View source for Aga Syed Yusuf Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi

{{short description|Founder of Anjuman Sharie Shian}}
{{Distinguish|Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah}}
{{EngvarB|date=January 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}

{{Infobox religious biography
| background     = skyblue
| name           = Aga Syed Yusuf Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi
| image          = agasyedyousuf.jpg
| religion       = [[Islam]], [[Shia]]
| alias          = بوڈ آغا صوب
| location       = [[Budgam]]
| Title          = Aga Sahib
| Period         = 1946-1982
| Predecessor    = Aga Syed Ahmad Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi
| Successor      = Disputed [[Succession of Aga Family]] <br> [[Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi]] <br> [[Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah Moosavi]] <br> Aga Syed Mohammad Baqir Al-Moosavi Al-Najfi
| ordination     =
| post           = [[Cleric]] <br> Founder and Patron of Anjuman-e-Sharie Shiyan <br> Representative of [[Imam Rahil]] for [[Kashmir]]
| birth_date  = 1904
| birth_place = [[Budgam]],
 [[Kashmir]], [[India]]
| death_date  = 29 August 1982
| death_place = [[Budgam]],
 [[Kashmir]], [[India]]
| website        =
}}

''' Syed Yousuf Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi''' (1904 – 29 August 1982) ('''{{lang-ur|آغا سید یوسف الموسوی الصفوی}}''') was a [[Kashmir]]i religious scholar and leader of [[Shia Islam|Shia Muslims]]. He founded the influential Anjuman-e-Sharie organization.{{#tag:ref|[[Aga Khan|Agha sahib]], a term meaning "lord" or "commander", was used in reference to Kashmiri.)<ref>"{{cite web|last=Nayeri |first=Sheri |title=FOREIGN TERMS IN THE KITE RUNNER |url=http://faculty.mdc.edu/dmcguirk/AGoodRead/ForeignTerms/ForeignTerms.htm |work=faculty.mdc.edu |publisher=Miami Dade College |accessdate=23 March 2012 |format=Web page |year=2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130130519/http://faculty.mdc.edu/dmcguirk/AGoodRead/ForeignTerms/ForeignTerms.htm |archivedate=30 January 2012 }}</ref>|group="note"}}

==Early life==
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2021}}
Yousuf was born in [[Budgam]] in 1322 [[Hijri calendar|Hijri]]. He completed his education in [[Islamic law]] from [[Najaf]] in Iraq. He is a descendant of Mir Shamsuddin Araki, who came to Kashmir in the 13th century from the town of Arak in Markazi Province, Iran. After the death of his elder brother Aga Syed Ahmed Almosavi, he took over the responsibilities of the Aga family. He established an educational institution for Islamic learning called ''Madras-e Babul Ilem'' ("gateway of knowledge") in Budgam.  Madars-e Babul Ilem is the ''Alma mater'' of many in the Kashmir literary field.

It is the practice among Shias of Kashmir to go to their religious head ([[Mawlawi (Islamic title)|Mawlawi]] or [[Aga (title)|Agas]]) for legal disputes instead of to government courts. Such ''Sharie Adalats'' ("religious courts") determine justice according to Islamic doctrine. During the period of Aga Yousef, ''Sharie Adalats'' became very popular. On a number of occasions the district court sent cases to Yousef's court. During the reign of Maharaja Gulab Singh, Pratab Singh, and Hari Singh, an article was included in the constitution of Kashmir which bestowed this Aga family with a unique honour. According to the article, if any one from the Aga family was required to give testimony in any case then he would not go to the court instead the court would come to his residence and record the testimony. No one from the Aga family should be summoned in the court. The law existed up to the period of Aga Syed Yousuf.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[File:Imambarabudgam.jpg|thumb|Imam Barah Budgam]] -->

== Career ==

===Anjumane Sharie Shian===
Aga Syed Yousef established Anjumane Sharie Shian in [[Jammu and Kashmir (state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] with both religious and political goals. Just as the government receives taxes from the general public, Anjuman Sharie Shian collects ''[[khums]]'' and ''[[fitr]]'' as [[alms]] from the [[Shia Islam|Shia]] population to spend on social, educational and economic improvement for the poorer segment of the community. When [[Sheikh Abdullah]]'s government passed the [[Land Reform Act]], Aga Syed Yousef said the bill was against the doctrine of Shiaism, which resulted in the government exempting Shias from the bill.<ref>Valley of Kashmir Book</ref>

