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40-461: Shah Jalal was a Sufi saint traditionally accredited with the Muslim conquest of Sylhet as well as the propagation of Islam in the region. Described by Syed Murtaza Ali as "the patron saint of Sylhet", following his death in 1347, Shah Jalal's burial place in the city became an object of veneration. Both Bengali Muslims and Hindus perform pilgrimages to the site to make offerings and prayers to

80-788: A madrasa and a khanqah , on the opposite side of the plaza to the tomb is a large Langar Khana (kitchen) to serve the many poor who visit the Dargah and originally made to be a shelter for visitors. This is now closed due to environmental reasons and so there is a small hut built to its east which serves this purpose. Located in the Langar Khana are three brass degs (cauldrons), the largest being 5 feet in height. Each of these cauldrons can simultaneously cook 7 cows and 7 maunds of rice. On their edges are Persian inscriptions that mentions that they were made by Shaykh Abu Sa'id ibn Muhammad Zafar ibn Yar Muhammad of Jahangirnagar and sent by Murad Bakhsh to

120-529: A Muslim living in Sylhet, sacrificed a cow for his newborn son's aqiqah (birth celebration). Govinda, in a fury for what he saw as sacrilege, had the newborn killed as well as having Burhanuddin's right hand cut off. When word of this reached Sultan Firoz Shah, an army commanded by his nephew, Sikandar Khan and later his Sipah Salar (Commander-in-chief) Syed Nasiruddin , was sent against Gour . Three successive strikes were attempted, all ending in failure due to

160-533: A full biography of Shah Jalal titled Suhayl-i-Yaman Tārīkh-i-Jalālī in 1859, which referred to him as Yemeni. Although this was composed 5 centuries after Jalal's death, Haydar's work consulted two now-lost manuscripts; Risālah (Message) by Muḥīuddīn Khādim from 1711 and Rawḍah as-Salāṭīn (Garden of the Sultans) from 1721. A number of scholars have claimed that the suffix from the Husain Shahi inscription refers to

200-573: A gift of two rare pigeons which would later be called Jalali Kobutor (Pigeons of Jalal). It is said that these pigeons continue to breed and its descendants remain around Jalal's dargah . In 1303, Sultan Shamsuddin Firoz Shah of Lakhnauti was engaged in a war with the neighbouring Gour Kingdom in the Sylhet region , then under the rule of the Hindu king Gour Govinda . This began when Shaykh Burhanuddin ,

240-457: A large plaza, ahead of which lies a section dedicated to services for women. Shah Jalal's burial place itself lies in the centre of the compound and is reached via a flight of stairs to the right of this section, though only men are permitted to enter. The steps terminate at a broad flat platform, in front of which is the Bara Gumbad mosque, through which visitors pass to access the tomb. The latter

280-418: A one-month journey through the mountains of Kamarupa , north-east of Sylhet, to meet him. On his way to Sylhet via Habung , Ibn Battuta was greeted by several of Jalal's disciples who had come to assist him on his journey many days before he had arrived. At the meeting in 1345, Ibn Battuta noted that Shah Jalal was tall and lean, fair in complexion and lived by the mosque in a cave, where his only item of value

320-510: A prince to join Jalal on his expedition. Many people joined Jalal from the Arabian Peninsula including his nephew Shah Paran . Jalal also came across Sheikh Chashni Pir, a pedologist who would check the soil of the places that Shah Jalal would visit in order to find the matching soil given by Sheikh Ahmad Kabir. Jalal passed through Baghdad and was present there during the time of the murder of

360-698: A secluded life as an ascetic , al Mujarrad was post-fixed to his name. It is claimed he achieved spiritual perfection ( Kamaliyyat ) after 30 years of study, practice and meditation. Jalal's maternal uncle, Syed Ahmad Kabir, gave him a handful of soil and asked him to travel to the Indian subcontinent . He instructed him to choose to settle and spread Dawah in any place in India where the soil exactly matches that which he gave him in smell and colour. Shah Jalal journeyed eastward from Makkah and met many great scholars and Sufi mystics . Sheikh Ali of Yemen gave up his duty as

