The Thought of Mahdism in the Minds of Nezamshahis

The subcontinent of India has had very close relations with the Iranian Plateau since a long time ago. Lots of emigrants have traveled to India to take with them Islamic teachings and knowledge to be propagated. For the same reason, when Shiism spread over the Iranian Plateau to become the official religion of the Safavid Dynasty, at the same time, an inclination toward Shiism grew in the Subcontinent so much that it became the official faith of three dynasties of kings over the vast area of Deccan. Simultaneously, with the prevalence of this religion, a person named Muhammad Junpoori arose to claim hat he was “Mahdi” and then started to propagate and circulate his doctrine as far as he could establish a sect called ‘Mahdawiyya’. This sect, in addition to the claim for Mahdism, was also impressed by Sufism. The members used some manner of sufi characteristic in their teachings. After Sayyed Muhammad, at the period of the government of Isma’il Nezamshahi, some of the followers of this sect, led by Jamal Khan were able to reign over the region and replace the Shiite religion with Mahdawiyya Faith. Nevertheless, after two years, they were defeated and destroyed. And afterward, the twelve-Imam Shiite became the official religion of the Nezamshahi government again.This article will try to investigate how the Mahdawiyya sect came into being and why the grounds were prepared for the claim. This research will also make known to the readers the reasons why the people of Deccan were first inclined toward the faith of Mahdawiyya but then returned to the Shiite religion again for their purposes.