| Period (1882-1934) The Shamsi Ismailis in Punjab, the | | | | 1923, Karam Hussain founded The Punjab Ismailia |
| followers of Pir Shams (d. 1356), mostly practiced the | | | | Mission Club in Multan, and became its first President |
| Ismaili faith in solitude in the garb of the Hindus, and | | | | with Rai A.M. Sadruddin as an Honorary Secretary. |
| became known as the gupti (secretive). These gupti | | | | The Mission Club began to publish useful books into |
| Ismailis mostly resided in 73 different villages in | | | | Urdu. Dr. Naqal Sin wrote him a letter on June 13, |
| Punjab. Most of them revealed themselves from the | | | | 1924 from Sialkot, asking different religious questions, |
| Hindu culture, and emerged in public and assumed the | | | | which he excellently replied in his book. Dr. Naqal Sin |
| Islamic names soon after the orders of Imam Sultan | | | | once again wrote him on July 17, 1924 and it was |
| Muhammad Shah in 1910. The Imam is reported to | | | | also answered through his book with arguments and |
| have issued his next orders in 1912, 1914 and 1916 to | | | | references. In the meantime, the Arya Samaj |
| cut down the old customs of Hindu customs and | | | | published few books against the Ismailis in 1929, viz. |
| become practicing Muslims. In 1914, with the help of | | | | "Aga Khani Gupt Panth", "Da'm Fareb", "Dhul'ki Pol" |
| missionary Pir Muhammad Hussaini Asani (1878-1951), | | | | etc. The religious sentiment of the Ismailis was rudely |
| a certain Mahesh Das or Mahesh Chand dropped his | | | | shaken in Punjab by the onslaught of these |
| name and assumed the name, Shamsuddin. His | | | | literatures. Karam Hussain dealt with them through |
| ancestors came from a Rajput and he passed early | | | | literary encounters and calmed them down very |
| period of his life in Jhang, Pakistan, where he became | | | | soon. The overt hostility of the Arya Samaj |
| known as Jhangi Rajput. He left Jhang and settled in | | | | continued. In the first week of April, 1925, they |
| the village of Pir-i da Kot in Kalayanwala. Later on, he | | | | organized a grand function in Sialkot, in which Pandit |
| moved in the village of Haria Hatiyada in Hafizabad. | | | | Pariyanand of Baroda spoke ill words against the |
| Mahesh Das assumed the name of Shamsuddin and | | | | Ismailis, branding them non-Muslims. The local Ismaili |
| his five sons also followed him, such as Mithra Das | | | | jamats took its serious notice. Karam Hussain was in |
| became Ali by name, Kirpa Ram as Rahim Baksh, | | | | Multan in those days and wrote to the jamats the |
| Javanda Ram as Karam Hussain, Piramal Das as Karim | | | | measures to be taken against the Arya Samaj. The |
| Baksh and Wazir Chand as Muhammad Ismaili. The | | | | jamats issued a hand-bill that Missionary Abdul Hussain |
| most prominent among them was Karam Hussain. | | | | Bachal of Sind with other Muslim scholars would give |
| Karam Hussain was born most probably in 1882 in the | | | | lecture in the theatre at Sabzi Mandi, Sialkot on 5th, |
| village of Pir-i da Kot in Kalayanwala, near Hafizabad in | | | | 6th and 7th April, 1925 to refute the allegations of |
| district Gujranwala. He then came to live in Hafizabad | | | | the Arya Samaj. Thousands of people assembled at |
| and finally settled in Multan, where he got his formal | | | | the prescribed venue, where the propaganda of the |
| education. Soon after his education, he worked as a | | | | Arya Samaj was not only repudiated, but evidences |
| T.T. in the railway department in Multan. Later on, he | | | | were shown that the Ismailis were the true Muslims. |
| left the government job and started his own | | | | In October, 1924, Pir Sabzali collected a donation of |
| jewellery shop on a small scale. Karam Hussain was | | | | Rs. 4000/- in Punjab for building a new Jamatkhana in |
| interested in religious literature, and made very deep | | | | Sialkot. Ghulam Hussain Jivraj of Karachi built it under |
| study on Ismailism. He gave religious education to the | | | | the supervision of Karam Hussain, and his brother, Rai |
