Women Pirs?

[momins1]

I've read a considerable amount of Ismaili history and there seems to be no mentions of the significance of women in the religion. Do we have any women Pirs (if it is possible)? What about Imam Begum (from the ginans)?

[ShamsB]

I've read a considerable amount of Ismaili history and there seems to be no mentions of the significance of women in the religion. Do we have any women Pirs (if it is possible)? What about Imam Begum (from the ginans)?

Sayyeda Imam Begum was not a Pir, she was one of the last descendants of the kadiwalla sayyads(correct me on the name someone).

We have had a woman Pir.
The wife of Aga Hassanali Shah (PBUH) was a Pir.
Pir Miriam Khatun.


Shams

[kmaherali]

I've read a considerable amount of Ismaili history and there seems to be no mentions of the significance of women in the religion. Do we have any women Pirs (if it is possible)? What about Imam Begum (from the ginans)?

Sayyeda Imam Begum was not a Pir, she was one of the last descendants of the kadiwalla sayyads(correct me on the name someone).

We have had a woman Pir.
The wife of Aga Hassanali Shah (PBUH) was a Pir.
Pir Miriam Khatun.


Shams

The following is the description of Pir Miriam Khatun in Missionay Abu Ali's "A Brief History of Ismailism".

After the death of Pir Mirza Mohammed Baqir, Imam Agha Hasaanali Shah appointed his own mother as the Pir. She was a very good speaker and a highly learned woman. The Holy Imam has conferred upon her the title of Mata Salaamat. She was addressed as Pir Bibi Sarkar or Sarkar Mata Salaamat.

She was sent to India by the Holy Imam in 1829. She was the first Holy Pir who visited India in 329 years since the death of Pir Tajdin in 876 A.H. She also travelled to the Persian Gulf countries to visit the jamaats there. When she passsed away in Mahalat in about 1248 A.H., the Holy Imam took over the work of the Pir as well.

[nagib]

Let's mention that there are several "Farmans" made by Pir Bibi Sarkar in khojki manuscripts.

It is also wrong to say that she was the first Pir to come back to the subcontinent after Pir Tajdin.

Indeed our 38th Pir Ali Akber Baig, and Ali Ashkar Beg who preecedet her came and even today we have retain some of their ginans in Indian languages which are sung in jamatkhanas.

I would also not deny that other Pirs came before her only on the basis that we did not found their writtings in the subcontinent. Maybe they came and did not write or they wrote but the writtings were lost.

[kmaherali]

Perhaps it would also be of interest to note that Pir Bibi Sarkar was the daughter of the previous Pir, Pir Mirza Mohammed Baqir.