400-676: A spacious brick enclosure. According to legend, Shah Jalal himself ordered its digging, and its sacred water, which is drunk by visiting pilgrims, is the same as that of the Zamzam Well in Mecca . Legends also exist regarding the catfish and great snakeheads (known as gozar ) that inhabit the shrine's tank reservoir, which are commonly fed by visitors. They are said to be the defeated soldiers of Gour Govinda , cursed by Shah Jalal to be eternally reborn in this form. Alternatively, they have also been claimed to be descendants of fish which had been bred by

440-400: A tomb. Its single dome rests on an octagonal drum and is topped with a pinnacle and surrounded by corner towers, also octagonal, though the latter are stunted due to their tops having disappeared. The structure has three framed entrances on its eastern side, with the middle being the largest, and a small niche between them. The parapet is of a blended Mughal and Bengali style and the interior

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480-493: Is as follows: Later companions: Chilla (retreat) Chilla ( Persian : چله , Arabic : أربعين , both literally "forty"), also known as Chilla-nashini , is a spiritual practice of penance and solitude in Sufism known mostly in Indian and Persian traditions. In this ritual a mendicant or ascetic attempts to remain seated in a circle practicing meditation techniques without food for 40 days and nights in imitation of

520-504: Is debated, but he is reported by Ibn Battuta to have died on 20 Dhul Qa'dah 746 AH (15 March 1346 CE). He was buried in Sylhet in his dargah (tomb), which is located in a neighbourhood now known as Dargah Mahalla . Whether or not he has descendants is debated. He appointed his closest companion, Haji Muhammad Yusuf to be the khadim (guardian) of his dargah and Yusuf's descendants, the Sareqaum family , continue to have this role. His shrine

560-455: Is famous in Sylhet and throughout Bangladesh, with hundreds of Muslims devotees visiting daily. He is buried next to four of his companions. The ex-Prince of Yemen, Shahzada Sheikh Ali to his south, Haji Yusuf to his east and Haji Khalil and Haji Dariya both to his west. The largest mosque in Sylhet was built at the Dargah (also one of the largest in Bangladesh). Spiritual genealogy of Shah Jalal

600-547: Is masonry constructed and open-roofed, with its four corners marked by large tapering pillars which support a cloth canopy, with the grave itself being considered notable for its unusually large size. The burial places of some of Shah Jalal's companions, such as Shahzada Ali, Haji Yusuf, Haji Khalil and Haji Daria, as well as his Chilla Khana , are located nearby. The saint's talwars , Quran , robes, wooden kharam , deerskin - prayer rug , copper plates and Arabic -enscribed bowls and cups are also preserved. As well as containing

640-401: Is simple, though the underside of the dome is decorated. To the south of the Bara Gumbad is Bahram Khan's three-domed structure, commissioned in 1744, which serves as the primary mosque of the compound. Each of its domes has tall finials and rest on crenelated drums. Like the Bara Gumbad, its eastern side has three arched doors, the middle also larger, as well as a modern veranda . The mosque

680-579: The Arba'een . The word chilla is derived from the Persian word chehel "forty". Chilla is commonly performed in a solitary cell called a chilla-khana . The place itself is sometimes called Chilla where chilla has been performed. The most famous case of chilla is found in the biographies of the 14th century Sufi poet Hafez of Shiraz . A practice similar to chilla is also performed by Hindustani classical music practitioners at an advanced level. It

720-588: The Middle East , Central Asia , and South Asia . Various complexes and religious places have been named after him, including the largest airport in Bangladesh , Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and numerous mosques around the United Kingdom . Jalal was said to have been born on May 25, 1271. Various traditions and historical documents differ in his place of birth, and there is a gap of two centuries between

760-729: The Quraysh tribe in Makkah . His mother was the daughter of Jalaluddin Surkh-Posh Bukhari . Jalal's father was a cleric and contemporary of the Sufi mystic Rumi and died five years after his son's birth. Jalal was educated and raised by his maternal uncle, Syed Ahmad Kabir Suhrawardi. in Makkah. He excelled in his studies; became a hafiz and mastered fiqh . He became a makhdoom , teacher of Sunnah and, for performing prayers in solitary milieu and leading

