During the period of Abdullah Qutub Shah
the impressions of the hands of Hazrat Ali and the feet of the Prophet
arrived at Hyderabad. It is said that when the Prophet was returning from
the Last Hajj he halted at a place near Ghadeer-e-Qum. The companions
in the caravan were thirsty and they wanted to take water from the well
nearby. When they tried to put a bucket and rope in the well to draw the
water, these things were sucked into the well. The people informed the
Prophet about the happening. The Prophet arrived with Ali and stood on
a stone that was lying near the well and asked Ali to descend into the
well and do battle with the genies there. This is called the Battle of
Bir Al Ilm which is recorded in history. Hazrat Ali put his left hand
on the black stone, descended into the well and fought a long battle with
the Genies. He emerged from the well putting his left hand again on that
stone. The imprints of the Prophets feet and Hazrat Ali's hands remained
on the stone.
These relics were in Iraq with Syed Aman Ullah Rizvi. When Abdullah Qutub
Shah heard of these he registered the cooperation of the Safivid Kings
to acquire them from the nephew of Aman Ullah, Darwish Ali Rizvi. According
to the tradition of his family the King received the Holy relics with
great respect and dignity. He got a Ashoor Khana constructed to house
these relics and appointed a pious person to be the keeper. He also decreed
provision of the paraphernalia of Mahi Maratib and Royal Umbrella for
the Ashoor Khana. A large chunk of land around the Ashoor Khana was endowed
along with it. The Asaf Jahs renovated the Ashoor Khana and the income
of the Mandi Mir Alam of every Thursday was earmarked for the upkeep of
the Ashoor Khana. There is lot of property under this Ashoor Khana.
One of the impressions of the feet of the Prophet was preserved in this
Ashoor Khana and the other was in Bijapur. From Bijapur the second impression
was brought back to Hyderabad and is in the Hussaini Alam. It is kept
for public viewing in the Ashoor Khana during the first ten days of Moharrum.
The Panja Shah Wilayat is looked after by the descendants of Syed Darwesh
Ali Razvi.
In the outer compound of this Ashoor Khana there is a long chain of steel
on which four tablets are attached. On these tablets are engraved some
Quranic verses and some markings. They say there were five tablets and
one of them disappeared mysteriously. There is a black plate in the court
yard of the Ashoor Khana on which a couplet is engraved in Persian saying
that those who visit the Ashoor Khana with true hearts their wishes will
be fulfilled. In the middle of the compound there is a pond carved on
to a monolith black stone in semi-circular shape. Its depth is 72 centimeters
and the internal and external diameter is 72.5 and 68 centimeters respectively.
According to the keeper of the Ashoor Khana the pond, the tray and the
chain have all been offered by Hazrat Mir Mehmood. Hazrat Mir Mehmood
was a prince from Iran. He was pious and a religious person of very high
calibre. He had to perforce leave Iran and came to Hyderabad. The Qutub
Shahi Kingdom provided succour to all such persons whom circumstances
forced to leave their native lands. Hazrat Mir Mehmood had fixed the chain
in the Ashoor Khana with the belief that the troubles of those who visited
the place would be resolved and their problems solved.
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