Hazrat Al-Mansoob Al-Haj Ikram Ali bin Shaikh Hasan Ali

14th Mansoob ul-Hind wa Sindh

• Mansoobiyat Period - 12 Years (1250-1262 AH/ 1834-1846 AD)
• From Hudood-e-Kiraam of 40th Dai' Sayyidna Ad-Dai' Ismail bin Sayyidi Muhammad Al-Makrami
• From Hudood-e-Kiraam of 41st Dai' Sayyidna Ad-Dai' Hasan bin Sayyidi Muhammad Al-Makrami
• Wilaadat (Birth): 1226 AH (1811 AD)
• Wafaat (Death): 16th Muharram al-Haraam 1262 AH (13th January 1846 AD)
• His Tutors (Ustaadein) were:

1. 11th Mansoob ul-Hind wa Sindh, Sayyidna Ad-Dai' Ghair Munfarid Haji Izzat Ali Jamali bin Muhammad Husain (1747-1832), and
2. 13th Mansoob ul-Hind wa Sindh, Hazrat Al-Mansoob Haji Ghulam Fayaz Ali bin Sayyidna Izzat Ali Jamali (c. 1777-1834)

A Short History

Hazrat Al-Mansoob Sayyidi Ikram Ali bin Shaikh Hasan Ali was the youngest of all Manaseeb-e-Kiraam. At the young age of 26 years, he received Mansoobiyat, and passed away at an early age of 36 years in Hyderabad in 1262 AH (1846 AD).

Negotiating the narrow passage ways between the tightly packed graves at Hyderabad Qabrastaan, your eyes are fixed at each of the step, taking extreme precautions against irreverence to the residents of the graves with your feet. The entire mind is occupied in a physical balancing act and guard against guilt. Finally as you step up the raised platform of the Maqbar-e-Mubaarak of Maulana Hazrat Ikram Ali saheb (QAR), raise up your head, suddenly the spaciousness of the Maqbara and far expanses of skies and trees at eye level provide welcome relief for the stressed mind; this vastness define the slice of divinity resting in the middle of Maqbara outlined by fading grayish black marble under the canopy of Gulmohar. In every aspect, Maulana Muqaddas Hazrat Ikram Ali bin Shaikh Hasan Ali was larger than life and his achievements and impacts are enviable and outlasting than most kings. Deeply passionate about learning Uloom-e-Dawat he gave up a brilliant career; single-mindedly he pursued his learning both in India and Yemen, steadily growing and opening new vistas of Irfan; at 22 he was leaping forward in ranks with each chapter of Ilm until at 26 he achieved the rank of Mansoob. He held the helm of leadership when our enemies had declared our Dawat dead – this had happened only twice in the last 400 years, once after the demise of the 27th Dai' Sayyidna Ad-Dai' Sulaiman bin Sayyidna Hasan Al-Hindi (1554-1597), when Allah rescued and strengthened Dawat through 28th Dai' Sayyidna Ad-Dai' Ja'afar bin Sayyidna Sulaiman Al-Hindi (1585-1640) and Maulana Hazrat Ikram Ali bin Shaikh Hasan Ali saheb (QAR) was the second one. At the age of 26 years, he proved that he was far superior to the best Ulemas of our enemies, more than twice his age. During the tenure of his Mansoobiyat, he left legacies in Uloom, Dawat, and properties which continue to benefit the entire Jamaat at every level of Dawat-e-Haadiya. At the age of 36, leaving behind a strengthened Dawat, a unified Jamaat and a rich legacy of Uloom he accepted the call to heavens – It was as if he was hand-picked by Allah to overcome and rescue the difficult times Sulaimani Dawat was facing and by Allah there was none better than him. Renowned Urdu poet Allama Muhammad Iqbal described such a character succinctly when he said,

Een Kaar e Hakeem e neest, damaan e kaleem e geer; Sad banda e sahil mast, yak banda e darya mast.

(Translation: This is not the job for a philosopher, who is mostly inaction. Instead hold on steadfast to Moses, Man of faith in action; One man of faith in the middle of a river with his unwavering faith rescues thousands of followers to the safe shores).

