Zikir and Zari represent a musical genre of Assam; they are a group of devotional songs prevalent among the Muslims of Assam. Although Zikir and Zari are similar in tune, Zikir songs embody the teaching of Islam whereas the Zari songs are based on the tragic episodes of the Karbala tragedy. Zikir The term Zikir, derived from Arabic “Ziqr”, literary means singing or remembering Allah’s name. It applies both to the musical genre and to the occasion of its performance, the devotional assembly of Islamic mysticism or Sufism in Assam. Zikir, took root in Assam during the 17th century within the socio-cultural framework instituted by Bhakti movement of Saint Srimanta Sankardev (1449-1568) and under the patronage of Ahom (1200-1800) kings.
Zikirs were mainly composed and popularized by the 17th century Sufi saint and poet Hazrat Shah Miran, popularly known as Ajan Fakir. Ajan Fakir came to Assam from Bagdad accompanied by his brother Shah Navi, and settled in Suwaguri Sapori, near present Sibsagar town. According to a legend, Hazrat Shah Miran received the name “Ajan Fakir” or Ajan Pir (Saint) because he was the one who taught the Assamese Muslim to recite “Azan” as its part of Muslim ritual. The time of Ajan Fakir cannot be stated positively but from references in two Assamese chronicles and some Zikirs prove his stay in Assam in 17th century. In the following Zikir, Ajan Fakir described the time he composed Zikir and the Quran the source of the Zikir.
Dah xa dukuri nabison hijiri/aru pase bosor jai/Ajan Fakire ai zikir korile/
Koran kitapot pai. Ajan Fakir composed the Zikir in 1038 Hijri (1636). The Quran is the source of this Zikir.
It is known from history that Muslim settlers stepped in to Assam as Mughal and Pathans invaders. The Badshahs and the Sultans of Delhi made many attempts of expedition to conquer Assam and as a result a small number of Muslims stayed back as a prisoners of war. Apart from these invasions, during the Ahom reign some Muslim artists of special skills were imported from various part of India. A considerable number of these Muslim settler married local Assamese women and also adopted Assamese culture.
Though the underlying motivation of Ajan Fakir was the preaching of Islam, he was very influenced by the Vaisnavite thoughts, teaching and music of Sankardeva. Singing the glory of Allah and Islam in high lyrical terms often came down in part to explaining the ideas and issues in terms of events and activities of daily life of the common people. It is also interesting to note that the Zikirs have been able to build a bridge in ensuring the harmonious relationship between Islam and Hinduism, particularly with Vaisnavism. One of the most impressive example of Bhakti doctrines preached by Ajan Fakir to express admiration for this sect of Hinduism as follows.
Sankardeur jiyari Madhavdeur buwari
Rahpur nagarat ghar
Rahpur nagarat rasak nami ani
Diya sakaloke bati She is the daughter of Sankardeva and daughter-in-law of Madhavadev; and she dwells in the city of Rahpur or land of rasa aesthetics); that is, the sentiment of love and devotion; bring down the rasa from the city of Rahpur and distribute in among us all.
Ajan Fakir had encountered much difficulty in stabilizing Islam as prevalent in Assam during the 17th century; it had already deviated here from its main principles and practices. It is stated that during that period the local Muslims used to take part in the singing of Kirtana-songs for community prayer composed by Sankardeva, for the purpose of propagating Vaisnavism. The Muslim also took mahprasads (uncooked eatables generally consisting of gram, sugarcane, coconut, ginger and fruits) distributed at the end of the community singing of Kirtana. With a view attracting these Muslims towards Islam, Ajan Fakir introduced the custom of distribution of sinni (considered food prepared out of rice) at the end of the community singing of Zikir and Zari song
Apart from Vaishnavite music, Ajan Fakir was also greatly inspired by the regional music of Assam such as the tone and spirit of other Assamese folk genre like Oja-pali and Deh bicarar geet. Ajan Fakir adopted the practice of Vaisnavite lyrics, one often comes across lines “Savaro ghate ghate Alla” evidently borrowed from Vaisnavite poetry. Ajan Fakir himself was a good singer and poet; he composed one hundred and sixty Zikirs in Assamese. Although Islam does not promote music and dance for entertainment, from the religious perspective there is no restriction as such. At that time dance and music constituted a very popular way of praying to God among the Hindu and the Muslim communities of Assam. Ajan Fakir and his disciples, popularly known as “Bhakat” in Assamese, performed Zikir, dancing and singing with hand clapping like folk performance such as Diha nam, Husori, etc. Even today Zikir songs are performed with dance in some areas of Assam.
by DR. UTPOLA BORAH
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