Qutb Shah

Syed Qutb Shah, formally known as Syed Abdullah Awn ibn Ya‘lā (Persian: عبداللہ عَوْن ابنِ یعلیٰسید) (c. 1028–1099), was a ruler,[1] medieval Persian Sufi, Muslim preacher and a religious scholar.[2] He belonged to Alvi Syed family of Banu Hashim tribe and was a relative of Abdul Qadir Gilani.[3][4]

Syed Abdullah Awn ibn Ya‘lā سید عبداللہ عَوْن ابنِ علی
Born	1028 AD (probably) Gilan, Persia
Died	1099 AD (probably) Herat, Afghanistan
Nationality	Quraysh Hashmi Syed
Other names	Hakim-ul-Quloob, Al-Sheikh Al-Azeem, Olad-e-Ali, Shamsheer-e-Sher-e-Shamsheer zan
Occupation(s)	Ruler and Islamic Scholar
Known for	Sufi mysticism
Title	Qutb Shah
Parent	Ya'la ibn Hamza ibn Tayyar ibn Ali ibn Jaffar ibn Hamza ibn Hassan ibn Ali ibn Ubydullah ibn Abbas ibn Abi Talib ibn Hashim (father)
Relatives	Abdul Qadir Jilani (maternal cousin)
Family	Banu Hashim Syed Alvi

Initially, he belonged to the Imamia sect of Islam, but later he was influenced by the teachings of his cousin, Abdul Qadir Gilani, and ended up becoming a Hanbali-Zaydi.[2] His Hanbali-Zaydi Sufi school tried to integrate perfectionism of commandments and agape-oriented activism. Ibn Arabi also tried this synergy by admiring Ibn Hazm which raised legal paradoxes and became controversial in ultranomian circles.[5]

Map showing demographic distribution of Awans (decedents of Qutb Shah) in Pakistan

Syed Qutb Shah, in first quarter of 11th century, ruled Herat (then Khorasan),[1] where supposedly there was a power vacuum, and people made him their ruler due to his religious stature. After taking the throne of Herat, he also joined forces with Mahmud of Ghazni when Mahmud invaded Sub-continent.[6][1] He ruled Herat until his death. All of his children migrated to modern-day Pakistan, and settled near Salt Range, on his command.[1] He is considered to be the primary ancestor of the Awans. Or Alids Syeds[6][7][1] He is buried in Iraq near Imam Musa Kazim.