| children and he himself delivered waez in the | | | | Muhammad Ismail and Missionary Inayat Ali of |
| Jamatkhana. He was also noted to have held | | | | Kalayanwala, also assisted him. He left his jewellery |
| deliberations with eminent scholars of Arya Samaj, a | | | | shop to his elder son in Multan and resided in Sialkot |
| vigorous reform sect of modern Hinduism, founded in | | | | with his brother. Both built the Jamatkhana within 22 |
| 1875 by Dayananda Sarasvati (1824-1883), whose | | | | months. This new Jamatkhana was completed and |
| aim was to revive the Vedic rules in India. Karam | | | | opened by the hands of Pir Sabzali in 1926. Karam |
| Hussain also held many public discussions with the | | | | Hussain was appointed as the first President of the |
| Hindu pandits in Punjab to justify Ismailism and Islam. | | | | Ismaili District Council for Multan on March 21, 1928. |
| The tradition of the annual majalis brought good | | | | He also became known as President Karam Hussain |
| results in some places in India to unite the scattered | | | | among the Punjabi Ismailis. He remained busy in |
| Ismailis. In Punjab, the similar annual majalis for three | | | | dealing with the opponents and had to stay few |
| days also started in Sialkot and Hazro with the | | | | months in Sialkot and other cities. On account of his |
| guidance of the Imam. On each occasion, two lambs | | | | constant absence in Multan, Varas Nazar Ali, the |
| were slaughtered in Sialkot. Once after the lambs | | | | Vice-President and some other members of the |
| were slaughtered, some local Hindus started | | | | Council passed a resolution in 1930 against him for the |
| propaganda that the local followers of the Aga Khan | | | | appointment of a new President. A copy of the |
| had killed a cow. This resulted in a dispute within the | | | | resolution was forwarded to the Imam in Bombay. In |
| whole community both the Ismailis and the Hindus. | | | | his reply, Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah wrote that, |
| The Hindus declared a social boycott with the Ismailis | | | | "Karam Hussain is a life-president of the District |
| of Sialkot, Jalalpur Bhatia, Pind Dad Khan and Multan. | | | | Council for Multan, and there will be no replacement |
| When their prestige was at stake, the Ismailis | | | | for him." Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah arrived in |
| reported to Lady Aly Shah in Bombay by telegram | | | | Delhi on February 20, 1934, where about 2000 |
| about the social ostracism. She contacted to the | | | | Ismailis from Punjab and Frontier jamats assembled |
| Governor by telephone, to which the soldiers were | | | | for didar, including Karam Hussain. The Imam told |
| sent in Sialkot. It was judicated at length that it was | | | | them, "It is my blessings and prayers that you remain |
| an awful superstition to ascribe to the members of a | | | | happy. God is One. Muhammad is His apostle. Koran is |
| peaceful and civilized community that they had killed | | | | a true book. Kaba is a direction for all. Imam is |
| a cow. The court fined some Hindu leaders and most | | | | present before you and is with you. You are Muslims. |
| of them apologized. Pandit Radha Krishan, the head | | | | Live together with other Muslims. Utter Salam |
| of Arya Samaj was a gupti Ismaili by birth and came | | | | Alaikum to the Muslims. You have come from far. I |
| from Cambalpur, near Rawalpindi. He was not much in | | | | was to come to you. I can never part myself from |
| favour of the gupti Ismailis declaring themselves as | | | | you." Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah arrived in Delhi |
| Muslims. He troubled the Ismailis with the help of the | | | | on February 20, 1934, where about 2000 Ismailis |
| Hindus. Radha Krishan published "Aga Khan aur uske | | | | from Punjab and Frontier assembled for , including |
| karishm'e" from Punjab into Urdu. The Ismaili | | | | Karam Hussain. The Imam told them, In Delhi, the |
| missionary Varteji replied him through a book, "Aga | | | | opponents started their opposition against the Ismailis |
