Najaf Imam Ali Shrine
Boyan Atanaschev
This study introduces and publishes an array of Ottoman archival documents on the shrines of Ahl al-Bayt imams in Iraq, the endowments dedicated to these shrines, and the Shiite-Iranian pilgrims visiting these sites as well as the Kaaba and the shrine of Muhammad in the Hejaz. Focusing on the later seventeenth and the early eighteenth centuries, it discusses the political-economic function of Islamic endowments, interconfessional contacts resulting from pilgrimage by Shiites in Sunni territory, and the potential use of Ottoman archives to enrich our knowledge on trans-Ottoman themes.
In the present paper I translate, transcribe, and reproduce a set of Ottoman archival documents on the Imamic shrines of Karbala and Najaf, their endowments, the rivalry between factions at the local, regional, and imperial level to control their funds as well as tenures, their visitation by Shiite Iranians, and likewise the pilgrimage of Shiite Iranians to Mecca and Medina. These writs span the time from the mid-seventeenth century up to the early eighteenth century, while further documents that come from the same archives but are not chosen for publication are also referenced in this study. The introduction, especially the observations and commentary that follow the background setting, thematically prunes out and refines the raw information found in these writs. The contrast between the thematic makeup of the introduction and the blocks of data found in the documents highlights how one can draw out from such sources a set of information that those who created and kept these writs did not have in focus. Therefore this introduction, notwithstanding its length, is not a conventional article laying out, unfolding, and wrapping up an argument, but rather a purposeful extract of the documents, and a case study more generally on the use of Ottoman archival material for new explorations in early modern history.
When taken as a whole, these documents allow us to draw a number of significant inferences. The struggle for the control of Islamic endowments in general lay at the heart of these institutions insomuch that even the endowments for the shrines of the Imams of the House of Muhammad were entangled in the game of appropriating public wealth through lawful means for patrons to fund their clients in political rivalries between factions. These patron-client networks were built-in parts of the Ottoman Empire though, notwithstanding the clash between them, and as they were made up of state bureaus, their branches, and institutional communities, up the ladder each faction ended in one and the same imperial government. The Ottoman state had incorporated the shrine complexes of Ali b. Abi-Talib in Najaf and Husayn b. Ali in Karbala and their income streams into its imperial system as the Endowments of the Two Illustrious Martyria (اوقاف مشهدین شریفین). These shrines thus became embedded in a network of persons and writs that spanned the axes from Iraq to Hungary and from Anatolia to Arabia, and even stretched out to Egypt and across the border to Iran.
Another Iranian caravan, which came in from Yerevan and linked up with the imperial convoy in Damascus by faring over the Erzurum road, was led by an officer bearing an imperial charter. This leader dealt not only with the Ottoman court and governors but also with the Safavid governor of Yerevan/Chuqursaʾd, and through him did the said borderland governors of Iran and the Empire exchange letters, vouchers, etc.39
I am grateful to the three Jesho reviewers for their insightful comments and constructive criticism. This research was funded in whole by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) [P 32696-G]. For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a Cc By public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising from this submission.
Your servant Sayyid Zayd, who currently is the trustee of the endowment of the Illustrious Martyria located at Baghdad, is the initiator of this submission of servitude. All of the former as well as direct stipendiaries [of the endowment] are satisfied with and thankful to him; [he] strives to build up the aforesaid endowment; he is the current holder of the aforesaid trusteeship. The request to reconfirm [his trusteeship] and to bestow a sublimely glorious, illustrious Charter upon his hand is submitted to the Stately Court. Nonetheless, the decree is of the justice-titled Gate.
The trusteeship of Imam Husayn his Holiness, may God be pleased with him, in the province of Baghdad, held by Sayyid Zayd, in accordance with the petition by Sayyid Abbas the overseer of the aforesaid endowment, note for charter given on 30 July 1665, and with the copy of the imperial tenure issued on July 26 of the same year.
