Sheikh Ghiathadeen Naqshabandi
| Sheikh Ghiathadeen Naqshabandi | |
|---|---|
 Sheikh Ghiathadeen Naqshabandi, taken in 1940. | |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
1890 Bamarni, Mosul Vilayet, Ottoman Empire (present day Iraq) |
| Died |
1944 Bamarni, Kingdom of Iraq |
| Religion | Islam (Naqshbandi Sufism) |
Sheikh Ghiathadeen Naqshabandi (1890–1944) (Kurdish: شیخ غیاسدین نەقشبەندی), was a senior Kurdish Sufi Sheikh, Muslim cleric, Islamic philosopher, scholar, poet, politician, and a prominent Iraqi-Kurdish personality from Bamarni, Iraq.
Sheikh Ghiathadeen was born into a respected and intellectual family of Islamic Sufi scholars who settled in Bamarni in the 17th century and spent most of their life learning and teaching Islamic studies at the Takkiya (khanqah) of Bamarni. His family were well known for their piety, learning and influence throughout Kurdistan for years before him.
After being educated at the Religious School of Amadiya, He followed his ancestors in following the Naqshbandi Sufi order. During his life he granted more than hundred religious scientific licenses for scholars from different parts of Iraq, Iran, and the Middle East in general, and sponsored the daily living and study costs of his students and followers. He also contributed to establishing many schools and mosques in Bamarni, Amadiya and in many different villages.
The Sheikh was also accredited for opening the first school in the Bahdinan region and obliged all children to attend school. The idea of opening a school was not favored by the then ruling government, and decided they would not pay the salaries of the teachers. This caused the Sheikh to pay the teachers salaries with his own money.
Life and origins
Sheikh Ghiathadeen's ancestors originated from Banistan village in the Rekan area. His father, Sheikh Bahauddin, was also a very famous religious figure and Naqshbandi shaykh and was well known for his piety and humbleness.
The Sheikh was also well known for his poems. His poems are still widely known and are used in Secondary school literature books. The Sheikh had followers from different parts of Iraq, Turkey, Iran, and the Middle East. Sheikh Ghiathadeen was a Member of Parliament for the Kingdom of Iraq and had close relations with King Faisal II of Iraq. King Faisal II frequently visited Bamarni and stayed at the Sheikh's guest house (Diwan-khane). Due to this close relation, the King made an airstrip close to Bamarni in order to visit the Sheikh more frequently.
The Sheikh married three times, due to 2 of his wives passing away. He only had one son, named Ali Naqshbandi, who grew up to take his father's place as a MP for the Kingdom of Iraq, and became a famous author.
The Sheikh always demanded rights and freedom for Kurds and was part of the Kurdish nationalist organization called Xoybûn.
Sheikh Ghiathadeen Naqshabandi died in 1944, and is buried in his tomb at the top of the Mazar Graveyard in the village of Bamarni.