| Khani Khudai'no Zarkat" in 1919 from Bombay. When | | | | and waged propaganda against the Ismailis and the |
| the aggressive propaganda reached its climax, it | | | | Imam. In order to impede them, Pir Sabzali, Wafi |
| provoked and inspired the Ismailis to fight back. | | | | Ahmad, the President of the Sialkot Council, Karam |
| Karam Hussain designed a plan to begin a literary | | | | Hussain and some missionaries of East Africa clarified |
| deliberations with Radha Krishan. He did not like to | | | | through a press conference that the Ismailis followed |
| put the Ismailis at the mercy of the opposition of the | | | | the principles of Islam and there was no distinction |
| Arya Samaj. Karam Hussain came to Bombay and | | | | between the Ismailis and the Muslims. Karam Hussain |
| revealed his plan to the Imam. Imam Sultan | | | | had generated friendly terms with Sayed Muhammad |
| Mohammed Shah told him,, "You leave him - a divine | | | | Shah, the father of Missionary Ghulam Ali Shah. They |
| decision will resolve the issue" Within a few days, the | | | | exchanged their religious knowledge several times on |
| British India arrested Radha Krishan for violating | | | | different occasions. Karam Hussain was noted for his |
| peace and order and he was imprisoned, where he | | | | piety and regularity in attendance in Jamatkhana. He |
| died in 1921. Radha Krishan however appealed to the | | | | suffered from diabetes at the later period of his life. |
| Imam from prison for his release, but his attempts | | | | Once a tumor was diagnosed on his waist. He mostly |
| failed. Karam Hussain visited Bombay the following | | | | depended on domestic medicines, but it was not |
| year, Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah asked him about | | | | cured. He then consulted to Dr. Vashu Ram, who |
| Radha Krishan. He said that he had died in prison. The | | | | examined and suggested for an operation. Karam |
| Imam said, "This was a divine decision. Was it not | | | | Hussain did not smell chloroform and told to inform |
| excellent?" He reverently bowed his head in humility. | | | | him just 15 minutes before an operation. When he |
| It would seem that the principal weapon in Arya | | | | was informed, he closed his eyes and started |
| Samaj against the Ismailis was their propaganda | | | | meditating. Dr. Vashu Ram performed the operation , |
| through the media of newspapers. Hence, Kesh Ram | | | | which lasted for almost two and half-hours. The |
| emerged in Punjab and propagated in the | | | | doctor was amazed at the calmness of Karam |
| newspapers. The Ismailis approached the literary | | | | Hussain's body during the operation and when he |
| circles from Karam Hussain to Sir Muhammad Shafi, a | | | | asked him how he maintained such a state, Karam |
| famous advocate in Lahore, who assured that Kesh | | | | Hussain replied that he remembered the name of his |
| Ram could not withstand before the noble personality | | | | spiritual master. His untiring services in the exposition |
| of the Aga Khan. Some Ismailis also visited Bombay | | | | of the gupti Ismailis with other eminent missionaries |
| and reported the anti-propaganda of Kesh Ram to | | | | cannot be ignored. The last known group of the gupti |
| Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah, asking "We intend to | | | | visited Bombay, and in their mehmani on January 27, |
| file a suit against him." The Imam said, "Let the dogs | | | | 1935, Imam Sultan Mohammed Shah said, "The |
| bark. Leave them alone and do nothing. People of | | | | Khojas became revealed as the Ismailis with the |
| Punjab are my followers." On January 2, 1917, the | | | | preaching of Pir Sadruddin, while you were revealed |
| members of the Arya Samaj informed Mahatma | | | | with my farmans. Likewise, the jamat of Surat was |
| Gandhi (1869-1948) that, "The Hindus are embracing | | | | also revealed with my farmans. I am very happy with |
| the faith of the Aga Khan in multitude, therefore, | | | | the jamat of Punjab and Surat and give them many |
