Abd Allah al-Ashtar

Abdullah Shah Ghazi (c. 720 - c. 768) was a Muslim mystic and Sufi whose shrine is located in Clifton in Karachi, in Sindh province of Pakistan. His real name was Abdullah al-Ashtar. His father, Muhammad al-Nafs al-Zakiyya, was a descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatimah. Life in Sindh Around 761, Muhammad Nafs al-Zakiyah sailed from Aden to Sindh where he consulted with the governor, Umar ibn Hafs Hazarmard before returning to Kufah and Medina. His son, Abdullah al-Ashtar, also known as Abdullah Shah Ghazi, married a woman from Sindh and had children by her. According to Tabari, Sindh was selected since its governor, Umar ibn Hafs, supported Muhammad's claim to the Imamate. Ibn Khaldun and Ibn al-Athir say that the governor had Shi'ite inclinations. Once they decided enough support had been amassed to revolt successfully (762), Muhammad went to Medina, and Abdullah al-Ashtar stayed in Sind. Abdullah al-Ashtar was accompanied by a number of troops belonging to the Shi'ite sect of Zaydiyah, who at the time were active supporters of Ahlulbayt, willing to take a militant stance in pursuit of the Imamate. Shortly thereafter, however, Umar received word from his wife in Basrah that Muhammad Nafs Al-Zakiyah had been killed in Medina (14 Ramadan 145/6 December 762). As a consequence, Umar felt that their presence in the capital compromised his position as governor. Unwilling to take any definite action either for or against them, he summoned Abdullah al-Ashtar and suggested: "I have an idea: one of the princes of Sindh has a mighty kingdom with numerous supporters. Despite his polytheism, he greatly honours [the family of] the Prophet. He is a reliable man. I will write to him and conclude an agreement between the two of you. You can then go to him, stay there, and you will not desire anything better."