Your beadsman Sayyid Abdulaziz from among the noble Sayyids, who bears this submission of servitude, has, since the imperial conquest and with the illustrious Charter of high glory, been the trustee at the endowments of Imam Ali his Holiness, Imam Husayn his Holiness, and Imam Musa Kazim his Holiness, may sublime God be pleased with them, located in the province of Baghdad. There has been no shortcoming of his in the required service that pertains to the trusteeship of the said endowment. A non-affiliated person named Abbas, who is known for being a heretic and who earlier was at the side of the Kızılbaş of evil-livelihood, now gave, while his brother and nephew are [still] alongside the shah, false notification and had the aforesaid trusteeship chartered upon his relative named Sayyid Zayd with a majestic imperial handwrit. Aside from wholly violating the above-written one in this way, they themselves are eating from the wealth of the aforesaid endowments. A request is [hereby] submitted for the worldwide-obeyed Decree that the aforesaid Abbas and Zayd be removed, the mentioned trusteeship be reconfirmed back to the above-written beadsman of Yours, the illustrious Charter of high glory be bestowed upon his hand, and the charters that the aforesaid ones received by false notification be taken back from their hands and be sent to the Stately Court. Nonetheless, decree is of the Court of righteousness.
lecturer Mahmud Efendi the preacher, prayer-leader Mullah Yusuf, Adli Mustafa Efendi, Abdullah Efendi the bookkeeper, scribe Ismail Efendi the treasury logger, Mustafa Agha the summoner, Husayn elebi the chief of staff of the Bailiffs, Husayn elebi b. Hasan the translator.
Mullah Muhammad b. Mullah Abdurrazzaq, who was sweeper at the shrine of Imam Husayn his Holiness with a daily stipend of fourteen aspers and an annual allowance of ten sacks of wheat from the Endowments of the Illustrious Martyria, passed away, and his position became vacant. Your servant Mullah Khalil b. Mullah Muhammad, his biological son and the initiator of this submission of servitude, is eligible and entitled. The request is hereby submitted that due to the mentioned reason, the position of sweeper be conferred upon him with a daily stipend of seven aspers and an annual allowance of five sacks of wheat, and as his cited stipend and allowance are already recorded in the register of the Illustrious Sanctuaries, the highly illustrious Charter be given. Nonetheless, order and decree are Yours, my Sire his Excellency.
This beadsman of yours is retired with a stipend of daily twenty aspers and an allowance of yearly ten sacks of wheat from the Endowments of the Illustrious Martyria. Now, of my own free will, I step down in favor of Your servant and my own biological son, Sayyid Muhammad. It is requested of the sublime compassion of my blissful and eminent Sire his Excellency that my mentioned stipend and allowance be conferred upon my aforesaid son, and as my afore-written stipend is already recorded in the register of the Illustrious Sanctuaries, Your illustrious submission is requested that the illustrious Charter of high glory be issued to his hand. Nonetheless, order and decree are Yours, my Sire.
The above-mentioned Sayyid Abdulmuttalib the petitioner is ill, bedridden, and not able to show up in person. For this reason, in giving up the mentioned allowance in favor of his biological son, Sayyid Muhammad, he made the person named Salim b. Haji Abdullah his deputy. It is submitted to [Your] presence that this has been attested at the law court by witnesses al-Haj Muhammad Naqi b. al-Haj Hamza and Shaikh Ahmad b. Haji Suvayd al-Baghdadi. Nonetheless, order is [Yours, my] eminent patron of authority.
In the register of the State Treasury it is written and recorded that, as explained, the mentioned retirement-pension is held by the petitioner Sayyid Abdulmuttalib with daily twenty aspers and annually ten sacks of wheat allowance. Nonetheless, order and decree are Yours, my Sire Your Excellency.
The revered minister, the grand marshal, the order of the world, the piercing-minded administrator of the affairs of the public, the accurate-opinioned perfecter of the matters of all creatures, the paver of the foundation of the state and prosperity, the affirmer of the pillars of bliss and imposingness, the one who is surrounded by the manifold graces of [God] the Sublime King, my vizier Ahmad Pasha who is the governor of Baghdad may sublime God make his imposingness last; and the most-just of the Muslim judges, the foremost of the custodians of the monotheists, the mine of virtue and precision, the bearer of the banners of canon and religion, the inheritor of the knowledges of prophets and apostles, the designee for the abundant grace of God the helper, the master judge of Baghdad may his virtue grow! When my imperial high cypher arrives, it shall be known as follows.
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