Qutb Shah

Qutb Shah ibn Ya‘lā, al-Gilani, al Qadiri, formally known as Awn ibn Ya‘lā (c. 1028-1099), was a Ruler,[1] medieval Persian Sufi, Muslim preacher and a religious scholar.[2] He belonged to Alvi family of Banu Hashim tribe and was a relative of Abdul Qadir Gilani.[3][4]

Initially, He belonged to Imamia sect of Islam, 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 tries 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]

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.[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.[1] He is buried in Iraq near Imam Musa Kazim.