Salih Al-Karzakani
Encyclopedia
Sheikh Salih Al-Karzakani was a seventeenth century Bahraini
theologian who was appointed by the Safavid empire as a religious court judge in Shiraz
. Al Karzakani left Bahrain along with his friend and fellow cleric Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din (d. 1677) because they fell upon hard times and like many Bahraini clerics at the time went to Hyderabad
in the Shia-ruled Golkonda
Kingdom in South India. The two had made a pact that whichever of them first struck it rich through patronage abroad would help the other.
Later in his life Al-Karzakani was invested with the robe of honour by the Safavid Shah when he was appointed to Shiraz as court judge. Al-Karzakani, like other prominent Bahrain scholars such as Yusuf Al Bahrani
, was a follower of the Akhbari
tradition within Shia thought and was initially inclined to reject the appointment – the Akhbaris being traditional wary of state power, unlike most Persian clerics who followed the less conservative Usuli school. Al Karzakani was eventually prevailed upon to accept by friends and notables who implored him not to incur the Shah’s wrath.
He hailed from the village of Karzakan
in Bahrain.
Bahrain
' , officially the Kingdom of Bahrain , is a small island state near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. It is ruled by the Al Khalifa royal family. The population in 2010 stood at 1,214,705, including 235,108 non-nationals. Formerly an emirate, Bahrain was declared a kingdom in 2002.Bahrain is...
theologian who was appointed by the Safavid empire as a religious court judge in Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
. Al Karzakani left Bahrain along with his friend and fellow cleric Sheikh Ja`far bin Kamal al-Din (d. 1677) because they fell upon hard times and like many Bahraini clerics at the time went to Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Sindh
is the second largest city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the seventh largest city in the country. The city was founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro upon the ruins of a Mauryan fishing village along the bank of the Indus known as Neroon Kot...
in the Shia-ruled Golkonda
Golkonda
Golkonda or Golla konda a ruined city of south-central India and capital of ancient Kingdom of Golkonda , is situated 11 km west of Hyderabad.The most important builder of Golkonda was a Hindu Kakatiya King...
Kingdom in South India. The two had made a pact that whichever of them first struck it rich through patronage abroad would help the other.
Later in his life Al-Karzakani was invested with the robe of honour by the Safavid Shah when he was appointed to Shiraz as court judge. Al-Karzakani, like other prominent Bahrain scholars such as Yusuf Al Bahrani
Yusuf Al Bahrani
Yusuf ibn Ahmed al-Bahrani was a Bahraini theologian and a key figure in the intellectual development of Twelver Shia Islam.Al-Bahrani grew up in Safavid-ruled Bahrain, at a time of intellectual ferment between Akhbari and Usuli Shi'ah Islam. His family were Usuli clerics who also worked as pearl...
, was a follower of the Akhbari
Akhbari
The Akhbārīs are Twelver Shī‘a Muslims who reject the use of reasoning in deriving verdicts, and believe only the Qur'an, aḥadīth, and consensus should be used as sources to derive verdicts . The term Akhbārī is used in contrast to Usūlī...
tradition within Shia thought and was initially inclined to reject the appointment – the Akhbaris being traditional wary of state power, unlike most Persian clerics who followed the less conservative Usuli school. Al Karzakani was eventually prevailed upon to accept by friends and notables who implored him not to incur the Shah’s wrath.
He hailed from the village of Karzakan
Karzakan
Karzakan is a village in Bahrain. It lies along the western coast of Bahrain Island. Its inhabitants are mostly Bahrani Shiites. The seventeenth century theologian Salih Al-Karzakani hailed from this village.-References:...
in Bahrain.