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Noorbakhshia or Nurbakhshia (Persian: نوربخشیه) is a distinct sect that places significant emphasis on the concept of Muslim unity and on "Fiqh ul Ahwat" (which delves into Islamic jurisprudence), a concept by Muhammad Nurbakhshi.

The Nurbakhshia tradition is distinguished by its spiritual lineage known as the Silsila-e-Zahab, or 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 Shia 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 Noorbakhshia. The current leader of the order is Syed Muhammad Shah Noorani based in Khaplu, Baltistan.

Doctrine

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," by Ameer Kabir Syed Ali Hamdani, a preacher.^[1]

Twelver Shia teachings are highly followed in Noorbakhshia Order. Mourning of Muharram is a compulsory event within the order.

History

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 of Shams ud-Din Iraqi, who died in 1527, or in the subsequent decades, coinciding with the brief reign of the Chak dynasty. 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.^[2]^[3]

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.^[4]^{[better source needed]}

Nurbakhshis believe that the practices are not an assemblage of his personal views but were originally conceived by him from Muhammad 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 of mysticism and to compare it with that of Nurbakhsh's teachings.^[5]

In Baltistan and Ladakh

The Noorbakshia order persists in Baltistan and Kargil (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.^[6] Nevertheless, significant pockets of adherents continue to exist, particularly with many residing in Baltistan, and in villages scattered throughout Kargil and the Nubra Valley in Ladakh.^[7]

References

^ Bashir, S: "Messianic Hope and Mystical Vision: The Nurbakhshia Between Medieval and Modern Islam (Studies in Comparative Religion)," University of South Carolina Press. These works serve as foundational repositories of Noorbakhshi doctrines, providing comprehensive insights into matters of Islamic jurisprudence, belief systems, and spiritual practices within the Noorbakhshi tradition.", October 2003
^ Reick, Andreas. "The Sofia Nurbakhshis of Baltistan - Revival of the Oldest Muslim Community in the Northern Areas (Gilgit Baltistan) of Pakistan." Paper presented at the International Conference "Karakurum-Himalaya-Hindukush-Dynamics of Change," Islamabad, National Library, 29.9-2.10.1995, and published in The Monthly Nawa-i-sufia Islamabad, Issue No. 28, March 1997.
^ Grist, Nicola (1995). "Muslims in Western Ladakh". The Tibet Journal. 20 (3): 59–70. JSTOR 43300543.
^ Dr. Naeem, G: "Mir Sayyid Muhammad Nurbakhsh and Nurbakhshia Sect," Shah-e-Hamadan Publications, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2000
^ Balghari S.H."Shah Syed Muhammad Nurbakhsh Qahistani", Monthly Nawa-i-Sufia Islamabad, Issue No. 28, 1996
^ Hanif, N. (2002-01-01). Biographical Encyclopaedia of Sufis: Central Asia and Middle East. Sarup & Sons. p. 366. ISBN 9788176252669. Nurbakhshi.
^ Grist, Nicola (2005-01-01), "The History of Islam in Suru", Ladakhi Histories, BRILL, pp. 175–180, doi:10.1163/9789047408093_012, ISBN 978-90-474-0809-3, retrieved 2023-02-13