800-453: The Bengali armies inexperience in the foreign terrain as well as Govinda's superior military strategy. A fourth attack, now with the aid of Shah Jalal and his companions (at this point numbering 360) was undertaken. Jalal may have been summoned by Firoz Shah for aid after the initial failed attacks against Gour Govinda. Alternatively, he may already have been present in Sylhet, fighting against

840-499: The Dargah (known as Jalali Kabutar or 'Jalal's pigeons') are descended from a pair gifted to the saint by Nizamuddin Auliya . A total of four mosques currently exist around the Dargah, with the Bara Gumbad being the biggest of these as well as the largest structure in the compound in general. Constructed in 1677 by Farhad Khan, its original purpose is uncertain, though historian Ahmad Hasan Dani suggested that it may have been intended as

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880-548: The Dargah in Ramadan 1106 AH (April/May 1695 CE). An extensive graveyard occupies the area behind the tomb, with it being a popular desire among Muslims to be buried near Shah Jalal's remains, though the lots are very expensive. Also present are a Jalsa-house, established during the Mughal period, and an elevated domed clock-tower to its south. To the tomb's west, at the foot of the hillock, is a natural well named Chashma which stands within

920-507: The Hindu king independently prior to being approached by the Sultan. The combined Muslim forces ultimately claimed victory against Gour. Govinda was forced to retreat and Sylhet was brought under Muslim control. According to tradition, Shah Chashni Pir at this point compared the soil in Sylhet with that which was previously given to Jalal by his uncle, finding them to be identical. In any case, following

960-630: The battle, Jalal and his followers settled in Sylhet. A Persian inscription from 1303 has since been discovered in Jalal's dargah . It mentioned Sikandar's victory in Arsah Srihat with the aid of the saint during the reign of Firoz Shah. This inscription can now be found in Bangladesh National Museum . During the later stages of his life, Jalal devoted himself to propagating Islam. The famous traveller Ibn Battuta , then in Satgaon , made

1000-575: The city of Qūniyah (Konya) in modern-day Turkey (then in the Sultanate of Rum ), and they stated further that Jalal may have possibly moved to Yemen in his later life. Others have linked the suffix to the village of Kaninah in Yemen's Hadhramaut region, and some even to Kenya in East Africa . His mother, Syeda Haseenah Fatimah, and his father, Sayyid Mahmud ibn Muhammad ibn Ibrahim, were descendants of

1040-494: The current shrine was constructed. No presently existing building dates from beyond the 17th century, with subsequent construction tending to only renovate the older structures. According to old records, when the courtiers of Delhi would visit the town, the Shaykh of the Dargah would ceremonially tie a pagri on their heads. The locals would not accept the high status of the courtiers until they paid their respects to Shah Jalal. This

1080-522: The eastern bank of the tank reservoir. Shah Jalal Shāh Jalāl Mujarrad Kunyāʾī ( شيخ جلال مجرد كنيائي ), popularly known as Shah Jalal ( Bengali : শাহ জালাল , romanized :  Shah Jalal ), was a celebrated conqueror and figure of Bengal . His name is often associated with the Muslim conquest of Sylhet and the Spread of Islam into the region, part of a long history of interactions between

1120-731: The homage of my subjects. Prince Firuz, a son of the Mughal emperor Shah Alam II , visited the dargah in 1850. The dargah was also visited by the Nizam of Hyderabad 's minister. Located on a low hillock (known as the Dargah Tila ) in the Dargah Mahalla neighbourhood of north Sylhet, the mausoleum complex is the largest religious compound in Bangladesh. The main entrance, known as the Dargah Gate, opens into

1160-592: The last Abbasid caliph Al-Musta'sim in 1258. Driven off by the Mongol invasion of Baghdad , they continued journeying to the east. Jalal reached Uch in the Punjab , where he and many of his companions were initiated into the Sufi order of Suhrawardiyya . Jalal was joined by many other disciples throughout his journey. He passed through Delhi where he was made a guest of the Sufi saint Nizamuddin Auliya . Nizamuddin offered him

1200-535: The life of the saint and literature which attempted to identify his origin. Local ballads and devotees continue to refer to him as Shah Jalal Yemeni , connecting him to Greater Yemen Specifically from the Hadhramaut region. An inscription from circa 1505 AD, during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah , refers to Shah Jalal with the suffix Kunyāʾī . Towards the end of this century, in 1571, Shah Jalal's biography