May Allah bless us with the Nazraat of Maulana Hazrat Muqaddas and give us courage to follow in his footsteps.

Appended below are contents of an email Ali Yousha bhai had posted several years ago hoping to revise information from the past.

Recently listened to the Majlis by Hazrat Al-Mansoob al-Kareem Abdullah bin Mulla Hibatullah Fathi saheb (AB) that was both lucid and in his enduring style. The bayaan on Hazrat Al-Mansoob Ikram Ali bin Shaikh Hasan Ali saheb muqaddas left deep impressions on the awe inspiring character of Hazrat Maulai Ikram Ali saheb muqaddas. The highlights of his character as I gathered:

• Ascended to the post of Mansoobiyat at the young age of 26 years.
• Studied under the 11th Mansoob ul-Hind wa Sindh, Sayyidna Ad-Dai' Ghair Munfarid Izzat Ali Jamali bin Muhammad Husain saheb muqaddas (1747-1832) (who was more than a Mansoob as explained by Hazrat Al-Mansoob Abdullah bin Mulla Hibatullah Fathi) and 13th Mansoob ul-Hind wa Sindh Hazrat Al-Mansoob Ghulam Fayaz Ali bin Sayyidna Izzat Ali Jamali saheb (c. 1777-1834) by the age of 22.
• Studied 75 books under the 40th Dai' Sayyidna Ad-Dai' Ismail bin Muhammad Al-Makrami (with a distinction among Dua'at's) and consistently progressed in Maraatib as he studied.
• Copied 55 books in Arabic.
• Wrote 20 books emphasized by Hazrat Al-Mansoob Abdullah bin Mulla Hibatullah Fathi as Azeem ush-Shaan.
• Purchased and built Masjid in Hyderabad which gave religious structure to our forefathers with Sulaimani identity.
• Constructed several properties in Baroda which are still in use today.
• Performed 2 Hajj and Ziyaarat-e-Nabi-e-Akram, Maulana Muhammad Rasoolullah (SAW).
• Participated in Jihaad (which was postponed) at the command of 41st Dai' Sayyidna Ad-Dai' Hasan bin Sayyidi Muhammad Al-Makrami
• Served in an executive capacity with an executive salary, by today’s standards.
• Left the job for the passion of his life, i.e. pursuit of knowledge.
• Made several trips to Bombay, Baroda, Ahmedabad, and other places.

These achievements are extremely significant considering that all this was done by the age of 36 and at times when a meager trip to Pune from Hyderabad took more than 22 days of travel day and night. Amazing achievements of divine proportions.

Also consider that the entire civilization is in a flux. Industrial revolution is in full bloom, First steam engine was developed, Communication was revolutionized by first telegraph between Washington and Baltimore, Photograph was developed for the first time in history, Steamers running on steam crossed Pacific, Michael Faraday (1791-1867) successfully conducted electricity. Politically India was in turmoil – Nadir Shah (c. 1688-1747) had already sacked Delhi and the British are actively fighting the Maratha's across the entire Middle subcontinent. Hyderabad was in the midst of worst chaos it has ever been. It was the period of Sikander Jah (1768-1829), the 3rd Asif Jahi King and many princes were in open revolt against the King, aligning with Wahabi and other chiefs to overthrow the King. The courtiers were dishonest and disloyal, and during the 4th King, huge infighting broke out among the Sikhs, Arab, Nubian, Maratha's and other communal regiments and common people were living in extreme fear and danger.

Such were the turbulent and life changing conditions of his time, yet Hazrat Al-Mansoob Ikram Ali bin Shaikh Hasan Ali saheb climbed the heights of achievement that are impossible in these relatively opportune times. Consider the impact of his achievements which continue to improve our lives is an amazing feat for a single individual life. We are truly blessed by Allah for such strong. May Allah extend Nazaraat of Hazrat Maulana Ikram Ali saheb muqaddas on us all and bless him with his choicest place in heaven - Ameen.

Sources: Aamil Al-Haj Mulla Sa'dullah Hazrat Nasrullah Husami (28th February 2011), Al-Haj Mulla Ali Yousha Ismail Hassan (21st November 2013), Seerat ul-Manaseeb & Ahya us-Salaf.