Malik Ibrahim Bayu
Indian Sufi saint and warrior
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Ibrahim Malik Baya also known as Malik Ibrahim Bayu was a Sufi saint of Suhrawardiyya order and a warrior who arrived in South Bihar, India, in the 14th century and defeated the tribal Kol chiefdoms, who had been oppressing the local Muslims. He was a contemporary of Sharfuddin Yahya Maneri and Muzaffar Shams Balkhi.[1]
Rohtasgarh, Rohtas District, Bihar
| Ibrahim Malik Baya | |
|---|---|
Mausoleum of Malik Ibrahim Bayu in Bihar Sharif | |
| Born | Ghazni, Afghanistan |
| Died | 20 January 1353 CE (13th Dul Hajj 753 AH) Rohtasgarh, Rohtas District, Bihar |
| Clan | Malik |
| Occupation | Military general, Governor, Sufi Saint |
Ibrahim Mallick Baya (d. 1353 CE), a prominent 14th-century Sufi saint and governor of Bihar under the Tughlaq dynasty, is recognized as a Sayyid, descending from the Islamic prophet Muhammad through Ali ibn Abi Talib, Fatima al-Zahra, and their sons Hasan and Husayn. Historical sources confirm that Ibrahim was a seventh-generation descendant of Abdul Qadir Gilani (d. 1166 CE), a renowned Sayyid and founder of the Qadiriyya Sufi order, whose lineage traces back to Muhammad via both Hasan (paternally) and Husayn (maternally). According to Tazkira-e-Sufiya-e-Bihar by Muhammad Hifz-ur-Rahman (2021) and The Sultan of the Saints by Muhammad Riyaz Qadiri (2000), Gilani's father, Abu Salih Musa, descended from Hasan ibn Ali, while his mother, Umm al-Khair Fatima, descended from Husayn ibn Ali through Imam Zayn al-Abidin, linking directly to Ali and Fatima.[2][3] This dual lineage establishes Ibrahim as a "najeeb-ut-tarafain" Sayyid, a status widely accepted among the Mallick Baya community in Bihar, as corroborated by Sharfa Ki Nagari by Qayamuddin Nizami (1995), which details his role as a Sayyid leader in Bihar Sharif.[4]
He defeated Raja Birthal in a war.[5] Malik Ibrahim Baya's tomb is protected under Archaeological Survey of India and is a tourism spot in Bihar Sharif Nalanda.[6]
Descendants
Ibrahim Mallick Baya's descendants form the Mallick Baya community, a small Sayyid Muslim group primarily concentrated in the districts of Nalanda (Bihar Sharif), Arwal, Patna, Jahanabad, Nawada, Sheikhpura, and Jamui in Bihar, India.[7][8] Recognized as Ashraf (high-status Muslims) by the Bihar Minority Commission, the community maintains its pure Sayyid identity through descent from Ibrahim, a seventh-generation descendant of Abdul Qadir Gilani, whose lineage traces to Muhammad through Hasan and Husayn ibn Ali.[9] The community's veneration of Ibrahim's tomb at Peer Pahadi, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India, and annual Urs celebrations affirm their Sayyid heritage.[citation needed] Post-1947 partition, many descendants migrated to Pakistan and Bangladesh, where they are known as "Bihari Syeds."[10]@
Lineages
Ibrahim Mallick Baya (d. 1353 CE), a 14th-century Sufi saint, warrior, and governor of Bihar under the Tughlaq dynasty, is recognized as a Sayyid, descending from Muhammad through Ali ibn Abi Talib, Fatima al-Zahra, and their sons Hasan and Husayn. His lineage traces to Abdul Qadir Gilani (d. 1166 CE), a seventh-generation descendant of Muhammad, whose paternal line descends from Hasan ibn Ali and maternal line from Husayn ibn Ali via Zayn al-Abidin. This dual descent, known as "najeeb-ut-tarafain" (noble on both sides), is documented in Tazkira-e-Sufiya-e-Bihar by Dr. Muhammad Hifz-ur-Rahman (2021, ISBN 978-81-939320-4-9) and The Sultan of the Saints by Muhammad Riyaz Qadiri (2000, ISBN 969–851016–8).[11][12] The Mallick Baya community, concentrated in Bihar Sharif, Nalanda, Patna, and other Bihar districts, inherits this Sayyid status, as affirmed by the Bihar Minority Commission report, which identifies them as a "small Sayyid Muslim community" with Ashraf (high-status) standing.[citation needed] The veneration of Ibrahim's tomb at Peer Pahadi, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India, further underscores his prophetic lineage, as such reverence is typically reserved for Sayyids.[citation needed] Ibrahim's descent is further detailed in Sharfa Ki Nagari by Qayamuddin Nizami (1995), which traces his ancestry through Abdul Qadir Gilani to Muhammad via Ali and Fatima, with specific connections to Hasan (paternally) and Husayn (maternally through Zayn al-Abidin).[4] Community records, such as Reyazul Nayeem by Muhammad Nayeem, corroborate this lineage, noting that Ibrahim, born in Ghazni, carried the Sayyid title due to his direct descent from Muhammad's family.[13] The absence of significant disputes in academic or regional sources, combined with the community's historical prominence as zamindars and their production of figures like Mohammad Younus (Bihar's first Chief Minister, 1937), reinforces their Sayyid status.[14]
History
Malik Baya belonged to Suhrawardiyya order. He came to India during the reign of the sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq and became commander-in-chief in 1324.[citation needed]
When Malik Baya told Muhammad bin Tughlaq of his first victory over Bihar, the sultan replied: malik biya benasheen (lit. O chief come and sit down).[15]
The sultan sent his general, Ibrahim Malik, to punish Raja Bithal. After a fierce battle, the Raja was killed and his army was defeated. After this conquest of Bihar the sultan have Malik Baya the title of "Madarul Mulk" means Malik or Saif-o-Daulat (Administrator or King of Sword and Wealth).[16]
Malik Baya was also Governor of Bihar and general from 1351 to 1353, during the reign of Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq.[citation needed]
Death
Malik Baya died on Sunday, 13th Dul Hajj 753 AH (20 January 1353 AD). He was buried on Peer Pahadi, Bihar Sharif.[1][17][18]