| you prevent them." Gandhi was in Bombay at that | | | | congratulations." The last few years of Karam |
| time, he summoned these Hindus who were | | | | Hussain's life were marred by illness and physical |
| converted recently, and advised them not to | | | | affliction, which he bore with tranquility and peace of |
| abandon Hinduism. He also told them, "I do not | | | | mind. He died in a room, now a library in the |
| interfere in your faith, but suggest you keep an open | | | | Jamatkhana at Pak Gate, Multan at 7.00 a.m. on |
| mind that the Hinduism is a good religion, and it is not | | | | September 3, 1934 at the age of 52 years. In his |
| advisable to exceed its boundary." They replied him, | | | | message through Mukhi Hussain, Imam Sultan |
| "We have not abandoned our community, but | | | | Mohammed Shah said, "The soul of late Karam |
| reached in an original abode. You should also enter | | | | Hussain reached my presence." Pir Sabzali came in |
| this original house, because we found in the Aga | | | | Multan from Hyderabad, Sind on September 27, 1934 |
| Khan whatever was in Ram, Krishna or Vishnu. Why | | | | to pay condolence to his son Mukhi Shamsuddin. He |
| should we live in the house of images, absolutely void | | | | left Multan for Amritsar on September 29, 1934. |
| of light. Why we do not enter the house, which is | | | | According to his will to his son, the place where he |
| the house of the living light, the apparent and | | | | died was donated for the Jamatkhana, which was |
| protective house of the light." Soon afterwards, the | | | | built under the supervision of Rai Juma. Pir Sabzali |
| members of the Arya Samaj made an approach of | | | | came in Multan from Hyderabad, Sind on September |
| Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. He visited Multan with his | | | | 27, 1934 to pay condolence to his son Mukhi |
| friends and Hindu leaders at the end of 1917 and | | | | Shamsuddin. He left Multan for Amritsar on |
| summoned the new converted Ismailis. Karam | | | | September 29, 1934. According to his will to his son, |
| Hussain, Nazar Ali Sharaf, Sadruddin, Missionary | | | | the place where he died was donated for the |
| Ghulam Ali Zafar Hyderi, Muhammad and Rahmat Ali | | | | Jamatkhana, which was built under the supervision of |
| Sharaf, etc. went to see him. Nehru told them, "You | | | | Rai Juma. He had five sons, viz. Ahmad, Safdar Ali, |
| continue to adore the Aga Khan, but do not assume | | | | Muhammad, Ghulam Ali and Mukhi Shamsuddin. It is to |
| the Islamic names." Nazar Ali Sharaf said, "We have a | | | | be noted that the sister of Karam Hussain had |
| mazhar of God in presence. Do you have, or at least | | | | served as a Mukhiani in Multan Jamatkhana for over |
| its match? If so, let us see?" The aim of Nahru failed | | | | 25 years. She was the mother of Rai A.M. Sadruddin. |
| in convincing them. In 1922, Karam Hussain visited | | | | When she died in 1951, the Imam graciously |
| Shahpur in district Mianwali in Punjab and met Karam | | | | remembered her as a Lady Mariam in a cable |
| Chand, who asked him five religious questions in | | | | message to Rai A.M. Sadruddin. Karam Hussain had a |
| writing. In reply, he was vigorous in his cogent | | | | rare ability to keep his mind focused steadily on the |
| arguments as revealed from his book, "Mazhar-i | | | | distance horizon, and at the same time concentrated |
| Dhat-i Haq" (Part I). Karam Hussain visited Bombay in | | | | his whole effort on what was practically possible. |
| 1923 and learnt much about Ismailism from Pir Sabzali. | | | | When he resolved to accomplish something, he |
| During the Conference of the Recreation Club in | | | | seldom gave up its pursuit. Swift in thought and |
| Bombay on March 2, 1923, Imam Sultan Mohammed | | | | action, he could formulate his plans on the spur of |
| Shah formed a Committee of the Recreation Club for | | | | the moment. He was ambitious, but it was never |
| Punjab, and appointed Pir Sabzali as its President with | | | | personal. He laboured for his faith not for own sake. |
| Karam Hussain as Hon. Secretary. By the end of | | | | |