1240-422: The region came under Mughal rule, many of the governing Faujdars of Sylhet commissioned construction projects at the site, which included mosques and tombs. Though many have since disappeared, notable among what remains are a three-domed mosque by Bahram Khan, the surrounding wall of the Dargah by Lutfullah Shirazi and the Bara Gumbad mosque by Farhad Khan . It was also under Farhad Khan's tenure that, in 1678,

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1280-424: The saint, as a reward, rule over the newly acquired Qasbah of Srihat (Sylhet). However, the latter refused to accept this offer and instead appointed Sikandar Khan Ghazi as the first wazir of the region. Firuz Shah, wanting to somehow reward Shah Jalal, then announced that he would honour the saint by making his residence tax-free. This exemption for the site has continued to the present-day. The original shrine

1320-490: The saint. In December 2003, an unidentified group poisoned and killed over 700 of the fish. In response, the following month, 24 gozar were brought from the shrine of Shah Jalal's companion, Shah Mustafa, in the neighbouring Moulvibazar District and released into the Dargah reservoir. Presently, the population has once more risen to the hundreds. Local folklore further states that the Blue Rock Pigeons seen in and around

1360-544: The saint. The annual urs , a Sufi death anniversary festival, attracts thousands of visitors, mainly from Bangladesh and neighbouring India . The Dargah is presently the most visited shrine in Bangladesh, with historian Syed Mahmudul Hasan calling it "the religious centre of Sylhet". It is said that following the conquest, Shah Jalal settled on top of the hillock where the Dargah now sits with some of his companions. The Sultan of Lakhnauti , Shamsuddin Firuz Shah , requested

1400-511: The tutelar saint, Shaw Juloll. Pilgrims of the Islam faith flock to this shrine from every part of India, and I afterwards found that the fanatics attending the tomb were not a little dangerous. It was not my business to combat religious prejudices, and I therefore went in state, as others had gone before me, left my shoes on the threshold, and deposited on the tomb five gold mohurs as an offering. Being thus purified, I returned to my dwelling, and received

1440-547: Was a goat he kept for milk, butter, and yogurt. He observed that the companions of the Shah Jalal were foreign and known for their strength and bravery. He also mentions that many people would visit Jalal to seek guidance. The meeting between Ibn Battuta and Shah Jalal is described in his Arabic travelogue, Rihla ( The Journey ). Even today in Hadramaut , Yemen, Jalal's name is established in folklore. The exact date of his death

1480-501: Was also a tradition among Sylhet's Muslim rulers who, as an act of reverence, visited the Dargah upon their first arrival at the city. Under the British this custom was continued by the Residents of Sylhet. Robert Lindsay , appointed to that role in 1779, gives the following account of his visit: I was now told that it was customary for the new resident to pay his respects to the shrine of

1520-488: Was constructed by Khalis Khan during the reign of Sultan Alauddin Husain Shah of Bengal according to a 1505 inscription at the site, though earlier religious buildings had previously existed there. Among these were a large mosque from the reign of Sultan Shamsuddin Yusuf Shah built by a dastur (minister) named Majlis Alam in 1472, as well as potential buried pre-Islamic ruins, though the latter remains unexcavated. After

1560-486: Was damaged during the 1897 Assam earthquake , requiring repairs by the Magistrate of Sylhet, John Willes. A smaller mosque stands on the western side of Shah Jalal's grave and forms a part of the enclosure. Three-domed and likely originally also constructed by Farhad Khan, it was rebuilt in the same design and style in the late-18th century by the then Collector of Sylhet. A fourth mosque, erected by Abdullah Shirazi , lies on

1600-561: Was recorded in Shaikh ʿAli Sher Bangālī's Sharḥ Nuzhat al-Arwāḥ (Commentary on the excursion of the souls). The author was a descendant of one of Shah Jalal's senior companions, Nūr al-Hudā , and his account was also used by his teacher Muḥammad Ghawth Shattārī in his Gulzar-i-Abrār of 1613. According to this account, Shah Jalal had been born in Turkestan , where he became a spiritual disciple of Ahmad Yasawi . Muḥammad Nāṣiruddīn Ḥaydar composed

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