Development of Shiite Culture in India

The judge Seyed Noorollah Marashi Shushtari (Third Martyr) was one of the eminent scholars of the tenth and eleventh centuries (AH) who was born in Shushtar (956 AH). Having had the benefit of tutelage of the scholars of that time and his father, Seyed Sharif-al-din, he went to Mashhad to complete his studies and then moved to India because of the turmoil of the second Shah Ismail era. Due to his mastery of religious sciences and Sunni schools of jurisprudence, he reached the highest position of judging in Akbar Shah Gurkani era. In addition to judging and teaching, he authored important works in the field of Shiite culture with the support of a number of Shias at Gurkani court, and laid the foundations of the awakening era of the Indian Shias. In other words, he helped them to reveal their prominent position in the Islamic tradition. Finally, he was martyred because of these efforts; more particularly his writing of Ehghagh-al-Hagh. Considering Judge Noorollah’s scientific, cultural and administrative attempts in India, the present paper attempts to clarify his role in promoting the growth of Shiite culture and protecting that.