][4] Eventually, the order was assimilated into mainstreamTwelver Shia Islam.[4]
In regions such as Baltistan and Purig in the Kargil district, the Nurbakhshia persisted as a distinct sect with its own doctrinal framework, blending elements of both Shi'ism and Sunni Islam although much of its teaching, law and doctrine is derived from Imami Shia doctrine.[5][6]
Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistani, a Sufi master of the 15th century, has received relatively little attention from researchers despite his significant influence. Although Nurbakhsh had numerous scholar-disciples, such as Shaikh Asiri Lahiji, none of them undertook substantial efforts to document Nurbakhsh's biography or to preserve his teachings.[7][better source needed]
Nurbakhshis believe that the practices are not an assemblage of his personal views but were originally conceived by him fromMuhammad through the masters of the spiritual chain. They state that anyone who questions this connection is invited to travel on the long road through the history ofmysticism and to compare it with that of Nurbakhsh's teachings.[8]
The Noorbakshia order persists inBaltistan andKargil (in Ladakh) as a distinct sect with its own unique doctrinal blend encompassing elements of Shi'a and Sunni Islam. While the order formerly had numerous adherents in these regions, its prominence has waned in recent times, after the deaths of notable figures such as Mir Danial Shaheed, although the specific timeframe of these events requires further specification.[9] Significant pockets of adherents continue to exist, particularly with many residing in Baltistan, and in villages scattered throughout Kargil and theNubra Valley in Ladakh.[10]
Nurbakhshi.
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