===Other accomplishments===
Yousuf undertook the construction of [[Imambara]] Budgam. He widened the Imambara Hassanabad, a smaller replica of the one in Budgam.  Yousef also introduced the Shia ''nisab'' ("syllabus") at the [[University of Kashmir]].{{citation needed|date=January 2021}} He was the representative of Imam Khomeini

==Personal life==
Yousuf died on 29 August 1982. After his death, the district hospital of Budgam was named after him. Yousuf was buried in Budgam at the [[Aga Mehdi shrine]].<ref>تاریخ کشمیر مطبوعہ از راہ اسلام آرگنائزیشن</ref> The shrine was constructed by Yousuf himself during his lifetime to honor Sarkar Aga Syed Mehdi, who was also Yousuf's grandfather.<ref>[http://www.raheislam.org] {{dead link|date=May 2018}}</ref> His son was [[Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah]] who died on 29 January 2018 in Budgam.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wilayattimes.com/2018/01/29/aga-syed-mohammad-fazalullah-passed-away-at-budgam-kashmir|title=Aga Syed Mohammad Fazalullah passed away at Budgam Kashmir. : wilayat Times|website=wilayattimes.com|access-date=7 February 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208064229/http://wilayattimes.com/2018/01/29/aga-syed-mohammad-fazalullah-passed-away-at-budgam-kashmir/|archive-date=8 February 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Succession==

Aga Syed Yousuf died on 29 August 1982. He was the only patron and president of Anjumane Sharie Shian.<ref>تاریخ کشمیر مطبوعہ از راہ اسلام آرگنائزیشن</ref> Three renowned scholars of "Aga Family" claimed as his successor. [[Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi]], [[Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah Moosavi]] are considered three successors of Aga Syed Yousuf. Followers of Aga Syed Yousuf were divided into two factions: "Mustafai" followers of [[Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi]], "Muhammadi" followers of [[Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah Moosavi]]. After the deaths of [[Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi]] and [[Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah Moosavi]] their factions are led by Aga Syed Hassan Budgami and Aga Syed Mohammad Moosavi respectivel.<ref>تاریخ کشمیر مطبوعہ از راہ اسلام آرگنائزیشن</ref>

==See also==
*[[Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi|Ayatullah Aga Syed Mustafa Moosavi]]
*[[Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah|Hujjat Ul Islam Aga Syed Mohammad Fazlullah]]
*[[Shaheed Aga Syed Mehdi]]
*[[Mohammad Abbas Ansari]]
* [[Ghulam Rasool Noori]]
* [[Molvi Iftikhar Hussain Ansari]]
* [[Succession of Aga Family]]
* [[Aga Syed Mohsin Al Mosvi]]
* [[Tafazzul Husain Kashmiri]]
* [[Destruction of Kashmiri Shias]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Notes==
{{Reflist|group="note"}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070204024107/http://budgam.nic.in/holyplaces.htm  Budgam District official website] cites 1955 extension of Imambara Budgam
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070927201426/http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/02aug23/news.htm ''Aga Sahib laid to rest in Budgam'', Daily Excelsior, 23 August 2002] cites 1982 death of Aga Syed Yusuf Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi
* {{cite web|title=SHIAS OF KASHMIR: Past Tense, Present Imperfect|url=http://saisaonline.org/writers-corner/shias-of-kashmir-past-tense-present-imperfect/|website=saisaonline.org|publisher=South Asian Institute of Strategic Affairs (SAISA)|accessdate=17 August 2014|date=11 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141220193851/http://saisaonline.org/writers-corner/shias-of-kashmir-past-tense-present-imperfect/|archive-date=20 December 2014|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Yusuf Al-Moosavi Al-Safavi, Aga Syed}}
[[Category:1904 births]]
[[Category:1982 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Shia clerics]]
[[Category:People from Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Kashmiri people]]
[[Category:Indian ayatollahs]]
[[Category:People from Budgam district]]